Tell me why to buy a George Forman Grill

[Cartooniverse]

Tell me. I'm intrigued. The few things served to me off of one of them were delicious, not greasy, crispy, hot.

I want one don't I? I can make grilled chicken without firing up a BBQ grill in a 2nd floor NYC apartment. Right?

[LavenderBlue]

You can make the perfect grilled cheese sandwich with it. Just let it heat up for a few minutes. Meanwhile place little bit of butter on the outside of two slices of bread and then chop up some good cheese and maybe some ham and a tomato. Place the stuffing inside the bread and slap the sandwich on the grill. Close the grill and let sit for a minute or two.

Works with other sandwiches as well and burgers.

[Joey P]

I love mine. Pretty much anything you can put on a grill (that's less then an inch thick or so) or would pan fry can go on the Foreman and it's really easy to clean. Right after you take your food off wipe it down with a wet paper towel, while it's still hot and if you get one with removable plates you can toss them in the dishwasher.

Now, after my glowing review...can I put sausage* on it? I bought some chorizo for a recipe and I have some left. I don't really want to drag out my grill for one or two links, but I'm not sure if it'll work on the Foreman. I think it will, but I don't want to wind up with a half cooked sausage.

[freckafree]

Well, they're no substitute for a charcoal (or even gas) grill, but they do a very nice job with things one might cook on a grill (like burgers, boneless chicken breasts, and fish steaks), as well as things one would not cook on a grill, like cheese sandwiches, garlic bread, and quesadillas.

They don't do a good job with things that are not essentially flat. You wouldn't want to use it on bone-in chicken breasts.

So, yes, you want one. I second Joey P's recommendation on getting the kind with the removable plates.

[Joey P]

Originally Posted by freckafree

They don't do a good job with things that are not essentially flat. You wouldn't want to use it on bone-in chicken breasts.

That was my concern with the chorizo. Also, I should mention that some of them (like mine ) don't have flat plates. I'm not sure how that would work with things like quesadillas.

[Tim R. Mortiss]

Definitely get the removable plates; much easier to clean.

I haven't done chorizo, but I've done Italian sausage on mine. Slice it in half (the long way, of course) so it is fairly flat, and it cooks up fine.

[jz78817]

they're pretty versatile. They make an awesome sandwich press (perfect for grilled cheese as has been already mentioned.) they do well enough for burger patties (meat or otherwise) and while you wouldn't use one for a nice thick ribeye, it'll do a steak decently and quickly enough.

[Mahaloth]

I cook bacon on mine, too, and it does a great job.

They are very, very well made and last years without having to be replaced.

[Baker]

Easy to clean as well.

[RealityChuck]

We got a small one as a throw-in when we bought our microwave. Turned out to be very useful. We use it for hamburgers, chicken breasts, and paninis. They're quick, don't smell up the kitchen, and are easy to clean.

[Oakminster]

A George Foreman grill and a crock pot will take you far, young Jedi. And the grill is easy to clean, since no one seems to have mentioned that...

[aruvqan]

we have a nonforeman grill, the plates are removable, and reverse for making waffles. mmmmm waffles!

[Fear Itself]

In addition to chicken and pork chops, I grill Italian sausages on mine. I just position them vertically, between the ribs and turn them occasionally.

[Lynn Bodoni]

I like mine. However, I don't recommend one for round steak, as that cut really needs to be tenderized. But for things like burgers and better steaks, it's great.

[Kolak of Twilo]

I had a George Foreman grill and now have a Cuisinart Griddler. Yeah, it's pricey but the Cuisinart is much more sturdy and will last longer. It has removable plates that are reverasable so you can have a flat griddle or the grill. And they are easy to clean.

The Foreman grill is nice but flimsier. And not that much cheaper.

[aceplace57]

+1 for the Cuisinart Griddler

I bought the original Foreman grill right after they came out. Then a second, bigger one a few years later. Both died and were thrown out.

Loving my Cuisinart Griddler. I make pancakes with the griddle side and steaks & chicken with the grill plates.

It's also a sandwich press. Haven't tried that feature yet.

[squeegee]

Originally Posted by Kolak of Twilo

I had a George Foreman grill and now have a Cuisinart Griddler. Yeah, it's pricey

$99 is pricey? OK, I realize we're in the realm of small kitchen appliances, but that doesn't seem very pricey to me if it holds up well and cooks you dozens or hundreds of meals. Will it, and can it?

[dwyr]

Originally Posted by squeegee

$99 is pricey? OK, I realize we're in the realm of small kitchen appliances, but that doesn't seem very pricey to me if it holds up well and cooks you dozens or hundreds of meals. Will it, and can it?

I've had my Cusinart Griddler for a few years now and have used it for grilling, pressed sandwiches, quesadillas, and many, many pancakes. It's still in great shape. I did somehow manage to knock off one of the prongs on back that you wind the cord around though.

