Raclette is a popular Swiss dish, which is also very popular in France and many other countries across the world, that
consists of melted cheese eaten and potatoes. It also refers to a Swiss-style party dinner where people gather around a cooking appliance and cook various dishes with the items available in front of them. A raclette grills is a small electric appliance. Each device has two cooking areas including one for melting the cheese and another flat grill surface for cooking other items. There are several trays known as coupelles in French that are used for cooking the cheese and other liquid items.
A raclette grill is a perfect appliance to prepare delicious food for a small gathering such as family reunion, friendly get-together, party celebration, and other special occasions. It is definitely a better option than the old-fashioned cooker because it can cook several dishes at the same time, saving much time. Besides, it doubles the fun in a party since people gather around it and prepare their own recipes, which trigger conversations. We have also written a complete guide about best griddles.
Types of Raclette Grills
You will not find any strict categorization since the main difference lies in the size and features. However, as there are a plethora of models to choose from, you can break them down into several groups.
The Basic Type
The raclettes fitting this category should have a medium-size cooking area enough to cook for two to four people. It
will also have a heat source that could be either electrical or chemical. These models offer the best value for money if you are new to the universe of ‘racletting’ and want to try it out.
The Standard Type
These are the models that will provide you the complete ‘raclette’ experience. Most of these have a stone surface such as granite that serves the ideal condition for searing meat. A stone cooking surface can lock in moisture and flavor, producing better-tasting steaks.
The Tabletop Type
These are the raclette grills you should pick up if you want to throw an indoor party or small celebrations. These are versatile, and usually, have a grill top for doing the grilling and a hot stone that keeps all the ingredients warm. The high-quality models have non-stick grilling surface for easy cooking and grilling. They are available in various sizes – the smaller ones are ideal for cooking for a few people while the larger ones can host a party.
The Party Type
These units are large enough to serve at least 12 people and have many options to prepare meat, fish, shrimp, vegetables, or whatever dishes you like. They come with a fondue set that you can replace with the grill for cooking stock, chocolate, or cheese fondues.
Benefits of Using a Raclette Grill
The grills are the best option to cut your cooking time without compromising with the taste or reducing the fun. Instead, raclettes have made cooking for a party an enjoyable experience and conversation starter. Here are some of the advantages of using a raclette instead of a traditional cooker:
Healthy
Grilling the food is healthy because it offers the maximum nutrition without sacrificing flavors. It requires minimal
added fats but keeps vegetables and steaks juicy and tender. So, if you are trying to watch your diet without leaving out the delicious food items, a raclette grill will be your savior.
Anyone Can Cook
Cooking is a skill but a raclette grill makes the chore so easy that anyone can cook. You don’t have to invest hours for preparing fancy dishes. Just collect plenty of ingredients, cut or chop them, and put everything together on the raclette following the delicious recipes available online. Cooking has never been so relaxing and less of a chore!
Conversation Starter
Depending n the size, two to twelve people can gather around a raclette grill and cook food. It’s a great opportunity to start a conversation and get to know each other. Opposite to loud and chaotic house parties, a raclette dinner party will be quite organized because it can create an intimate atmosphere.
Keeps Food Warm for a Long Time
When was the last time you spent at least an hour to take your dinner? We’ve become so busy and so accustomed to quick eating that we forget to savor and appreciate the taste of food. The dining in a raclette grill party can last longer than a normal house party because the hot stone keeps food warm for hours. It teaches you to slow down and relish the joy of eating.
Characteristics of High-Quality Raclette Grills
These cooking devices are geared toward parties, which could be a romantic dinner for two or an intimate gathering of friends, neighbors, or family members. So, it does not hurt to bring one into your backyard or kitchen. But, which models to pick up? There are so many options and choices that the rookie users often become confused. Check these aspects described below to make sure that you are buying something long-lasting.
What’s the Style?
The most common style is a two-tier unit where the bottom tier is for melting the cheese on the trays of coupelles
and the top tier is for cooking food and keeping them warm. You will find them in rectangular, ovular, or round shape, and the second type is the most popular because when the guests gather around a raclette, the oval shape makes it easier to add their trays.
