Best Health Grill 2019 – Buyer’s Guide

A great sturdy product which can cook enough for a small household in one go, this Tower grill is perfect for anyone on a budget but who still wants quality.

The ‘reversible’ part comes into play thanks to the two usable surfaces either side of the plate. Making a fry up with egg, tomato and bacon? Use the flat side. Having burgers for dinner? The griddled side will give it a more authentic look.

It heats up fast so it is perfect for those dinners where you have just come into work and can’t really be bothered to prepare what you’re cooking. It also gets to a very high temperature but is adjustable, so that you can cook pancakes or chicken all with the same device. All the fat runs off into the collector so you can still be healthy despite the fact you want a bit of a treat.

The cleaning is easy as the plates are removable. The whole appliance is quite heavy and bulky, which could hamper storage a little, but you can at least feel the quality in it – this is a grill which will last a fair few years.

Tower is a great name when it comes to grills and cooking equipment, and this is a perfect example.

Featuring a huge cooking surface and the option to use it in or outside, this is the perfect solution for those of you who love both health grills and barbecues but need something which does both roles.

The collapsible stand is what makes this possible. It gives you a good raised surface, so you don’t need to grab a spare table, but also can be split up into parts when storage so you don’t need as much space. This also makes it great if you want to take it on the road with you to a holiday home or caravan. If it starts raining, just move it inside.

It is also great for anyone who often hosts the meals and summer parties, thanks to the ability to cook up to 15 portions all at once. The fat runs off the plates so that it will be healthy for everyone. Perfect for those bothered about what they eat, but also for those who aren’t and you want to surprise, as the taste is still there.

When it comes to the cleanup, the non-stick coating reduces the likelihood of any burnt on bits, and the plates can be removed, so they are easier to wash.

The flexibility is the real standout of this grill, but there are so many other things to love too. It is instantaneous, with no waiting for coals to heat or difficulty in changing the temperature. Using it is simple, and cooling and cleaning are fast as well. It is lightweight, and there is no smoke or splashing fat. What is not to love.

Allowing you to cook four portions of food at once, whether it be steak, vegetables or fish, this is a perfect little device for any family home.

The drip tray captures all of the excess oils and fats, to keep your food healthy. Because of the floating hinge design, it opens up flat. No matter how thick your panini or chicken breast is, it will still fit comfortably.

A cool touch handle means you can check on the food at any time without risking injury. Non-slip feet keep it stable on your worktop to reduce the likelihood of any accidents too. The non-stick surface will keep burnt on food and the risk of charring at bay.

The plates are not removable so it can be difficult to clean if anything has stuck to it. But the removable drip tray makes emptying the collected grease and fat easier. It can be stored vertically if you’re low on space in your cupboards too, which makes it ideal for the smaller kitchens.

A generously-sized grill packed full of features, yet it is also one of the most affordable on our list. No wonder it has been crowned our worthy winner.

It has everything that you could want out of a grill. A perfect fit clip-in drip tray captures any fat which drains away from the food for easy cleaning and disposal. An adjustable back foot gives you angled grilling for better viewing and control, and also allows excess fat to run off. A stainless steel handle makes for easy movement, too.

Talking of cleaning, the fixed non-stick plates won’t create a mess, so once the device is cooled, you should be able to simply wipe away anything left behind. There is the option to purchase the appliance with a dedicated cleaning sponge which will help a lot.

And while we mention fat, up to 42% of the fat in the food you cook can be removed by this grill – perfect if you love nothing more than a nice fried steak meal as a midweek treat but want to make some changes, so it’s healthier without compromising on taste. Ready to cook indicator lights let you know when it is ready to work its magic.

We also loved the design, which is going to be important if it is going to form a bit of a centrepiece in your kitchen. The striking red colour is a pop, and it is a sleek, minimal design so won’t appear too bulky to keep out at all times.

It is also great for storing away if preferred. This can be horizontally or vertically, and there is cord storage to cut down on space.

