If it has to be electric, this is your grill!

Author's Rating:

Pros: Affordable, fast heating, excellent alternative to those that cannot have a real grill.

Cons: Challenging to clean, fats don't run into drip pan due to a lack of tilt.

The Bottom Line: 
If you're not allowed to use a conventional grill, this is a wonderful alternative. Affordable, fairly stylish, easy to use and maintain. Perfect for an urban dwelling.

Author's Review
This outdoor version of the George Foreman has been a godsend for my family ever since we moved into a condo that does not allow coal or propane on the wood decks (a wise decision). We had become accustomed to doing quite a bit of grilling year round so it took some getting used to going without. While walking through Costco one day I stumbled upon this stand-up outdoor Foreman and I couldn't help but give it a go.

Let's talk price real quick - I paid $50 in Costco, but I continually see it for closer to $100 at Bed Bath and Beyond type places. So, if you do intend on buying this, be sure to shop around.

The grill was very easy to put together right out of the box, so no complaints there. The surface is large enough for me to do four good size steaks or chicken breasts, which is about all I could expect for the price. The actual heating element is exactly what you would find in a countertop griddle - identical. So if you know how those work, you'll understand how this works. The grill does get very hot. I've clocked it up around 280 degrees which is more than hot enough to cook any meat thoroughly. The grill comes with a lid that has a vent - this will greatly increase the heat and shorten the cooking time of the food however because it is electric, it tends to steam the food - so a potato slice on that grill with the lid shut would become mushy long before it became crispy. This feature isn't all bed... veggies come out great.

Some drawbacks would include the design - the indoor GF grills are angled for the fat to run off. This grill doesn't seem to have any angle at all so the liquids tend to sit in the grooves, then burn up, and then it becomes rather difficult to clean. I've taken to propping the back legs up a few degrees to attempt a uniform runoff, it seems to be working.

Overall, if your option is electric or nothing, this is a great grill. It's affordable, easy to operate, relatively easy to clean, and it's fairly stylish.

Happy Grilling!