George Foreman Flexe Grill review: cooks meat and veg to perfection

The George Foreman Flexe Grill review in a sentence: this is a wonderfully compact electric grill that can cook meat, fish and vegetables as well as sandwiches and paninis. Quick, easy food awaits.

An electric grill is a brilliant addition to any kitchen and, as you’ll see from our guide to the best electric grills, there’s no shortage of models to choose from. This, the George Foreman Flexe Grill is a medium-sized, all-electric offering released to coincide with its Grill & Chill campaign. It boasts everything you’d expect from this best-selling electric grill brand.

Given that it’s a medium, this is still plenty big enough for most needs. You can get larger George Foreman grills though, like the jumbo version of the George Foreman Fit Grill that we tried out a while ago. It’s great for families and large gatherings, but the bonus about the Flexe Grill is that it takes up less space, while still grilling to perfection.

An electric grill is also a great alternative to the best barbecues, if you’ve got access to power and a covered space when the weather takes a turn for the worse.

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George Foreman Flexe Grill: price and availability

The George Foreman Flexe Grill is out now and available at a multitude of locations and online outlets. In fact, it’s hard to avoid, especially with the distinctive red and white packaging that features tantalising shots of deliciously grilled food. Better still, the George Foreman Flexe Grill has a RRP of just £49.99 on Amazon currently, which makes it one of the most affordable electric grill options currently on the market. Shop around though and you may even get it for a little less.

George Foreman Flexe Grill: design

The people who design these electric grills have been doing it for so long they’ve got the design side of things down to a fine art. There are some neat standout features of the George Foreman Flexe Grill too with, most notably, a flexible hinge joining the two grill plates. This allows you to cook in closed fashion, as in sandwiching your food items, or paninis, between the two electric grill plates.

However, it also opens out 180-degrees, offering up a double-width electric grilling area, which makes it a perfect barbecue-style machine. The design is certainly very practical and features the usual George Foreman non-stick coated plates. They even supplied me with a grooved sponge, which has been designed specifically for cleaning the plates more efficiently, without harming that delicate non-stick finish. A nice touch.

There’s a drip tray, to catch any excess fat or juices, a chord wrap for getting the cable out of the way when you’re storing it – which can be done vertically by the way. Meanwhile, the rear feet can be adjusted to allow for more efficient run-off of those fats and juices. On looks alone, this appliance is also eye-catching, thanks to its stainless-steel upper housing.

George Foreman Flexe Grill: features

Cooking things well is all about getting the right about of heat at the correct time. The George Foreman Flexe Grill does just that, thanks to its 1800 Watts of power. There’s also a power on/ready light, which gives a clear visual indication of when the grill is running at its optimum temperature. The other major benefit with this unit is that flexible hinge, which lets you put all sorts of things ‘under the hood’ and you’ll still be able to cook them quick and evenly.

Obviously, you’ll need to draw the line with ridiculously big food items, but that’s also where the fold out nature of the design might be able to help. You’ll generally need to cook things for longer if you’re opting for the one-plate cooking technique as the heat will only be coming from one side. Nevertheless, the extra space you gain from the 180-degree folding ability more than makes up for that.

George Foreman Flexe Grill: performance

I’ve had a few grilling sessions using the George Foreman Flex Grill now and have used it in the closed position along with the opened-out way too. If you’re into an occasional full English breakfast-type blowout, then this is the model for you. I tried bacon, sausages, mushrooms and a couple of eggs all on one folded-out session and it managed to get the job done with enough ingredients to cater for two people.

The unit heats up quickly while the ready-to-go lights are handy too, just so you know it’s fully up to steam. As with most electric grills, you need to exercise a bit of care when putting items on to the grill elements and then taking them off when they’re cooked. These things get hot, and burnt fingertips are a possibility if you’re not careful. Be sure to use a plastic spatula or similar implement too, thereby avoiding damage to the non-stick surfaces.

I’ve been very impressed with the ability of the George Foreman Flex Grill to cook up a very tasty hot sandwich too. Similarly, paninis can be toasted to perfection. You need a bit of practice to get the format right though as there can be a tendency for fillings to fall or ooze out, depending on what you’re cooking. Cheese sandwiches, or those with tomatoes in are awesome, but they can be messy. Nevertheless, using it open or closed, this electric grill is certainly up there with the others in the George Foreman range. No complaints on the cooking front really.

George Foreman Flexe Grill: verdict

I like the George Foreman Flexe Grill a lot, especially as it’s a little less sizeable than the large model I tried some time ago. With dimensions of 31.5 x 14 x 31.5 centimetres and the capacity for being stored upright, this appliance is easily put out of the way. It only weighs 2.59 kilograms too, so can go up on a shelf without worry. If you’ve already got numerous kitchen appliances you’ll find that a major plus point.

However, alongside that this is a great little machine and cooks all sorts of foodstuffs a treat. Having the fold out option is a definite selling point too, as it increases your grilling potential and then some. I’m also really pleased with the overall design and build quality of this model, with everything feeling nicely made and performing just as expected.

You’ll need to go carefully when cleaning the non-stick grilling areas, but invest in one of those special sponges I mentioned above and you’ll get the job done that little bit easier.