The size also matters in this case because not all raclettes are built equally. Do you want it for a small family gathering or a romantic dinner for two? Then, a basic unit is the right choice as it is perfect for two to four people. Do you love throwing parties? Purchase a party model that is ideal for eight to twelve guests. There are some advanced models that are expensive but allow you to bring a fondue maker into the rig.
Remember that the advanced units are bigger and are difficult to store away when not in use. So, unless you need one or have large space in your kitchen or backyard to accommodate it, buying one will just be a waste of space.
How’s the Performance?
The performance largely depends on the quality of the materials and durability of the unit. What you should be looking for is a model featuring a granite cooking surface. A cooking stone spreads heat at an even rate across the surface, making it an excellent medium for searing the meat without losing any flavor. It also retains the heat for a long time, ideal for keeping the prepared dishes warm until the party ends.
However, a granite cooktop does not become as hot as other grilling surfaces. So, it is not suitable for quick preparations and grilling raw meat and vegetables.
Some raclettes come with a non-stick coating on the grill top and coupelles. It not only helps with quicker, easier cooking but also with hassle-free cleaning. Some units can be dissembled so you can wash the parts separately or put them in a dishwasher. In this way, you don’t have to spend lots of tiresome cleaning time after a party.
Is There Any Add-on?
Most raclette users buy them with parties in mind. So, it’s wise to buy the models that come will all the accessories required to make a party successful. Some units have dishes and spatulas so that you don’t have to buy them separately. Some of them even have reversible or modular grills, making it a breeze to flip or change them.
Some models have the temperature control feature, making it easier to cook vegetables, meat, and fish the way you want. Another nice feature could be stay-cool handles to rule out the possibility of accidents. You can touch the trays and grills without wearing gloves.
Swissmarhas a devoted fan following because of offering quality products for more than 30 years! If you are new to the idea of raclette, the KF-77041 from Swissmar will be an ideal appliance for a family gathering. With a classic design, it will bring good taste and healthiness to your next dinner party.
What’s the Style?
It’s a two-tier tabletop appliance that is suitable for 8 people. Everyone in your family will have the opportunity to flaunt their culinary creativity with this versatile grilling device. It is large enough, so there’s no need to wait for taking turns. Everyone can cook together, making every single dinner an intimate family get-together.
The rectangular-shaped grill has a reversible grill top. The second tier holds eight trays for cooking melted cheese and other condiments.
How’s the Performance?
With 1,200-watt heating element, temperature control feature, and reversible grill top, the KF-77041 is something that you will want for a hassle-free, fun dinner party. The cast aluminum grill top can be reversed for making pancakes, crepes, fajitas, and more. The cooking surface and the trays are non-stick, making cooking and cleaning a cinch.
The heat-control technology allows you to get the perfect heat for all types of food. Whether you want to grill meat or bake a bread-type item, you just have to turn a nob to control the temperature.
All the trays have stay-cool handles, so even the kids can be around the appliance without any fear of accidents. Once you use it, it will be your Sunday night staple.
The only fault is there are no slots at the bottom to put the trays when not in use. It means that they will take space on your dining table or kitchen counter.
Is There Any Add-on?
The grill comes with 8 heat-resistant spatulas for scraping the cheese and other condiments off of the trays. The cheese-melting trays also have heat-resistant handles.
The cooking utensils are dishwasher safe and you can also put the top cooking plate into it.
Pros
Non-stick cooking surface
Reversible grill top
Variable heat control
Utensils and top grilling plate are dishwasher safe
Swissmar is a renowned brand and the KF-77080 from the brand’s Stelvio line is an excellent choice for family dinners and small parties. It is not much different from the Classic model except for the stainless steel base.
What’s the Style?
The KF-77080 is a two-tier, 8-person party grill. The top tier is reversible and the bottom tier has space for holding eight trays for melting cheese and other items.
