What is a contact grill and what are its benefits? Read on to find out why you need this equipment for your BBQ escapades.
Are you a big fan of barbecues? Are you searching for the best indoor grill options available? Then you need to include the contact grill in your hunt. But what is a contact grill? Read on to find out.
What is a Contact Grill?
Contact grills feature two plate surfaces where you place your food in-between. This design lets you cook both sides of the food evenly, among many other benefits. 
In turn, these benefits helped the electric grill market in the country to soar. Analysts project the electric grilling industry to grow further over the next decade.
Benefits of a Contact Grill
But what exactly are the factors that make an in-house grill a big hit? Continue reading below as we give you 10 reasons why you should get a contact grill if you wish to become a BBQ master.
1. It Cooks Faster
Compared to traditional grill types, a contact grill can cook your food faster. As we mentioned earlier, contact grills feature two heated surfaces. These surfaces let you cook both sides of the food at the same time. This eliminates the need to flip your meats and burgers and wait for the other side to cook. Hence, contact grills can cook your food twice as fast as open-grills do.
2. Emits Less Smoke
Another attractive advantage of using contact grills is that they emit less smoke. You may even find smokeless contact grills. This factor may not be a big deal for some. However, medical studies reveal that carcinogens coming from barbecue smoke can enter the body through the skin. Barbecue smoke carries high levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These PAHs are sources for different kinds of ailments. Some of the most alarming ones include DNA mutations. They also contribute to different respiratory ailments including lung cancer. But with contact grills, you don’t have to worry about harmful smoke.
3. Reduces the Fats
Aside from the smoke, contact grills also help reduce fats coming from your food. Contact grills come with grooved plates. This design allows the grill to raise the meat while grilling. Because of the meat’s position, the fats from inside the meat will drip down into the grease tray (more on this later). Health experts also hailed grilling as one of the healthiest ways to cook food. Because it helps reduce fats, it is the better choice compared to deep-frying or pan-frying.
4. The Timer Feature
Another interesting feature of contact grills is the timer. This feature is a staple in all of the best contact grills today. The built-in timer ensures that you are cooking your food appropriately. Compared to open grills and traditional grills that don’t come with any timers, contact grills will let you know if your food is ready to eat. Moreover, timers help you reduce waste and helps your grill consume energy efficiently.
5. The Grease Trays
We also mentioned the grease trays earlier. This is a key component that helps the contact grill reduce fats. Grease trays collect all the fats and oils that the contact grill eliminates from the meat. 
If there is a downside to these trays, they can be hard to clean especially after grilling a lot of meat. Make sure to use an excellent grease-cutting cleaner when cleaning the tray.
6. The Floating Plates
The floating plate is the top half of the contact grill. This is the surface that rests on top of your food. Apart from helping you achieve consistency in cooking, the floating plate helps keep the juices intact inside your meats. 
Yes, the contact grill can reduce those unwanted fats. But when it comes to the natural flavors of the meat, the floating plates can help keep them.
7. Flexibility
Are you looking for a grill for sandwiches? Then the contact grill is the answer. You can turn your contact grill into a Panini press. With a contact grill, you can create all sorts of sandwich-based meals. You can put any sort of fillings that you want and grill the sandwiches to perfection.
8. Adjustable Temperature
And speaking of cooking to perfection, another huge advantage of using contact grills is temperature control. You can find contact grills that feature adjustable temperature. This lets you cook your food without missing the appropriate temperature they need. This feature is crucial especially if you’re grilling different kinds of food. Meats will cook longer compared to seafood. The same thing goes if you’re grilling some vegetables that will only take a few minutes to cook.
9. User-Friendly
Compared to outdoor grills and other grill types that need charcoal or gas, contact grills are much easier to operate. They are easy to set up and only require a nearby electric outlet before you can start grilling. They are also easy to clean. Some contact grills even have plates that are safe for dishwashers.
10. Lots of Options to Choose From
Last but not least, contact grills come in different shapes and sizes. Some contact grills feature a flat plate design. This option is perfect if you’re looking to maximize the grill’s cooking area. Another option is the ribbed plate contact grill. This variant is one of the best when it comes to drawing away fats. Moreover, only portions of the cooking plate touch the food, leaving those appetizing grill lines. Also, you have a variety of plate options. These include ceramic plates, aluminum plates, and cast iron plates.
