What the PG 8597 is
Severin lists the PG 8597 as an “Electric BBQ Grill with Hood” in its eBBQ Grills range. The manufacturer is SEVERIN Elektrogeräte GmbH in Sundern, which presents itself on its company page as founded in 1892.
The PG 8597 is built as a table appliance, not a freestanding grill: 54.8 × 37.6 × 23.1 cm (width × depth × height according to the data sheet), non-slip rubber feet, no stand. The instructions are written for table grill and freestanding grill and also apply to the PG 8598, the version with a grill trolley. Where wheels and stand legs appear in them, that does not concern the PG 8597.
The product photo, a catalogue image from Amazon, shows a flat, rectangular body. The lid opens backwards and has a bar handle on top. The plate has ribbed and smooth areas, and at the back right a block with a dial sits on the plate, which we interpret as a thermostat plug with controller.
Our price box links to the ASIN B0GJTGMBXT. That the PG 8597 is behind it and not the PG 8598 is something we conclude from Amazon’s title, the model number 8597 and the article number in the bullet list. The dimensions in the catalogue, converted about 167 × 8 × 120 cm, fit neither the grill nor the box and are therefore left out.
At Amazon, the PG 8597 is at approx. €129 according to our price box. In the Severin shop it was marked as sold out on 16 October 2026. In the category Electric & Table Grills it scores 8.3 points, which is our editorial assessment. We have not grilled anything on it.
Plate, housing and power
Grilling is done on a ceramic-coated plate measuring 45 × 30 cm, 1,350 cm² by calculation. The surface is partly smooth, partly ribbed, and Severin calls the coating durable, scratch-resistant and easy to clean. The data sheet lists the colour and material as black, plastic and metal.
The assembly drawing in the instructions numbers the housing, grill plate, lid with handle, and the thermostat plug with indicator light and connecting cable. You slide the drip tray into the housing from the back, you place the plate in the grill tray until the thermostat connection on the plate engages in its opening, and then you attach the thermostat plug. The lid hangs in hinge parts and is secured with locking pins and split pins.
A safety switch, called a safety microswitch on the product page, prevents operation with an incorrectly inserted plate. The product page lists side tables, storage compartment, signal tone and height-adjustable grate as not present.
The data sheet gives 2,300 W. The table in the instructions shows a power consumption of 1,950 to 2,300 W at 220 to 240 V and 50 to 60 Hz. Both can be reconciled, because a heating resistor delivers less with falling voltage, by the square: from 240 to 220 V, around 84 percent remains, so 2,300 W would become around 1,930 W. That is our rough calculation.
On weight, the documents contradict each other. The data sheet and product page give 5.75 kg net (6.95 kg with packaging), the table in the instructions 4.6 kg. The 2.6 kg in the same table belong to the grill trolley of the PG 8598 and do not explain the difference.
What Severin leaves open in the data sheet, product page and instructions, we collect here in one place:
- Material of housing, lid and plate under the coating
- Scale, measuring range and accuracy of the lid thermometer
- The temperatures behind the controller settings LO to HI
- A heat-up time to a specific temperature
- The number of heating zones or separately controllable areas
- Number of people or portions the surface is intended for
- Electricity consumption per hour of operation
- Protection rating against splashing water and suitability for rain
- Minimum distance to a wall, parapet or flammable material in centimetres
- PFAS-freedom of the ceramic coating
- Country of origin and place of manufacture of the PG 8597
- Cover hood, protective cover or other accessories
- Scope of delivery as a separate list
In detail: heat-up time, controller and lid thermometer
There are two figures for the heat-up time, and they do not fit together. The product page gives 4 minutes 30 seconds, without naming the target temperature. The instructions require letting the appliance heat up with the lid closed for around 10 minutes until the desired temperature is reached in the cooking chamber, and only then does the food go on the surface. Alongside that, the data sheet: temperature control 0 to 230 °C. We have not found a source that links 10 minutes and 230 °C. We would plan with the ten minutes from the instructions, because only they say when food may be put on.
The thermostat controller is turned to a position between LO (low) and HI (high), and to OFF to switch off. The controller has words instead of numbers. According to the instructions, the indicator light is on while the appliance is heating up. During grilling the heating element cycles, so the thermostat switches it on and off, and the light follows it. It therefore shows heating phases, not the moment to put food on; the instructions tie that to the cooking chamber temperature.