It is a rectangular-shaped unit and has enough space for putting lots of items altogether. The base part is stainless steel that looks beautiful in combination with the black cooktop.
How’s the Performance?
The reversible grill top and the variable heat control feature give you the freedom of cooking whatever you want. Use the grilling side for cooking ham, veggies, potatoes, bell peppers, onions, and other things. Flip over and you will be able to prepare crepes, eggs, quesadillas, and pancakes. The heat-controlling option also helps with melting the cheese beautifully.
The cast aluminum grill top and the trays have a non-stick coating. However, the performance will be better if you season the top surface before the cooking. Just brush some olive oil and heat up a little. There could be abuild-up of overcooked food residue but you can scrape it off easily because of the non-stick glaze.
Be careful not to use any cooking spray as it deteriorates the non-stick coating. Also, don’t use any harsh detergent and steel or wire brushes for cleaning to protect the coating. As it is an electrical appliance, you cannot submerge the base unit into water. Clean it with a damp of microfiber towel if needed.
Is There Any Add-on?
The model comes with eight stay-cool spatulas and raclette dishes. These items, along with the grill top and trays, are dishwasher-safe.
Milliard Raclette Grill has made hosting memorable dinner parties with family and friends ridiculously easy.It creates an amiable social dining scenario where every guest gest the chance to participate in cooking. Plus, you can have your favorite melted cheese variant and drizzle it on your favorite dish.
What’s the Style?
The raclette unit runs on 120V and can provide up to 1,200-watt heat element. The two-tier model has a big cooking surface and eight cheese pans at the bottom part. The unique feature that keeps it ahead of other models on this list is its double grilling surface. You can attach either the granite cooking stone or the cast aluminum reversible grilling surface.
How’s the Performance?
The model offers both stone cooktop and a traditional grilling surface, giving you the freedom of conducting whatever cooking experiment you want to do. You can cook seafood, veggies, fish, meat, and cheese – all in one single unit! Also, the aluminum grill top is reversible. Just flip over and use the plain side for making crepes or tortilla.
The adjustable temperature option is ideal for keeping the right temperature for various items. There’s an indicator light that shows whether the grill is on or off.
Is There Any Add-on?
The product comes with eight wooden spatulas so that everyone has their own cooking utensils. The non-stick grill top and cheese pans are easy to cleaning and dishwasher safe.
The grill is ETL-certified, which means that it meets the minimum requirements of the safety standards prescribed for this kind of products.
Pros
Offers both stone top and aluminum grilling surfaces
Swissmarmakes such great products that we cannot help but include another model from the brand into the top five. This time it’s a granite top version of the Stelvio KF-77080. This KF-77081 model adds to the beauty of your kitchen because of the beautiful stone cooktop and fits the bill for celebrating an occasion with your friends and family members.
What’s the Style?
The StelvioKF-77081 looks very elegant with a fusion of granite cooking surface and stainless steel base unit. The trays are black, adding theperfect accent to the combination.
It’s a rectangular-shaped 8-person raclette grill that can provide heat up to 1,200 watts. The upper part is a solid granite top while the bottom area is open and can hold eight trays. The cooktop has indented line all around that serves as a drain for excess fat and oil.
How’s the Performance?
Granite-stone grill top is perfect for cooking meat, vegetables, fish, eggs, crepes, pancakes, and more. Don’t be fussy, Use your creativity and work with combinations of flavors and you will end up making everything from scallops to baguettes, and salami to gherkins.
One of the problems with granite cooktops is they don’t get heated up easily. Although this model can generate heat up to 1,200-watts, you can boil the vegetables and half-cook meat and other items before putting them on the cooking surface to quicken the process. Preheat the grill will also be useful.
Is There Any Add-on?
Swissmar offers eight spatulas and raclette dishes with this model. The spatulas, like the handles of the trays, are heat resistant. These parts are also dishwasher-safe.
You cannot soak the base in water, though. It has to be wiped clean if gets dirty.
