Live For Food

You probably recognise the low fat grilling machine above, and you may well have something similar yourself.  There are many  types available now, from the original George Foreman, to the above Jamie Oliver, to more panini or griddle style machines.  So the question is, are these machines just another faddy kitchen gadget or are they worth buying?

I used one of these grills when living at home with my parents, but haven’t used one since until last year when I went on a self-catering holiday, there was one in the lodge we stayed in.  Having made good use of it on holiday, we decided to buy one, and in fact bought the pictured model.

The reason we bought one was partly because the current grill we have is useless. It’s one in the top of the oven, and it seems to collect all the icky bits from the oven, which I do use quite heavily, and its impossible to use the grill without setting the smoke alarm off.  I also hate the way you have to have the oven door open (it opens downwards rather than sideways) which restricts my access to the stove at the same time.  I do also have a grill in the microwave but don’t want to use it for anything too messy as the microwave would be a pain to clean.  Consequently I rarely grilled anything, except cheese on toast in the microwave.

Anyway, so now I have a low fat grill, and I have been using it quite a bit.

Advantages

• Great for grilling bacon and sausages.
• This model has a raised lid setting so can also be used for larger pieces of meat such as chicken breasts.
• Drains fat off really well and collects it in a tray for later disposal.
• Doubles up as a sandwich toaster.
• Very quick at grilling, and easy to use.
• If you don’t have a separate grill, like me, it means the oven and/or microwave are also free for use.
• Doesn’t need a thorough clean after every use – you can wipe it clean whilst its heating up.

Disadvantages

• You have to be very careful not to scratch the non stick surface.
• Little bit of a faff to clean properly, and little black icky bits do get over my worktops.  However they do at least come with removable grill plates these days – don’t get one without these.
• Takes up space on the kitchen side.  It’s one of those things you will never use if you keep it stored in the cupboard.  The above model can be stored upright which is helpful.
• Does not hold as much as a conventional grill – the above model holds five slices of bacon comfortably.

The verdict:

I really like my grill, it makes me far more inclined to cook bacon for breakfast for example (although that may not be a good thing!) and I love the fact I can do toasted sandwiches in it too.  The features on these have improved over the years, and with removable plates, adjustable temperature controls and adjustable lid heights they can be very versatile pieces of equipment.

So if you like grilled food, and you have space on your kitchen side – I would say go for it.

What are your experiences with low fat grills?  Yay or nay?