Sanyo HPS-SG3 200-Square-Inch Electric Indoor Barbeque Grill, Black Reviews

• Great grill, great price

  
  By A1GEUXP9872ZWF on 2005-07-14
  This is one appliance that lives up to every one of the manufacturer's claims. I follow directions and spray the grill surface with cooking spray and put half a cup of water in the pan below, and the grill really is, as advertised, smokeless and extremely easy to clean. I like the adjustable grill temperature, a feature I'm not used to since my faithful antique Farberware, now deceased, had only two settings, namely "plugged in and on" or "unplugged and off". The Sanyo cooks everying in half the time the old grill did, and without cabinet-endangering flareups. I particularly like the enormous cooking surface since I'm regularly cooking for 5 adults and a child and with this grill I can cook for all of us at once. The dimensions make it easy to store if you set it vertically rather than horizontally. The appliance is so low in height that I set mine on a silicone countertop protector, but I'm not sure this is really necessary. My only complaint is that there is no surrounding rim to keep your hamburgers from sliding right off the grill when you try to flip them over, but using a second spatula as a backstop solves that problem. This grill is a terrific bargain even at the suggested retail price; at the current Amazon price it's even more terrific.
  
  

• Cooks good food, but not smokeless

  
  By A5JLAU2ARJ0BO on 2006-10-09
  All considered, I decided to give this Sanyo indoor grill a 5-star rating. It's probably more like 4.5 stars, but Amazon doesn't allow that. I'll explain.
  
  On the plus side, I really like the simplicity of this grill. It's also light-weight, registering a little under seven pounds, which means it's easy to move around - no breaking your back! It's also quite easy to clean: just soapy warm water and dry! The grill consists of three pieces: a metal grill, a sheet metal oil drip pan, and a plastic base. The base does feel a little insubstantial, but the whole thing, put together, is quite sturdy. The 200 in^2 cooking surface is good for a family of up to four.
  
  I also loved the price: I never imagined I could have a quality indoor grill for such a low price. (Thanks to Amazon, too?) This is probably what tilted me to the five-star rating. The grill, made in China, is of pretty good build quality, and looks like it'll last a long time. The price and value just can't be beat.
  
  Above all, the grill really gives you delicious BBQ food! I've grilled steaks, pork chops, burgers, franks, chicken breasts, chicken legs, chicken wings, vegetables, and more, and *each and every time* the food came out absolutely delicious. For example, I bought 2 pounds of semi-boneless rib steaks at Shaw's for ten bucks. I sprayed the grill with some oil spray, pre-heat the grill to 350 F degrees (which took about 20 minutes), and then grilled the steaks (together with a couple burger patties and some green peppers) for about 15 or 16 minutes to well-done. Then my family enjoyed a delicious steak meal. Not counting the cost of the grill itself, but including electricity (the grill is rated at 1300W), the whole meal came to less than $15 for four full-sized adults! Imagine if we had eaten out at a steakhouse; the last time I went to a steakhouse in Manhattan, I had to shell out over $80 per person, with no appetitizer ordered and only tap water! In fact, I found my own grilled steaks (served with Diet Coke bought on sale) even better. Even if the Sanyo had gone meet its makers after this one meal, I'd have more than broken even on the meal, compared to any restaurant that serves steaks.
  
  So I'm really thrilled about the value and the quality of the food.
  
  Now, why not a full-hearted five stars? Well, because this is a low-cost product, there are a couple items that I dislike. One, the thermostat is a joke; it has temperature ranges like "200-250" and "300-425" but doesn't give you exact markers, so you have to guess where to turn the knob to in order to preheat to 325. Not a big deal after a few tries, and I seem to get it right (more or less) each time even though I'd never operated a grill, indoor or outdoor, before. Two, cooking time is not short, period. Preheating to 300 takes about 15 minutes and to 425 takes over 20 minutes. Cooking itself takes between 10 and 20 minutes depending on what you cook and the meat's thickness. Also, the cooking time seems to vary with room temperature.
  
  Three, more important, this grill is not completely smokeless. The oil spray will give out the most smoke, although it hasn't set off our smoke alarm yet. (I keep the doors and kitchen windows open when cooking.) In fact, I don't think any open grill can give you smokeless cooking. As long as you have oil heated to over 300 degrees, you will get smoke. Please keep this in mind if you live in a meticulously maintained house and cannot stand any grill smoke.
  
  But all in all, I love this grill. I'd gladly buy another one any time. While grilled meat may not be healthy, this grill cooks yummy BBQ meat and veggies and saves me tons of money. I recommend this grill.
  
