Quick answer
Classify a household clamshell contact grill and review base duty, Chapter 99, electrical safety, FCC, food-contact and origin-marking requirements.
Classification and duty conclusion
A complete countertop electric contact grill with two heated ribbed plates that close directly on food is ordinarily entered under HTSUS 8516.60.6000, other electrothermic cooking appliances. The 2026 Column 1 General rate is 2.7% and Column 2 is 40%. CBP ruling N151555 classified an indoor electric grill with two fixed non-stick aluminum plates, a floating hinge and removable drip tray in this provision at 2.7%. This conclusion does not cover an enclosed oven, toaster, gas grill, commercial production machine or separately entered plate, heater or control part.
Why HTSUS 8516.60.6000 applies
GRI 1 places the complete domestic electrothermic cooking appliance in heading 8516; GRI 6 leads to 8516.60 and the U.S. residual statistical breakout. The file should show plate construction, direct-contact cooking, floating hinge, drip system, voltage, wattage, thermostat, dimensions, weight, removable components and intended household use. An enclosed appliance principally baking by heated air may fall in the oven breakout, while a dedicated toaster, waffle baker or industrial grill requires its own analysis. Marketing words such as panini press or indoor barbecue do not replace the objective design.
Additional duties and origin
The 2.7% rate is only the base layer. China- and Vietnam-origin entries must be checked against the current Chapter 99 Section 301 schedule, including the 2026 forced-labor action and any product exception effective on the entry date. The current HTS also requires screening of covered derivative steel content under Section 232 when the tariff line and product construction fall within the operative proclamation. Do not apply an additional rate mechanically to the entire appliance without reading the relevant U.S. note. Origin follows substantial transformation; repacking or simple third-country assembly does not change it. MPF and, for vessel cargo, HMF remain separate.
Product safety and electrical compliance
No general federal licence is issued merely because the article is a household grill, but the importer remains responsible under the Consumer Product Safety Act and section 15(b) defect reporting. Household electric cooking appliances are commonly evaluated to UL 1026; retailers, insurers and local electrical authorities often require a recognized listing even where federal pre-entry certification is not prescribed. Testing should address accessible hot surfaces, grease ignition, overheating, abnormal operation, hinge and handle strength, stability, cord anchorage, grounding or double insulation, thermostat and thermal-cutoff failure.
Food-contact parts, FCC and marking
The cooking plates, non-stick coating and grease tray should be supported by composition and FDA food-contact evidence for the intended temperature and repeated use. Digital controls may be FCC Part 15 unintentional radiators; Wi-Fi or Bluetooth adds equipment authorization. Country-of-origin marking must comply with 19 U.S.C. 1304 and 19 CFR part 134. The rating label and instructions should identify model, voltage, wattage, manufacturer/importer, hot-surface and grease-fire warnings, cleaning limits and indoor use. California Proposition 65 requires a substance-specific review, not a generic warning.
Entry file and description
Retain the invoice, packing list, transport and valuation file; bill of materials, manufacturing flow and origin proof; specifications, photographs and manual; circuit, heaters, thermostat and thermal protection; plate/coating declarations; electrical and FCC reports; labels and traceability. Suggested description: “Household countertop electric contact grill, two resistance-heated non-stick plates with floating hinge and removable drip tray, ... V, ... W, model ..., new, country of origin ..., HTSUS 8516.60.6000.”
Facts that change the answer
Reclassify or seek a CBP ruling when the appliance is an enclosed oven, toaster, waffle maker, electric skillet, stationary commercial grill, gas appliance, multifunction machine with another principal function, unassembled set, or separately imported plate, heating element, controller, tray or housing. Classification, Chapter 99, Section 232, origin, CPSC, FCC and food-contact compliance remain separate determinations.
Official sources
Sources reviewed September 21, 2026: USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule; CBP ruling N151555; USTR Section 301 investigations; CBP Section 232 remedies; CPSC business guidance; FCC equipment authorization; FDA food-contact substances.
Editorial note
Prepared by the Global HS Code Checker Editorial Team for customs-classification, tariff and import-policy research. The correct code and applicable measures may change with the merchandise's actual characteristics, jurisdiction, entry date and supporting record. Verify the current tariff, governing measures and competent customs authority before filing an entry. A reviewer is identified only after a named expert has completed the review.