Yes, the Cuisinart Griddler & Deep Pan GR-5XA can work as an open BBQ. Open the hinged unit flat and use its grill or griddle plates; the official temperature choices for that mode run from 80°C to 230°C, with 200°C as the preset. It is a versatile electric countertop cooker, but CHOICE’s 2021 evaluation found that grease can splatter and that it does not recreate the experience of a traditional barbecue. It makes most sense for indoor cooks who value several cooking formats in one appliance rather than buyers seeking a high-heat outdoor grill replacement.
What open BBQ mode actually does
In open BBQ mode, the GR-5XA is opened flat so both cooking surfaces are exposed. You cook on the fitted grill or griddle plates instead of pressing food between a closed upper and lower plate. The arrangement is useful for foods that need turning, a broad flat surface, or separate access to each side while cooking.
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The Cuisinart Australia instruction booklet groups open BBQ with the grill temperature controls. The appliance identifies whether it is in GRILL or DEEP PAN mode from the lower plate that is fitted. With the grill plates installed, the controls cover grill, griddle, sandwich-press and open-BBQ use. With the deep-pan lower plate installed, the display identifies DEEP PAN mode instead.
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Open-flat operation changes the cooking position, not the appliance’s heat source. There is no charcoal bed, gas burner, smoke from burning fuel or outdoor fire management. That distinction explains why the GR-5XA can be practical on a kitchen bench or other suitable indoor surface while still falling short of the sensory and high-heat experience many people mean by “barbecue.” CHOICE explicitly concluded in its 2021 review that the appliance is not a substitute for a traditional BBQ.
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Temperature settings and controls
The booklet lists six selectable grill/open-BBQ temperatures. These are official control settings, not independently measured surface-temperature results.
| Selectable setting | How to interpret it |
|---|---|
| 80°C | Lowest listed grill/open-BBQ setting |
| 120°C | Low-to-moderate selectable setting |
| 160°C | Moderate selectable setting |
| 180°C | Moderately high selectable setting |
| 200°C | Preset temperature in grill/open-BBQ mode |
| 230°C | Highest listed grill/open-BBQ setting |
Both GRILL and DEEP PAN modes start with a 200°C preset according to the booklet. For grill, griddle, sandwich press and open BBQ, turn the PRESS TO SELECT dial to the desired value and press the dial to confirm. The display and status bar show preheating progress, and the appliance beeps when it is ready.
What “230°C maximum” does and does not mean
If you are asking what temperature the GR-5XA reaches, 230°C is the highest selectable grill/open-BBQ setting documented by Cuisinart Australia. The booklet does not present that figure as a laboratory measurement of every point on the plate. Food temperature, plate temperature and recovery after cold ingredients are not established by the supplied material, so a reader who needs a verified searing temperature should treat 230°C as a control setting rather than a guaranteed surface reading.
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The timer is optional
You can cook without setting a countdown. After preheating, the control sequence allows you to set a timer if you want one. When the countdown ends, the display starts counting upward, which lets you see how long cooking has continued beyond the selected time. The booklet does not prescribe one universal cooking time for steak, vegetables or other foods; thickness, starting temperature and the amount of food will affect results.
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What comes with the appliance
CHOICE describes the GR-5XA as a 5-in-1 benchtop appliance. Its reported package contained the griddler unit with reversible plates, a deep pan with a detachable handle, a scraping/cleaning tool, instructions and a recipe booklet.
| Configuration or accessory | Role |
|---|---|
| Closed grill/contact position | Upper and lower plates contact the food, suitable for pressed cooking. |
| Open grill or griddle | The unit lies flat for open-BBQ-style cooking on exposed plates. |
| Sandwich-press use | A grill-plate configuration for toasted sandwiches and similar pressed foods. |
| Deep pan | A deeper cooking vessel with its own detachable handle; the appliance detects this lower-plate configuration as DEEP PAN. |
| Reversible plates | One supplied plate set supports the grill/griddle formats described by CHOICE. |
The five-use description is CHOICE’s product characterization; it should not be read as five independently powered appliances. The same heating unit and interchangeable cooking pieces create the different formats.
