Hi Jabber, you asked about my George Foreman grill, and why I bought it. Hmmm, I've had one for so long, I'm not sure exactly what precipitated the first purchase. (I've owned a couple of them.)

I guess it all started because the house Steve lived in when we got married had a Jenn Aire stove, with a Jenn Aire grill as a part of it. We loved the ease and convenience of being able to grill chicken, burgers, steaks, etc., without having to go out doors when the weather wasn't perfect.

Once we moved, we bought a Weber Kettle grill, and later a gas grill, but with those you (a) have to be sure to have charcoal or propane on hand or you're out of luck and (b) the chef has to be outdoors ending to the grilling no matter the weather. Who wants to do that in the middle of winter, in a rainstorm, or when the humidity is so thick you can cut it with a knife? Not me!

I first heard of the George Foreman grill when I was at a Public Relations Society of America board meeting in DC. One of my fellow board members from the Midwest told me on the plane ride home that she was not heading directly home after the meeting, she had to go to a photo shoot with George Foreman for a new grill that was being introduced to the marketplace and would be billed as a "lean, mean, fat-reducing grilling machine."

Thus I was pre-disposed to pay attention when I saw the subsequent TV promotions.

My kids probably bought the first Foreman grills. They were dinky little things you could use to grill maybe two burgers an a time, and cleaning them was a pain as the grill plates did not come off the grill...

BUT time passes and products evolve, and once I discovered there was one version of the grill that had 5 sets of removable, "dishwasherable," Teflon coated plates, plus precise temperature control, conveniently allowing one to not only grill meats and veggies, but also make grilled cheese sandwiches, scrambled eggs, waffles, pancakes, etc. all with the same piece of equipment, I "had to get me one."

The one I have is many years old. It's red enamel on the outside, and I'm not sure that EXACT model is made anymore. But it looks pretty much like like this one

I like it because the fat drips away and can be handily disposed of, it's quick and convenient to use no matter what the weather.

But just so I don't sound like a commercial, let me add that these days I see there are many competitor brands out there as well. Hamilton Beach, Calphalon and Cuisinart are several that come to mind.