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You probably found this article because you did a search engine search on indoor grill reviews and found us. We thank you for clicking on this article! We are here to summarize the eight best electric grills on the market and give you the straight truth on each of them.
THE CONVENIENCE OF INDOOR SMOKELESS ELECTRIC GRILLS:
Indoor Electric Grills offer the following conveniences over outdoor grills:
- They are easy to use. They are literally plug and play.
- You don’t need to worry about pesky mosquitoes biting you while you cook.
- No worries about charcoal, lighter fluid, or empty propane tanks.
- Sudden rain showers won’t ruin your cooking.
- You clean up easily indoors in the convenience of your kitchen.
1. T-fal OptiGrill GC702 Indoor Electric Grill
PROGRAMMABLE ELECTRIC GRILL:
The T-Fal OptiGrill is programmable which means that you can tell it whether you’re cooking fish, hamburgers, vegetables, steaks, or chicken and it will perfectly grill your food. It’s designed to sense the thickness of your food and make adjustments to the cooking. Even a novice at grilling can succeed with such technology.
EASY TO READ INDICATOR LIGHTS:
The indicator lights tell you when the grill is pre-heating, ready to use, etc. This means that you can see with a quick glance when the grill is ready for you to throw on the meat!
Pros
- Available in 2 sizes: up to 4 servings sized grill or 6-8 serving sized. You can feed a large family with this indoor electric grill.
- 1800 watt cooks your food quickly so you can get dinner on the table in minutes.
- The frozen food program lets you take out the food that you forgot to defrost straight from the freezer to the grill and cook it quickly.
Cons
- The sensors may need recalibrated occasionally. A call to T-Fal customer care can walk you through this process.
- The 6-8 serving sized unit is heavy and may be difficult to find space to store.
- Higher priced than some of the competing models.
2. George Foreman GGR50B Indoor Outdoor Grill
FLEXIBLE USE:
This is indeed an electric indoor grill. However, it has the capability of being used outdoors safely. Whether you’re dining inside with the family or hosting a party on your patio, this is a multi-tasker that you’ll love to own.
NO TOP PLATE:
This electric grill has no top plate. It is used more like a traditional outdoor grill, with a grilling plate only on the bottom. Therefore, even the thickest cut meats such as shark steaks, meat chops, or steaks can fit onto this grill.
There’s no worry about if the hinge is wide enough to close the top plate. Therefore, many people consider this the best indoor grill for steaks.
SLOPED GRATE:
The non-stick grate is slightly sloped. Therefore, the fat melts away from the meat and drops into a collection cup. This makes cleaning up the fatty excess a no mess process. In addition, the grate is removable and dishwasher safe.
Pros
- Authentic grilling experience because you can take this unit outdoors.
- Because there’s no top plate and the lid is shaped like a dome, you can throw grill a rib roast or a whole chicken on this grill.
- Perfect for apartment life. If you have a very small patio or aren’t allowed to have a traditional grill, you have an authentic grilling experience with this grill.
Cons
- The cord is somewhat short. Some users report needing to use and extension cord which is not convenient.
- Use caution around children as the grill is top heavy and can tip over if jarred.
- No internal thermometer to tell you the actual temperature.
3. Cuisinart GR-4NR 5-in-1 Griddler
MULTIPLE CONFIGURATIONS:
Because it can be used in multiple configurations, the Cusinart Griddler is a go-to that replaces several small kitchen appliances. It’s flexible and can be used in six different configurations:
- Contact grill
- Panini press
- Full grill
- Full griddle
- Half grill – half griddle
FLOATING HINGED LID:
The floating hinged lid means that the unit adjusts easily to the thickness of your food. This means that you can grill a thick, crusty panini sandwich perfectly every time. In addition, you can make thick hamburgers or steaks on this particular indoor grill.
Pros
- Great perceived value because this unit replaces an indoor electric grill, panini press, and griddle.
- Stylish appearance with stainless steel finish and trendy red knobs.
- Easy to read temperature controls adjust from 200 to 425 degrees.
Cons
- The grilling surface is only 11.5×9”, roughly the size of a sheet of notebook paper. Some consumers love their grill but wish it was just a little bit larger!
- While there are temperature dials, there are not programmable digital settings.
- Some consumers dislike the appearance of the red knobs.
4. Hamilton Beach 25361 Indoor Grill
VIEWING WINDOW:
This unit is available to purchase with a viewing window, or without one. The window allows you to see the progress of your cooking. It’s well worth the money to purchase the upgraded unit so that you will be able to keep the lid down, thus keeping the heat on inside the grill.
DISHWASHER SAFE:
Despite cutting down on the bells and whistles to keep the cost lower, the grill plates and drip tray are dishwasher-safe. This means easy clean up after you use your electric indoor grills.
Pros
- Affordable price point, a budget friendly indoor bbq grill.
- Comes with a grill cover to keep it dust-free when not in use.
- Easy to use controls with temperature setting as well as indicator lights for pre-heating and when ready.
Cons
- Lid doesn’t open as large as some other units. Thus, some users report breaking their lid off when trying to grill thick items.
- Grilling space is smaller than some other units, with a total grilling 9×9”.
- Cord length of 18” can be challenging in an older kitchen with fewer outlets.
