The Tefal OptiGrill XL GC722D40 is a large, electric health grill designed to make everyday grilling quicker, leaner and a lot less messy. With a generous 800 cm² cooking surface, it’s built to handle family portions rather than just the odd sandwich.
Tefal is well known for its non-stick cookware, and that expertise carries over here with removable, non-stick plates and a proper drip tray to keep fat under control. This model offers a small but focused set of automatic programmes and temperature levels instead of an over-complicated control panel.
With an excellent 4.8 out of 5 rating from hundreds of owners, it’s clearly struck a chord with households wanting healthier grilled meals without the hassle of cleaning up afterwards.
The OptiGrill XL GC722D40 is ideal for families or couples who batch cook. The 800 cm² cooking surface gives you enough space to grill several portions at once, making it well suited to busy weeknight dinners or weekend fry-up alternatives.
It suits buyers looking for a mid to upper mid-range health grill: you’re paying more than you would for a basic compact model, but you’re getting extra power, a larger plate area and a more robust build in stainless steel. If you regularly rely on a grill, this step up makes sense.
With three cooking programmes and four temperature settings, it’s designed for people who want a straightforward, guided experience rather than endless tinkering. First-time health grill users will appreciate the simple controls, while more confident cooks still have enough flexibility to tackle burgers, chicken, veg and fish.
If you live in a small flat with very limited counter or cupboard space, or you only grill occasionally for one person, you may find this XL size more than you need. But for regular use in a family kitchen, it’s a very practical fit.
The standout advantage of the OptiGrill XL is its sheer cooking space. The 800 cm² plate area comfortably handles multiple steaks, burgers or chicken breasts in one go, which cuts down on cooking time when feeding several people.
The 2000 Watt power rating helps the plates heat up quickly and maintain a steady temperature, so you’re not waiting around for it to warm through between batches. Paired with four temperature levels, it gives decent control over everything from delicate fish to thick cuts of meat.
Tefal’s non-stick plates and grease management are genuinely useful. Food releases easily without aggressive scraping, and excess fat runs off into the drip tray, making meals leaner and clean-up quicker.
Removable plates are another big plus. Instead of trying to scrub a fixed grill at the sink, you can take the plates off and clean them far more easily, which encourages you to use the grill more often.
Finally, owner satisfaction is extremely high, with a 4.8/5 score from a large number of reviews, suggesting the build quality, results and day-to-day usability all hold up well over time.
For a premium-leaning health grill, three cooking programmes is quite modest. If you like lots of presets for different foods, you may find this a little basic compared with some more feature-packed rivals.
The grill does not have a floating hinge, so the top plate doesn’t automatically adjust to very uneven or stacked foods. That can make it trickier to grill extra-thick panini or piled-up burgers without some care in how you place them.
Vertical storage isn’t supported, which matters if you’re tight on cupboard space. Its XL footprint and solid stainless steel body mean you’ll need a decent nook in a cupboard or be prepared to leave it out on the worktop.
Lastly, while the 2-year warranty is reasonable, some buyers might hope for a longer cover period at this level, especially if they plan to use it heavily week in, week out.
Day to day, the OptiGrill XL feels like a sensible, grown-up bit of kit. The stainless steel finish looks smart on the counter and feels reassuringly solid when you open and close the lid.
The 800 cm² plate size makes a real difference in use. You can lay out several portions without everything being crammed together, which helps food cook more evenly and avoids the soggy stewing effect you sometimes get on smaller grills.
Controls are kept simple: you choose from the available programmes and set one of the four temperature levels, then let the grill get to work. There are no fiddly accessories to juggle, and the built-in drip tray slides out so you can empty it quickly after a cooking session.
Cleaning is straightforward by design. The non-stick surface means most residue wipes away easily, and because the plates are removable, you can give them a proper wash without manoeuvring the whole appliance around the sink. That ease of maintenance is a big part of what makes it practical for regular use.
With 2000 Watts of power behind it, the OptiGrill XL heats up briskly and maintains good, consistent heat across its plates. That’s essential when you’re using the full 800 cm² surface, as it helps ensure food at the edges cooks just as well as food in the centre.
The three cooking programmes offer guided settings tailored to common foods, taking some of the guesswork out of timing and temperature. For most households, that’s enough to cover staples like burgers, chicken and fish without needing to constantly prod and check.
Four temperature levels give a sensible spread of heat options. You can keep things gentler for fish or vegetables, or turn it up for quick searing and those satisfying grill marks on meat. While it doesn’t go in-depth with dozens of settings, the range on offer is practical rather than gimmicky.
The non-stick, grease-resistant plates and integrated drip tray are central to its performance as a health grill. Excess fat runs off rather than pooling around the food, helping you achieve leaner results while avoiding a smoky kitchen. The non-stick coating also means very little oil is needed to prevent food sticking, which supports healthier cooking.
Removable plates round out the feature set nicely. They not only make cleaning easier, but also help keep the grill performing well over time, as it’s far more likely you’ll keep the cooking surface in good condition if it’s convenient to wash.
The OptiGrill XL GC722D40 sits at the more substantial end of the health grill market in both size and price. You’re paying for a larger cooking area, higher power and a solid stainless steel build, rather than a compact, budget-friendly gadget.
Given the feature set, the price feels justified if you’ll actually make use of the XL capacity. For regular family grilling, the time you save by cooking everything in one go, plus the reduced hassle of clean-up thanks to removable non-stick plates, helps tip the balance in its favour.
The very strong 4.8/5 owner rating, backed by a high number of reviews, also supports the idea that it delivers long-term value. People are generally very happy with the performance and ease of use, which is exactly what you want from an appliance you plan to use often.
If you only need to cook small portions occasionally, a cheaper, smaller grill will make more financial sense. But for households that grill several times a week, the OptiGrill XL offers solid value for money as a dependable, family-sized workhorse.
The Tefal OptiGrill XL GC722D40 is a strong choice if you’re serious about grilling at home and want something that can comfortably keep up with family life. It combines a generous 800 cm² cooking surface with 2000W of power, simple controls and genuinely easy cleaning.
Its streamlined set of three programmes and four temperature levels will suit most people who just want consistent results without studying a manual, and the non-stick, removable plates make it far less of a chore to keep in good condition. The lack of a floating hinge and vertical storage are the main compromises to be aware of.
If you’re after a compact, tuck-away grill for the odd toastie, this isn’t it. But if you want a robust, family-sized health grill that’s well liked by owners and built to be used regularly, the OptiGrill XL earns a firm recommendation.
