Grill pan or George Foreman

19 years ago

With no end in sight to our horribly cold and snowy winter, I would like to get either of these products but not sure which one. I have an electric smoothtop with no bridge burner, so the grill pan would be limited to a single round pan. Another thing I am concerned about with a grill pan is it is only getting heat from the bottom. Doesn't it take forever to cook a hamburger or chicken breast when there is no heat circulating around the food at the top???

My SIL swears by the George Foreman, especially because you can shut the lid on it. I sort of dread having one more small appliance in my pantry but if it is worth it I might.

Comments (4)

mes444
19 years ago
I have a George Foreman grill and like it very much for winter grilling. I also have a glass cooktop and have a two burner fry pan which I just put over the burners and it works OK, so I think you could use either. I have the older Foreman where you have to clean the grills in the appliance, they now have a new one where you can remove the grills and clean. That would be great if you can get that as it really does grill well and now clean up would be easier. It is big and a pain to get out of the cabinet, but it's a good appliance.
blondelle
19 years ago
I don't think the Foreman heats up hot enough to properly grill a steak. I have and love the cast iron Staub rectangular grill. It's about 14" X 8". It's matte enameled cast iron, but it seasons very well, and is now shiny black, and almost nonstick. It's MUCH better than the Le Creuset one that was horrible to clean, and everything stuck, and it wouldn't take a seasoning. It's $59 and they also have a round or square one for $49, but the rectangular one is the most useful. It heats very evenly. It will last forever and works very well!
Wetlands
19 years ago
Just want to echo Blondelle's experience with the Le Creuset grill pan. It IS enameled so no seasoning as I understand it, but it does not function well and cleanup was a nightmare the few times I used it. It is now stuck in some high cabinet somewhere in my kitchen. I don't have a replacement for it but may try the regular cast-iron suggested here.

Wetlands
breezyb
19 years ago
I have both a George Foreman grill & an old-fashioned well-seasoned Lodge cast-iron grill pan.

The George Foreman grill is currently residing in the basement, while my Lodge lives on in the kitchen.

For $20-$25 tops, the Lodge will grill everything from steaks to sea scallops, leaving those lovely grill marks & true "grill" taste & texture. George Foreman is more of a "steamer".

And really, my Lodge pan seasoned up fairly quickly. It doesn't take much. Just some vegetable oil or shortening (like Crisco) & some heating & cooling time. You end up with a fabulous piece of non-stick cooking equipment that just requires a no-soap scrub for a fraction of what you'd pay for something more "frou frou".