By E Chuang (Fairfax, VA)
Before I get into this review, we have to understand the product we are looking at: a George Foreman ELECTRIC grill. George Foreman products are essentially useful variations of hotplates. In this case, the hot plate takes the form of a grill (with a stand, a dome cover, a large cooking surface with raised grooves etc...).
That being said, this product caters to people (me) willing to try a product that is not a traditional charcoal grill, could be useful in smaller spaces/porches, looks like it is easy to use and clean up, could potentially cut some fat (never hurts, right?), and seems like it will work well as a good back-up grill or a quick solution to throwing mini-bbqs requiring even heat distribution without the hassle of buying/lighting/dumping coal. If that's you, then read on...
Here, I'll try my best to outline the grill's pros and cons, as well as do a quick, inevitable comparison it to a traditional charcoal grill.
PROS:
The pros of this grill basically equal the pros of using hot plates in general:
1) Quick Heat - The whole surface heats up very quickly (you'll be ready to cook in a few minutes after you twist the switch)
2) Design - Basically you have the stand, a bottom dome, the flat grill that sits on the bottom dome, then the lid (top dome). You can easily remove the flat grill part to use indoors separate from the stand, and it also makes for easy cleaning since you can just throw the flat grill surface in the sink.
3) Easy to Clean - The grill surface is relatively easy to clean. Understand, grease is never easy to clean. But in my situation, i wipe off the chunks of grease with paper towels, then run hot water over it in the sink (yes it fits in my sink) and wash it with a soapy sponge. It's basically like cleaning a big oily plate by hand in the sink, however easy or hard that is to you.
4) Space Saving - The bulk of the materials are where it should be: the grilling surface. Everything else (aka the stand) is small and portable.
5) Easy to Assemble - A no brainer. Put the pole of the stand into the foot of the stand. Attach the grilling surface to the bottom dome. Stick that whole thing on the stand. Then put the cover on top. Took a few minutes while I was watching TV.
6) Great Tasting Food - Of course this part is important. I tried cooking everything unseasoned and it just tastes great. I mean, this this one thing I love about hotplates...food tastes good without a lot of seasoning. I cooked unseasoned burgers, top sirloin, chuck roast, kielbasa..it was fast, it tasted good, and it had good looking grill stripes on it when I was done.
Cons:
Seriously, not much that I can think of. If I had to be picky:
1) Could be a little heavy for people with a bad back?
2) When you lift it by the handles, the stand comes out (since they're not really "attached"....the grill just sits on the stand.) So you gotta lift it by the pole of the stand, really...this isn't even a con truthfully.
3) People complain about the grease not dripping into the pan. Well, it's a hot plate with grooves and a hole in it for grease to drip. Of course not all the grease magically swims toward the magical grease drip hole. But still, it works fine...I didn't notice sever grease build-up that stood in the way of my grilling.
Comparison to a Traditional Grill:
Really, there shouldn't be a comparison. Obviously this is not a charcoal grill and should never be compared to one. They are just 2 different things, and so they make food taste different: traditional grills basically fire cook your food through the coal's heat so you get the taste of charcoal while this product essentially "pan sears" your food. I'm a long time lover of all kinds of BBQ, and charcoal grills are great fun, make great tasting food and really cannot be replicated. You shouldn't be buying this grill to ever *REPLACE* a charcoal grill; it should be bought to be a 2nd grill that's great for rainy days or a primary grill if you really have no space and don't have time/space to deal with lighting and dumping charcoal.
Overall, this grill is an electric hot plate with raised grooves that makes great tasting food quickly, quietly, and easily. And for what it is, it's a SUPERB product (and relatively affordable too!). Go get one! I didn't regret my purchase and I don't think you will either.
By Toya (Maryland)
Originally I saw my mother's George Forman grill (smaller indoor one with lid). Then I saw my brother's Party Size grill. Both of them love their grill. I was able to taste the food from both and found it very tasty and easy to use. I decided to do some investigating on my own intending to purchase the party size grill, when I saw the indoor/outdoor grill. I was impressed with the fact that it appeared to be a bigger cooking surface and the price I found was within reason. I purchased it for the purpose of using it as an extra grill for a cookout I was having. No one used the gas grill at all. I have since used it indoors without the stand, making it convient on rainy days. It is the easiest grill to use and clean that we have ever owned. You can cook everything evenly, because there are no coals to level out. It can easily hold 4 to 5 steaks, 10 big hamburgers, and the list goes one. I am sure there are some drawbacks to those that swear by gas/charcoal grills, but my gas grill has found a permanent residence in our shed, while George sits ready to use at any time indoors or out on our back porch. I am so impressed, that I am purchasing one for my parents for Christmas, to replace the charcoal grill that takes for ever to heat up and messy to clean. I'm sure they'll love it too!
