Tefal 3in1 GC3060

Three positions, one appliance: what the GC3060 is

Amazon lists the GC3060 as “Tefal 3in1 Kontaktgrill mit Überback-Funktion” (3-in-1 contact grill with top-browning function). Behind the three parts of that name are three positions of the same appliance. Closed, it is a contact grill for panini, steak and sandwiches. In a separate position, food is supposed to be browned from above. And opened out completely, it becomes a table grill, which the catalogue labels with the addition “BBQ”, “for even more grilling space”.

In our price box it stands at approx. €115. That is the lowest new price from marketplace sellers on Amazon (Amazon page on 21.10.2026: €114.94); Amazon itself did not offer the appliance that day. How it compares with three other appliances from our overview of electric grills is shown in the table further down.

One peculiarity up front, because it shapes everything else. The GC3060 can no longer be found on tefal.de, and it is also missing from the product sitemaps of the Tefal sites for Austria, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain and Spain. We did not find a manual specific to this model. What is written here about the appliance therefore comes from two sources: from Amazon’s catalogue data, which contain manufacturer text, and from the general Tefal safety sheet that tefal.de links for the related GC3050 contact grill. This sheet states of itself that the instructions for use are “valid for all models”. It is still not tailored to the GC3060, and where we quote it, we say so.

On Amazon the appliance has been listed since 1 December 2017. That is a listing date; it says nothing about the year of market launch.

What the photo and catalogue reveal about the construction

The product photo shows the grill closed. On top is a silver lid with the Tefal lettering, below it a black base, and a black handle runs across the front edge. At the front right of the base sits a dial. On the colour, the catalogue contradicts itself: the title says grey, the data field says stainless steel/black. The photo fits the second statement better.

Amazon gives the grilling surface as two values, approx. 600 cm² in contact grill mode and 1200 cm² opened out. The second figure is exactly double the first. That follows if you open the grill like a book: the upper plate lies down next to the lower one, both face upwards, and the area that previously served only as a lid now carries food itself. Plate dimensions in centimetres are not given anywhere, and we do not calculate them from the outer dimensions, because those include the handle, hinge and housing rim.

The grill plates are non-stick and removable, and the drip tray can also be taken off. Amazon describes the thermostat as “adjustable”; the catalogue says nothing more about it.

As outer dimensions, the Amazon data field gives 38.3 x 21 x 38.8 cm, and the weight converts to approx. 4.1 kg. To be read with caution: the field lists 38.8 cm as the height. In the photo the closed grill is clearly flatter than it is wide, so that figure does not match the closed appliance. Whether it describes the box or something else, we do not know. We would not use these numbers as installation dimensions for your kitchen cupboard.

What Tefal does not state about the GC3060

Collected in one place: for the power in watts and the number of thermostat settings, we have no manufacturer source for the GC3060. The values of 2000 W and three settings, which we therefore do not adopt, are documented by Tefal for the GC3050, not for this model. Also missing are the temperature range and maximum temperature, a heat-up time, plate dimensions and plate material, the material of the housing and handle, cable length and cable storage, whether the grill can be stored upright, voltage and frequency, the scope of delivery, a number of servings, the country of manufacture and information on spare parts for plates and drip tray.

How the top-browning position is solved mechanically is not documented either, that is, how high the lid stands and whether the hinge locks in place there.

In detail: heat from two sides or from one

The difference between closed and open operation is bigger than the mere doubling of the surface suggests. In contact grill mode, the food lies between two heated plates. Heat flows in by direct contact from below and from above at the same time, and Amazon describes exactly that: “even grilling and top-browning from above and below in contact grill mode, including crispy grill stripes”. The stripes form where raised ribs on the plate touch the food and brown it more than the gaps between them.

Opened out, the principle changes. Now each piece only gets heat from below, and the top side is exposed to the air. We derive two consequences from this, and Tefal itself says nothing on the subject: you have to turn the food, and a piece takes longer open than closed, because part of the heat escapes upwards instead of ending up in the food. In return, more fits on the surface at once, and thin pieces such as vegetable slices or sausages are not pressed flat.

One thing stays the same arithmetically. Closed, both plates heat, although only 600 cm² of food has room on them. Open, the same two plates heat, only now there is food on the whole plate surface. The heating power is spread over the same plate area in both positions. Because the wattage is not documented for the GC3060, we cannot derive a value per square centimetre from it, as we do for other electric grills.

That leaves the third position. In the catalogue, Tefal describes it only as a “special position in which you can brown your food easily and quickly”. On contact grills with a top-browning function this usually means that the upper plate stands above the food instead of resting on it: it gives off heat to the surface without squeezing the food, so that, for example, cheese on a topped toast can melt without sticking to the lid. How large the gap is on the GC3060, we do not know. We would not plan on tall bakes.

Can the GC3060 go on the balcony as a table grill?

No, not according to the Tefal safety sheet. It says: “This appliance is intended exclusively for domestic use indoors.” The sheet applies to the appliance family and not specifically to the GC3060, but it is the only manufacturer document with safety text that we found on this.

The word “BBQ” in the Amazon title describes the type of use, that is, open grilling on a plate. It is not approval for outdoor use. Anyone who wants to put the opened-out grill on a balcony or terrace is acting against the only safety requirement from the manufacturer that we know of.

