BELLA Electric Skillet 14607 In-depth Reivew

Bella makes various other small kitchen appliances like steamers, blenders, slow cookers, waffle makers, electric kettles, and more. Established by Sensio in 2023, the brand prides itself on products designed and engineered in the USA and then manufactured in China.

The Bella Non-Stick Electric Skillet 14607 didn’t excite much with its basic design, but our test run of frying eggs and boiling water showed some potential. Join us to see if this inexpensive electric skillet is the one for you.

Key Specs

Compared to Other Electric Skillets

8.0 Performance

The Bella Non-Stick Electric Skillet 14607 was the best medium-sized skillet we tested for cooking steaks. It had excellent heat distribution, but the intensity of the heat was not ideal for making pancakes.

8.0 Analyzing Heat Distribution

The Bella electric skillet proved to have good heat distribution, but it was not perfect. This is common for medium-sized skillets with a square-shaped pan and circular heating elements resulting in lower temperatures around the edges.

To assess temperature variances across the skillet's surface, we placed an oil absorbent sheet saturated with a sugar-water solution into the pan. Then, we heated the pan to 400°F and used an infrared thermometer to measure 5 key points.

Our analysis of these 5 points spanning from the center to the corners of the pan, revealed an average temperature difference of 9.85%. Although slightly better than the combined averages of 10%, it surpassed the similar-sized GreenLife and fell just short of out-matching the Crux. The score we gave was 8/10.

7.3 Making Pancakes

The Bella showed impressive preheating times, reaching 350°F in just 2 min 4 sec, which earned a near-perfect score of 9.9/10. Although it has a slightly lower power draw, the smaller surface area facilitated faster heating which understandably outperformed the larger skillets.

With our homemade pancake batter, we allotted 1 min for the top and 2 min for the flipside of our 3.17 oz pancake. With the ideal temperature in the center of the pan, most of the pancake had a nice golden brown color.

Unfortunately, although the pan was relatively thick, the edges of the pancake got a bit dark right where the heating element is. On the other hand, it was still fluffy and steamy inside, enough for a 7/10—quite common among medium-sized skillets.

For testing purposes, we made one pancake at a time, although this 12-inch pan can comfortably make 2 or even 3 pancakes per load. You may need to adjust the cooking time based on your pancake mix.

Thanks to its non-stick coating, there was no need to grease the pan with butter or oil. However, it's best to brush a little oil across the pan to prolong its longevity.

8.6 Cooking Steaks

We first preheated the Bella to 400°F to make sure our 8 oz, 1.38-inch top blade steak got the best crusting possible. Similar to other medium-sized electric skillets in our data set, this took only 2 min 30 sec which translated to a whopping 9.5/10.

With the steak seasoned and a meat thermometer inserted, we seared the first side for 3 min and the flip side for 4 min 10 sec. We then gave 1 min 30 sec to the edge with the fat cap, while the remaining edges received a minute each.

Finally, we added fresh rosemary and butter, allowing each side an additional 1 min. The inside of the steak reached 135°F, rising to 140°F after a 3-minute resting period. This took only 15 minutes in total.

Thanks to the high heat, the crust was a deep golden brown. However, the temperature wasn’t very stable, resulting in a slightly tough rather than crispy crust. Nonetheless, the short cooking time resulted in a spot-on medium-rare doneness leaving the meat tender and juicy (8.5/10).

7.8 Design

The Bella Non-Stick Electric Skillet 14607 is very basic but has overall good design fundamentals. We found the all-important non-stick ceramic coating not the best quality, but good enough nonetheless.

In the Box

• One electric skillet
• One pan lid
• One thermostat
• One instruction manual
• Warranty: 2-year limited

Inside the Bella box is one electric skillet, one pan lid, one thermostat, all securely packed within a large styrofoam pad. The instruction manual includes cooking methods and useful cooking times for different foods. It also lists parts and features with instructions for first use, general operation, cleaning and care, as well as storage.

Dimensions

Our hand measurements matched well to those of the manufacturer which were 16.73" x 12.2" x 7.87" and 4.7 lbs in weight.

8.5 Pan

The Bella skillet has a 4.7 qt pan made from cast aluminum which is more durable than a non-cast pan (+3). From our working with the skillet, we determined the usable volume to be around 4 quarts.

The pan is a hefty 4 mm (0.16 in) thick so it’s unlikely to deform under high heat and it also heats up very evenly (+2). The pan and the attached base are dishwasher-safe (+2).

The skillet has a titanium ceramic non-stick coating which is free of PTFE and PFOA (+2). Unfortunately, we noticed some tiny chippings on the coating’s surface (-0.5). Unlike some other pans in our reviews, this one does not have a pouring spout.

10 Lid

The tempered glass lid is dishwasher-safe (+4). It has a steel handle and a steam vent to release pressure (+3). The metal edging is accurately sized to fit the pan well, (+3).

6.0 Base

The metal base has four sturdy stands and four anti-slip pads at the bottom, enhancing stability and durability without adding excessive weight to the pan (+4). You can’t detach the pan from the metal base, so check the dimensions to see if it will fit in your dishwasher (+3).

7.0 Thermostat

The Bella’s detachable thermostat has a different temperature range compared to other skillets (+2). It has four settings from 300°F to 450°F in 50°F increments as opposed to five settings from 200°F to 400°F. Also, the Keep Warm feature maintains around 200°F and not the set temperature like some other skillets.

The thermostat fits snugly into the socket, is easy to remove, and the indicator light is clearly visible (+2). It isn’t dishwasher-safe, but the pan is (+2).

Power Cord

The power cord is flat and measures 26.57 inches in length. This may be a little short for some people, but adequate for placing on a kitchen counter. It has a two-prong plug, which is generally considered less safe than a grounded three-prong plug.

8.8 Usability

The Bella Non-Stick Electric Skillet 14607 was easy to use with well-fitting parts and the pan can conveniently go in a dishwasher. Its medium size also makes storage easier. While general cleaning is easy enough, we had issues with stubborn burn-ons like caramel.

9.0 Ease of Use

We had no trouble with the fit of the electric thermostat, the temperatures were precise, and the indicator light was easy-to-see (+3). The skillet's exterior never gets hot enough to risk accidental burning, but always make sure to grip it by the handles only (+3). Additionally, the anti-slip pads worked well and the pan remained stable even under vigorous use (+3).

8.5 Cleaning and Storing

The ceramic non-stick coating of the Bella releases food well (+3). However, we had to wash it more than once with warm water and dishwashing liquid to entirely remove the burnt caramel from our heat distribution test (-0.5).

On the bright side, normal clean-ups were a breeze (+4). Additionally, all parts (except the thermostat) can conveniently go into the dishwasher (+2).

After cleaning, you can easily store the skillet in any preferred location or return it to its original box (+3).