5. George Foreman GRP90WGR Next Grilleration Electric Nonstick Grill with 5 Removable Plates
We took a look at the George Foreman Next Grilleration Electric Nonstick Grill because of the fantastic indoor electric grill reviews that we saw. This grill delivers all it promises, and then some!
VERSATILITY:
The George Foreman Next Grilleration electric indoor grill has removable plates that allow you to make grilled foods, waffles, paninis. You can also convert this to a griddle for cooking small pancakes quickly. There’s also a top steak plate which allows you to put perfect grill marks. Some users declare this the best indoor grill for steaks.
TRIPLE-COATED NON-STICK GRILLING SURFACES:
The grilling surfaces are coated three times to give you an extremely durable non-stick surface. It’s also scratch resistant and long-lasting.
Pros
- Grilling Plates are dishwasher safe making clean up easy.
- Easy to use temperature settings with indicator lights. Not too very complicated to set up and use right away.
- Scratch resistant surface makes it difficult to mar the surface when you are using a utensil to lift food to check it for doneness.
Cons
- Users report that the cord is very short; you must use right next to an outlet.
- It does not swing all the way open to make a double grill configuration.
- Some users report a “hot spot” where food cooks more quickly.
6. Philips HD6371/94 Indoor Grill
LARGE COOKING SURFACE:
The Philips electric indoor grill has only a bottom plate. There’s no top plate to wrestle down over a thick steak or hamburger. Many users swear that this offers a flavor that’s more like outdoor grilling.
CONSISTENTLY HOT:
This smokeless grill has built in heat reflectors and infrared heating technology quickly and evenly heats the grilling surface to 446 degrees that will sear and grill meats in no time at all.
SMOKELESS INDOOR GRILL:
The Philips is considered an indoor smokeless grill. It gives off very little smoke and odor while you use it. Because of this, you can grill inside without your house smelling like smoke for days afterwards. This makes this considered the best indoor grill for steaks.
Pros
- Even the thickest steaks sear quickly and lock in the juiciness.
- Can cook tender vegetables without the weight of a top plate crushing them.
- Large cooking surface so you can feed a crowd.
Cons
- Because there’s only one plate, it takes twice as long to cook as a two plate indoor bbq grill.
- Some users report that because there’s no top plate, this unit splatters and makes the countertop dirty.
- No temperature control, you can’t cook at a lower heat if you’d like to.
7. Swissmar KF-77043 Classic 8-Person Raclette Party Grill
CREPE PLATE:
The Swissmar has a unique crepe plate. This allows you to grill food for your guests, set it to rest, and flip the grill over to the crepe plate side. They you can quickly prepare hot crepes to wrap the grilled meats and vegetables in. This is how the Swissmar makes your cooking part of the fun!
GRANITE STONE:
This unit comes with a granite stone for warming. It’s a showstopping piece for a Raclette party or other entertaining needs.
Pros
- Non-stick surfaces clean up easily.
- The granite food warmer complements stove top cooking. You can hold some food warm with this unit if you are cooking for a large crowd.
- Comes with many accessories: 8 Raclette dishes, 8 spatulas, and a recipe book.
Cons
- The crepe griddle plate is not flat. It has two crepe wells that you pour the batter into. This means it can’t function as a flat-top surface. Great for crepes or pancakes.
- At only 1200 watts, this takes a bit to get hot enough to grill.
- Although it says it’s for 8 people, most stated that these are 8 appetizer portions or European portions.
8. Breville BGR820XL Smart Grill
ELEMENT IQ TECHNOLOGY:
The Breville has built in technology called “Element IQ”. This means that when you add a cold item, such as a chicken breast, to the grill, it compensates for that temperature drop. This grill automatically cranks up the heat to get the quick sear that you need to hold in the flavor and natural juices.
DIGITAL DISPLAY:
The digital display shows the grill temperature. It’s easy to read. It makes for mistake-proof grilling even for beginning cooks.
Pros
- Dishwasher safe plates make it easy to clean this grill.
- The control dials are easy to operate, even for the technologically challenged.
- Very attractive, high-quality stainless steel finish means that you’ll be proud to have this on your kitchen countertop.
Cons
- The top lid is so heavy that it sometimes smashes the bread of your panini.
- The expensive price point makes this indoor smart grill inaccesible for some consumers.
- Some users expressed concerns over the longevity of this appliance in relation to the expensive price tag.
CONCLUSION:
In conclusion, I’d like to share my top three favorite indoor electric grills. #3 – George Foreman GGR50B Indoor Outdoor Grill For those who live in an urban area or have a very small patio, the George Foreman indoor/outdoor grill is fantastic. It really gives you the flexibility of being able to entertain outdoors even if your outdoor space is limited. #2 – Philips HD6371/94 Indoor Grill Because it’s virtually smokeless, this would be a great grill to have! It heats quickly and evenly and that helps to eliminate the cooking odors. #1 – Cuisinart GR-4NR 5-in-1 Griddler My personal choice is the Cuisinart 5-in-1. My kitchen is small and cramped for storage space. This unit replaced several other small appliances and gives me some free space. With limited kitchen storage, the Cuisinart Griddler made the most sense for me.