According to the instructions, the lid thermometer shows the temperature in the cooking chamber, and according to the data sheet it serves for temperature monitoring. It measures the air under the hood, not the plate and not the food. For core temperatures you need a probe thermometer, as our guide to the grill thermometer describes.
According to the instructions, the ceramic coating allows grilling without or with little fat or oil. For vegetables or fish, you brush a little heat-resistant fat or oil onto the plate; frying fat, coconut or palm fat, sunflower or rapeseed oil are named as examples, applied with a pastry brush or kitchen paper. Oils that do not withstand the heat burn onto the ceramic surface and permanently destroy the non-stick effect.
Before the first grilling, you remove packaging and advertising stickers, clean the plate with hot washing-up water and dry it. Then you assemble the grill and let it run without food for around 10 minutes on the highest setting so the own smell fades; slight smoke development is possible. After that, the plate is cleaned once more.
As a rule of thumb, power per surface area is useful: 2,300 W on 1,350 cm² is around 1.7 W per square centimetre. On the Landmann EG-II-590, 3,200 W go onto 59 × 40.5 cm, which is around 1.3. Where the heating element sits in the PG 8597 and how evenly it heats the plate is not told by the calculation; it only shows that more total power does not have to mean more watts per area.
Can the PG 8597 go on the balcony?
Severin only specifies that the grill must stand outdoors; it must not be run in enclosed rooms. The balcony does not appear in the instructions or on the product page; whether you may grill there is governed by your tenancy agreement and house rules.
What both can say about electric grills is in our guide Grilling on a balcony.
According to the instructions, the grill is set up on a level, heat-resistant and splash-proof surface, because with fatty food splashes are unavoidable. It does not belong directly against a wall or in a corner, easily flammable objects are to be removed from the vicinity, and it must not be used near flammable materials. Our assessment: keep wooden parapets and sun sails well out of reach.
It is connected to a properly installed earthed socket that is operated via a residual current device (RCD) with a trip current of at most 30 mA; the mains voltage must match the information on the rating plate. You cannot tell an outdoor socket by looking at it. The cable is 150 cm long and ends in a Euro plug type C (CEE 7/16). If the length is not enough, the following applies to a cable reel or extension lead: there is a loss of power, the cable must be fully unwound because otherwise it may heat up impermissibly, and it must be suitable for the power on the rating plate and for outdoor use. The connecting cable must not touch hot parts and is laid so that nobody trips over it.
What else is worth considering?
| Model | The difference | Price | Our rating | Pick this one if |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severin PG 8597 (this one) | Table appliance with lid and lid thermometer, control range 0 to 230 °C | approx. €129 | 8.3 | you have a table and a socket with an RCD outdoors and want a lid |
| WMF Lono Master Grill | Two separately controllable cast aluminium plates of 1,200 W each, no lid | approx. €118 | 9.0 | you need grilling and keeping warm side by side |
| Severin PG 8541 | Round plate, Ø 41 cm, 2,000 W, stand with shelf; no temperature figure from the manufacturer | approx. €99 | 8.4 | you want to grill standing up and have no table |
| Landmann EG-II-590 | Grill trolley with two separately controlled heating elements, 100 to 300 °C in 50-degree steps | approx. €550 | 9.4 | you want to sear hard and have room for a trolley |
The prices are guide values from our price boxes and change, and the rating is our editorial assessment and not a measurement result. The table is not suitable for a performance comparison: none of us has measured any of these appliances, and the technical details on the three others come from the research for their own pages. You can find all electric grills at a glance in the electric grill comparison.
When the PG 8597 suits you and when another grill does
It suits you if you have a stable table and a socket with an RCD within cable reach outdoors and want a lid with a thermometer. In all other cases, the alternatives are worth a look.
Indoors it is ruled out. If you want to grill at the dining table, read the instructions of any other appliance first to see whether indoor use is allowed there.
If you want a hot and a warm side at the same time, the WMF Lono Master Grill is the alternative: two plates, two controllers, but no lid. In price it is around €11 below the PG 8597. The PG 8597, by contrast, has a lid and a single controller.
If you lack a stable table, the Severin PG 8541 comes into question. It stands on a stand with a shelf and costs around €30 less. You also grill standing up with the PG 8598, which Severin lists as a grill with stand and hood; details are in the questions below.