  

• Indoor Grill

  
  By A3PORQKUVUOGSB on 2005-07-22
  Previously used indoor grills created too much smoke to be used indoors. There is no smoke with the Sanyo grill.
  
  

• Easy to use... cooks very well and great price

  
  By on 2004-02-19
  Forget Grorge... this Sanyo grill is a great bargain. It's larger then the Grorge Foreman gill and cooks better. The fats drips into a tray and very easy to clean.
  
  

• try this

  
  By A2VG364UUGYFHI on 2007-10-10
  I read the review about how long it takes to preheat this grill, well being a full time chef (aa culinary arts) and over 20 years in the industry, I have used many different types of grills, and in most cases when I needed it to heat up quickly we would just place a sheet pan over it and it decreased the startup time significantly. Well I found a aluminum baking pan which fit this grill perfectly, the metal does not come in contact with the plastic base, and it took only 4 minutes to reach the high setting. I used a litte non stick spray and placed 2, 1 inch thick lamb chops on it and it seared them perfectly and quickly, placed the cover (pan) back over them, waited about 3 minutes, turned them over, and grilled another 2 minutes and they were well done. Totoal time grill was on 10 minutes. Now lamb is about the greasiest meat and I did get a little smoke, but that was only when the searing was taking place, and with the cover very little splatter also. I think if they could the would make a cover for this unit, but it would probably not pass U.L. standards? Not sure but if you are using this grill as with other appliances you must keep a close eye on them. I got this item next day with amazon prime total was only 34 bucks. Great deal and product.
  
  
• a great deal, its alot bigger than you think its going to be!
  By AKHMGAOGTWTRA on 2005-09-02
  I was really surprized when it arrived, it was really big! which is excellent for me, i like how the tray comes apart, it will make it easier to clean than my last eletric grill, i suggest if your looking for a good deal, you have found it!
  
  
• THE PERFECT INDOOR GRILL
  By A2JP0URFHXP6DO on 2006-01-20
  This item has quickly become one of our most frequently used items in our kitchen and at around $40 it is one heck of a bargain and well worth the money. I was never a huge fan of the George Foreman due to the hassles in cleaning the old ones where the grill surface was not removable. It's what caused me to finally toss the thing. This Sanyo indoor grill is far easier to use and clean and at a cost of about ½ the usual price of a comparable Foreman grill. First of all it's large enough to fit about a dozen good sized burgers, or a like amount of boneless chicken breast halves or 4 - 6 good steaks.
  
  The grill heats up quickly and cooks very well and leaves those great grill marks you love to see in food. Feel free to slap on BBQ sauce or marinades as it has a wonderful non-stick grill surface that cleans up in a snap. The juices drip into a drip pan that you can fill with water to eliminate smoke, and make the cleanup even easier. Or hey, don't put water in it to capture some of that smoke from the dripping to enhance the taste. Easy to use, easy to clean up, and affordable. What more can you possibly ask for? It comes with a small recipe guide to boot. A great item for the kitchen. Highly recommended!
  
  Reviewed by Tim Janson
  
  
  
• Not a Fan!
  By A1YW2V1PNUI4T2 on 2006-05-04
  Cons: It cooks unevenly, the base is cheap plastic that melts slightly in the corners, it takes a long time to heat up, moving it without spilling the requisite water in the grease pan is near impossible.
  
  Pro: it has a pretty picture on the box
  
  
• very convenient, but very slow
  By A36WMFD8PZ8SHT on 2006-07-10
  i've read the reviews, & bought. tried it for first time, on burger & franks. smells are wonderful, very little mess, easy cleaning. But the time it takes to heat astonished me, considering the reivews i'd read before. it took way too long to heat already cooked franks. So, unfortunately its off to buy a bulky gas grill, becuase, there may be more mess, but at least there will be a barbQ!
  if u have time, this is gr8, & good value. if u're trying to emulate a barbq without the mess, go elsewhere.
  
  
• Not a real grill
  By A1HH42GO6DGCFE on 2006-07-20
  If your looking for grill flavor dont bother. This food tastes like it was cooked in a skillet under high heat. Do not let the grill marks fool you.
  
  If you want a device that cooks food well buy it. But please do not expect grill flavor-you will be so disappointed.
  
  
• Sanyo Indoor Grill excellence
  By A1KUEXQO5H0DDA on 2005-08-02
  I like the grill because it is simple to use and simple to clean. Also I like a big enough surface to cook for the company and free shipping. Thank you Amazon.
  
