My old trusty Geo. Foreman grill bit the dust. So I checked Amazon to see what the new models look like. I was surprised to see that they now offer a fully-submersible model that can go in the dishwasher. Whaaaa? Since I had rewards $$ to waste, I ordered one and it should be here tomorrow.
That's one of those appliances I've bought, used one time, then sent to Goodwill. In fact, I've done that twice...once with the George Foreman, and once with a Black &Decker. I have a cast iron griddle for grilling sandwiches.
I have owned several George Foreman grills over the years and I always like them. My biggest complaint was cleanup; there was always some pesky grease that was aggravating to try to clean. So I'm thinking this submersible model will be a step up in the cleaning game. And I have never grilled a sandwich in the GF; I always use a skillet to toast sandwiches.
Tested the George Foreman grill today with steaks. I won't do that again. Nothing beats a cast iron skillet for a tasty steak, unless it's a BBQ grill... but I digress. The GF did an OK job; heating was a bit uneven but I could re-arrange the meat. It was easy to use and easy to clean (it's in the dishwasher right now) so I will keep it for hamburgers, chicken breast, etc. I used to make pork chops in my old one that were really good so I'll try those soon, too. It's just not the thing for a good steak.
Everything I cooked in the GF grill came out dry and tasteless. I gave it away. But they may have improved them since then. I had one of the first ones.
So along the lines of the G.F. Grill, does anyone use those electric griddles? When the church does pancakes on Shrove Tuesday they use these for the pancakes and the sausage. It's like watching paint dry. When I helped make pancakes at that special needs clubhouse, they had a 6 burner commercial gas stove. I was in Heaven. I was cranking out pancakes 10x faster than these worthless things that others were using. I guess it's alright if you're making things for a crowd and want it all done at the same time, but you better start early.
I had one of those in the RV, but I left it in there for my niece. Those plug-in appliances were handy in campgrounds because you could take them outside and plug them in. (RV kitchens are small.) I had a fold-up table and the RV had exterior outlets in the bays. Who needs a campfire when you've got power??
Final Geo.Foreman comment--it cleaned up beautifully in the dishwasher, so that's a win in my book. The electrical plug thing (not submersible) still needed to be wiped off, but no biggie.
If you ever watch America's Test Kitchen, you're familiar with the insta-read thermometers they use. I use mine a lot. It's especially handy for testing the doneness of meats, because you can put the thermometer all the way through then slowly drag it back to check for cold spots. They are only sold factory-direct, by ThermoWorks. They are discontinuing the color grey and have them for 30% off, thru Sunday or while supplies last. They're still pricey at $76, but are great to have if you like to cook. (ThermoWorks also carries good quality heat-resistant silicone spatulas.) Link
How did my mom and her generation and then Me, get thru long lives of cooking and no gadget to test if food is done or whatever it's supposed to get or be.
My kids teased me that I like my steak so the blood still drizzles through my teeth or is still moo-ing. I have little use for most kitchen gadgets.
It wasn't until very recently that I got a thermometer to test doneness, other than maybe a roast thermometer. But I never used one for chicken or pork. I suspect we all ate a lot of overdone food, just to be safe.