Independent comparisons. We may earn from shop links. More info

How to use a contact grill

Updated: 23 October 2026

You have a hinged grill on the worktop, or the box is still taped, and the first cook is the one that sets off the alarm or leaves raw mince in the middle. This guide on how to use a contact grill walks setup, preheat, loading, smoke, cool-down and cleaning for a domestic UK machine. It is not a model ranking. Core temperatures for mince and poultry sit on the [burgers and chicken](/hub/grills-and-barbecues/contact-grill/sub/contact-grill-burgers-and-chicken) page. Prices and the full set stay on the [contact grill comparison](/hub/grills-and-barbecues/contact-grill). A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.

You have a hinged grill on the worktop, or the box is still taped, and the first cook is the one that sets off the alarm or leaves raw mince in the middle.

Our top picks

Tefal Tefal OptiGrill Plus

Best overall

Tefal Tefal OptiGrill Plus
9.4/10about £155.55
View offer
Philips Philips Contact Grill 5000 Series

Alternative

Philips Philips Contact Grill 5000 Series
9.2/10about £64.00
View offer
George Foreman George Foreman Small Fit Grill

Best value

George Foreman George Foreman Small Fit Grill
9.0/10about £19.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Set up and preheat
  2. 2.Load the food
  3. 3.Smoke and alarms
  4. 4.Cool, clean, unplug

Set up and preheat

Put the grill on a stable, heat-resistant surface, with space around the vents and the drip tray fitted, before you switch on. Electrical Safety First expects a UK 3-pin plug and fuse on a portable contact grill. Check the plug and the rating plate before the first heat, especially when the listing printed 220 V, 230 V or 240 V. Do not run an extension that feels warm, and do not leave the grill unattended. London Fire Brigade treats unattended cooking as a fire risk. Preheat with the lid closed unless your manual says otherwise, and wait for that model’s ready light or beep. A commercial minute count is not the time for a George Foreman Fit or an OptiGrill. On sensor OptiGrill models, the first cook goes wrong if you add food before preheat finishes, and the Elite beeps and delays if you load early. Open the lid fully between batches so thickness sensing resets. When the ready signal appears, you are ready to load.

Load the food

Lay food in a single layer so both plates can touch. Use light pressure from the lid. A floating hinge on the Fit and on the Philips 5000 suits thickness. It is not there to crush sausages flat. Keep the drip tray in place. On the small Fit a loose tray falls off when the grill is lifted, and the AMZCHEF’s rear tray misses fat unless the front is raised. Many Fit owners use no oil. Sticky marinades still need a wipe afterwards. A whole steak can stay rare if the outside is seared. Burgers, sausages and chicken have to be cooked through. Thaw frozen food first so both plates contact evenly. Stay with the grill while it cooks. A hinged lid is not a reason to walk away.
Tefal Tefal OptiGrill Plus

Testsieger

Tefal Tefal OptiGrill Plus
9.4/10about £155.55
View offer

Smoke and alarms

Fat on a hot plate smokes. OptiGrill reviewers mention smoke alarms, and some Immersa owners call it smokier than an air fryer. Use the extractor and open a window. Do not chase a smokeless line. None of these models is scored here as smoke-free, and a grease percentage is not a food-safety fact. Put a heat alarm in the kitchen, not a smoke alarm. London Fire Brigade and Scottish Fire and Rescue say smoke alarms are a poor fit above cooking fumes, because everyday frying and grilling set them off. A heat alarm is the right tool for that room. GOV.UK fire-safety guidance makes the same split. If the alarm still trips, check that grease is reaching the tray rather than baking onto the element, and that you are not preheating empty longer than the manual allows. A burning plastic smell, a cracked plug or a breaker that trips is a stop.

Cool, clean, unplug

Switch off, unplug at the socket, and let the plates cool until you can touch the handles without pain. Do not submerge the body, and do not wash anything while it is still connected. Empty the drip tray every cook. Built-up grease is a fire risk. Dishwasher rules follow the listing, not a blanket ban. The OptiGrill Plus, the Elite highlight and the SuperGrill state a wash for plates or the juice tray. The Immersa goes in only after the control panel is unclipped, and one reviewer saw exposed aluminium look worse after a cycle. The ThermoGrill details say it is not dishwasher safe. Fixed Fit plates are a damp cloth once cool. Flaking non-stick on a new machine is a seller complaint under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, not a home repair. Which plates to buy is on the contact grill buying guide.

Common questions

Do I preheat with the lid closed?
Usually yes, until your manual says otherwise. Wait for that model’s ready light or beep. Do not copy commercial minute counts onto a domestic Fit or OptiGrill.
How long until it is hot?
Until the ready signal. Fit owners often call the heat-up quick. OptiGrill Elite owners who load early get delays. There is no single minute figure for every grill in this set.
Why does the smoke alarm go off?
Fat smoke and kitchen fumes set smoke alarms off. Use the extractor, open a window, and prefer a heat alarm in the kitchen. Empty the drip tray so grease is not burning on the element.
Can I put the plates in the dishwasher?
Only when the listing says so: the OptiGrill Plus, the Elite highlight, the SuperGrill, and the Immersa with the panel off. Not the ThermoGrill. Not stated for the Philips 5000 or 7000 on the capture.
Should I oil the plates?
Many non-stick Fit cooks use no oil. A light wipe can help sticky food. Do not pour oil into the hinge or the drip path.
What if food is frozen?
Thaw it first so both plates contact evenly. A frozen burger is a common route to a cooked crust and a raw middle.
When do I unplug it?
As soon as you finish cooking, and before you wash anything. Unplug at the socket, then cool, then clean.
Is a kitchen smoke alarm the right alarm?
No. London Fire Brigade recommends a heat alarm for the kitchen because cooking fumes trip smoke alarms. Keep smoke alarms elsewhere in the home as your wider plan requires.

Related pages

Best contact grill

Contact grill

Contact grill burgers and chicken: cook them through

Contact grill buying guide: plates, hinge and plug

Contact grill vs panini press: bread or family meat

Sources

Public UK sources used for this comparison. Listing prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures for these ASINs. Retrieved 21 October 2026.

  1. Food Standards Agency: Cooking your food (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  2. GOV.UK: Burgers (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  3. GOV.UK: Cooking food safely (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  4. GOV.UK: Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  5. GOV.UK: UKCA and CE marking by sector (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  6. OPSS: SOKANY grill maker, 27 March 2026 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  7. BSI: BS EN 60335-2-9 household grills and toasters (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  8. legislation.gov.uk: Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  9. legislation.gov.uk: Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 19 (retrieved 21 October 2026)