Not everyone likes to deal with the hassle of a charcoal grill, often due to the cleaning aspect, or perhaps you simply don’t have space for one. A propane grill can be equally as unappealing due to the size, and of course having to replace the hefty tank every now and again. Both of these grills are pricey options, assuming you want to get something decent.
Those aren’t your only options however, and something like the Delonghi BG24 Perfecto Indoor Grill may be the ideal solution. In this article we are going to take a closer look at this grill to find out if it is any good, so let’s move onto that below.
The BG24 Grill
Delonghi as a company has existed for over 100 years, and they make all kinds of home appliances, ranging from air conditioners to espresso machines. They have made a few grills over the years, and the BG24 model is their latest offering. With a retail price of around $65, this Delonghi indoor grill is quite competitively priced. Let’s start off by talking about the design and features of this model. The main unit is matt black in color, and the Delonghi Perfecto logo is emblazoned on the front of the unit. Inside of this sits the drip tray, which is removable.
The drip tray has a nonstick coating for easy cleaning, and this is dishwasher friendly which is a nice bonus. It has a water level indicator, and you should always use water in the drip tray unless of course you like the smell of smoke! You can also line the drip tray with aluminum foil instead, which means you can simply fold it up and chuck it out afterwards instead of having to wash the tray. On the side of the unit are two cool touch handles, allowing you to move the unit when needed. At 10.8 lbs fully assembled, the BG24 feels quite solid and well made. However, it is probably a bit big and hefty to really qualify as a portable grill, so you may want to look elsewhere if that is your intended usage.
On the right hand side of the Delonghi BG24 Perfecto indoor grill is the temperature dial, which has 5 heat settings. Settings 1-2 is a low heat designed for keeping food warm, settings 2-3 is a medium temperature which is good for slow cooking foods, settings 3-4 are a medium to high temperatures ideal for food once it has been sealed or marinated, and setting 5 is a high temperature for searing meat. Setting number 5 is also good for preheating the grill, which often takes around 5 or 6 minutes. When the machine is switched on the pilot light will display until the correct temperature is reached – once it switches off the grill is ready to go.
The temperature dial is connected to the main power cord, which should be removed when the Delonghi electric grill is being cleaned or not in use. Once the power cord has been removed the grill can be lifted out of the housing unit. This model comes with a tempered glass lid, which features a chrome trim along the edge. This lid gives you roughly 2″ of clearance from the grill, although it is slightly tapered towards the edges, so thicker foods will need to be placed near to the centre of the grill. The lid creates a well sealed barrier, and adding a bit of water in the drip tray makes sure your food is kept moist.
A closer look at the grill area
The grilling area is roughly 12″ x 16″, which gives you 192″ of cooking surface. This is enough space to cook a decent family meal. If you are having a big get together with your friends and family, you may want to consider something a bit bigger as this model is not designed for that kind of cooking volume. The Delonghi Perfecto Indoor Grill surface is made out of die-cast aluminum, which is generally quite durable. The grill should be gently wiped or sponged to clean it, taking care not to get any water on the electrical connector.
The nonstick coating ensures that relatively little sticks to the grill, so cleaning the grill is usually a quick and easy task. According to the user manual you should not use metal utensils on this grill, but instead stick to plastic or silicone to prevent any damages to the coating. Like most other nonstick cooking surfaces, the grill should be seasoned before first use, and every few weeks to keep it in good shape. This is done by lightly wiping the grill with cooking oil.
How well does the Delonghi Perfecto grill work?
This is a very popular model, and the general opinion is that it works very well. The nonstick coating works as described, and the grill gets hot enough to cope with most foods. If the grill is used according to the instructions, you should end up with some great tasting food. The main question on most peoples minds is how does it compare to food which is barbecued outdoors. What you will get with this grill is healthily cooked food, which will be juicy and tender. So the answer to that question is quite similar, but not 100% the same.
If you are craving that charcoal or wood flavored food, then this is not a perfect substitute for that unfortunately. There is no real way to replicate that taste, aside from actually cooking on a outdoor charcoal grill. If you are used to cooking food over a gas barbecue, then you will get quite a similar taste with the Delonghi Indoor Grill. For those of you wondering, you do get grill marks on your food, so you can certainly be fooled into thinking your food was cooked on an outdoor grill based on the appearance and taste!
Are there any disadvantages?
There are a few minor downsides to the Delonghi Perfecto Indoor Grill that are worth mentioning. This is quite a big grill, so you will need a fair amount of counter space for it. And it is a little heavy, so ideally you want to have it in a set spot instead of having to haul it out of a cupboard each time you plan to use it. The other downside is that it takes the Delonghi electric grill few minutes to warm up, so if you are in a constant rush to get your food cooked everyday then you should stick to frying food instead. Most other indoor grills take some time to warm up however, so this isn’t anything unusual. And lastly, it would have been nice if the lid was curved a little higher upwards to accommodate some thicker foods, but this is a very minor issue as far as we are concerned. Aside from that there aren’t any other issues as far as we can tell.
Summary
That is a quick look at the Delonghi BG24 Perfecto Indoor Grill. This grill gives you an easy way to grill food indoors, without costing a fortune. With a retail price of around $65 it is certainly worth considering, and we think it is a good choice. But don’t take our word for it, make sure you do your own research to see if it will suit your needs. At the time of writing this model had over 850 five-star user reviews on Amazon, so it certainly looks like a winner. You can find out more about this particular model and read some of those many happy user reviews over on the Amazon product listing.
