Buy the George Foreman grill
The world of BBQs has grown exponentially over the years. To appease the BBQ enthusiasts of the world, there are options for slow cooking the perfect cut of meat, making pizzas in the back garden, or even deep frying.
But what about for the average person? Someone who just wants to cook a couple of burgers with their mates in the garden and not think about internal temperatures and a six-hour cooking time? Luckily, there are some simpler and more affordable options out there.
The George Foreman On-The-Go is, on paper, the perfect simple grill. It is portable, lightweight and, despite its affordable price tag, surprisingly rich in useful features. We spent a few weeks testing it out to see if this could be the everyman BBQ.
Set-up and design
The George Foreman On-The-Go feels a lot like an Ikea bookshelf in the early stages. A booklet of vague instructions, lots of screws and bolts, a plethora of random parts and a quick prayer start the process off when you open the box.
幸运的是,没有的e steps are too challenging, requiring no tools and only 10-15 minutes of your time to put it all together. And once it is all built, the On-The-Go looks great, rocking a deep black premium colour all over.
There are heat-resistant handles on the top and side for removing the lid or moving the whole BBQ if needed. Two legs on either side of the BBQ keep it off the ground, raising it to a good height.
Lift off the lid and there is plenty of space inside, leaving room for a large cut of meat or a good collection of different BBQ foods in one go.
Features
Compared to a lot of modern BBQs, the On-The-Go doesn’t offer too many features. The most noticeable features are the vents on the top and side, allowing for optimal temperature control.
Two circular vents on the lid of the BBQ can be opened, allowing for increased airflow. This can be paired with vents on either side of the base. This is especially useful for smoking or trying to quickly adjust the internal temperature of the BBQ.
But how can you know how hot it is inside without opening the lid you probably didn’t ask? There is a handy thermometer built into the side of the lid, giving an ongoing measure of the internals of the BBQ.
Cooking experience
Cooking with the On-The-Go is really quite simple. Fill the lower half with charcoal and a fire starter (these aren’t provided) and put the lid back on. Once the BBQ has heated up, you’re all ready to cook.
I tried two different types of cooking with the On-The Go. Firstly, I smoked a piece of pork, utilising the lid and vents to keep a level temperature. With the lid on, heat can be retained for a surprisingly long time, and equally using the outer thermometer, I could keep track throughout the cooking process.
The meat was well cooked and had a good smoky taste from being confined inside the BBQ. I also tried a few other types of food: burgers, halloumi and vegetables all cooked great with some nice charring.
After cooking, the cleaning process was simple. Once the charcoal is emptied out, I just gave it a wipe out and washed the grills and voila, ready to go again!
Verdict
The George Foreman On-The-Go is hard to criticise. It is stylish and clearly well-built, portable and lightweight and most importantly, a lot cheaper than a lot of its competitors.
There is nothing particularly unique or exciting about it, instead choosing to focus on doing the essentials well. With the included lid, air vents and the thermometer on the side, this BBQ allows for a surprising amount of control over the cooking process.
Overall, whether it’s for the back garden or for a BBQ out in the wild, the On-The-Go is versatile and flexible enough to deal with the large majority of situations and does so at a fraction of the cost of its competitors.
Alternatives
Weber Go-Anywhere
The Weber Go-Anywhere shares a lot of similarities with the George Foreman On-The-Go, right down to its jet-black colour, heat-proof handle and vents on the top and side. In fact, the big difference between these two BBQs is that the Weber is slightly more portable.
It is smaller in size and its legs fold up easier when you are looking to pack up and go. However, it is slightly more expensive than the George Foreman model above.
Ooni Koda 12
Cooking up a feast on a grill is fun, but sometimes all you really want is a good pizza. Ooni has long been the go-to name for cooking pizzas in your garden and the Koda 12 is no exception.
This gas-powered pizza oven looks great and can cook pizzas up in just 60 seconds once it has heated up.
不仅仅是披萨,烤箱可以烤fish, veg, meat or a host of other foods – just don’t leave them in too long because at 500 degress, this is a seriously hot oven.
Ninja Woodfire
The Ninja Woodfire isn’t just a BBQ, it is a slow cooker, air fryer, grill, dehydrator and more. In fact, it is almost easier to ask, what can’t it do?! However, it comes with a couple of key issues.
It is heavy, needs to be plugged in and, it isn’t exactly the cheapest product on the market. These are all factors that can be quickly forgotten when you consider its usability. Complete with an attached smoker, a variety of buttons and gizmos, timers and heat settings, the customisability is endless.
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Buy the George Foreman grill
Authors
Alex is a staff writer at BBC Science Focus. He has worked for a number of brands covering technology and science with an interest in consumer tech, robotics, AI and future technology.