How to use open BBQ mode
The following sequence follows the operating points in the Cuisinart booklet. Read the complete booklet for the appliance’s electrical and safe-use directions.
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- Choose a suitable location. Set the GR-5XA on a clean, flat indoor surface, leaving enough room to open the lid fully. The open footprint is substantially deeper than the closed unit.
- Fit the drip tray. Install the drip tray before cooking so grease and cooking runoff have somewhere to collect.
- Install the grill or griddle plates. The lower plate determines whether the appliance identifies the setup as GRILL or DEEP PAN. For open BBQ, use the grill-plate configuration rather than the deep pan.
- Open the unit flat. Place the upper section in the open position so both plates are available as a single cooking surface.
- Select the temperature. Rotate the PRESS TO SELECT dial to 80°C, 120°C, 160°C, 180°C, 200°C or 230°C, then press the dial to confirm.
- Preheat. Watch the display/status bar. The appliance beeps when the selected temperature’s preheating stage is complete.
- Set a countdown if useful. The timer is optional. If you set one, the display counts upward after the countdown finishes rather than simply stopping at zero.
- Cook and monitor the food. Open-BBQ cooking requires you to manage the food on the exposed plates. Use the booklet’s recipes and your own observation to adjust time for ingredient thickness and quantity.
Because CHOICE found that cooking times could require trial and error, do not treat a recipe time as a guarantee. The first batch is often the point at which you learn how quickly your particular food cooks on the selected setting.
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Size, weight and storage implications
CHOICE reported the following physical specifications in its 2021 coverage. The closed dimensions are 19 cm high and 34 × 35 cm for width and depth. When opened flat, depth increases to 55 cm.
| Specification | Reported value | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Closed height | 19 cm | CHOICE measurement reported in 2021 |
| Closed width × depth | 34 × 35 cm | CHOICE measurement reported in 2021 |
| Depth when open | 55 cm | Open-flat configuration reported by CHOICE |
| Weight | 5.4 kg | Figure shown on CHOICE’s related BBQ-mode listing |
| Warranty | Three years | Warranty stated on that CHOICE listing; confirm terms for your region |
| Category description | Electric; balcony/portable | Classification used by the related CHOICE listing |
The 55 cm open depth is the storage issue most likely to surprise a buyer. A shelf that comfortably holds the closed appliance may not provide enough front-to-back clearance for cooking. Measure the bench with the lid open, not just the cupboard where you plan to store it.
What CHOICE’s 2021 hands-on test found
CHOICE’s first-look review, last updated 31 August 2021, was conducted by tester Matthew Tung. These are observations from that evaluation, not current testing by this article’s writer. Results can vary with ingredients, thickness, loading and technique.
It handled a range of foods
The tester cooked steak, chicken wings, cake and toasted sandwiches. That spread demonstrates the reason to buy a multi-use benchtop appliance: the GR-5XA is not limited to one narrow food category. Its plates and deep-pan option let the same base unit move between pressed, flat-surface and pan-style cooking.
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Steak required timing adjustment
CHOICE reported that the first steaks were somewhat dry or overcooked. A shorter cooking time produced a better result. The practical lesson is that the preset temperature does not remove the need to judge doneness. Begin conservatively with thin or quick-cooking steaks, then extend the time in small increments rather than assuming a single setting will suit every cut.
Chicken wings cooked quickly but needed more crisping
With the lid closed, CHOICE reported that chicken wings were ready within eight minutes, but they needed longer to crisp. “Ready” and “crispy” were therefore different points in the test. If browning is your priority, allow for additional time and monitor the surface instead of stopping solely when the center is cooked.
Grease can reach the benchtop
CHOICE observed grease splattering onto the benchtop. The supplied drip tray helps collect runoff, but it does not make the surrounding work surface immune to splashes. Place the appliance where wiping the surrounding area is practical, especially when cooking fatty foods in the open position.