  
• You get what you pay for
  By A22MKJHKKGV88I on 2006-04-08
  After having this unit for about 6 months, I can say that it will not replace the outdoor grill, or the indoor frying pan, but I guess I had high expectations. Still, the grill works, and I'll use it when in a pinch.
  
  Cons:
  I think the biggest detriment is the lack of a lid. Without one, the grill takes a about 15 minutes to cook 1/4" patties of ground beef on the highest setting. I've improvised, and have been using the lid from my portable Weber gas grill and it helps significantly. Finally, I have found that the grill is anything but smoke free, and produces a lot of smoke and odor.
  
  Pros:
  The price for this grill is outstanding. It heats up pretty quickly, and is easy to take apart and clean.
  
  
• Surprisingly Good Grilling
  By A3OXX2WWOYQXMO on 2006-03-01
  This product performs as claimed by the manufacturer. Here are two details omitted from the description: First of all, the grill is quite large and takes up a lot of counter space. You may have difficulty finding room for it. And it is difficult to store because of the size. The second point is the time it takes to warm it up. You'll get best results when you allow it to come up to temperature and then cycle on and off a few times. Figure on between five and ten minutes for full warm up. These are not negatives, just information. And when you cook something you will be quite pleased with the results.
  
  
• My third electric grill and the best!
  By A1D8I8AXZ9NY22 on 2007-03-25
  We have owned two other electric indoor grills and they both died after a year. We bought this grill two and half years ago and it is still going strong. It is large enough for a family of four; no waiting! The black plastic base seems a bit thin, but it stays cool in use. The grill surface is easier to clean than our other grills. My only real complaint is the water tray that goes under the grilling element is too shallow. The sides are not deep enough and it is hard to carry and empty without spilling. But despite that, we love this grill.
  
  
  
• Love it!
  By A1IUJL1VNJWN4X on 2007-06-28
  I've had this grill for one week now, and I'm perfectly satisfied.
  
  Someone was complaining about the base being cheap plastic that melts, and that it's impossible to move the grill without spilling the water in the grease pan. Well, you're not supposed to move the grill when it's assembled! And not enough heat reaches the base to make it melt.
  Others gave a one star rating because the grill is too big... maybe it's a good idea to check the dimensions before buying something! The dimensions provided in the description are accurate, so you can't say it was a surprise.
  Smoke: no miracle will completely prevent the formation of smoke when you place something that contains grease on a hot surface. The amount of smoke obviously depends on what you're cooking, but I've found that if you follow the directions and have the grill in a well ventilated room, the smoke is not even enough to stick on your clothes, and it surely doesn't trigger the fire alarm.
  Cleaning: if you have a big sink, just put the grill in a hot soapy water bath while you're eating (don't wait until it cools down) and then a damp cloth will do the rest in 5 minutes. Much easier than other grills you are forced to let cool down before cleaning them (those surfaces you can't even remove while they're still hot).
  
  Long cooking time: I cook my burgers (and I love thick ones) for 7 minutes at 350°, and they're perfect (for me... must say that I like them still pink inside). As for the time required to heat up, it's enough to allow me all of the preparations like slicing vegetables and marinating meat. Overall in half an hour start to finish I have a complete meal for two (one vegetarian and one carnivore) and I don't have to cook twice if I want to eat meat.
  
  The cooking surface does have some hot spots, but if you're wise enough to place on those spots things that need longer cooking time then you can turn it to your advantage.
  
  And it's as close as I can get to the BBQ flavor, without the hassle of a BBQ.
  
  
• This grill is the best
  By A1AF9U0J98JGJN on 2006-01-02
  We're thinking the old BBQ out on the patio has met it's match. This grill is fantastic... the fact that all the grease drips into the water below makes for quick clean ups. There truly is virtually no smoke, and with 200 square inches of cooking space there is no need to crowd the food. We highly recommend this particular grill (and we are tough critics).
  
  
• Thrill of the Grill
  By A2GRA1X2GYQ2BN on 2006-08-19
  Love this grill. There are three major parts to this grill, a lightweight plastic frame, the actual grill grate with the electric built into it, and the electric cord. There is also a lightweight drip tray. It amazed me that something so simple could cook food as well as my large propane Weber grill. I love that there is no gas to have to run to the store to get, love that I don't have to worry about not having enough gas to cook the meal. The food cooks perfectly. I start most things on high to sear the meat then turn it down with a result of tender on the inside and crisp on the out. Smoke/steam is minimal especailly if you spray the grill before you turn it on. It has ample grilling space without being crowded. I find it as easy to clean as any other pan I would cook with. I let the grill soak elevated in hot soapy water. Food tastes much better cooked on this than baked in an oven. I love mine!
  
