A contact grill for the kitchen
Tefal lists this appliance as “OptiGrill Kontaktgrill GC705D”, reference GC705D16. The Amazon catalogue has listed it under the same model number since 15 April 2020. It is the entry-level model of a range that currently comprises eight appliances at Tefal: besides the GC705D, the OptiGrill+, the OptiGrill+ XL, two Elite variants, two 4in1 models and the OptiGrill One.
An earlier version of this review said the grill was also suitable for the balcony. That was wrong. The instruction manual and the safety sheet both prohibit use outdoors. The GC705D is in our electric grills category, where freestanding grills for the terrace also appear, but its real competition is other contact grills: appliances that cook the food between two heated plates from above and below at the same time.
On Amazon the price on 21 October 2026 was approx. €125 (Amazon page on 21 October 2026: €125.00). That is the cheapest new price from a marketplace seller, because Amazon itself did not offer the grill that day. In the Tefal shop it was listed as unavailable on 21 October 2026.
Plates, power, control panel
According to Tefal, the heating power is 2000 W. Grilling takes place on two ribbed, non-stick plates made of die-cast aluminium; the material is stated in the manufacturer text on Amazon, while the Tefal page itself omits it. Together the plates measure approx. 600 cm². Tefal calculates this in the product description for 2 to 4 people and, in the list of benefits on the same page, calls the grill ideal for families of 4.
The plates are angled so that fat and juices run into the drip tray, which on the product photo sits at the bottom of the front edge. Tefal calls the tray extra large and derives 44% less fat from the slope. Compared with what, the product page does not say.
The instructions list these components: control panel with on/off button, defrost programme, grilling programmes, manual programme, OK button and doneness display, plus housing, handle, heating plates, drip tray and power cable. On the photo, the buttons sit as a row of pictograms at the front of the lid, and the doneness display is a coloured ring on the far right next to the OK button. In Tefal’s model overview this is called an analogue display. So the GC705D shows no digits or remaining time.
According to Tefal, the box contains the appliance, the drip tray, a recipe book, the instruction manual and a quick start guide.
For dimensions and weight there is only the Amazon catalogue: approx. 34.0 x 36.5 x 17.5 cm and approx. 4.58 kg. These are overall dimensions, including handle and hinge; the plate size cannot be read from them.
In detail: what the automation detects and what it does not
Tefal’s description is short: the OptiGrill automatically adjusts grilling temperature and grilling cycles depending on the thickness and type of food, and the technology behind it is patented. You determine the type by choosing the programme. The appliance determines the thickness itself as soon as you lower the lid onto the food. None of the Tefal documents mentions measuring the core temperature, and our old FAQ had claimed exactly that. If you really want to know the core, you still need a probe thermometer and the values from our core temperature chart.
Every new preparation begins with preheating with the grill closed and empty, 4 to 7 minutes according to the instructions. This phase is mandatory. It should not run empty for longer than the stated preheating time, however, as that harms the non-stick coating according to Tefal.
You read the sequence from the colour ring. Flashing purple means heating up, steady purple means preheated. Then the food goes in, the display turns blue while the appliance adapts to the food, and green when cooking begins. Yellow with an audible signal and flashing stands for rare, orange for medium, red for well done. Flashing red means keeping warm, white means manual mode. If you like your steak blue, take it out as soon as the display turns green, according to the instructions.
Not every programme goes through all levels. Red meat and burgers have rare, medium and well done, fish only medium and well done, sandwiches lightly cooked, well done and crispy. Poultry as well as pork, sausage and lamb are reported by the grill only as well done. For poultry we consider that right. If you want a pork fillet pink, you get no signal for it and work with the thermometer or in manual mode.
After the end of cooking, the grill switches to keep-warm by itself, for about 30 minutes, with a signal every 20 seconds. Whatever stays in the appliance keeps cooking as the plates cool and in keep-warm mode. If you want medium, take the meat out at the orange signal and not only when you have time.
Two limits belong here. The food may be at most 4 cm thick; if it is thicker, a safety system prevents the start or switches off. And Tefal itself admits that, especially with meat, results can vary depending on the type, quality and origin of the meat.
Do I need the six programmes, or is manual mode enough?
For meat, fish and filled sandwiches the programmes are worthwhile, because only they report a doneness level. For vegetables you do not need them: the instructions send vegetables to manual mode anyway. If you grill almost only vegetables, you pay for an automation you will rarely switch on.
In the instructions, the six programmes are called burger and minced steak, red meat, poultry, fish, sandwiches and panini, and pork, sausage and lamb. On the product page they are sorted somewhat differently as burgers, poultry, sandwiches, sausages, steaks and fish. The same six are meant.
In addition there are two extra programmes, the defrost function and manual mode. In manual mode, according to Tefal, the plates heat to roughly 250 °C and hold this temperature constant. Vegetables should be cut thin and even for this. If a manual cooking time runs longer than 30 minutes, the grill switches off.
Our assessment: if you mainly prepare steaks and burgers, you use the automation most fully, because all three doneness levels are available there. For chicken breast, what remains of the sensor is essentially the signal for when it is well done, and with poultry that is exactly the question that counts.