For hard searing and larger groups, the Landmann EG-II-590 is the stronger choice in our catalogue, the overall winner of the category, with almost twice the surface. It costs around €421 more. For that you need room for a trolley and a lightly loaded circuit, because at 230 V, 3,200 W draws around 14 A.
One more point that has nothing to do with power: if you have no dry indoor space for the grill plate and thermostat plug, you cannot follow the storage rule in the instructions. It is in the next section.
Cleaning, storage and safety according to the instructions
After grilling, you set the thermostat controller to OFF, pull the mains plug and let the grill cool down. According to the instructions, you also pull the mains plug in the event of a fault during operation and before any cleaning. It is cleaned after every use, without metal scourers and without abrasive cleaning agents.
You take off the plate and clean it with washing-up water, soaking it if needed. Before the next use, it must be completely dry together with the thermostat connection. You remove the drip tray and likewise clean it with washing-up water; while grilling, you check its fill level and empty it in good time, and the grill may only be operated with the tray inserted. All parts are dried after cleaning, and none of them goes in the dishwasher. The product page confirms this with no for dishwasher-safe individual parts.
In two places the documents contradict each other. On the connecting cable with thermostat plug, the safety instructions say it must not be treated with liquids or even immersed in them; the cleaning list says to wipe it with a damp cloth if needed. We cannot resolve the contradiction and, in doubt, would not dampen the plug at all. On the lid, the product page lists “removable lid” as no, while the instructions provide for wiping it with a damp cloth and, if needed, removing it and cleaning it with washing-up water. Which statement is correct, we do not know.
The grill plate must never be covered with aluminium foil, grill dishes or the like, as heat builds up that could destroy the appliance. Charcoal or similar fuels must not be used for this appliance. The warning symbol in the instructions stands for hot surface: the temperature at the windshield and at the grill grate and heating element can be very high during operation and also after switching off, risk of burns, keep children away. The component list of the PG 8597 contains neither a windshield nor a grill grate; we read the symbol as a warning about the hot parts of the grill in general.
The grill is never moved during operation. Before moving, cleaning, covering or stowing, it must have cooled down completely. Before use, you check the complete appliance for defects; after a fall, damage may not be visible from outside, in which case it stays off.
When the grill is not in use, the grill plate and thermostat plug with connecting cable must be removed and stored in a dry indoor space. You always store the other parts of the grill protected from the weather. General information on the winter break is in the guide Winterising your grill.
Warranty and customer service
According to the manufacturer, you must assert rights under the warranty within two years of receiving the appliance, from collection for in-store purchases and from the delivery date for mail-order purchases. It is a voluntary, additional manufacturer service alongside your statutory rights in case of defects and expressly not a durability guarantee. If the appliance had a defect at the transfer of risk, Severin remedies it free of charge or, at its own choice, supplies a defect-free appliance. Severin does not bear transport costs or removal and installation costs. The warranty applies only to appliances bought as new goods with the stated article number, not to used, third-party-repaired or refurbished ones.
Defects due to incorrect set-up or installation, use contrary to the intended purpose or improper operation, external influences (transport damage, impact or blow, weather effects), power and voltage fluctuations outside the tolerance, failure to observe care and cleaning work, and wear and tear from use and natural wear are not covered. For a grill on a balcony, the weather point is the one you should keep an eye on.
In a warranty case, you contact the retailer, with your name, address, telephone or email, a short description of the defect and the purchase or delivery date. Alternatively, it goes directly to SEVERIN Service, Röhre 27, 59846 Sundern, telephone (02933) 982-1460, email service@severin.com.
Who is it suitable for?
The grill is intended for household use and similar applications. The instructions name staff kitchen areas in shops, offices and other working environments, farm properties, guests in hotels, motels and similar accommodation, and bed and breakfasts. It may be used by children from 8 years and by people with reduced physical, sensory or mental abilities or a lack of experience and knowledge, if they are supervised or have been instructed in safe use and understand the hazards. Children must not play with the appliance, must not carry out cleaning and user maintenance without supervision, and children under 8 years must be kept away from the appliance and connecting cable.
For families in which children under 8 years sit at the grill table, we therefore consider the PG 8597 the wrong choice. A table appliance stands at table height, the connecting cable has to be led to the socket, and according to the instructions the little ones should reach neither. In a group with eating children, that is hard to achieve.