  
• LOVE this BBQ!!!!!
  By ATQTD81H1JNRZ on 2007-05-20
  I LOVE the BBQ and highly recommend it! It's so much better than the grill types that are mostly sold out there. We had one similar to this while living in France. I used it several times a week and really missed it, until I found this one. The food is perfectly grilled everytime. My son is on a low-carb diet and I got this mostly because of that. It has truly helped in making his meals yummier and healthier! My only critisism is that the pan that catches the fat below could be a bit deepr, so that when the cooking is done and time to clean up, the fat/water the water/fat doesn't spill out easily. But that is my only complaint! It's priced great, lightweight, easy to clean, a good size, etc! Love it and use it several times a week. By the way, my son has lost 10 pounds in five weeks! He's loves my BBQ's! :o)))
  
  
• Works good, really big, not the easiest to clean
  By A20N3NHFXGJHYV on 2007-03-04
  This unit works well, I'm a single guy and cook the regular things, fish, chicken and steak. Food taste good but this unit does cause some smoke. I have a very large kitchen and found it hard to store because of it's size. I also find it concerning the grill never seems to truly achieve it's maxium temperature of 425. It has an indicator light letting you know when it's reached the proper temp and it never seems to get that hot. I've left it on for 20 mins or so and it appears to reach about 400 degrees farnheit. It's still great for cooking just curious why it never gets as hot as the controls claim. Then again, my car speedometer says I can go 140 and I've never seen it go that fast.
  
  Also, you have fill the bottom tray with water to control grease and smoke but the pan is very shallow so emptying the water when you are done requires the skill of a egg tossing champion or skilled balance beam artist. I recommend cooking close to your sink. DO NOT OVERFILL WITH WATER or you will need a mop.
  
  Cleaning the grill itself was a bit challanging , think of your outdoor grill and how all the BBQ sauce gets wedged in between the bars and you need a brush to really scrub it. It's not as rough as this but comparable. They recommend using a cooking spray but I say use it sparingly or it causes just as much clean up as a tangy BBQ sauce. I also wish the grill itself was dishwasher safe. Hey I'm a single guy, I like simple things.
  
  Overall, good unit, good food, GREAT price. Just make sure you can store it because it's big.
  
  
• It needs a top!
  By A1DKJDF1534D68 on 2006-07-13
  I *love* this grill but it needs a top to hold in heat and to make it cook faster. We have used it grill everything from chicken to fish and it does a very good job. The surface is big enough to hold several pieces of meat to feed a family of four. It really needs a top though, and if you can tolerate the smoke in your kitchen and imagine that it's the smell of an outdoor barbeque, you'll love the grill
  
  
• What a super electric grill!
  By A3PRT68N4BGEO6 on 2007-04-03
  Wow, we're really enjoying this product. We were devistated when the element on our old Contempra electric grill went out. I was looking for one on ebay when I came across the Sanyo. I found it on Amazon.com at a much better price with free shipping. The grill size is great. The meat comes out so juicy and it's easier to clean than our old Contempra. We haven't barbecued outside since we started using this grill!
  
  
• I can Bar B Que Again !!!
  By A36JLZZ4GB9RIS on 2007-05-19
  This is a great grill. I can grill Burgers Fish Vegies and
  they all come out great. Very Easy to clean and virtually
  no smoke at all.
  
  
• As close to babercuing indoors as you can get
  By A2KJKYEDHTVPZB on 2007-09-26
  I love this grill. The cooking surface is big enough to grill for a family of 3, the temp is even and as long as you remember the water in the base it is nearly smokeless.
  
  The only drawback is it does take a long time to preheat, then again not much longer than it would take for the coals to be ready, so I Guess this way you get the WHOLE Barbecue experienced.
  
  
• A bit disappointed
  By A1FAQAA65E2KK6 on 2006-11-10
  I purchased this item to be able to grill during the winter months when it's too cold to be outside. It looks very nice and clean up is super easy. The problem seems to be in what you decide to grill on it.
  The first time I used it, I grilled chicken breasts and they turned out fine and by keeping water in the drip pan, I had no problem with smoke.
  This is great, I thought. The next time I grilled hamburger patties and even though I followed the same procedure as before, it smoked up my whole house. (these were not high fat content burgers either) I added more water to the pan thinking it may have not been enough and it continued to smoke even more. It was not a pleasant experience. Right now it is sitting on top of my fridge and it may stay there until I decide to give it one more try. If it fairs better next time I will return and give it a better review..maybe.
  
