Invented in 1994 by Michael Boehm, the George Foreman Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine instantaneously became an infomercial phenomenon, where it was endorsed by its congenial namesake spokesman while he was dressed in a boxing robe, delivering hokey one-liners like, “This machine knocks out the fat.” To date, Foreman claims more than 100 million units have been sold, while a number of sleeker redesigns have been introduced over the years. (The George Foreman Grill & Broil, released on QVC in September, features two non-stick grill plates, two waffle plates, and one griddle plate.) Though Foreman’s later ventures—including a Bullet-like Mix & Go blender and his steak-centric Butcher Shop—didn’t come close to capturing the same buzz, the Grill has kept his wallet well-padded. In 1999, Foreman cashed out with $137.5 million , handing over his signature and name for Salton Inc. to use in perpetuity.