The old saying of you get what you pay for is true for just about anything in life, and that certainly includes
indoor grills. I've always been one to look for a good quality product, and this new
Breville Smart Grill BGR-820XL indoor grill looks like it takes indoor grilling to
a whole new level. That said, let's take a detailed look at how well it works.
Click here to see a quick video that gives you an overall look at what this grill is all about.
Breville BGR-820XL Indoor Grill Features And Specs
Large family-sized 260 sq. inch grilling surface
Grill unfolds for indoor barbequing
1800 watt heating with element IQ
Adjustable temp controls (320-450) with multiple food settings
Top and bottom plate releases/bottom plate has tilt adjustment
30 minute timer with alarm
1 hour auto shutoff mechanism
Multiple height settings
Removable multi-use drip tray
Dishwasher safe
Includes recipe guide
1-year warranty
Breville Indoor Grill Review
Large 260 Sq. Inch Grilling Surface
After you open up the box to this indoor grill, the first thing you'll notice is just how big the cooking area
is. This is really great for those with families who want to be able to cook all their foods at the same time.
The grilling surface covers 260 sq. inches, which is among the largest for all types of indoor grills. This
extra space comes in handy when barbequing steaks, cooking fish, or any of your other favorite foods.
Grill Unfolds For Indoor Barbequing
One of the unique aspects with this
Breville Smart Grill is how it unfolds to allow you to cook on both sides. One
side has a flat plate, while the other side has a ribbed grill surface for barbeque use. So, you could easily cook
meats on the grill side and your favorite veggies on the flat side... or vice-versa if you like.
Using the BBQ mode is quick and simple. Grab the grill handle and with other hand you pull out the height
control clip simultaneously. Lower it into position and you're ready to go.
1800 Watt Heating With Element IQ
The 1800 watt heating power in the BGR-820XL is also among the highest of any indoor grill on the market. It's
not like the standard 850 or 1200 watt heating elements you so often find on other models. This is massive 1800
watts that easily cooks up to 450°.
Low grill heating power is always one of the biggest issues with an indoor bbq grill, but not with this model.
The embedded heating element has a unique design that allows it to heat up much faster, and cook your foods at the
higher temps you desire.
The heating IQ is another feature with this grill is one I've not seen on any other indoor grill. The grill is
built with sensors that automatically detect a drop in temperature, like when you place a steak on the grill. It
then shoots heat to that part of the grill and eliminates the cold spot. The result is faster and more even cooking
throughout. This is one very nice feature that Breville added.
Adjustable Temp Controls
As you would expect with a grill of this quality, it features fully adjustable heat control from 320-450
degrees. Along with the multitude of settings there is also a warming mode, Panni setting and a unique Sear mode
which is great for grilling juicy steaks and other foods.
But it goes much further than that. The LCD temp display, which is very nice and easy to read, goes from its
normal blue color to orange when the grill is fully heated to your desired temperature and ready for cooking. It
eliminates the guesswork from knowing if the grill is ready or not. They've also added a temp conversion from
Fahrenheit to Celsius.
Top And Bottom Plate Releases
Both the top and bottom plates are removable and interchangeable for ease of use and also ease in cleaning. Say
you just want to use the griddle plate to cook some breakfast foods, you can remove the top grill plate to make
things easier.
In addition, the bottom plate, whether it is the griddle or grill plate you're using, tilts in order to drain
the fat into the drip tray. This is great for removing the fats from any of the foods you're cooking, and it is so
much healthier as well.
One other note on the quality of these grill plates from Breville. They are cast aluminum and non-stick
coated... as well as coated with a special titanium infused Quantanium to make them completely scratch resistant,
and even more importantly, able to use them without any cooking oil whatsoever. Just another great feature with
this grill that anyone will appreciate when using it.
30 Minute Timer With Alarm
The Breville Smart Grill has a built-in 30 minute timer with an alarm which eliminates having to always check on
how your foods are cooking. Using the alarm is optional and all you need to do is press the button on the timer
dial to activate the alarm feature.
1 Hour Auto Shutoff Mechanism
Do you ever finish cooking on your indoor grill and forget to turn it off? If so, you'll be happy to know that
this grill features a 1 hour automatic shutoff mechanism. After one hour of inactivity the grill will shut itself
down. Not only is this a nice safety feature, but it also saves a little energy.
Multiple Height Settings
The multiple height settings on this model is another strong point. They include 6 different height adjustments
that makes more delicate foods come out tasting great. It reduces the weight of the top plate from smashing down
your open faced sandwich melts and other foods.
Removable Multi-Use Drip Tray
As with most every indoor bbq grill and griddle, you get a drip tray. This particular tray though is integrated
into the grill itself so you don't have to mess with it until you pull it out for cleaning. I also like the fact
that when you use the grill in BBQ mode, the plates tilt toward the middle to catch all of the drippings in the
same tray. Makes it much easier to use, and clean.
Dishwasher Safe
To make cleanup a breeze, the
Breville BGR-820XL top and bottom plates are dishwasher safe for fast cleaning.
Even so, cleaning them with just a dish cloth and some soap is not inconvenient in the least.
Includes Recipe Guides
The users manual that comes with this Breville indoor grill has a complete section containing numerous mouth
watering recipes, from roast beef kabobs to bagel with smoked salmon and capers... and many, many more. There's
also a grilling guide that provides you with approximate cooking times for all types of different foods. Even if
you have little experience in using an indoor grill, or cooking in general, this grill can be a great asset.
1-Year Warranty
Breville stands behind the BGR-820XL by giving you a complete one-year warranty in the event something were to
go wrong.
Summary of Reviews
There are a lot of choices available to you when it comes to indoor grills, but that being the case, this
Breville BGR-820XL Smart Grill is one of the best I've experienced. It is not cheap in the least, but this is one
of those products in which you get what you pay for.
Although you still have to prepare your favorite foods and get them onto the grill, this model takes it from
there and does the rest. It has all of the features you could want to make mealtime a lot more enjoyable.
Whenever I buy any product for our home I always look at various user reviews to see what they have experienced
as well. Other users have said many of the same things I've mentioned here. It has a 5 out of 5 star rating on
Amazon, as well as superior ratings on all other retail sites.
"I have to be honest here. This was my first Breville product. I have always been a Cuisart or
Kitchenaid kinda guy, but not anymore. While this product is a little pricey, it is worth its weight in
gold & built to last. There are so many uses for this Smart Grill!..." Jason L
If you're looking for an indoor grill that will help you cook up great tasting foods for breakfast, lunch,
dinner or snack time, this Breville Smart Grill is the grill to have in your home. You'll not only have an
excellent grill, but one that is quality made and will provide you and your family years of use. It is highly
recommended.
