A quesadilla maker is a super handy device to have around, especially compared to making them manually. However, the cleanup process is totally different between the two. While a simple pan is more intuitive to clean, quesadilla makers take a lighter touch!
The General Steps
While not all quesadilla makers are the same, they do require similar steps to clean up. Follow these tips to clean up most quesadilla makers:
Wait for the Quesadilla Maker to Cool
You’ll want to unplug the quesadilla maker from the outlet and wait about two to three hours for the maker to cool. This way, you don’t hurt yourself by accident on the hot cooking surface of the maker. This also gives the grease or remaining food bits to cool and solidify, making the clean-up easier.
Use a Damp Towel or Paper Cloth
The idea of using a damp towel or paper towel is to prevent doing any damage to the cooking surface of the quesadilla maker but still grab the leftover oil and grease. Wipe down both the outside and inside of the quesadilla maker.
Warm water and mild dish soap are usually good enough to clean everything up. Make sure you don’t leave any soap or residue on the cooking surface once you’ve finished wiping it down, though.
Leave it Out to Dry
With the cooking surface clean, set the quesadilla off to the side to let it dry. You can run a dry section of the towel or another paper cloth to get rid of the excess water to speed things up if you like. However, make sure to leave the quesadilla maker open the whole time so that it can air dry evenly.
Your quesadilla maker will have a section about cleaning and care inside the owner’s booklet. Make sure you read that portion to get specific tips about cleaning up your exact model!
Extra Tips
These are general tips that will apply to most models of quesadilla makers out on the market right now. While some of these tips might not apply to all quesadilla makers, they apply to most, and so they should be considered when cleaning up your quesadilla maker:
- Don’t Put It In The Dishwasher: Most quesadilla makers aren’t made to stand up to the heat and force a dishwasher puts out to clean your other dishes. The electronics can get waterlogged or melted as a result. This is why many quesadilla makers are designed to be hand-washed!
- Don’t Submerge In Water: This comes back to the electronics again. While many of us are used to submerging our dishes or pans in the water while scrubbing them in the sink, quesadilla makers aren’t designed to survive that dive.
- Avoid Metal Or Abrasive Scrubbers: The cooking surface for many quesadilla makers has a non-stick surface to make cleanup and cooking easier. However, this surface can be damaged or stripped entirely if you use an abrasive pad or a metal scrubber to remove bits of food. It’s better to scrub with a towel or paper cloth than risk losing that nonstick surface and make future cleanups even worse.
Again, your quesadilla maker will have a cleaning and care section that will go over specific tips for your maker. It’s essential to follow these guiding tips so that you can spend less time cleaning up and more time enjoying your quesadillas!
Take a look over your booklet next time you need to clean up your quesadilla maker to make the process easier the next time you cook with it.
Ready to dive into the search for your ideal gas grill? Check out some of our quesadilla maker recommendations here.
Author
Last updated: September 24, 2023