George Foreman Grill facts for kids
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| Inventor | Michael Boehm, Robert Johnson |
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| Inception | 1994 |
| Manufacturer | Spectrum Brands |
| Available | United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia |
| Website | George Foreman U.S.A. George Foreman UK |
The George Foreman Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine, often called the George Foreman grill, is a special electric grill. It cooks food on both sides at the same time. This grill was made by a company called Spectrum Brands. It became super famous because it was promoted by George Foreman, a two-time world champion in boxing. Since it first came out in 1994, over 100 million George Foreman grills have been sold all over the world!
Contents
How the Grill Was Invented
The Idea Behind the Grill
The idea for this grill came from a person named Michael Boehm. He lived in Batavia, Illinois. Michael wanted to create a grill that people could use indoors. His main goal was to make a grill that cooked food from both the top and bottom at the same time.
Making Food Healthier
Another important goal for the grill was to make food healthier. It was designed to reduce the fat in foods like hamburgers. The grill has a special slanted surface. This angle helps hot, melted fat drain away from the food. The fat then drips into a separate tray.
Smart Design Features
Michael Boehm designed the grill with a clever "floating hinge." This hinge allows the grill to open wide and cook foods of different thicknesses. So, whether you're grilling a thin piece of chicken or a thick burger, it cooks evenly. Bob Johnson helped with the engineering to make Michael's ideas work.
From Idea to Famous Grill
Michael and Bob showed their idea to a company called Salton, Inc. They even had a video showing fat dripping into the tray. At first, they called it "The Fajita Express." It was shown at trade shows, but not many people were interested. Later, Salton, Inc. sent samples of the grill to George Foreman's team. George Foreman tested it and loved it!
Why George Foreman Made It Famous
A Champion's Endorsement
The Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine was officially launched in 1994. It became incredibly popular thanks to special TV commercials called infomercials. These commercials featured George Foreman himself. His friendly personality and the grill's unique features made it a huge hit.
A Catchy Slogan
The infomercials were so popular that George Foreman's famous saying, "It's so good I put my name on it!", became a well-known phrase. In some parts of Asia, the grill was also promoted by both George Foreman and the famous actor Jackie Chan.
How the Grill Works
Cooking from Both Sides
The George Foreman grill has a special "clamshell design." This means it opens and closes like a clam. When you close it, it cooks your food from both the top and bottom at the same time. This way, you don't need to flip your food over!
Non-Stick and Fat-Draining
Each cooking surface has grooves. These grooves help reduce how much of the food touches the grill. The surfaces are also covered with a special non-stick coating. This makes it easy to cook and clean. The bottom cooking surface is angled. This angle helps hot, liquid fat drain away from your food. The fat goes into a removable drip tray. Seeing the fat in the tray shows you how much was removed from your meal. This design is marketed as a way to "knock out the fat," suggesting a healthier way to cook.
Different Sizes and Versions
The grill comes in many different sizes. You can get a small one for just yourself or a larger one to cook for many people. In 2006, a new version called the "Next Grilleration" Health Grill came out. It had grilling plates that you could take off, which made cleaning much easier. Over the years, many other versions have been released with different controls and designs.
The Evolve Grill
In 2014, an updated grill called the "Evolve Grill" was released. This version has special ceramic plates that you can change. You can use traditional grill plates, waffle plates, a baking dish, mini burger plates, a flat griddle, and even a muffin pan!
Other Grills Like It
Competitors and Imitators
Because the George Foreman Grill was so successful, other companies tried to make similar products. Some even got other famous people to promote them. For example, there was the Evander Holyfield Real Deal Grill and the Carl Lewis Health Grill.
The Original Remains the Best
However, none of these other grills became as popular as the George Foreman Grill. The Jackie Chan Grill is actually the same grill as the George Foreman grill. It was just sold in the Asian market and promoted by both Jackie Chan and George Foreman.
See also
- Pie iron / Sandwich press
- Waffle iron
Images for kids
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A George Foreman Grill