By M. Chang (Upstate, NY USA)
I bought this grill 4 months ago and have used it several times per week ever since. I am a very lazy cook with 3 hungry teens and a hubby who eats like he's a heavyweight boxer. So, I needed something that would cook and clean-up as easily as possible. I can turn on the grill (it has an adjustable thermostat), take out a package of frozen chicken, hamburger patties, whatever, prepare it as usual, and the grill is ready to go to work. Dinner is on the table in no time. Its non-stick surface is just that, making clean-up simple and quick.
I am quite happy with the surface area, as I can easily fit 8 large burgers on at once. I live in the frozen north, so the fact that this grill will also work indoors is plus.
It's portable, reliable, easy to use and clean, and a bargain compared to other outdoor grills.
George put his name on a very good product.
Update: I have owned this grill for 2 1/2 years now and it still works like new!
By G. Avalon (Tampa, FL USA)
Florida in the summertime is a difficult time for those of us who love outdoor cooking. It's rather hard to keep charcoal lit in the middle of a downpour - and those downpours happen just about every day this time of year. What's the solution? This grill! I set it up in the kitchen, plug it in, and I'm ready to cook.
This grill has a large cooking surface, sufficient to handle 8 hamburgers with no crowding. It can also handle 6 large chicken-breasts or 4 good-sized steaks. The non-stick surface allows you to turn the meat often without tearing it. Don't use metal utensils with this grill! You'll damage the coating.
Cleanup is a breeze. I let the grill cool down to where it can be handled with bare hands, and then wipe off the worst of the grease, bbq, or whatever with a damp paper towel. Then I put it in the sink and hose it down with hot water. A few swipes of a soft soapy sponge removes any remaining traces, and a final hot rinse takes care of the soap. This method preserves the non-stick surface, which other reviewers have complained about.
I use the grill at least twice a week. Sometimes more. I never thought I'd give up my old charcoal grill, but I have. "Big George" has made a convert out of me!
By E. Lambeth (Paso Robles, CA USA)
Of all the Foreman grills I've seen and used (and I now own three of them), This grill cooks the most food at a time (even more than the Grande sized steel indoor/outdoor that's [money] more expensive), and in my 30 year old house, I've never had a power outage due to the grill. Those who have trouble with the Grill's electricity might want to look into the deeper problem they're having. It's NOT the grill.
Cooking times should be about the same as a gas grill. I cooked chicken, steak, shrimp, and veggie skewers for about 2 minutes a side (for 8 total minutes) per skewer. With the marinade I used, it tasted REALLY good. For steak, go 6 a side. Don't overcook your steak. Leave it Medium rare.
Chicken: 6 minutes a side. Just like steak. I'm talking about skinless, boneless breasts. I haven't tried drumsticks.
For steak, use salt, pepper, accent, garlic salt, and Montreal Steak seasoning on both sides of the cow. Don't use A1, don't use Worcestershire. I swear it'll taste a lot better than the 'burnt' flavor you get from steakhouses who think all it takes to cook a steak is setting it under a flame. Fire shouldn't be your only steak seasoning! And for those who think the Grill doesn't make the meat taste good...well no kidding! That's why you SEASON MEAT. You're cooking on METAL! HELLO!!!!
Washing this thing is a breeze, no matter how long you leave it sitting. I could leave the cooktop sitting for a week, and it'll still be easy to clean. It's easier to clean than the smaller Georges.
Some mention having to turn the meat over when you cook on this grill. That's very true, but you should have to do the same on the smaller George grills, even with the heating element on the top. Even in smaller grills, I ALWAYS turn the meat over halfway. That makes for even cooking. Don't be so lazy. All you have to do is turn meat. Nobody's asking you to cure cancer.
I still use the small Foreman (the family size) for cooking on thick steak at a time or about 3 or 4 chicken breasts. But when I'm cooking for several or if I'm cooking RIBS, I use this dome topped barbeque. It's totally Rockin'!
