Variable Temperature Control Grills

Feature Focus: Variable Temperature Control

As optional features on George Foreman grills go, variable temperature control is a must have for anyone that cooks a variety of foods on their grill – beyond just the usual steak, chicken and burgers. Although not all of our indoor electric grills offer variable temperature, for grilling fanatics it’s almost a necessity as you work to achieve the results you really want on your plate.

With variable temperature control, you’re able to adjust the thermostat for the grill’s embedded heating elements to better suit the type of food you’re cooking. Although you can cook fish at the same temperature as you would cook meat and poultry, the finished product may not have both the interior and exterior color and texture that you wanted. To get perfectly cooked food on the inside, you may have to cook the exterior more than you would like. With variable temperature control, you can lower temperature being transferred through the plates so you get the results you want both inside and out.

Beyond just proteins, variable temperature becomes even more important when you’re doing foods like Panini, hot sandwiches, wraps, fruits or vegetables. At a steak-level cooking temperature, it’s difficult not to over-char the outside of your food while still evenly cooking the inside. On a variable temperature grill, you can simply turn the heat down to medium for fruits and veggies or medium-low for sandwiches and wraps.

As you can see, not everyone really needs variable temperature – if your grill is almost always used for burgers and hot dogs then setting temperature is simply adding a step that you don’t need. However, if you have a more varied menu of grilled foods you enjoy then variable temperature control can make your life easier, since you don’t have to keep such a close watch on your food to prevent over or under cooking.

George Foreman grills offer several options when it comes to variable temperature control. We have everything from simple low-medium-high slide or knob controls, to full digital temperature controls. The difference is really a matter of preference – whether you prefer analog or digital and whether you like to work with specific temperatures or less specific ranges. If you’re investing in a variable temperature grill, just think of how you typically like to operate in your kitchen, then pick the control type that suits your usual cooking style the best.