There is a second restriction from the same sheet: the appliance is “intended exclusively for use in private households”. That rules out the summer party at the clubhouse just as much as the terrace.

If you really want to grill outdoors with electricity, you need an appliance whose manufacturer expressly permits it. What matters there, from house rules to the socket, is covered in our guide Grilling on a balcony.

What else comes into question?

The prices are guide values from our price boxes; the GC3060 price is from 21.10.2026, and the others may have moved since. The rating summarises our comparison of the manufacturer data; we did not measure anything on any of the four appliances.

When the GC3060, when another

The question that sorts everything: how often will you really grill openly? If you would use the table grill mode twice a year and otherwise press toasts, with the GC3060 you pay for a position that mostly stays in the cupboard.

Then the Tefal GC241D is the sober alternative. In our price box it stands at approx. €58, the GC3060 at approx. €115. Tefal UK puts its grilling surface at 740 cm², and according to the same data sheet it can be stored upright. The catch is cleaning: its plates are fixed in place, and the illustrated instructions rule out putting the grill under running water or in the dishwasher. Only the drip tray may go in. If you prefer to put plates in the dishwasher, you are better off with the GC3060.

The case is different with the OptiGrill GC702D. In our price box it stands at approx. €99, and for that, according to Tefal, you get six automatic programmes and a sensor that measures the thickness of the food and adjusts temperature and cooking cycle accordingly. What you give up for that is exactly the strength of the GC3060: the OptiGrill has no table grill mode, and its manual even forbids heating it while open. Our assessment: if you mainly grill steaks and have no wish to manage the timing, the OptiGrill is a good choice. If you want to serve guests at the dining table, it is not.

And the WMF Lono? In our price box it stands at approx. €75, the GC3060 at approx. €115. According to the Amazon catalogue it has a ribbed grilling surface of approx. 1100 cm², continuous temperature control and a Cromargan housing, WMF’s name for its stainless steel. It has no lid, so pressing panini is out. We would choose the Lono if you practically only grill openly and want to set the temperature more finely than a thermostat with an unknown number of settings allows. Incidentally, it is not suitable for the balcony either: its manual likewise restricts it to indoor rooms.

That leaves the question of the table. Opened out, the GC3060 has two plates lying side by side, plus the handle and housing rim. Measure your dining table beforehand and plan space for the cable, because we did not find a cable length. If you are still unsure which design suits you at all, the Grill finder can help.

Setting up, operating, cleaning: what the safety sheet requires

Everything in this section comes from the general Tefal safety sheet, not from a manual for the GC3060. Where the Amazon data say something different or more, that is noted.

On positioning, Tefal names three points. To avoid overheating, the appliance must not stand in corners or against a wall. It must not be placed directly on sensitive surfaces such as a glass table, tablecloth or varnished furniture, nor on soft surfaces. And it does not belong on or near slippery or hot surfaces; the mains cable should never run over a sharp edge or a heat source such as hotplates or a gas hob. For table grill mode, the second point means very practically: the tablecloth comes off beforehand, or you need a firm, heat-resistant mat.

During operation: never switch it on empty, do not heat it in a vertical position, never leave it running unattended. The accessible surfaces can reach high temperatures. You must not touch the plates during operation and while they are hot, nor the drip tray while the appliance is hot. If it is full during cooking, you empty it only after it has cooled down. You do not place cooking utensils on the cooking surfaces, you do not use metal utensils at all in order to protect the coating, and food is never cut directly on the cooking surfaces. After grilling, you pull out the plug: the appliance should never stay connected to the mains when it is not in use.

For cleaning there are two levels. According to Amazon, the grill plates and drip tray are dishwasher-safe. The safety sheet describes hand cleaning: “Clean the plates with a damp sponge. Use a soft, damp cloth for the body of the appliance.” Metal sponges and scouring powder are off limits so as not to damage the cooking surfaces. You never put a hot plate in water or on a sensitive surface.

For the appliance itself, the wording is unambiguous: “Never immerse the appliance or the cable in water. They cannot be cleaned in the dishwasher.” This concerns the main body including the cable, not the removable plates.

According to Tefal, the heating element must not be cleaned. If it is very heavily soiled, you let it cool down completely and wipe it with a dry cloth. If food still sticks despite the non-stick coating, you will find the usual causes in our guide Food sticking to the grate.

Who is it for?

For households that grill indoors and want to switch between a pressed sandwich and an open plate without having two appliances in the cupboard. Above all for anyone who likes to put plates and tray in the dishwasher.

The GC3060 is the wrong choice for anyone looking for an outdoor grill, and for any use outside a private household. According to the safety sheet, the warranty explicitly does not extend to use in staff kitchen areas in shops, offices or other working environments, on farms, by guests in hotels, motels and other accommodation-type environments, and in bed and breakfasts. For the office kitchenette or the holiday flat you rent out, we would therefore not buy it.

If you like to grill by the numbers, that is, with a known temperature, you are better served by an appliance whose manufacturer publishes the temperature range and wattage. Core temperatures for the doneness levels of steak are given in our steak guide.

When the GC3060 has reached the end of its life, it does not belong in household waste. According to the safety sheet, you can hand in old appliances from private households free of charge at the collection points of the public waste authorities or at return points under the ElektroG (the German Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act).