Setting up and connecting according to the instructions
This is where it gets tight in many kitchens. For the location, the instructions require the following, reproduced in full:
- do not use the appliance outdoors
- do not place it in corners or against a wall, to avoid overheating
- never place it directly on a delicate surface such as a glass table, tablecloth or varnished furniture, not even on a plastic tablecloth
- never under a wall-mounted piece of furniture or shelf and not near easily flammable material such as blinds, curtains or wallpaper
- not on or next to a slippery or hot surface, with the cable away from heat sources and sharp edges
- always leave the appliance freestanding during use
- never leave it connected to the mains when it is not in use
The safety sheet adds: check that the grill stands stably before use, and do not put it on a soft surface such as a tea towel.
In practice that means the worktop under the wall cabinets is out, as is the corner next to the fridge. What usually remains is a kitchen island or the dining table, and there the grill must not stand directly on varnish or a tablecloth.
Electrically it belongs on an earthed socket, and the installation must match the power and voltage stated on the underside of the appliance. You unroll the cable completely and lay it so that nobody at the table gets caught in it. The instructions prohibit an external timer or a remote control.
If the appliance catches fire, you do not extinguish it with water but pull the plug and smother the flames with a damp cloth. For a burn, according to the instructions, cold water should run over it immediately, and if necessary you call a doctor.
Cleaning: two cooling times and clear limits
First switch off and pull the plug. After that, the Tefal documents differ: the instructions and the safety sheet both require at least 2 hours of cooling time, while the FAQ on the product page speaks of approx. 45 minutes. We would stick to the 2 hours because they appear in two documents. If you grill in the evening, you therefore wash up later or the next morning.
The heating plates and the drip tray may go in the dishwasher. The appliance and cable may not, and neither may ever be immersed in water. You neither put a hot plate under water nor on a delicate surface.
Without a dishwasher, you wash the plates with warm water and a little soap, rinse them and dry them thoroughly. Only sponges or cloths made of nylon or with a non-scratching surface are allowed. Steel wool and scouring powder damage the non-stick coating according to the instructions; the product page also excludes cleaners containing alcohol or petrol. You empty the drip tray, wash it in warm water with a little soap and dry it. It stays in during cooking, and when it is full you let it cool first.
Three parts are treated differently. The heating elements, visible once the plates are removed, you do not clean at all; if heavily soiled, you wipe them cold with a dry cloth. You wipe the lid with a sponge and warm water and dry it with a soft cloth. The safety sheet calls the control panel fragile: only with a dry, soft cloth, without a damp sponge.
While grilling, you protect the coating with a plastic or wooden spatula. Aluminium foil has no place between plates and food. Store the grill only clean and dry, in a dry place.
Spare parts, accessories and what Tefal leaves open
On the product page, Tefal sells a lower plate in black (TS-01039401) for €13.99 and feet in a two-pack (TS-01039530) for €2.99. An upper replacement plate was not listed there. Alongside are plancha plates XA7288 for €69.99, expressly named for OptiGrill+ and OptiGrill Elite, however; whether they fit the GC705D remains open on the product page. The instructions only allow parts and accessories that were supplied or bought from an authorised service centre anyway, and the plates only in the appliance itself, so not in the oven, on the gas hob or on an electric hotplate.
According to the product page, instructions, safety sheet and Amazon catalogue, these points remain open:
- Cable length
- Voltage and frequency (according to the instructions only on the underside of the appliance)
- Plate dimensions in centimetres
- Volume of the drip tray
- Material of housing and lid (Amazon lists stainless steel as the colour)
- Type of non-stick coating
- Temperatures of the six automatic programmes
- How the sensor works
- Energy consumption per grilling session
- Country of manufacture
Three alternatives from the Tefal range
| Model | The difference | Price | Our rating | Choose this one if |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tefal OptiGrill GC705D (this one) | 6 programmes, colour ring as doneness indicator | approx. €125 | 8.6 | you want to bring steaks, burgers and fish to a doneness level for two to four people |
| Tefal Kontaktgrill GC241D | Thermostat with temperature selection instead of sensor automation | approx. €57.99 | 8.0 | you prefer to control cooking times yourself by clock and appearance |
| Tefal OptiGrill XL GC722D | larger plates, 9 programmes | approx. €129.99 | 9.0 | you regularly grill for more than four people in one batch |
| Tefal OptiGrill Elite GC750D16 | Digital display with countdown, more programmes | approx. €149 | 8.5 | a remaining time in minutes is worth the extra cost to you |
The prices are guide values from our price boxes and change constantly. The rating is our editorial assessment of the available data; we have not grilled on any of the four appliances.
When the GC705D fits and when another contact grill does
The first question is the number of people. For two to four people, one plate load is enough. With six guests you grill in stages, and each stage begins with a short reheat. According to our research, the OptiGrill XL GC722D has 800 cm², so around a third more surface, and stands in our price box at approx. €129.99. If you regularly grill for a larger group, you are better off there in our assessment.
The second question is whether you need the doneness message at all. The GC241D is at approx. €57.99, has the same power class, but no sensor. If you turn your burgers by feel and clock and mostly grill fully cooked poultry or sausage anyway, you lose little with it, because for poultry and sausage the GC705D also reports only a single level.
Third, the display. The Elite is at approx. €149 and shows the remaining time as a number. If you also want side dishes ready at exactly the right time, that is useful; if you only want to know when the steak is medium, the colour ring is enough.
Fourth, the food itself. A tomahawk or a beef roast over 4 cm does not fit between the plates; for that you need a grill with a lid and an indirect zone.
The wrong choice is the GC705D for anyone looking for an electric grill for a balcony or terrace because no charcoal or gas grill is allowed there. Tefal rules out exactly this use. If you are unsure which grill type suits your own spot, the grill finder gives you a preselection.