  
• Love This Grill
  By A3HYEDJRFS7CXV on 2007-01-16
  The Sanyo grill is wonderful. The cooking times are just like our outdoor grill. It is easy to use and clean. The food taste's great. We use it 2 - 3 times per week. I was skeptical at first because the price is so affordable compared to the "other" grills, but I highly recommend it. As far as the smoke goes, we use a light spray just before we put the food on it and there is just a SLIGHT amount of smoke. You can barely see it for the first several seconds, you really have to look hard to even see it. I love this grill and so does my husband. We have had friends over and cooked steaks on it for them and they said it taste's like they came from a top knotch restaurant.
  
  
• Not Smokless But Cooks Great
  By ANNFUIHWJG3SG on 2007-07-03
  I live an an apartment that has a kitchen vent that recirculates the air back into the room. I ordered this unit hoping I could grill food and that it would be "smokeless." Not so. This unit produces less smoke, but it still smokes. Interestingly the box does not say "smokeless." I gave it 3 stars because it does a great job cooking the food. A couple of reviewers mentioned the problems with emptying the drip tray. I also experienced this. To resolve this problem, I lined the inside of the base and drip pan with heavy duty aluminum foil. This creates a drip pan that is 2" deep. Problem solved.
  
  I returned this unit to Amazon. Wish I could have kept it but it did not work for my situation.
  
  
• It's better than no grill at all
  By A1AXWZOBZGCUQJ on 2007-10-07
  I ordered this grill to replace a tabletop electric grill that I bought at a yard sale for 2 bucks. My old grill went kaput and it's no longer available. I loved that grill. It was fast, the food tasted great, it took up very little space on the countertop, it cooked food evenly, and it was easy to clean (all of the parts went into the dishwasher except the heating element).
  
  This grill is a poor substitute for my beloved $2.00 grill. My biggest complaint is that if the food doesn't actually touch the grill surface, it doesn't cook thoroughly (not very healthy). The sides of the meat are still raw (YUK! - try turning a pork chop on its side). If you like a nice thick portion, forget medium well. The outside will be crispy, while the inside will run very red. In addition, I don't like having to crunch my way through a hamburger or steak. The taste of the food is compromised because the cooking source is a heated piece of metal, rather than the heat itself.
  
  The grill takes up a LOT of space (where will I store it?), it is cumbersome to clean (although the non-stick surface actually IS non-stick. That's a plus). The variable temperature knob is silly. When I have used anything but the highest setting, the food simply does not cook thoroughly. So, I have a choice between crunchy and raw. Plus - this grill is SLOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWW.
  
  Another major concern for me is that, now that I've used it, I can't return it. If I had bought it at a store and it didn't live up to its hype, I could return it. I believe I will pass on buying appliances online in the future. Based on this experience, it's not worth the risk.
  
  I was curious to see how this grill worked for others who have bought it. After reading the reviews, I have to wonder...did we all buy the same grill? Some of the things that worked for me are a big complaint for others. Some of my complaints got rave reviews from others. This leads me to believe that the manufacturing quality of this grill is inconsistent at best.
  
  Still, it is better than no grill at all.
  
  
• Great Grill, finally I can have BBQ indoor
  By A1PL3LG4YVOFZQ on 2005-12-27
  It is great. I had my first indoor BBQ with it Saturday. No smoke, the meat is done properly. The temp control is precisely. I like it.
  
  
  
• Great for Grilling Lousy for Cleaning
  By A2KQE5227R5AGH on 2006-02-06
  I love cooking on this grill. It is the next best thing to having an outdoor grill. Being in the city its great. However, cleaning this grill is a nightmare. You never can get it quite clean. I have tried everything including Easy OFF. This is the stickiest non-stick surface I have ever dealt with. If this grill was easier to clean I would give it 10 stars.
  
  
• Easy to Use Barbeque Grill
  By A3PD9CO41RISNX on 2006-03-16
  I really like my new Barbeque Grill. I probably cook with it once a week. Chicken, hamburgers and steak cook as well as the outdoor grill and I don't have to go out in the rain and snow to turn food over. The only problem I have had is that at first I set off the smoke alarm every time I used it. I would always put in the water in the bottom and spray the top of grill with cooking spray just like the directions said. I decided to stop spraying the cooking oil on it and that solved the problem. The grill still cleans up easily.
  
  

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