Hamilton Beach 3-in-1 Electric Indoor Grill + Electric Griddle

Why it's worth it

The Hamilton Beach 38546 splits its 180 square inches into two zones with separate temperature dials, each adjustable up to 425°F. The plates flip between smooth griddle and ridged grill, so you can run full griddle, full grill, or half of each.

Two independent zones sound like a spec-sheet feature until you cook a real breakfast. Run one side around 300°F so scrambled eggs stay soft without browning underneath, and the other near 400°F so hash browns get crisp. On a single-temperature griddle you split the difference and something comes out wrong. This one lets you stop compromising.

The reversible plates are the other half of the appeal. Smooth on one side, ridged on the other, so the same machine handles pancakes on Saturday and steak with asparagus on Tuesday. Both plates are dishwasher safe, and the drip tray goes on the top rack. Owners who use it four or five times a week describe cleanup as one of the reasons it stays on the counter.

From our review of 9 electric griddles for pancakes and breakfast, by David Sinclair, Managing Editor

What we like

• +Two independent zones sound like a spec-sheet feature until you cook a real breakfast
• +The reversible plates are the other half of the appeal
• +At 180 square inches, it's built for a full meal rather than a snack

What to know

• –It runs at 1400 watts, just under the 1500-watt mark, so heat recovery between batches is a touch slower than the BLACK+DECKER's
• –Both zones power on together when you plug it in, which several owners find genuinely irritating — you can't heat just one side,…