Setup and cleaning were easy in that evaluation
CHOICE described setup and cleaning as easy and noted the included scraping/cleaning tool. That is a favorable sign for frequent use, although “easy” does not mean maintenance-free: grease should still be dealt with after cooking, and the plates and tray need to be handled according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
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Can it replace a barbecue?
For a reader who means “a compact electric grill on a countertop,” the GR-5XA can cover more situations than a single-purpose contact grill because it opens flat, accepts reversible grill/griddle plates and also supports a deep pan. For a reader who means “the full outdoor barbecue experience,” the answer is no, and CHOICE made that distinction directly.
| Buyer priority | How the GR-5XA fits | Decision implication |
|---|---|---|
| Open, two-sided cooking indoors | Supported through the flat-open grill configuration. | Good fit when bench space and ventilation are acceptable. |
| Several cooking styles | Contact grilling, flat grill/griddle, sandwich pressing and deep-pan cooking are combined in one unit. | Useful if you will actually change configurations. |
| Very high-heat searing | The booklet lists 230°C as the highest grill/open-BBQ control setting, without an independently verified plate-temperature result. | Do not buy on the assumption that it behaves like a dedicated high-output outdoor grill. |
| Minimal grease mess | CHOICE observed splatter on the benchtop. | Allow cleanup space around the appliance. |
| Outdoor smoke and fire cooking | It is an electric benchtop appliance. | Choose a purpose-built outdoor barbecue if that experience is the priority. |
| Small storage footprint | Closed depth is 35 cm, but open cooking depth is 55 cm. | Measure both storage and operating space. |
Is the GR-5XA easy to clean?
CHOICE’s 2021 tester said setup and cleaning were easy, and the package includes a scraping/cleaning tool. The removable or interchangeable cooking pieces also make the design more manageable than a permanently enclosed cooking surface, but the supplied evidence does not establish a universal cleaning time or a specific dishwasher procedure.
In practical terms, cleaning has two areas: the cooking components and the surrounding bench. The drip tray and scraping tool address food residue and grease on the appliance; the splatter reported by CHOICE means the bench may need attention as well. Follow the Cuisinart booklet for handling, washing and electrical precautions rather than immersing or treating components in ways it does not authorize.
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Do not use an old listing price as a current quote. One CHOICE BBQ-mode page displayed $249 and a separate CHOICE product listing displayed $269; both are page-reported figures, not verified current market prices. Stock, regional availability and an active retailer listing were not established here.
If you find an online offer, verify the exact model name, “GR-5XA,” the included reversible plates and deep pan, the warranty terms for your country and the seller’s return policy. Replacement-plate compatibility is also not established: no verified GR-5XA replacement-part SKU or current stock information is available. A listing for a visually similar plate is not enough; match the model designation before ordering.
Who should buy the Cuisinart GR-5XA?
It suits you if:
- You want one electric appliance that can press sandwiches, grill, lie flat for open cooking and use a deep pan.
- You have a stable indoor surface large enough for the 55 cm open depth.
- You are comfortable adjusting cooking times rather than relying on a fixed program.
- You value simpler setup and cleanup, while accepting that grease may splatter around the unit.
- You need a countertop alternative to outdoor cooking because of space or living arrangements.
Look elsewhere if:
- Your main goal is the smoke, flame and cooking character of a conventional outdoor barbecue.
- You require independently verified plate temperatures or a guaranteed high-heat sear.
- Your bench cannot accommodate the open-flat depth.
- You want completely contained grease with no surrounding cleanup.
- You need confirmed replacement-plate availability before committing to the appliance.
Bottom line for open-BBQ shoppers
The GR-5XA’s open BBQ mode is a genuine flat-open grill setting, with six documented temperature choices up to a 230°C control setting and an optional timer. Its reversible plates, deep pan and multiple formats make it flexible for indoor countertop cooking. CHOICE’s 2021 test also supplies the necessary caution: steak timing may take adjustment, wings may need extra crisping, grease can splatter and the appliance is not a traditional BBQ replacement. Buy it as a versatile electric benchtop cooker, not as an outdoor barbecue in miniature.
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