George Foreman Grill
How a George Foreman Grill Works
A George Foreman Grill is a two-sided electric grill that cooks food between two heated nonstick surfaces while a built-in slope drains fat and grease into a drip tray. Salton, Inc. put the boxer’s name on it in the mid-1990s, and it became shorthand for countertop indoor grills across the United States.
Three design details do the work. The floating hinge, a lid hinge that rises and levels itself, lets the top press evenly on a thin fillet or a thick sandwich. The angle of the lower deck sends rendered fat downhill instead of letting it pool under the food. Because heat comes from above and below, nothing needs flipping, which roughly halves skillet cook times. That is the real difference from a griddle or an outdoor grill.
The same slope has a cost. Juice and liquid run off with the fat, so lean cuts dry out if you wander off, and basic models run at one fixed heat. Treat it as a fast contact cooker, not an oven substitute.
The 2026 Lineup, Family by Family
As of October 2026, the official site, georgeforemancooking.com, sorts its models into four families plus a Beyond Grilling section. It lists no prices and points shoppers to retailers.
| Family | Models listed (Oct. 2026) | Cleanup | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | 2- and 4-portion fixed models (SKU GR340FBX), a family-size panini model | Wipe the deck by hand | Ready light, no temperature dial listed |
| Advanced | 4-portion panini model with lift-out decks; Submersible series in 4- and 5-portion sizes (SKU GRECV075BX) | Decks go in the dishwasher | Submersible adds a variable temperature dial |
| Smokeless | Contact Smokeless Ready | Lift-out decks | Brand claims up to 85% less smoke |
| Indoor/Outdoor | Two large electric models rated for 12+ and 15 servings | Large open cooking area | Built for crowds, no propane or charcoal |
Cooking for one or two and fine with wiping a warm deck? A basic model is the cheapest way in. If you want an easy-to-clean setup above all, step up to Advanced. The Submersible is the only one listed with an adjustable dial, which matters when you want to sear hot and finish chicken lower. A family of four should look at 5-portion capacity or larger, or dinner happens in shifts.
Does It Make Meat Healthier? What the Fat Claim Measured
The fat claim is real but narrow. In a 2011 press release, Spectrum Brands cited independent testing that found the grill removes up to 42% of the fat from quarter-pound 80/20 ground chuck burgers. That is the best case for any draining design.
Lean chicken breast or fish has little to lose. The honest framing: it’s a healthier way to cook meat than pan-frying the same fatty cut in its own grease, not a diet tool.
What to Cook, and What to Leave in the Skillet
Thin, even foods suit pressed, two-sided heat:
- Chicken: pound breasts to an even thickness so the lid makes full contact and the edges don’t dry out.
- Fish fillets: salmon, tilapia, and cod hold together with a light coat of spray.
- Veggie slices: zucchini, peppers, onions, and potato rounds char evenly when cut to one thickness.
- Panini and pressed sandwiches: the clamshell works like a panini press. Butter the outside of the bread.
- Breakfast and snack food: bacon, sausage patties, and quesadillas.
Preheat for at least five minutes. The ready light comes on first, but an extra minute gives better sear marks. Thin fillets go from done to dry fast, so keep a timer running.
Skip the thick steak. The slope carries away juices and flavor, so a cast-iron skillet is the better alternative for a ribeye, and the device won’t bake or roast. The brand’s own recipe pages stick to its strengths, such as sausage and pepper quesadillas or lemon tarragon chicken with zucchini and potatoes. That mix of strengths and limits makes it a useful test case for whether TV-sold gadgets really work.
Cleaning by Surface Type
Cleanup depends on whether the decks lift out. Removable ones go in the dishwasher once cool, along with the drip tray. Fixed decks take a different routine:
- Unplug it and let it cool until warm, not hot.
- Lay a damp paper towel across the bottom deck and close the lid for a few minutes. The steam loosens stuck-on bits.
- Wipe with a soft sponge, then empty the catch cup.
- Keep abrasive pads and metal utensils away, since coating scratches are permanent.
Once the coating chips or flakes, replace the grill, because that damage can’t be repaired. The top Advanced models go further: per the brand, you take off the control panel and wash everything else in the dishwasher or sink. That low-effort cleanup is one reason the brand lasted three decades while rival gadgets came and went.
From Salton’s Short Order Grill to Spectrum Brands
George Foreman, the two-time heavyweight boxing champion who died on March 21, 2025, at 76, didn’t invent the device. Michael Boehm of Batavia, Illinois, came up with the concept and patented it with engineer Robert Johnson, and small-appliance maker Salton handled the manufacture. The company sent Foreman a sample in 1994. According to Mental Floss, it sat unused for about six months until his wife, Joan, tried it.
The endorsement deal reportedly gave him 40 to 45 percent of revenue. The marketing called it the Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine, and his relaxed, joking infomercial made a retired fighter one of TV’s best-known celebrity pitchmen, alongside the other as-seen-on-TV products that defined late-night advertising. It sits squarely among the 1990s late-night commercials people still quote, and the slogan belongs on any list of iconic infomercial catchphrases.
Why did the pitch work? The detail that sold it wasn’t the grilling. It was the pile of rendered fat he showed on camera, followed by a meal cooked in minutes and eaten on the spot.
That popularity made the royalties expensive. In 1999, the company paid a reported $137.5 million to buy the right to use his name from Foreman and two business partners, and he agreed not to endorse other cookware. He later said the deal earned him more than $200 million, more than his boxing career. Spectrum Brands now owns the line, which has sold over 100 million units worldwide. The original maker merged with Applica in 2007, renamed itself Russell Hobbs, Inc. in 2009, and became part of Spectrum in 2010.
Where to Shop and How to Pick a Size
You can buy one almost anywhere small kitchen appliances are sold. Amazon, Walmart, and Target carry current models, and eBay is where discontinued ones turn up. Match the listing details, not the photo: lift-out decks or fixed, a temperature dial or not, and capacity against how many people you feed at one meal.
Compare current prices on the most popular options below. As an Amazon Associate, allfromtv.com earns from qualifying purchases.
- 4-serving grill: Check price on Amazon
- 5-serving detachable grill: Check price on Amazon
- Indoor/outdoor grill: Check price on Amazon
Start by counting how many people you usually cook for. Then decide whether hand-wiping a fixed deck is a dealbreaker. If it is, pay extra for an Advanced George Foreman Grill with lift-out decks; if you mostly cook for one, a basic 2-portion version still delivers what the original infomercial promised.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which George Foreman grill has removable plates?
As of October 2026, the official site lists lift-out, machine-washable decks on the Advanced family and the Contact Smokeless Ready model. Basic models have fixed decks, so check the spec list before you buy.
Did George Foreman invent the grill?
No. Michael Boehm came up with the concept and patented it with Robert Johnson. Foreman’s name went on the product through an endorsement deal that was bought out in 1999.
Do these grills use Teflon?
Current listings on the official site, including basic and large open models, describe a PFAS-free ceramic nonstick coating sold under the George Tough name. Coatings on older models may differ, so check the manual if yours is several years old.
Do people still use Foreman grills?
Yes. More than 100 million have sold since launch, and the 2026 lineup still spans basic, lift-out-deck, smokeless, and large open models.