Pros
Granite cooktop is excellent for making flavorful dishes
Heat-resistant tray hands and spatulas
Comes with spatulas and dishes
Large enough for eight persons to cook together
Cons
The cooking surface takes time to heat up
The curved lining around the grill may fill up and overflow for certain preparations
The PKGRST46 raclette grill from NutriChef won’t let you just to be a host or guest at a party. It lets you be a part of it by active participation! It allows active socialization and triggers hearty conversation by allowing up to eight persons preparing their recipes together. The less than $100 price tag for a granite cooktop seems pretty reasonable.
What’s the Style?
The PKGRST46 is a great standard model for aparty. It is an 8-person raclette grill that is portable (weighs nearly 17lbs) and safe for countertops or kitchen table. The oval shape makes it easier for the guests to gather around it and prepare their own dishes.
The unit comes with one stone top and a grill cooktop. There are eight small trays for preparing melted cheese items. It also features variable heating option and hassle-free plug-in operation. However, there is no on/off switch.
How’s the Performance?
The switchable cooking surfaces and total temperature control gives you the full freedom for showing your cooking skills. The metal grill tops are stainless steel and you can use them for grilling anything and making all types of tortillas and pancakes.
The stone top surface will keep the cooked items warm as long as you want. You can cook on the granite top too, especially the meat items, to enjoy the food with all the flavors intact.
The unit has a 1000-watt heating element, enough for grilling cheese, veggies, meats, and other items. The non-stick surfaces don’t stick any food residue, saving almost half of the cleaning time.
Is There Any Add-on?
Unfortunately, the PKGRST46 does not provide any spatulas. You have to buy them separately. The user instruction is not clear because it is a poor English translation. The LED indicator is a nice addition, though, letting you know whether the appliance is on or off.
If you are searching for a great party helper, look no further than the PG1645 raclette grill from Salton. It relieves you
from the chore of cooking for your guests. Instead, invite them over and let them prepare their own meal. It’s a cost-efficient option for catering a brunch or dinner for a small gathering.
What’s the Style?
The 8-person grill creates a party ambiance at no time! It will draw your guests together and everyone can talk about the latest football match or the upcoming season of Game of Thrones while cooking their own recipes!
The two-tier rectangular-shaped model has a grill cooktop at the top and space for holding eight cheese pans at the bottom. It can generate heat up to 900-watt and you have to plug it into a 110-volt outlet.
How’s the Performance?
The metal grill top is ideal for grilling hamburger, sausages, Canadian ham, shrimps, asparagus, or whatever you want. The adjustable temperature control will let you apply the perfect temperature for the specific food items.
The grill plate has raised edges that prevent spill and contain everything no matter how much fat and juice the meat steaks release.
The cooking surface and pans are non-stick but make sure to heat up a bit of olive oil on them before grilling. It will keep the sticking to the minimal and the cleaning less messy. The bottom tier has eight large pans for melting cheese, frying eggs, and making desserts.
Is There Any Add-on?
The unit comes with eight spatulas for easy removal of food and cheese from the trays. The non-stick pans have stay-cool handles and are color-coded so that everyone can easily recognize their tray.
There’s a LED indicator that indicates whether the power is on or off.
Pros
The grill top has raised edges
Temperature adjusting option
Non-stick cooking surfaces
Color-coded cheese trays with stay-cool handles
Cons
The power cable is short, requiring the use of an extension cord
Have you been craving for a great raclette experience after your last Europe trip? Buy the Tenderloin 100 from Klarstein at less than $100 and introduce the unique experience to your family. It’s a good way to avoid restaurant and involve every family member in dinner.
What’s the Style?
The Tenderloin 100 features a unique design different from the other entries on this list. It has a split design with a 360-degree device base. You can place the two units any way you want – next to each other, at an angle, or in a long line. If you have a long dining table, swivel it into one long grill. It will also give enough room for eight people to cook at the same time.
How’s the Performance?
Both the units have stone cooktops with separate on/off switches. Each one has four trays, so total eight people can gather around at a time. The design attributes versatility as you can use a single unit for a family dinner and keep them both if it’s a friendly gathering.
