Breville The Smart Grill vs Cuisinart Griddler FIVE

This is the Breville's entire reason for existing at $350. By angling the grill plate, grease channels away from the heating element before it can burn and smoke — it's the only indoor grill that actively solves the smoke problem rather than just tolerating it. The Cuisinart, by contrast, can drip grease when cooking fatty foods, and Good Housekeeping literally recommends putting foil under the back legs. If smoke in a small apartment is a dealbreaker, the Breville is the only serious option.

The Cuisinart Griddler FIVE is genuinely five machines in one chassis: full grill, half grill/half griddle, full griddle, panini press, and waffle maker with add-on plates. The Breville is an indoor grill, full stop. For most households that cook a variety of things, the Cuisinart eliminates the need for a separate griddle, panini press, and waffle iron. That's real money and real cabinet space saved — not a marketing bullet point.

The Breville costs $350. The Cuisinart costs $108-$120. That $230 difference buys you a stand mixer, a quality chef's knife, or three months of a meal kit subscription. The Breville would need to be dramatically better at its core job to justify that gap — and while it's genuinely excellent, the Cuisinart's higher consensus score (78 vs 68) suggests the market doesn't think it is.

The Cuisinart's grill plates come out and go straight into the dishwasher. After cooking a greasy burger or marinated chicken thigh, that matters more than any spec sheet item. The Breville's premium build quality is real, but if hand-washing a heavy grill plate becomes a chore you dread, you'll use the machine less. Ease of cleanup is one of the most underrated factors in whether a kitchen appliance actually gets used.