If you just want to get out there and grill then, short and snappy like, I'll tell you here and now that the George Foreman Fit Grill is an excellent kitchen appliance, which in its large edition can handle lots of grilling chores. It's super straightforward to use, pretty easy to keep clean and excellent value.
If you’ve got lots of friends coming around for an indoor or outdoor food and drink fest, or if you’re just plain greedy, the George Foreman Fit Grill will be right up your street. The best electric grills come in all shapes and sizes, and contrary to popular opinion, not all of them are made by George Foreman. But this one is.
While many are a little on the compact side, the George Foreman Fit Grill – reviewed here in its large incarnation – is a bit of a monster. It’s ideally suited to family-sized – or heavyweight boxer-sized cooking sessions.
Electric grills are a great alternative to traditional cooking appliances and make either a replacement to, or supplement for the best barbecues if you’re not able to use one of those where you are. Better still, you don't get all that sooty smoke and, with practice, an electric grill like the one you see before you is able to serve up succulent food to suit any kind of palate or dietary requirement.
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George Foreman Fit Grill: price and availability
The George Foreman Fit Grill is widely available and comes in small, medium and large model variants. I’ve been trying the large edition, which is a 2400 watt, 800 square centimetre grilling machine. Considering that, it’s remarkably good value and can be had from the likes of Amazon. Despite its RRP of £59.99 the appliance is regularly available for a discount, with the small and medium editions following suit. In Australia, the same appliance called the George Foreman 25820 Large Fit Grill can be had from Amazon in large, medium and small variants. In the US, lookout for the George Foreman 4-Serving Removable Plate Grill and Panini Press GRP1060B from Amazon, which seems to be very similar.
George Foreman Fit Grill: design
While it’s not particularly elegant to look at, the George Foreman Fit Grill provides you with a perfectly practical, no-frills cooking appliance that can be used to just get on with the job. Out of the box, the appliance is big, black and quite heavy with, it has to be said, an annoyingly short power cable. That’s the bad news, because the cooking area will cheer you up no end if you’ve got a culinary challenge on your hands.
The George Foreman Fit Grill is essentially constructed from two halves, a top and bottom, which are joined by a long hinge along the back of the unit. This lifts up to reveal the grilling area, which features a non-stick finish and lots of ridges to deliver that authentic grilled food effect. The outside casing is heavy duty plastic that can be easily wiped over with a damp cloth. Likewise, those non-stick food surfaces can also be sponged or wiped down, although you’ll need to be careful not to scratch the delicate finish.
Finally, there are two small power lights on the top of the appliance, which show when the unit is heating and also when it’s running at optimum temperature. There’s no temperature control mind, and the grill basically starts getting hot when you flick the mains switch to on.
George Foreman Fit Grill: features
If I’m going to start telling you about the features of the George Foreman Fit Grill then, if you’ve got a short attention span, you won’t be getting bored. There are virtually no key features of this grill, save for the small red and green lights on the top of the unit indicating that it’s operating. Of course, the main feature is the cooking area, which if you purchase the large model, as opposed to the small and medium editions, proves to be the main point of interest.
The great thing about the grilling area, aside from the space it gives you, is the neat way the grill lines run down the design, on a slope. The appliance comes complete with a plastic drip tray that needs to be placed at the front foot of the unit. This subsequently catches all of the oil, grease and associated cooking crud as you grill. Failure to do this will result in a puddle of muck all over your countertop or, worse still, the floor will be turned into a slick and potentially slidy surface. Not ideal.
George Foreman Fit Grill: performance
Plug it in and flick the power switch and you’ll find that the George Foreman Fit Grill gets hot really rapidly. In fact, it’s got to be one of the best there is for producing a wide even heat across those large non-stick griddle surfaces. However, the power can’t be adjusted, so it’s either on or off. That’s no big deal as such, but you’ll need to practice using it a bit in order to get the most from your cooking sessions.
A good example is my regular lunchtime grilled, or toasted if you like, sandwich. Plonk your buttered bread on the lower section when it’s on and start putting your ingredients together before adding the top half and you risk scorching the bottom half. That’ll result in a disappointing lunch. Therefore, I’ve found it’s a good idea to get everything assembled beforehand, so you’re good to go once the heat starts coming.
A real bonus with the George Foreman Fit Grill is the floating hinge. This allows you to fit all sort of chunky creations into the unit, including the aforementioned grilled sandwiches that can be packed filled-to-bursting with everything and anything. The hinge moves up and down to accommodate the large size, although you’ll need to hold down the front edge initially to coax your lunch into a more manageable shape. Watch those fingers.
Ditto really for other items, such as burgers, kebabs and so on. In fact, I’ve found that you can chuck all sorts onto those sizeable cooking surfaces, with things like fresh pineapple slices and suchlike working really well too. In that respect, the performance is spot on. With no timer or heat adjustment the only caveat here is to keep your eye on what’s cooking. Don't walk away with a beer and forget about it as much scorching will occur. Other than that, it’s perfect.
George Foreman Fit Grill: verdict
I really like the George Foreman Fit Grill large edition. Sure, its chunky size makes it bulky to store and a bit unwieldy if you’re working in a limited space like a small galley kitchen. I’m also not keen on the ease with which you can scorch your fingers if you’re not careful about how you handle it. But that’s par for the course with most electric grills.
On the upside however, this is a brilliantly simple appliance that with the 800 square centimetre cooking area will be able to accommodate most mealtime requirements. The George Foreman Fit Grill really comes into its own if you’ve got a large family, have a ridiculous appetite or expect people to drop round with a case of beers and some burgers on a regular basis. If not, there are small and medium editions available too.
Basic controls that mean its either hot or not might not suit everyone, but if you’re in need of lots of cooking space then this is the electric grill for you. A longer power cable would provide a little more versatility, but that’s a minor gripe.
Now that I’ve had it for a while my initial willingness to get out the small plastic tray for the oil has subsided. Quite often I’ll take the risk if it’s a toasted sandwich I’m preparing and the worst that happens is some melted cheese, butter or tomato residue runs off the bottom lip. That said, you’ll need to be sure to keep that drip tray at hand for things like burgers as those things ooze grease and oil like nobody’s business. Otherwise, it’s all really rather good.