Both units have stone cooking surfaces that have heating coils underneath. They can generate heat up to 1,200-watts. However, you will need to preheat the cooking surfaces because granite takes time to heat up. You can also it for cooked items to stay hot without the fearing of burning.
A granite surface is excellent for cooking meat items. It keeps all the flavors intact and the machined groove will drain up the fat without spilling. The non-stick coating is a blessing because it lets the cheese slide on to the dishes and makes cleaning an easy task.
Is There Any Add-on?
Klarstein provides eight wooden spatulas for safe scraping off of the food and cheese without ruining the non-stick glaze.
The Beach 31602 raclette from Hamilton is an excellent grilling unit for having the maximum of fun for a minimum
of effort in a party. Suitable for eight people, it inspires the guests to involve in cooking food and engage in pleasant conversations. The price may seem expensive, comparing to the other entries, but Hamilton provides aquality product that will serve you for a long time.
What’s the Style?
It is an 8-person grilling unit that has a metal grill top at the top and eight cheese trays at the bottom. The unique leg design at the bottom keeps it stable on all types of surfaces. The grill top has deep edges all around, keeping the fat and juices contained inside.
How’s the Performance?
The 31602 model brings innovative fun to barbeque and fondue parties. It allows eight people to indulge in the pleasure of baking, frying, and melting cheese over various grilled items.
It has variable heating options and each of the eight tray sections can be heated separately. So, you can not only adjust the temperature but can select whether to switch on or off the heating in any section.
Is There Any Add-on?
The product has eight heat-resistant paddles included. So, you don’t have to buy any spatula for stirring, mixing, or scraping food. The trays also have stay-cool handles, allowing you to hold them without any chance of burning the hand. These parts are also dishwasher safe but you should handwash them for keeping the non-stick glaze unharmed.
Hamilton also offers a recipe book with this product. You will also get a one-year warranty for any manufacturing defect.
Thinking of getting fancy for your next brunch or dinner party? Go for the 2-in-1 Party Raclette Grill from King of
Raclette. It is small but you will face no problem for preparing the traditional Swiss dishes along with meat and veggie items of all manner.
What’s the Style?
The design of the 2 in 1 BBQ unit is true to its name. It is a two-tier round-shaped grilling appliance. The bottom tier holds six non-stick cheese trays while the top part is interchangeable with a granite stone and a stainless steel grill top.
How’s the Performance?
The model has a heating element that can generate heat up to 1,000 watts. You can use the stainless still cooking surface for grilling the food items and the stonesurface for keeping everything warm. The granite top is also suitable for cooking flavorful meat steaks.
The raclette is perfect for grilling meat, fish, veggies, heat sauce, melt cheese, and fry eggs. The special T-fal coating on the trays and cooking surfaces doesn’t let the food stick. It also makes cleaning a cinch since a soft wipe with a damp cloth will be enough to remove the food residue and oil.
Is There Any Add-on?
The product includes six spatulas for scraping off the food from the trays. The grill top is nonslip, preventing the food items and eat slices from sliding and burning your hand. The bottom of the unit is skid-proof. It means you can keep it anywhere you want, and it will stand on the ground.
Another impressive thing is the company offers a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. If you don’t like the product, return it within 30 days and you will get the full refund, without getting any question asked.
Pros
Double grill tops
Comes with six spatulas
Full refund upon return within 30 days
Cons
Putting the trays on grill top could melt their handles
Do you enjoy having a Swiss-style meal with your dear ones but don’t have enough budget to go for the big boys? The GEG1400 from Gourmia is here to your rescue. It offers a convenient and affordable raclette-style cooking option. Do we need to say anything more?
What’s the Style?
This GEG1400 is another entry on this list that has a unique design than traditional raclettes. It’s a two-tier unit with the upper tier for grilling and lower tier for holding six cheese melting trays. However, the grill top is different as it has a catchall brim and spiky support hooks instead of the standard flat surface.
