While I'm usually vary of products pitched through infomercials the commercial success and recommendations of friends pursuaded me to buy a George Foreman grill. Now that I've got I really use it almost every day!

I purchased the large model since it seemed like the most practical (the medium and small ones are significantly smaller and don't look as if they can cook much). For $150CDN at the Shopping Channel outlet store I got one with the bun warmer.

While there are many grills on the market now I must say the George Foreman grill stands out as the most intelligently designed one available. You just plug it in and wait for the indicator light to go off (about 4 min) and then you place your food on the grill. Steaks take about 6 minutes if you prefer it medium and you don't have to watch it, just leave it until time's up and then unplug the grill and remove your food.

The oils really do drain down into the plastic pan. Of course, some juices from the meat also drain away but the double sided grill cooks the meat fast enough that most of the juices stay in and I must say steaks are much better when done with the grill. I've noticed the medium sized grill now comes with a temperature control setting but the lack of one on the larger model is not missed. I've found it cooks most foods quite well without a need for temperature control.

As well as a quick and easy to prepard food it also makes your food look better with the grill lines. The bun warmer is a nice feature but nothing about it is really worth noting.

Cleaning of the grill is simple if you use a large sponge and wipe the grill while it's still warm. There are some hard to clean spots around the hinge but it's not that bad.

Be sure to get a black grill because I've heard from friends that the white one will yellow or stain after repeated use.

Construction of the grill seems to be on par with other small appliances. It doesn't strike me as being very durable but it's not flimsy either. If you take care of it I'm sure it'll last you at least 5 years. Be sure to use wooden or plastic utensils so as not to scratch the non-stick surface.

All in all, although the large model of the grill is slightly more expensive than ones available from T-Fal, Delonghi or whatever the design of the George Foreman grill makes it worth the price. You'll find yourself using it regularly if you decide to purchase one.



Recommended: Yes