kajguy's Full Review: George Foreman GR20CB XL Indoor Grill
OK. I'm going to take a controversial stand. Despite all of George Foreman's "I'm the champ"-style banter, this electric grill from Salton is not the best thing since sliced bread, but it does come darn close. Overall, for a celebrity-endorsed product, I was quite impressed with the quality of the construction and the overall performance is excellent. But, it could use a few important improvements.
I bought one for my wife for Christmas this year. At first, she gave me "the look". Any man who is married, or has been married, will know what I am referring to. But, after I threw a couple of skinless chicken breasts on the Foreman Grill, I noticed that look disappear and replaced with a smile. As my wife was eagerly eating her's (the chicken breast), she commented on how juicy and flavorful it was, one of the best she'd ever had. And, that was just plain chicken, without any marinade!
So, she decided to get fancy, without reading the instructions first. She made a marinade of her own, soak the chicken in it and then tossed the chicken on the grill. Ooops! It burned. There's a French term for this, but it would make it no less appetizing. If she had read the instructions, she would have noticed that in just about every case, this grill must be sprayed with cooking spray first, before it is pre-heated.
To work properly, the grill must be pre-heated for 3-5 minutes. Once the lid is closed, the food is then sandwiched between two electric grills, which makes cooking even and fast. Think of this is a waffle-maker for meat and vegetables and you'll get the overall concept right away. This design confers a tremendous advantage: flavor and juices are seared in. The meat is tender and moist.
But, much to my disappointment, this grill does not have a timer of its own, so, you'll need to provide that. Typically, a chicken breast takes about 10 minutes, so that the internal temperature is over 170 degrees. This should minize the risk of any bacteria surviving. There is a handy time sheet provided for most foods as well as a very well done recipe book with all kinds of creative recipies.
There is a non-stick coating on the grill surfaces, and, once cooled, it is super easy to clean up. But, don't let any metal hit the surface or the coating will be damaged.
The fat from any meats drips down into a tray that you place at the front of the unit. The grill is at a slight angle so the fat literally drains away.
The outside of the grill is made of a high-quality white plastic that wipes off easily. However, if you put the grill on a Formica-type surface, you will need to put a mat under it or the outside of the grill can become discolored, according to the manual.
The one beef that I have with this unit is that it has to been plugged in and then unplugged, a hassle. There is no on/off switch and it does not shut off automatically, as I expected. I actually went out and bought the next larger unit, which had a "timer" hoping to remedy this problem, but that unit only beeps after the set time, it will not turn itself off. I returned it. Why this important safety feature is not included escapes me. I can see how a person could be interrupted and their food easily burned, or worse.
But, for now, we enjoy our grill and wait for the day the Salton will come out with an improved model that has an on/off switch and a shut-off timer. This is a must-have for any kitchen.
Fantastic prices with ease & c...(Stock status: N/A)
With top and bottom grills measuring 8 by 18, this George Foreman GR20CB family-size version of the celebrated George Foreman Lean Mean Fat-Reducing G...More at Amazon Marketplace
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