[Heffalump and Roo]

Originally Posted by Kolak of Twilo

I had a George Foreman grill and now have a Cuisinart Griddler. Yeah, it's pricey but the Cuisinart is much more sturdy and will last longer. It has removable plates that are reverasable so you can have a flat griddle or the grill. And they are easy to clean.

Thanks for that info. I had a George Foreman grill long ago. It didn't have removable plates, so I got squicked out and didn't use it after a few grillings. That was a huge waste. Sturdier with removable and reversible plates sounds good.

[salinqmind]

Frankly, I don't like it. It's OK for a burger, but chicken breast comes out dry like sawdust no matter how hard you try to judge the cooking time. It's not so easy to clean IMO. Much easier to saute something in a proper sized pan on the stove. I suppose if you don't have a stove you might find it useful.

[si_blakely]

We have a Breville sandwich press that I used heaps, but never used the grill plates on (it sits flat, so grease does not drain away).

Now the kids have left home, we got a George Foreman (removable plates). It says it cooks for 5, but I think it would struggle with 3 of our home made 6oz burgers. Otherwise it is great - sausages, steaks, chicken, fish, prawns, mushrooms, bacon. The only thing is that my wife likes her bacon really crispy, and the Foreman takes a bit too long to get it there.

I'd be tempted to try a panini in it, but probably would go back to the sandwich press for that.

Si

[FasterThanMeerkats]

Ok, but whenever I use mine for hamburgers, it becomes difficult to clean because not all the grease drips into the collector. A lot of drippings stay on the grill plates and require manual scrubbing to remove. It just feels like pan cooking would be easier.

Am I doing something wrong?

[Bob Ducca]

+3 for the Griddler. Looks like the price has come down on them quite a bit since I bought mine, and mine was worth every penny. It has a lot of grill "real estate" which allows you to cook a lot more items at a time. Also, with the way the hinges are designed, you can cook things of various sizes while keeping the grills parallel.

[Prelude to Fascination]

I don't like the Foreman brand grill. I've had several (the first didn't have removable plates, so I quickly learned the value of those). This latest Foreman doesn't have a temperature setting or on/off switch. Plug it in to turn it on, unplug it to turn it off. It might've been $70-80.

In addition to the temp/on/off shortcomings, it doesn't cook evenly.

I've also had a Food Network grill. It was better than the Foreman, but the non-stick surface came off too quickly (within a year).

The next one will be the Cuisinart.

[Shadez]

Originally Posted by FasterThanMeerkats

Ok, but whenever I use mine for hamburgers, it becomes difficult to clean because not all the grease drips into the collector. A lot of drippings stay on the grill plates and require manual scrubbing to remove. It just feels like pan cooking would be easier.

Am I doing something wrong?

Do you clean it while it is still hot? I unplug it and do a quick scrub right after using cold water to cool it down while I scrub. I then eat what I made and go back and finish the cleaning job after. If it's hot the stuff comes off much easier.

Also I use the little black tool that came with it to push down the hamburger drippings-- a little flat device used to flip stuff which also looks somewhat like a fork to push stuff down into the collector.

Note however I have an old model from 2009 that doesn't have plates or anything. I just put it over the edge of the sink and let the water drain there as I clean.

[Joey P]

Originally Posted by salinqmind

Frankly, I don't like it. It's OK for a burger, but chicken breast comes out dry like sawdust no matter how hard you try to judge the cooking time. It's not so easy to clean IMO. Much easier to saute something in a proper sized pan on the stove. I suppose if you don't have a stove you might find it useful.

Either you're doing it wrong or I am. I put chicken breast on for 5 minutes at about 350-375 (sometimes higher) then flip it for about 2 more minutes. Sometimes I leave it on a bit longer if I'm doing something else. Always enough juice that it's running all over my plate and getting into other things. I do usually marinate my chicken in something all day (just a bottled marinade from the grocery store) if that makes a difference.

Originally Posted by Prelude to Fascination

I don't like the Foreman brand grill. I've had several (the first didn't have removable plates, so I quickly learned the value of those). This latest Foreman doesn't have a temperature setting or on/off switch. Plug it in to turn it on, unplug it to turn it off. It might've been $70-80.

In addition to the temp/on/off shortcomings, it doesn't cook evenly.

I use this one. Removable plates, timer and a temp setting.

[freckafree]

Originally Posted by salinqmind

Much easier to saute something in a proper sized pan on the stove.

Yes, but is it easy to clean?

Mine doesn't have removable plates, so I usually saturate a couple of paper towels with water and close the grill on them while the plates are still hot. It pretty much steams the gunk off.

[si_blakely]

Originally Posted by FasterThanMeerkats

Ok, but whenever I use mine for hamburgers, it becomes difficult to clean because not all the grease drips into the collector. A lot of drippings stay on the grill plates and require manual scrubbing to remove. It just feels like pan cooking would be easier.

Am I doing something wrong?

I take the plates off and get them soaking in the sink while hot, then put them in the dishwasher - works a treat.

