GreenLife Electric Skillet 5QT In-depth Review
Overall Verdict
The 12-inch GreenLife Ceramic Non-Stick Electric Skillet CC003725-002 is our best pick for a medium-sized skillet (6.1 qt.). Its above par cooking performance and exceptional ceramic coating set it apart, while its medium size contributed to faster preheating compared to the larger skillets.
Priced at around $42 (at the time of writing), this skillet offers exceptional value despite lacking convenient features such as a detachable pan or fold up base. Its colorful and decorative aesthetic means it can happily stand out on a table or your kitchen countertop.
Things We Like
- Fast heating times
- Well-rounded cooking performances
- Ceramic non-stick coating
- High build quality
- Light in weight
Things We Don’t Like
- Not suitable for deep-frying
Our first impression of the GreenLife Ceramic Non-Stick Electric Skillet CC003725-002 was a sturdy build with an attractive aesthetic. In the initial testing, fried eggs just slid right off the pan and boiling water took little time. Therefore, this skillet gave rise to some great expectations.
GreenLife Cookware is owned by Cookware Company (USA), LLC. The brand focuses on colorful, environmentally sound, user-friendly, and healthy cookware. They manufacture an array of products including soft-grip pans, air fryer toaster ovens, egg cookers, electric skillets, as well as bakeware and utensils.
7.9 Performance
The GreenLife Ceramic Non-Stick Electric Skillet CC003725-002 showed the most well-rounded performance among the medium-sized electric skillets we tested. The scores for heat distribution, making pancakes and searing steaks, while not the highest, were consistently good.
7.6 Analyzing Heat Distribution
The GreenLife didn’t have the most evenly distributed heat, but it wasn’t bad by comparison. This is quite common for medium-sized skillets with a square pan but circular heating element causing the edges to have noticeably lower temperatures.
To gauge temperature differences across the skillet's surface, we placed a saturated sugar water-soaked oil absorbent sheet in it. Then, we heated the pan to 400°F and used an infrared thermometer to measure 5 key points.
Our findings revealed an average temperature variance of 11.85% compared to a 10% standard average. This scored a 7.6/10 in our rating system, which fell slightly short of the same-sized Crux and the Bella electric skillets.
8.2 Making Pancakes
The GreenLife took 1 min 58 sec to preheat to 350°F, which was worthy of a perfect 10/10. Despite a lower power draw, this was also significantly faster than any of the large skillets.
With our customized pancake batter ready, it took just 1 min topside and 2 min 30 sec on the flip side to cook a 3.17 oz pancake. The surface texture was an even color but only slightly firm and a little fluffy on the inside. This scored an 8/10, but better nonetheless than any other medium-sized skillet.
We only cooked one pancake at a time, but this 12-inch pan can easily fit two to three at a time. You may need to adjust the time depending on your pancake mix.
GreenLife’s reputable and excellent non-stick coating needed no greasing at all. However, it's advisable to brush on a thin layer of oil to extend the pan’s longevity.
7.7 Cooking Steaks
To make sure our 8 oz, 1.38-inch top blade steak got the best possible crusting, we first preheated the GreenLife to 400°F. Similar to other medium-sized electric skillets in our data, this took only 2 min 36 sec which translated to a whopping 9.4/10.
Once the steak was seasoned and a meat thermometer inserted, we seared both sides for precisely 4 min 5 sec. We then gave 1 min 30 sec to the edge with the fat cap, while the remaining edges received 1 min each.
Finally, we added fresh rosemary and butter, allowing each side an additional 1 min. As a result, the internal temperature of the steak reached 133°F, rising to 141°F after a 3-minute resting period. All this took 16 minutes.
Unfortunately, although the heat was steady, it was not high enough to quickly sear the outside as well as the Bella did. As a result, juice seeped out before we could flip the steak for the first time. This made the meat, while still a tender medium-rare, not as juicy as it could have been, thus only scoring a 7.5/10.
7.8 Design
The GreenLife Electric Skillet CC003725-002 has a shiny and eye-catching ceramic non-stick coating which also meets high expectations in terms of healthy cookware. Furthermore, it’s sturdy yet lightweight with high build quality demonstrated in its design features.
In the Box
- One electric skillet
- One pan lid
- One thermostat
- One instruction manual
- Warranty: 1-year limited
Our unboxing of the GreenLife revealed an electric skillet, a pan lid, and a detachable thermostat all nestled within a large styrofoam pad for safe and secure transportation. The simple instruction manual includes safeguards, parts and features, instructions on operating as well as cleaning and maintenance. It also has cooking times and temperatures for various foods.
Dimensions
Our hand measurements matched well to the manufacturer’s 15.71" x 12. 24" x 7.13". However, there must be a mistake with the weight listing since there’s no way the entire skillet could weigh just 1 lb.
8.0 Pan
The GreenLife skillet has a cast aluminum pan and these are more durable than non-cast pans (+3). We calculated the total capacity to be around 6.1 quarts but the usable volume should be 5 quarts as the label states.
One thing that stood out to us was the skillet’s rivetless interior which enables snag-free cooking and cleaning. Although the pan was only 0.08 inches (2 mm) thick—and not 0.16 inches (4 mm) as with some other pans—we noticed no heat deformity and the pan heated evenly (+1).
GreenLife’s non-stick coating is not just free of PFAS (which includes PTFE or Teflon) and PFOAs, but it is also guaranteed free of lead and cadmium (+2). The pan is also dishwasher-safe (+2).
The instruction manual states that this skillet isn’t designed for deep frying. Additionally, it recommends using butter or high smoke point oils and not cooking sprays or low smoke point oils like olive oil.
10 Lid
The tempered glass lid is dishwasher-safe (+4). It has a steam vent to release the pressure and a steel handle (+3). In tune with its high build quality, the metal edging is correctly sized to fit the pan well (+3).
7.0 Base
You will notice that the metal base has four stands with anti-slip pads at the bottom. These make the pan very sturdy despite it being so lightweight (+4). The pan is not detachable so make sure your dishwasher is big enough to fit the entire skillet (+3).
7.0 Thermostat
The detachable thermostat is a conventional design with a standard temperature range from 200 to 400°F and a keep warm setting of around 150°F (+3). It’s well-designed with a seamless fit and a working indicator light (+4). Like most other thermostats, you shouldn’t put it in the dishwasher.
Power Cord
The power cord is a flat design and 38.58 inches long, which is additionally lengthy for locations off the kitchen counter. It uses a two-prong plug which is typically not as safe as a grounded three-prong one.
9.0 Usability
The GreenLife Ceramic Non-Stick Electric Skillet CC003725-002 doesn’t have ultra-convenient features like a detachable pan or folding base, but it’s easy to use, clean, and store away.
9.0 Ease of Use
We found that the thermostat fitted nicely, the temperatures were precise, and the indicator light was easy to see (+3). Additionally, the skillet’s exterior never got too hot nor posed any risk of accidental burning (+3). The anti-slip pads on the base maintained stability even when the skillet was rocked vigorously (+3).
9.0 Cleaning and Storing
As anticipated, the ceramic non-stick coating of the GreenLife released food without a problem, even the burnt caramel in our heat distribution test (+3). All it needed was a quick hand-wash with warm water and some dishwashing liquid (+4). Or, you can just pop everything, except the thermostat, into the dishwasher (+2).
The skillet is really attractive so it looks good out on the counter, or you can put it back in the box for safe keeping (+3).