Bacon Express
Nostalgia Electric's Bacon Express
 
Cooking bacon in a pan is something consumers see as a tried and true method. However, when a new invention is presented, they are not afraid to give that a try as well.

In October 2016, Nostalgia Electrics released the Bacon Express, a new way to toast bacon to perfection instead of frying it in the pan.


Gregg Bond, president of Nostalgia Electrics, developed this product after ordering the Westinghouse Baconer, a bacon prep gadget from the 1960s, and redeveloping it for the 21st-century consumer.

“My team redesigned the unit for easier cleaning, better functionality, adding a PCB board to control the temperature better and designed a retro, yet contemporary look,” Bond said. “We also made the unit, so it works with regular bacon or slightly thicker bacon.”

Since its release in 2016, Bond and Nostalgia Electrics have sold tens of thousands of units through Bed Bath & Beyond, Bon Ton Stores and Amazon.com. They are currently sold out until March.

One of the biggest draws for the product is the shape of the Bacon Express. Strips of bacon are placed over a U-shaped heater, allowing the grease to drip off the bacon while toasting the meat more than frying it in the grease. After it finishes cooking in a little tray, the bottom can be pulled out to get discard (or save) the grease.

“Currently if you cook bacon in a frying pan, the bacon cooks in the fat and is unhealthy and a pain to clean plus the splatter,” Bond said. “In the oven is a good way but wastes lots of energy and lots of surface area to clean and the oven, too.”

It does not have to be traditional bacon either, turkey, lamb, vegetarian and other grilled, sliced meats also work in the Bacon Express.

Bond mentioned that the unit sold well around Christmas but he hopes for it to be a year-round product that consumers will use as much as their toaster.