Don’t let the fixed plates put you off; the coating seems to be a lot stronger than on previous models, so cleans easily without the faff of involving the dishwasher. All the above reasons make it our best George Foreman grill pick, especially for the price.

Sage, with the help of Heston Blumenthal, has become a renowned name in the kitchen appliance world, and their high-end items promise to make life easier for you.

This grill is no exception. It is packed with features, extras and intelligent touches. It can even cook a steak twice as fast as a standard outdoor barbecue.

There are plenty of settings to help you out, such as five meat settings with programmed temperatures so you can prepare it rare to well done at the touch of a button without any stress. A clever integrated probe senses the temperature of the inside of the meat, and an audible sound tells you to take it off when ready to allow it to rest.

This prevents it from becoming overdone due to the residual heat and also enhances flavour. Another touch is an improvement on previous models; while they had heating elements under the plates, the Pro has them embedded into the plates for a more superior heat.

An electric thermostat senses slight changes in temperature, adjusting the cooking time as required. It can also fold out to create a flat surface, so the cooking area becomes double the size, and is all non-stick for easier care and cleaning.

Plate height and temperature are both adjustable so that you can prepare pancakes and toasties just as well as burgers. An LCD screen informs you of what is selected and gives a few bits of extra information, too.

All of this makes the fact it’s not cheap understandable, yet we think it would be worth paying if you know you’ll get the use out of it. It could definitely cope with regular daily use and is definitely one for all the meat lovers out there rather than anyone who will be making the odd cheese panini or cooking vegetables.

The Hairy Bikers are two of television’s most well-loved cooks, and their range of kitchen appliances have also proven popular.

It is one of the best for draining excess oil away, and indeed this was the aim when designing it – it’s for those of you out there who want a healthy way to cook. The curved shape of the grill plate allows the fat to pour into the collection trays at either side quickly and effectively.

Don’t think that this means your food will end up being bland, flavourless and boring though. David and Simon have included an ingenious infusion channel surrounding the plate which can be used to hold wet or dry ingredients.

While the curved plates are a great idea for removing oil, it does mean that combined with the non-stick coating, food does tend to slide to the sides of the plate. It also makes it a bit more difficult to cook foods which traditionally need a more flat surface, such as paninis and toasties. Some thinner items also struggled with touching the top lid.

The infusion ridges also make it hard to clean, especially compared to a completely flat surface. We also have to admit that it was one of the most difficult to clean if something burnt onto the surface; you can’t use abrasives but water is sometimes not quite enough. Once this starts, it just builds up, so extra precautions need to be taken from the get-go.

But despite the negatives, it is a good price for something which is suitable for occasional use and keeps all the bad parts of grilling at bay.

If you are after a grill which can be used infrequently and is compact enough for one or two people, then this could be a great option.

It still has a lot of the basic features we like, such as a height adjustable lid and floating hinge to accommodate thicker food, power on and ready lights and non-stick plates. The marble coating improves this technology while adding a bit of an extra touch in terms of design.

But a particular selling point is the fact that you can fold this model out to cook on both plates, creating twice the space. Cook your meals to perfection in this 180° tabletop mode, or use as a panini press for top and bottom grilling.

A full-width, heat-resistant handle makes pressing and lifting the top easy enough, so you have a good amount of control. This helps with the cooking, as the temperature is automatic and not adjustable.

All of the oil and fat is collected in a little tray which snugly slides under the base of the appliance, so it is out of the way and can’t be knocked when in use. The fat drains away via one single channel, reducing the amount of mess created.

Overall, for the price, it is a good grill. We would say it is better for paninis and toasties or light grilling (vegetables/kebabs) as opposed to heavy steaks, chicken and burgers, but the option to fold it out could come in handy for experimenting. All in all, it is cheap and cheerful.

With a 4 portion grill and 6 portion griddle, this is the perfect option for anyone who regularly cooks for a lot of guests or larger households and families.

The two cooking areas can be used at the same time to save you some time slaving away, and both feature independent temperature controls so are fully adaptable. So if you all like a cooked breakfast at the weekend, but the hassle of having several pans on the go at once or having to keep everything warm is usually too much effort, pop your meat on the grill and have your tomatoes, mushrooms and fried eggs all ready at the same time.