I don't miss controls or timers - it cooks quick enough that I don't need a timer.

Si

[Cartooniverse]

The adjustable hinge angle- really seems key to me. Up there with variable temp and removable plates.

If I want to explore the glories of pannini and crustini ( and lawdy do we. There's a place nearby that sets the bar so freakin' high on both of those that we want to explore making our own ), I need to know I can adjust the hinge and plate distance so I can apply even pressure and heat for thicker endeavors.

[Duckster]

Originally Posted by Prelude to Fascination

I don't like the Foreman brand grill. I've had several (the first didn't have removable plates, so I quickly learned the value of those). This latest Foreman doesn't have a temperature setting or on/off switch. Plug it in to turn it on, unplug it to turn it off. It might've been $70-80.

In addition to the temp/on/off shortcomings, it doesn't cook evenly.

We TKo'ed our Foreman grill.

We also have an early model. No removable grills and not even an on/off switch! Plug it in, it's on. Unplug it (and only when the light is off per the instructions or risk sparking the plug at the receptacle and tripping the circuit breaker) to turn it off.

We no longer use it. Even after reducing the cooking times, the meat was too dried out, and it was difficult to clean. Instead, we bought a cast iron grill that sits on our stove-top (a glass stove-top at that) covering two burners. Yes, it's more hands-on cooking but more than worth it. Of course, we only do that when we're too lazy to use the outdoor charcoal grill.

[DonLogan]

It's OK as a sandwich press, that's about it.

[Chefguy]

Just make sure you don't burn your foot.

[carnivorousplant]

Originally Posted by Oakminster

A George Foreman grill and a crock pot will take you far, young Jedi. And the grill is easy to clean, since no one seems to have mentioned that...

The one my Evile Ex insisted on buying wasn't.
Also had a 6" power cord.
It had a nasty accident.

[Postariti]

If you're cooking something that will be really hard to clean up, use aluminum foil. Tear off a big sheet and fold it in half, put that inside the grill. (Make sure the foil doesn't cover the drain.)

My favorite thing to make on mine is bacon wrapped shrimp. I cut the bacon in thirds, wrap, and put on the grill seam side down.

[gwendee]

Originally Posted by salinqmind

Frankly, I don't like it. It's OK for a burger, but chicken breast comes out dry like sawdust no matter how hard you try to judge the cooking time. It's not so easy to clean IMO. Much easier to saute something in a proper sized pan on the stove. I suppose if you don't have a stove you might find it useful.

So glad I'm not the only one. I wouldn't call it hard to clean, but definitely not easy either. I pretended to want it when my ex and I were dividing things up so he'd feel like he won but I was happy to have it gone. For everything I used to use it for I now use a cast iron grill pan (rectangular with a handle that folds in. I love my grill pan!) and am perfectly content.

[Fear Itself]

Originally Posted by gwendee

So glad I'm not the only one. I wouldn't call it hard to clean, but definitely not easy either. I pretended to want it when my ex and I were dividing things up so he'd feel like he won but I was happy to have it gone. For everything I used to use it for I now use a cast iron grill pan (rectangular with a handle that folds in. I love my grill pan!) and am perfectly content.

How is cast iron easier to clean than Teflon?

[carnivorousplant]

Originally Posted by Fear Itself

How is cast iron easier to clean than Teflon?

The Forman has many little crooks and crannies.

[billfish678]

We got the simple version (on/off thats it) years ago. I got pretty good at using it. And the recipes in the book were actually pretty good. I don't think it will change your life but if you go into it with an open mind and reasonable expectations I think you won't be dissappointed. And I say this as a person that when we got it thought "oh gawd, not that infomercial piece of shit". Kudos for Forman, who appears to have chosen to not endorsed a product until he was satisfied it was actually not a piece of crap at least.

[typoink]

Foremans are exceedingly easy to use and handy, but they're one of those things I avoid because they're never quite the right tool for the job. They don't replace a skillet or a nonstick pan and certainly don't replace an actual grill.

A cast iron grill pan is cheaper and better if you just want to add grill marks to stuff.

[Ellen Cherry]

I use mine constantly. One thing I like to do is grill chicken, and then grill up a bunch of sliced vegetables: zucchini, summer squash, mushrooms, onions. They cook very fast and get nice lines on them. I do marinate in a little olive oil beforehand.

Fish grills great on the George also. Sometimes you'll get a fishy smell next time you use it, but it doesn't seem to affect the taste of whatever food you cook next. Salmon is great grilled.

I also use it frequently for turkey burgers, beef or pork tenderloin (sliced lengthwise), chicken breasts and pork chops.

[gwendee]

Originally Posted by carnivorousplant

The Forman has many little crooks and crannies.

Precisely. The hinges and the underneath bits, and the cord all make the Foreman (in my experience) more difficult to clean. Not impossible, but also not easy enough to clean that I would count "easy to clean" among its virtues.

[purplehorseshoe]

How are you getting food or whatever on the cord?