Indoor Grill, Smash Burger Kit and Cast Iron Press Compared

The Pukomc is a countertop grill rated at 1700 watts and 110 volts, with temperature control and a stainless steel body. The brand lists a nonstick grill plate that measures 16 by 9 inches, plus three mini raclette pans for melting cheese. Think of it as a ridged plate and a cheese station in one box.

The plate is the part to understand. The brand says it separates from the main body, that raised ripples keep excess fat away from the food, and that both the plate and the pans go in the dishwasher. Those are the brand's claims about cleanup, and a plate you carry to the sink is easier to wash than a fixed one.

The brand says the grill roasts and fries as well as grills, and names burgers, hot dogs, shrimp and vegetables. It sells the unit to couples, individuals and small families, and also calls the plate roomy enough for parties. We would plan on two or three people at a time.

Temperature control is the one setting the brand names. The box includes a recipe booklet, but the product page gives no temperature range and no preheat time.

The written reviews are thin. We could read two, and both are critical.

One buyer in the United States gave one star after the coating started rusting following three or four uses, and says the problem began as the return window ran out. The other, at three stars, found the grill slow to heat and quick to lose heat, and said the lower pockets needed close watching. That reviewer now uses it only for onions.

Two reviews don't make a verdict. The star breakdown is kinder: about 71 percent of ratings are five stars, and the average is 4.3 across 865 ratings. Still, about one rating in five is three stars or lower, and we only got to read the words behind two of them.

Rust and slow heating are the two reports to weigh. Heat that drops fast hurts most when you load a full plate of cold food, so we would watch that if you plan to fill all 16 by 9 inches.

Who should look elsewhere? Anyone chasing a smash crust. The brand describes raised ripples on the plate, which is the opposite of the flat face a smash needs, so the cast iron press on a griddle is the better route there.

One more thing to check before you buy. The size line reads 10 inches deep, 5 wide and 19 tall, which does not square with a 16 by 9 inch plate. Measure your counter space against the photos, not that line.

The kit has six pieces: a 12-inch basting cover, a 6.2-inch round burger press, a 6 by 5 inch griddle spatula, a spice shaker and two squeeze bottles. The brand says the metal parts are food grade stainless steel and the bottles are plastic. The box measures 12.6 by 6.77 by 3.78 inches and weighs 1.49 kg.

The press is the center of it. The brand describes a flat, smooth bottom that gives burgers an even thickness, and says it is easy to clean and dishwasher safe.

Two buyers describe something different: a rim around the face that sets the thickness. The brand's text and those buyers don't match, so check the product photos before you assume a shape.

One UK buyer liked that rim because it gives a patty of even thickness, about 6 mm by their account. The press is also wide enough for a large patty, and a Canadian buyer likes it for 6-inch patties on the barbecue.

The spatula gets the best words. The brand calls the 6 by 5 inch blade extra wide, enough to hold a full-size burger. A US buyer who rated the set three stars still called the smasher spatula heavy duty enough that it won't bend.

Weight is where opinions split. A UK buyer says the press is light, so you rely on brute strength, and accepts that as the trade for a dishwasher-friendly stainless tool. A Canadian buyer at three stars wanted it a little heavier.

The handle is the other soft spot. Another UK buyer says the press can burn your hand if you leave it on the hotplate. The brand gives a heat-resistant silicone handle only for the dome, and says nothing like that for the press.

The extras draw the complaints. A US buyer gave two stars after two screws tightened to the same torque ended up with one tight and one stripped.

Another found the shaker lid impossible to get off after one use, and felt the bottles are nice but not necessary, since most people own a squirt bottle already. A third, at three stars, got a dome missing the small bolt that holds on its handle and bought one at a hardware store. We would read this as a spatula-and-press kit with accessories you may or may not use.

One older review, from 2022, reports 13 days or more for delivery, which made a gift miss its date. It is old, but give yourself lead time if the kit is a present.

The brand lists griddle and flat-surface compatibility. If you cook on a ridged grill, in a small pan or over a live flame, the 12-inch dome and the broad spatula may not fit your setup.

This is one tool: a 6-inch round press of pre-seasoned cast iron with a silicone-wrapped handle. The title gives 2.3 pounds, and the details list 2.25 pounds and a size of 6 by 6 by 3.98 inches. The brand says it works on grills, griddles, frying pans, grates and stovetops, and presses bacon, sausage and sandwiches as well as burgers.

Weight is the product. A smash burger needs steady downward force, and the iron supplies it so your wrist doesn't have to.

Reviewers keep coming back to this: they call it heavy, solid and the right weight for smash burgers. One buyer says it can simply be left on top of the patty to keep it spread out.

That is the clearest contrast with the stainless kit, where buyers say the press is light and needs force from you. The cast iron press does one thing, and the buyers we read feel it does that thing well.

Care is short, and it comes from the brand. Scrape the face, rinse it, lightly soap the handle, and rub a touch of oil on the underside before storage.

A UK buyer who loves it says wipe it down while warm, add a light oil, done. A Canadian buyer says burgers don't stick to it.

The silicone handle earns a mention too. One buyer calls it a great addition, and the brand describes it as a cool-touch, slip-resistant grip.

One UK buyer adds a useful trick. Put a piece of greaseproof paper on the patty before pressing, so the press lifts off without tearing the meat. That tip is the buyer's, not the brand's.

Praise is broad but short. Many of the reviews are one or two lines: works great, good quality, a gift for dad.

A UK buyer calls it a little expensive for what it is, yet worth the price next to similar products. The average rating is 4.7 across 786 ratings.

Negative text is scarce. Of the written reviews we could read, none were below four stars, even though about 4 percent of ratings are one star. What those buyers disliked is not in the reviews we read.

The limits are simple. The face is 6 inches across, so large patties are out. It is round only and has no spatula to go with it.

Iron also needs the oil step from the brand's care notes, which a stainless press never asks for. The brand gives no heat limit for the silicone handle.