George Foreman Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine

Object Details

Description

Introduced in 1994, the grilling surface on this indoor electric grill has a 10 degree slope to allow fat to drain away from food during cooking. Professional boxer George Foreman marketed this concept as a way to "knock out the fat," suggesting not only a more healthy way to cook, but that manly men—even champion boxers—care about healthy cooking and low-fat eating.

The timing was perfect for Foreman to become the spokesperson for an electric grill in 1994. He had just won the heavyweight world championship at the age of 45 and credited his comeback to a healthy lifestyle, including healthy eating habits. His personal story and charisma helped sell over 100 million grills to consumers who were becoming increasingly concerned about their intake of fat and calories. The grill also became popular with college students for making quick meals in dorms and shared housing.

Michael Boehm, inventor of the grill, told Entrepreneur magazine in 2009 that he sought out Foreman specifically as a spokesperson for his product, “I knew he ate two burgers before every fight and that he and his sons were all burger freaks. To me, he was a perfect fit to represent the product.” [source: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/201036]

ID Number

2011.0132.01

catalog number

2011.0132.01

accession number

2011.0132

Object Name

indoor electric grill

George Forman Grill

Physical Description

plastic (overall material)

metal (overall material)

Measurements

overall: 7 in x 15 1/2 in x 15 1/2 in; 17.78 cm x 39.37 cm x 39.37 cm

overall grease catch: 2 in x 14 in x 3 1/2 in; 5.08 cm x 35.56 cm x 8.89 cm

See more items in

Home and Community Life: Domestic Life

FOOD: Transforming the American Table 1950-2000

Domestic Furnishings

Exhibition

Food: Transforming the American Table

Exhibition Location

National Museum of American History

National Museum of American History

Subject

Food Culture

kitchen

Eating

Record ID

nmah_1413812

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ad-6da7-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa