Review on 🍔 Cuisinart GR-4NP1 5-in-1 Griddler: Versatile Silver Grill with Dual Silver/Black Dials by Billy Stull

I'm sorry I can't give this product a full 5 stars, but since Cuisinart refuses to address my concerns about this product I need to make sure people are aware of the issues. I bought two of these in less than 6 years. I take very good care of my belongings; I still have the original box and foam inserts in case I need to move them or return them for warranty (explain in a minute). The side buttons you press to pop out the griddles are plastic and one will break after a few years of frequent use. That means you don't have to push a button and the metal underneath lies inside the machine - hard to access. I bought a second panini grill in March 2015 due to the same issues as the first without keeping the original receipt to see if it was under warranty so I was thrilled to see this grill was still within the three year warranty . I called the warranty number and was told I would have to return it and the cost would be on me. Also, according to the warranty documents, you have to pay an additional $10 to get a refurbished/refurbished/potentially new unit back. I asked for the second charge to be canceled as it seemed unfair. So I take the car to the US Post Office in its original, untouched packaging. Ground shipping was $38.12 and priority was $42. I was shocked. The box looks so new the agent assumed it was it and she joked with another postal worker if she wanted to buy it from me? I explained to her that it needed repairs and her jaw dropped. She too found it absurd that they didn't send me a postal order as the weight and the fact that it has to be cross country makes shipping so important. I've decided that for more than half the cost of the goods, there's no point in shipping it. I checked with UPS and they cost over $24 too. I mean, I can pay $15, but that's too much money for a $59.99 item (I paid $91 with taxes in 2015 when it was even more expensive than their new model ). So I called Cuisinart back and explained my case. . I was told if I wanted to claim the guarantee I would have to send it in because I was ok with that - did I have a choice? They didn't even offer me $34 for a brand new one. I really liked this product and am disappointed that Cuisinart is making it difficult to enforce its warranty policy. I even contacted them privately on Facebook to see if they would look at my case and work with me but they didn't even bother to reply. I wonder if the extended warranty offered by a third party here on Revain would make me jump through hoops if I wanted to buy another one. I'm just not sure if I'm wasting my money or not. I don't like the ethics of a guarantee that will cost you a fortune to honor. As for the machine itself: Pros: - makes excellent panini; - ideal for grilling meat/fish/vegetables indoors; - excellent frying pan (best for making potato pancakes); plates with non-stick coating; You can buy waffle plates to make waffles; You can cook eggs, bacon, and hash browns at the same time when it's flat. doesn't last long - the warranty is three years, but contacting them means you have to return the entire product, and the shipping cost is over $34 via US Postal Service Ground Shipping (non-priority). You are expected to pay $10 in addition to a refurbishment/refurbishment/potentially new return.