"Grill microwaves
" refers to a grilling option available on some microwave ovens. These microwaves make it possible to grill and toast foods inside of the microwave while still cutting back on time from a traditional grill or oven. Like regular microwave cooking, you do not need to monitor foods grilled in the microwave oven as closely as you would with a traditional grill. This makes for a no-fuss way to prepare meats and other food without sacrificing taste.
How Does It Work?
To accomplish grilling in a grill microwave, in most models you will need to put the microwave on a specific setting and use a special grill plate. When on the grill setting, the microwave will heat the grill plate as opposed to directly heating the food. This creates a sear on the outside of the meat and is advertised to eliminate the rubbery effect that happens when you cook meat in a traditional microwave.
Settings
Grill microwaves can still be used as a regular microwave and can often be used as a convection oven as well. You just need to select the proper setting for the type of cooking you want to do. On most models this is as simple as pushing a button.
Some upper-line models will allow you to combine traditional microwave cooking with grill cooking. Sometimes you can specify the percentages at which you would like the appliance to apply each cooking method.
Price
Although there is a range in prices, do not expect to spend less than $150 for a microwave with a grill option. Like anything else, the latest technology in microwaves is going to be more expensive than the options that have been available for decades. The top end in microwave ovens is around $600. Many of the upper-end microwaves will offer a grill setting, but some do not.
Where to Purchase a Grill Microwave
Microwaves with a grill setting can be purchased at most stores that sell microwaves, but the selection is better at some places than others. Avoid discount department stores, as grill microwaves are generally priced above their product lines and it is rare that they will carry a microwave with a grill setting option. Home improvement, appliance and electronic stores that carry appliances (Best Buy, for example) are your best bet for finding a good selection of grill microwaves.
Common manufactures that make grill microwaves include LG, Sanyo, Sharp, Cuisinart, Panasonic and Delonghi.
Microwave Grills
While searching for a grill microwave on the Internet, it is likely that you will come across a microwave grill. This is not the same as a grill microwave. A microwave grill is similar to the grill plate that will come with a grill microwave, but it is made to work with a regular microwave on regular microwave setting. Although these products are much less expensive (about $30) than a new microwave, they may not be the same quality as what comes with a grill microwave. According to a review of the Micro Grill on Paninihappy.com, a sandwich grilled in this contraption did not receive much crispiness on the outside, but the bread was of better quality than traditional microwaving alone.
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