Innovations Vertical Grill

If you pick them up for $5 or $10 from the opp shop – If you pick them up for $5 or $10 from the opp shop, and place them on a firm wooden or concrete or metal surface on the floor, out of the way and in the corner, and away from the wall etc., and remove the drip tray so air can circulate up through them, they make rather nice room heaters - maybe not quite as nice as a small radiant heater, but more to take the chill off the air in the smaller icy cold room...

They are like an oil column heater, only truly fat free (no oil) and $5, instead of $120 - $300.

You can also toast a sandwich in them, while you warm your room up.

Bonus.

Don't buy this GARBAGE! – I've had this grill for a few weeks now and have tried various things in it. The unit is cheap and tinny, the heating elements are totally gutless - took me 30 minutes to cook one t-bone, not that thick, which would have taken ten minutes in a frypan - and the colour of the steak was pale and grey, no browning. The basket is too narrow - only holds very thin cuts of meat and sandwiches. And the size of the basket, and the unit is not big enough for more than one person. The biggest problem is it's lack of power. It's rated at 1300 watts but there are only two elements on either side and so the cooking is patchy and incomplete. I strongly urge you to buy a decent frypan or something else and avoid this junk like the plague. It cost $110 - so not cheap, but its construction is very cheap and light weight.

It's back,but not better than ever – It comes from the time of platform shoes,high waisters and psychedelia. In those days, if not cleaned properly or use while experimenting with substances and you would burn your (the landlords) share house down. For some reason it went out of fashion. How it works and it does work,is you suspend the food between two heating elements .It cooks fast and all fat and oil drops down into a tray for disposal. Really great results on lamb,chicken, steak, vegetables and even vertical toasties. Simple and effective.

These days I own and have tidied up my act from muso/student days so it is good to see it has a timer that is of short but sufficient duration. I don't remember the old one having a timer,but then again memory of that decade is hazy.

Build quality is cheap and nasty.Thin stainless, flimsy and brittle plastic. The old one lasted forever,until the element gave up and was not repairable. So sad. This one I can only guess about but if it fails will add a note to this review.

Cleaning? Comes apart easily into 4 bits that get thrown into the dishwasher. Goes back together in under 15 seconds. Much easier to deal with than the equivalent griller on the stove.

Recommended

Can live without this !!!! – This vertical grill takes all day to cook your meat - temperature is useless even when pre heating . These machines shld be very hot units that cook crispy chops and sausages quickly. May be ok for toasted sandwiches but useless for meat /sausages . Won’t waste my time using it again - cost A$129.

Now being produced again – This appliance has not been available in Australia fof at least 20 years. I found new stock advertised in an INNOVATIONS catalogue I received in my mailbox in March 2018, and immediately orederd one, using Innovations 4 months interest free terms. Although the web site claimed the item was "in stock", I received an email almost immediately that stock was expected soon. After several more delays, the product was shipprd on 8 July 2018. No installments were debited from my bank before shipping.

The design of the grill is almost identical to the old product, and works ifentically.

I am very pleased with the performance of my new grill.