I really dont care if it only lasts a year. Who cares? For the price I can buy a new one every year. I realize it is not a fantastic gourmet kitchen appliance. I already have those with many drawbacks.I have the DeLonghi which gives a fantastic performance. heats up so quickly, sears and cooks steak to perfection in no time at all. However I dont have a large family anymore. There are no options to just heat up one side of the grill for a grilled cheese or one burger which is a big deal to me because it turns my kitchen into an inferno for days. Way too much heat for a burger. Fine for chateaubriand.I have a Ronco Rotisserie. great performance but bulky, takes up a lot of real estate and also the heat problem.I have the Todd English ceramic grill. It is lightweight but also to cook one item you have to heat up the whole grill and deal with the heat.I see many complaints about drip pans. I hardly ever empty or clean my drip pans. What the devil are people putting on these indoor grills that they need gigantic drip pans?I have a George Forman indoor / outdoor. It takes forever to get hot and forever to cook. Not a fan.This one allows me to cook two steaks on one side of the grill and not have the entire grill blazing. I got nice grill marks.I have found that grills are mostly good and cook really well. What I have also found is they may be very good but they can be really hard to live with because of the heat, the bulk and the maintenance. I no longer use the DeLonghi, the best, because it is so difficult to clean. Too much. The TE was looking good for a while but even with ceramic cleaner and special sponges, its not coming clean anymore and I can't stand it.I was looking to the HB Searing grill but sacrificed the sear for the easier cleanup and just grilled two big fat boneless chicken breasts on one side that were done in no time at all, crispy on the outside and juicy inside.The Winner and New Champion.....Don't overlook Hamilton Beach for sexier brands.This does not turn my house into an inferno. Are the clips a little tricky? Yes. But the plates are really nice and pop right into the dishwasher.For under $50, this is a no brainer. I also have the HB pannini grill which I highly recommend. It is smaller and really gets smokin' hot.