George Foreman Champ Grill, Red

I've had a several variations on the small George Foreman grills. I have literally worn most of them out, and they last when cared for! I use my GF a LOT. They are great when making a meal in the summer. It doesn't noticeably heat the room like the broiler in my oven and I think it uses much less power all year round. They are just the right size for one or two people.

I cooked steak, lamb, pork, chicken, salmon, tuna, cod, haddock, bluefish, trout, and a bunch of stuff that just isn't coming immediately to mind. It was all great. The biggest danger is over-cooking because it's so fast and cooks from both sides at once.

When cooking for one and there is space behind a steak or pork chop, I put slices of veggies like bell pepper and onions back there to cook with the steak. Behind the steak is a steamy spot on the grill and these veggies cook to perfection in the same time as the steak. Sometimes I rub them with olive oil for a nice taste.

The tilted design is great to get rid of grease and the hot plates sear the surface to seal in juices and flavor. With fish I like to use a very light coating of Mayo which seems to help make pink and white fish even more detectibly moist and tasty. With steak and meats the grill works great with rubs and spices. I really like the Paul Prudome "magic" line of spices. Yum! Even cooking a whole trout is great, albeit I needed to slice it in two at the ribs so it all fit at once. About 6 minutes between the plates and done to yummy perfection.

If you freeze steaks, a 6 oz 3/4" thick steak frozen solid and dropped on the hot places will be done to medium in just about 10 minutes, in my experience steak cold out of the fridge of the same size/thickness is done to medium in about 5 to 6 minutes. The timing is just about second nature now.

The non-stick surface isn't perfect, though pretty good. Be careful with forks/knives and use a plastic spatula to remove fish as it has a greater tendency to stick than anything else.

Cleanup is oh so easy. While one must not put their little GF in the dishwasher or immerse it (I wish the plates were removable!) it's still pretty easy to clean.

First, just after the food comes off I give it a quick hot wipe with a paper towel to get the bulk off. Just takes a second to do this. After the meal I finish the clean-up by hanging the front of the GF over the sink and using a soapy wet sponge. I thoroughly wash the plates and clean the catch tray. Then I use the clean catch tray to rinse the plates of soap, then drain it and both air dry. Water all flows into the sink and it's really clean. It all takes a minute or two.

This is a great tool. If it wasn't so great why would I keep buying them? :-) I even keep a spare on the shelf in case my current 4 year old one fails. I love my GF and its saved so much of my time while giving me great food to enjoy.

Update May 2013:

I've moved to a new GF Champ (the current one was bought 4 years ago) and the cooking times seem to be a little longer than my old one. Just a little reminder that while all the GF Champ variations are virtually identical (except for the plastic shell) there are small individual differences in how hot they get and cooking times may need small adjustments between units. I find the same thing is true in Microwave ovens. A small adjustment.

I still love my GF Champ and have given just about one of every champ model to friends or family members.

I cook a ton of stuff on my Foreman chicken, pork chops, and steaks. I got this smaller one because I live in a small NYC apartment and you have to be wary of the footprint of everything. The main issues I have with it are that it's kind of a pain to clean because the plates aren't removable and the power cord is just way too short. Again, it's an NYC thing and probably not an issue if you live in a larger, more modern apartment with lots of counter space and outlets nearby. For me though, I have to position it oddly or use an extension cord.

Buy George Foreman Champ Grill, Red Now

I just bought this grill and it was delivered in 2 days. It replaced an earlier one that I had for about 8 years which was losing its non stick coating.

The size of this grill was a little smaller than my first one and I was a little surprised even though I had written down the measurements.

However it turned out to be a blessing in disquise. It is still large enough for my needs and the benefit of the smaller size is less weight and less counter space and easier cleaning. Actually it is so light that I can hold it with one hand so that running hot water runs over the plates while holding with one hand without getting into the wiring or the underside. That enables me to use those separately sold sponges to easily clean the grille. Then wipe it dry with a paper towel.

I had initially wanted to purchase a grille with the removable plates for washing in the dishwasher, but after reading all the customer reviews it appears that those models do not heat up sufficiently to really sear the meat.

This model heats up quickly and heats up to a higher temperature than my original model, easily searing the meat. It will cook a 1 pound hamburger or two thick pieces of pork in 5 minutes.

I would recommend this model to single people who want something quick, easy and economical. Get the sponges as they are worth the money.

Read Best Reviews of George Foreman Champ Grill, Red Here

You can't go wrong with George's products. They do what he says they'll do. Quick cook times and easy to clean.

Want George Foreman Champ Grill, Red Discount?

We have a family sized foreman that we have used for years & still works great. I wanted a small one that was more for one person & can be left on the counter for daily use. This is exactly as expected but did not come with cleaning sponge as advertised. Overall I still feel like I got a great deal.

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