The George Foreman G5 is part of the company's "Next Grilleration" line. It offers sophisticated styling, plus optimum versatility and convenience with five interchangeable grid plates.

There were several things about the grill that impressed us. First, the base sits on a raised platform. The 10.25x11.25-inch squared ring-style platform connects to the G5 with a pivot bar at the bottom center of the grill and with a rocking hinge at the rear of the grill. This clever design allows the G5 to sit 2.5 inches above the counter either in a flat position or tilted on an angle. We liked the raised design immediately since it meant less bending over the grill.

This unit has a vibrant red housing with black trim. It comes with five removable grid plates, including one grill plate with traditional raised ridges; one steak plate, which has a unique herringbone-style ridge pattern; one flat baking pan with high side edges; and two matching waffle plates. All of the grids feature the Foreman "extra-tough" triple nonstick coating, which resists scratching. The plates can be attached and removed quite easily by sliding the two thumb-release levers on the side handles.

Another upgrade on this model is the adjustable temperature control, which lets you choose between three temps (low, medium or high), and two indicator lights show when the unit is heating (red) and when the correct temp has been reached (green).

You also get a wide, narrow drip tray, a plastic spatula/scraping tool, a handy cleaning sponge and a 124-page full-color recipe booklet, chock full of mouth-watering recipes.

A nice feature of this grill is its ability to do griddle-style cooking. Eggs, bacon and the like can be cooked on the flat baking pan. The 7.5x11.5-inch cooking surface rivals any frypan or griddle and the high sides facilitate turning of eggs, home fries, grilled onions and more. The 3.4-inch side edges are even conducive to baking home-style biscuits.

The G5 did an excellent job with every task we put to it. It cooked eggs with little to no grease, grilled chicken breasts in about 6 minutes and hamburgers in even less time. Plus, it made some of the most delectable waffles we've ever seen.

Of course the G5 also has the Foreman standard features, such as the 1-inch floating hinge that adjusts to different thickness of food; slanted grill surface, which allows grease and fats to drain off and into a free-standing drip tray; cool-touch handle strips on each grill plate; and large Panini-style handle to raise and lower the upper grill plate.

The George Foreman G5 is pricier than some others in this class, but the added versatility and flawless performance make it a worthwhile investment.


Pros: Five interchangeable grill plates, two-position raised grill base, adjustable temperature control
Cons: Multiple accessories requires extra storage space

Warranty
1 year, limited