Black & Decker 3-in-1 Grill - Griddle - Waffle Maker

A compact multitasker for small kitchens

Mornings in my house are a shuffle between eggs, toast, and the occasional waffle bribe. That’s why I was curious about a compact appliance that promises grill, griddle, and waffle duty from the same footprint. The Black & Decker 3‑in‑1 aims squarely at that role: reversible, nonstick plates; an adjustable temperature dial; a ready light; and the ability to open flat into a double griddle. After several weeks of breakfasts, lunches, and a few grilled dinners, here’s how it actually performs.

Design, setup, and build

Out of the box, the unit is relatively small and easy to stash: roughly 14 x 13 x 6 inches and just over 8 pounds. The cool‑touch handles are genuinely cool to the touch, even when the plates are hot, and the hinge allows the top to open fully and lie flat so you get two cooking surfaces at once. That open-flat mode is the standout design feature—it doubles your usable griddle space without adding countertop footprint.

The reversible plates give you waffle grids on one side and a flat griddle surface on the other. Swapping them is tool‑free, but the locking mechanism is fussy. The plates seat into small tabs at the back and clip near the front. If you don’t slide them forward firmly so the front clips engage, they can pop loose—especially the bottom plate—when you open and close the lid. I had one clip that didn’t hold well and needed a minor tweak with pliers to snug it up. Once properly seated, the plates do stay put, but there is a learning curve.

Fit and finish are mixed. The exterior is shiny and cleans up well, but the assembly feels a bit lightweight. There’s a hint of rattle when you move it, and the hinge has some play. None of this stopped me from cooking, but it sets expectations: this is a budget‑friendly multi‑cooker, not a tank.

Controls and preheat

The control scheme is simple: a dial for temperature and a power/ready indicator that cycles as the thermostat kicks on and off. There’s no timer or audible alert. From cold, mine took about 5 minutes to reach a waffle-ready temperature. For better results—especially with waffles—I got into the habit of letting it preheat for 7–8 minutes and waiting another minute after the ready light first came on, which helped stabilize the plate temperature.

Waffle performance

If your ideal waffle is a deep-pocket Belgian, this isn’t that. The waffle side produces a single square waffle divided into four sections, with the familiar nine small squares per section. It’s an American‑style waffle: thinner, crisp at the edges when dialed in, and soft inside.

• Heat consistency: The bottom plate runs hotter than the top. I consistently got more color on the bottom side, and at times the center area of the top was paler than the edges. Extending the preheat helped, as did filling the grid evenly and not overfilling. When I wanted an evenly browned top, I occasionally flipped the waffle for 30–45 seconds at the end—an inelegant workaround, but effective.

• Browning control: With the temperature set toward the higher end, I got a pleasant golden brown in about 4–5 minutes per batch. On lower settings, the waffle releases cleanly but can steam itself soft if you open too early. The ready light isn’t a done indicator; steam tapering off is a better cue.

• Release and cleanup: The nonstick coating works well with a light brush of neutral oil on the first waffle of the session. After that, batter didn’t cling, and crumbs wiped away easily.

In short, it makes serviceable weekday waffles with some technique. For big weekend waffle rituals or if you’re picky about uniform top-side browning, you’ll bump into its limits.

Griddle and grill performance

This is where the 3‑in‑1 shines. Flip the plates to the flat side and you get a double griddle when opened flat—enough space for four pancakes and a couple of eggs, or two sandwiches per side. Heat distribution is more even in griddle mode than in waffle mode, though the center hinge area runs a touch cooler. Pancakes browned evenly, eggs were controllable at medium-low, and smash burgers took a good sear with the dial cranked up.

Close the lid on the flat plates and you have a contact “grill.” There aren’t pronounced ridges to carve deep grill marks, but it excels at pressed sandwiches, quesadillas, and quick chicken cutlets. Grease channels molded into the plate corners help divert fats toward the edges. They’re shallow, so if you’re cooking something particularly fatty, position the unit so runoff has somewhere to go or keep a folded paper towel at the edge to catch drips when open-flat.

A few practical notes:
- Preheat longer for proteins. Searing a burger or chicken breast benefited from a full 8–10 minute preheat.
- Don’t overload the surface. Spacing food helps maintain heat and avoids steaming.
- Use the hinge to your advantage. The floating lid adapts to thicker items, but press gently; leaning on it hard can encourage the plates to shift if they weren’t seated perfectly.

Cleaning and care

The removable plates are the whole point of a multi‑surface cooker, and they do make cleanup easier. Once cooled, I found most messes wiped clean with a soft sponge and warm soapy water. Baked‑on sugars from waffle batter come off with a short soak.

Here’s the wrinkle: despite some packaging claims you might see, the manual advises against putting the plates in the dishwasher. I stuck with hand‑washing to preserve the nonstick coating, and I’d recommend the same. Avoid abrasive pads and highly caustic detergents. The exterior wipes down easily with a damp cloth; just keep liquid away from the control housing.

Storage is straightforward. The plates stack neatly, and the unit’s slim profile fits upright in a cabinet.

Reliability and everyday usability

• Indicator logic: The light cycles on and off as the thermostat maintains temperature. That’s normal behavior, but it can be confusing if you expect a “ready means done” signal. Use time and steam as your guide for waffles; for griddle/grill, a flick of water on the plate should sizzle instantly when it’s hot enough.

• Plate retention: Once I learned to seat the plates by sliding them forward until the front clip clicks—and gave one clip a slight bend—they stopped popping loose. Still, this mechanism feels like the most fragile part of the design, and it’s easy to mis-seat a plate in a rush.

• Heat stability: Griddle mode is the most consistent. Waffle mode shows more variation top-to-bottom and center-to-edge. None of that is unusual at this price, but it’s noticeable.

• Safety: Handles stay cool, even at high heat, and the unit remains stable on the counter. The hinge has enough give to accommodate thicker foods without levering the unit forward.

Who it’s for

• Small kitchens, dorms, and RVs where one appliance needs to cover multiple jobs.
• Cooks who make waffles occasionally and prioritize the flat-top griddle for pancakes, eggs, grilled sandwiches, and quick proteins.
• Households that value easy cleanup and don’t mind hand‑washing the plates.

Who should look elsewhere:
- Waffle obsessives who want perfectly even browning on both sides or deep Belgian grids.
- Anyone who expects heavy, daily use and bombproof hardware. The plate clips and hinge feel more “light duty.”

The bottom line

Strengths:
- Versatility in a compact footprint; the open-flat griddle is genuinely useful.
- Nonstick plates release well and clean up quickly.
- Adjustable heat and a simple control scheme that stays out of your way.
- Cool‑touch handles and sensible grease channels for tidier cooks.

Trade‑offs:
- Fussy plate retention; clips demand proper seating (and occasionally a tweak).
- Top plate runs cooler in waffle mode; browning can be uneven without technique.
- Build feels lightweight; some rattling and play in the hinge.

Recommendation

I recommend the Black & Decker 3‑in‑1 with clear caveats. If your primary use is griddle and pressed “grill” cooking with the occasional weekday waffle, it delivers solid results, cleans up easily, and saves space. If waffles are the main event or you expect premium build quality and totally even heat, you’ll be happier with a dedicated, heavier waffle maker and a separate griddle. For multi‑purpose cooking on a budget, though, this compact combo earns a spot in the cabinet—and, in my kitchen, a regular spot on the counter.