How’s the Performance?
The compact unit is convenient for moving around. You can even take it to the outdoor to throw a backyard barbecue party. The size is small as only six guests can gather around it to cook at the same time.
You can use it for grilling everything – seafood, chicken breasts, bread, and slices of beef and pork. The star of the show is the Sombrero-like structure at the center that has spiky hooks for holding meat slices. It is excellent for sticking your small bites and having them fresh from the grill.
There is a control dial for regulating the temperature. It allows you to control the temperature for cooking various types of dishes. Whether you grill mushrooms, sausages, or pepperoni, this feature will help you to get consistent results every single time.
Is There Any Add-on?
The product does not offer any spatula. However, you will get a recipe booklet for free that will help you to prepare some delicious preparations.
The unit is also ETL-certified. So, you can stay worry-free that all the ingredients used in this model are safe for health.
Another impressive feature is you can disassemble the grill without any hassle. It helps with easy cleaning up and storage.
Pros
Compact unit suitable for outdoors too
Heat control feature
ETL-certified
Inexpensive
Cons
The cone bowl with hooks is difficult to clean up
The sharp prongs can stab if you are not careful
Thick slices won’t hang on the funnel for long
How to Use a Raclette Grill?
If you are a newbie, reading the user manual is the best way to get the primary idea. Always keep in mind that it’s just a cooking appliance, not a spaceship. So, it’s not rocket science to figure out the functions of a raclette grill. Some basic steps that you can follow are:
Assemble the unit properly before plugging it in.
Clean everything before using. This is applicable to a brand new product too that you have just unpacked for the first time after buying. Similarly, you should clean all the parts after every cooking session.
Make sure that the grill is dry before plugging it into an outlet.
Preheating the cooking surface will make the dishes ready within a short time.
If it’s a stone surface, don’t use any non-stick cooking spray because it will only burn on the surface.
Wait for the grill to dry completely before storing away. Use apaper towel or dry cloth to quicken the process.
The Right Way to Melt the Cheese
Normally, you melt the cheese on trays or fondue pots in a raclette grill. But, it takes time to heat up the fondue pot. To cut the cooking time, you can melt the cheese on a stove and then transfer it to the tray on the grill so that it stays warm at the right temperature.
Safety Precautions to Take
Like any grilling units, raclette grills are an open cooking surface. So, you need to take some safety measures to make sure that there is no accident.
Keep the children away. It is an open cooking surface and kids can get hurt by touching it if they are around.
Don’t touch hot surfaces with your bare hands. Use cooking utensils to stir, whip, or mix and mittens for moving the trays and other parts.
The spatulas should be heat-resistant and feature stay-cool handles.
Don’t soak in water or try to clean when the cooking surfaces are still hot. Wait for everything to cool down.
If it is an electrical model, never forget to unplug it before cleaning.
These are basic safety standards that you should follow no matter what model you are using. To get model-specific safety instructions, read the user manual provided with the product.
the idea of raclette, the KF-77041 from Swissmar will be an ideal appliance for a family gathering. With a classic design, it will bring good taste and healthiness to your next dinner party.
dinners and small parties. It is not much different from the Classic model except for the stainless steel base.
creates an amiable social dining scenario where every guest gest the chance to participate in cooking. Plus, you can have your favorite melted cheese variant and drizzle it on your favorite dish.
This time it’s a granite top version of the Stelvio KF-77080. This KF-77081 model adds to the beauty of your kitchen because of the beautiful stone cooktop and fits the bill for celebrating an occasion with your friends and family members.
it by active participation! It allows active socialization and triggers hearty conversation by allowing up to eight persons preparing their recipes together. The less than $100 price tag for a granite cooktop seems pretty reasonable.
Klarstein at less than $100 and introduce the unique experience to your family. It’s a good way to avoid restaurant and involve every family member in dinner.
GEG1400 from Gourmia is here to your rescue. It offers a convenient and affordable raclette-style cooking option. Do we need to say anything more?
