CRUX Indoor Electric Griddle

I bought this mainly for making pancakes in June 2023 and have used it maybe a dozen times for various things. I have an induction cooktop and it’s difficult to find nonstick griddle pans that work with it, hold up well, and are large enough. I also wanted something separate from the cooktop, in case I had other cooking going on or needed portability. It’s worked ok so far, except for the following issues: 1. Drip tray is poorly designed with inferior materials. It does not pull out smoothly and it cannot handle high heat. The capacity could be larger. Mine now has a big hole melted in it, rendering it somewhat useless. I noticed when cooking bacon the other day and wondered where the hot grease puddle on my counter came from. At first I thought it overflowed, but it was only half full. The whole front side is melted/rippled from heat. A definite potential burn injury risk if I hadn’t seen the puddle and investigated. I got burned in the past from pulling the tray out, when it was fuller than I realized and it sloshed on me. It’s difficult to see the fullness level to preemptively empty. I will no longer use it to cook bacon or other things that have much in the way of drippings. We contacted customer service and they said it is not a covered warranty item, and they do not sell accessories or replacement parts to get a new hole-free one. 2. Heats unevenly. The heating coil makes hot spots, and has affected the cooking surface to where you can see it through the coppery finish. I haven’t tested the non-stickiness of the coil zone, but I do monitor and move things off of the coil area or else they will burn more than other areas. I have noticed pancakes half dark and half light if they’re over the coil. 3. The temperature dial is difficult to read and moves too freely. I have to be directly overhead of it or else there’s a glare. It’s also very easy to unintentionally bump it to the wrong temp. Better print contrast, matte finish, larger font, and/or perhaps feedback clicks to let you know you’ve turned it so many degrees, would help. 4. Not really a flaw, but… It’s too big to fit in my kitchen cabinets, so I have to leave it out (on my dining room buffet because, as cute as the copper color is, I don’t want it staying out in the kitchen). The cooking surface may be 22”, but the handles add another 3.5”. I chose this one because of the larger cooking area to make a lot of pancakes at once, but didn’t consider the overall dimensions for storage. 5. Too slippery! I’ve had to chase things around with the spatula or get a fork in my other hand to control things. That can happen with any ceramic finish, so it’s not necessarily a knock on this particular item, just something to be aware of. 6. A longer power cord would be nice. At least I only paid $38… 🫤