I think I'm in love! Hamilton Beach StepSavor Skillet/Griddle 38500

For the past few years I have been plagued by stove problems. My large burners always seemed to be needing replacement and in the house we were renting they never seemed to get fixed soon enough. Because we are a family of five this was always inconvenient, and sometimes made it near to impossible to make a good sized dinner in my large skillet without burning the middle and undercooking the edges. Then we bought a house and I thought my problems were over. Silly me! The elements on my stove are small and medium, no large burners here. Well, we can’t afford a new stove right now, so I decided it was time to go shopping. And what did I find? The Hamilton Beach StepSavor Skillet/Griddle 38500

What’s a Skillet/Griddle?

Just what it sounds like! A skillet, and a griddle! All in one! Now, I love a good deal, and I also love finding something that’s two products in one! Needing a skillet and wanting a griddle, I was so pleased to find this Hamilton Beach product! So my hubby and I paid for this wonderful lifesaver and brought it home.

What did we get with this skillet/griddle? Well, the features are as follows (from the Hamilton Beach website):

Easy-clean nonstick surfaces
Large capacity for single-dish meals
Skillet doubles as a serving dish
Dishwasher safe skillet pan & lid
Heating base doubles as a griddle
Parts nest for convenient storage
Full variable heat control
1400 watts 120V/AC only

And how does it work? Well, you’ve got the base/griddle portion of the unit that has the temperature controls for both the skillet and the griddle and an indicator light that displays when the unit is on. When you turn the unit on the light goes on, and when the unit reaches the desired temperature the light goes out. The lower markings on the temperature control area are for the griddle; the upper temperature range is for the skillet. There’s also a little picture of the griddle and the skillet next to the temperature selector for each so the user doesn’t forget which is which. The temperature range for the griddle ranges from OFF to 250 degrees F up to 450 degrees F, going up in fifty-degree increments. The range for the skillet is from Off to 200 degrees F up to 375 degrees F, going up in 25-degree increments. The griddle is the upper portion of the base, and it has a nonstick surface and sides approximately a quarter inch high. Next up is the skillet, which nests in the griddle portion of the unit. It too has a very nice nonstick surface and is approximately 2 and a half inches deep. The cooking surfaces on the griddle and the skillet are approximately one foot by one foot square, giving plenty of cooking area for me. Then there’s the cover, with a vent that you can have open or closed during cooking when using the skillet.

“Look Mom! A tee-pee!” my daughter said when she saw the storage stand. It’s a metal triangular shaped form that all the parts of the StepSavor fit into to make for easy storage on the unit’s side, thus taking up less space. (I haven’t used it yet…we haven’t put it away since we bought it!)

Hamilton Beach includes lots of very clear instructions with the StepSavor. Most of this is just common sense information, use on a dry, level, heat-resistant surface, use only wooden or plastic cooking utensils, etc. And of course it should never be used in the microwave, oven, or on the stove. They also recommend that you let the skillet/griddle preheat fully before adding anything to the cooking surface. It takes about 4 to 8 minutes for it to reach the desired temperatures, and it keeps itself at that temperature quite well, when the light goes on again you know its heating itself up to keep a consistent rate of heat going to the food you're cooking. You should never use the cover on the griddle, only on the removable skillet.

Cleanup is easy with the StepSavor. Let it cool completely. Wipe the griddle/base with a soapy damp cloth, do NOT immerse in water, and then wipe it again with a clean damp cloth. The skillet and the cover can be immersed in hot soapy water, and it can also be placed in the dishwasher. But remember these are nonstick surfaces, so do not ever use metal scouring pads or abrasive cleansers on it unless you really want to damage the nonstick coating! Why anyone would want to do that is unknown to me!

The StepSavor comes with a two year limited warranty from Hamilton Beach. Customer Service numbers are
In the U.S 1-800-851-8900
In Canada 1-800-267-2826
Website address is www.hamiltonbeach.com

What do we think?

Well, I think you can tell that we love the Hamilton Beach StepSavor 38500! We purchased it less than a week ago and have used it eight times already! (Okay, my husband is home, he’s used it six times, and I’ve used it twice! When he’s home he’s the cook! LOL) We’ve had hash browns, perogies, pancakes, and bacon. I’ve made a couple of the recipes that Hamilton Beach included in a little cookbook that came with the unit. (Tasty Tortellini and Hearty Beef and Rice Supper). My husband tested the nonstick feature by leaving the skillet sit overnight and the next day it cleaned up like a charm. No muss, no fuss! The StepSavor has made preparing dinner (and breakfast!) fast and easy for us. We are absolutely loving the nice even temperature on the griddle for pancakes, they’re coming out golden brown, light and fluffy, not half burnt in the centre like we were getting used to! I love making skillet suppers. With three kids in school, sports and other activities, we’re a pretty busy family. Being able to cook a complete meal in one pan quickly and easily with fast cleanup has really made a difference for me! I love not having to soak the skillet, just wipe it up and pop it back on the counter for the next use! No scraping charred remains from the pan anymore for me! I’m sure the storage unit works well, we tried it out and it all stands up on its side pretty securely, but in all honesty I can’t see us using it. The Hamilton Beach StepSavor is staying right on my counter where I can use it daily!