If you only want to use one side of the appliance, just turn the temperature controller to ‘off’, and there will be no heat transferred. The non-stick surface makes the draining of oils and fat easy, and it is all collected in the drip tray so you can dispose of it quickly and cleanly.

A floating hinge on the grill automatically adjusts the height of the top plate for any thicker items of food, so whether it be a chunky steak or a full-packed panini, there is no cramming it in. However, it sits too high to cook both sides of something flat such as bacon, so turning is needed.

The reduced space of the grill may put a few of you off, but if you want something that is a bit of an all-in-one cooking device, or even acts as an indoor barbecue, then the flexibility and space it offers are ideal. Perfect if you want something you can regularly take camping, too.

Thanks to the 600cm square cooking area, this is an ideal grill for anyone who regularly cooks for small amounts of people.

There are a lot of added extras which make cooking easier, from thickness detection to adjust the cooking time and temperature automatically and a colour-coded cooking level indicator which can indicate how done the meat is, from rare to well-done. It beeps at every stage so you can keep up with the changes.

Six automatic food programmes can also help you when choosing the perfect settings. There is burger, poultry, bacon, sausage, red meat and fish, which all require different temperatures, and the grill helps you out here. You can also set this manually if you prefer to have more control or cook foods from frozen.

The non-stick plates are removable, as it the drip tray, and both are dishwasher safe for easier care. For those in-between times, just give it all a wipe after 45 minutes of cooling. The plates are die-cast aluminium, so whereas some other models can suffer from flaking coatings after prolonged use and dishwasher care, we think this one should see you through.

There is an Optigrill+ XL model available which can cook for up to 8 people, giving you over 33% more space than the standard option we have reviewed. The price is not much more, but we think the smaller option will be perfectly sufficient for the majority of users out there.

If you’re after a hot plate style grill as opposed to a press grill, then this James Martin option could well do the trick.

It still has all the benefits of a health grill – drain holes for removing excess fat and oils, a non-stick surface to help keep it clean and looking like new, and variable temperature control to help you cook a range of food from steaks to vegetable skewers.

Just over half of the surface is ribbed, and the other half is flat, so you can pick the best option for the job.

Heating up can take a little while if you want one of the highest temperature settings, and cooking can also be a little time-consuming with foods such as steak and pork. These are flaws which we think are easy to adapt to though, once you get the hang of the product. Just check everything is cooked.

We think it is ideal if you want a barbecue but it is raining outside, or if you want a cooking device which can go with you in the caravan and is easy to use and store away. Even though cooking can take a little while, anything which is made on this grill tastes great and there is no burning or bad tastes.

Breville is a well-respected name in the grilling world, known for their host of panini and toastie makers, and this grill can help you expand your cooking horizons.

First of all, the heating elements are contained within the plates for a quick, evenly distributed heat source. It also means faster cooking times, which is good if you don’t have all day to wait around for your Tuesday night steak to be ready (who does).

Because of the flat design, you can prepare anything from meats and fish to vegetables and even bread. The hinged lid both accommodates thicker food and can fold out for a double surface if you’ve got a large meal ahead of you.

A variable temperature dial allows you to tailor the heat to whatever you’re conjuring up: super-hot for medium-rare steaks to lock-in flavour, or a more gentle heat for grilled fruit. The feet are non-slip so you can create a safe surface, and they’re also adjustable to make it easier for fat to drain away if you’re making something extra messy.

Cord storage will keep everything tidy, whether you like to keep it out on display on the bench or need to save space.

We haven’t mentioned the non-stick surface because, while we had no huge problems during our testing (just a few stubborn marks), a popular opinion amongst other reviewers seems to be that the non-stick coating is, well, not non-stick at all. Burn a little thing on to the surface, and that’s that. Everything you cook will burn forever more.

They are removable though, which can help you tackle any baked-on residue before it starts to build. Just beware a wipe won’t be enough if it is marked.