I have received different pieces of Circulon cookware as gifts over the last few years and have always liked its quality. One of my favorite pieces that I got is the Circulon Stove Top Grill, which has made a nice addition to my collection. Prior to usage I seasoned this grill with some vegetable oil wiped across its surface, as the instructions suggested. I still season it periodically too.

Pieces of the grill
The Circulon Stove Top Grill consists of three separate pieces that are used on a kitchen range stove. The largest piece is the 12” grilling surface, which is circular and slightly dome shaped. When in use the dome-shaped grill rests on a stainless steel drip pan that has steel handles on two sides. The drip pan is circular but open in the middle. The third piece is an adapter rack made of thin steel coils. It is used as a surface to rest the drip pan on when the grill is used on a gas stove. The adapter rack does not need to be used on electric stoves.

Materials made of
The grill itself is black in color, has a non-stick surface, and has what is called a "High-Low" pattern across its surface. The higher points are what the foods will sit on when being grilled, and the lower surface is protected from wear, to maintain the non-stick composure of the cookware. They look like little "speed-bumps" across the grill. The grill is made of hard-anodized steel for added durability. Circulon’s literature claims it is twice as hard as stainless steel and will last for many years.

Usage
The Circulon Stove Top Grill is used differently on a gas stove than when used on an electric. I have an electric stove, which is the simpler of the two. You simply put the steel drip pan around any size burner then place the grill on top of the drip pan. Fill the drip pan with some water in order to make it easier to remove grease afterwards.

You can grill at any temperature on an electric stove, although lower temperatures are probably better. I usually turn the heat to Medium to heat it up then back the temperature down a notch or two when I place the food on the grill. I most often grill hamburgers, pieces or vegetables, and strips of chicken. The heat on the surface of the grill is slightly higher around the edges, which slopes down closer to the stovetop. Everything I have cooked on this grill has turned out great – no sticking and no burning.

For gas stoves you need to place the adapter rack across a small burner first, then place the drip pan and grill on top on the rack. You should only use Low settings on a gas stove! I have only used this on a gas stove once and was happy with the results.

One of the few complaints I have about this grill is that small amounts of grease will spatter around the stovetop. There is not cover and because the grill surface is dome shaped you can’t really place a lid on it. A few times I have placed some foil over the food if it was spattering a lot.

You should only use plastic or wooden utensils on the Circulon Stove Top Grill. A hard metal utensil may damage the surface area on the grill.

Cleanup/Storage
When you are done grilling all the pieces should be allowed to cool down before washing. You should not immediately transfer it to water since there will probably be hot grease in the drip pan, and sharp temperature changes may harm the grill’s surface.

After the unit cools, wash the grill using hand dish-washing soap. It cleans up very quickly and easily. Even the little grooves on the surface of the grill are easy to clean. The grill should never be washed in a dishwasher or scrubbed with a steel pad since these things damage its surface. The steel drip pan and rack can be washed either by hand or in the dishwasher.

Storing this grill is a bit tricky. The grill and drip pan are over 1 foot wide and nothing should rest on top of the grill. Although I have a storage place, it does take up quite a bit of room.

Warranty
Circulon is manufactured by Meyer Corporation and they offer a Lifetime Warranty on this product if used under normal circumstances. A replacement piece will be sent if the original is returned prepaid freight to:

Meyer Corporation Consumer Relations
1 Meyer Plaza
Vallejo CA 94590

Overall
I have been very happy with the Circulon Stove Top Grill, which I got in 2000. I use it about twice a month on average and have never had any problems with its quality. It grills food evenly and relatively quickly. Also, clean up is very easy.

I don’t know if this specific product is still manufactured but I have seen them on E-Bay (new) for about $10. I don’t know its original purchase price but these cost around $30 new the last time I saw them in the store. I recommend this grill without any reservations, as long as you have enough room to store it.

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