Are There Any Good Electric Grills

Best For Outdoors: Weber Electric Grill

Weber’s electric grill might be compact enough to fit on your outdoor table, but it doesn’t skimp out on surface area: It has 280 square inches of grilling space, which is enough to fit 12 burgers. Customers were impressed by the porcelain-enameled cast-iron grates, and one person confirmed they “heat evenly and provide great results.” The six-foot cord leaves plenty of room to reach the nearest outlet, and the brand sells a portable grill cart that gives you even more flexibility on placement. “We purchased this grill about two months ago and we have grilled more in this time than ever before,” wrote another shopper. “The Weber electric grill fits nicely on a table on the front porch, has ample grill space, and an extremely efficient heat control. I can’t stop telling friends about it.”

Buy it: $319

Outdoor Electric Grills Buyer’s Guide

There’s a great selection of electric outdoor grills out there, but sometimes finding the best electric grill for you can be a challenge.

Not only do you have to keep your eyes open for the best electric grills, but you also have to make sure you factor in several considerations. Doing so helps you find the best electric outdoor grills for you to use.

We’ve listed down some of the different factors you ought to consider to help you make the right choice.

When To Choose A Small Electric Grill

Small electric grills are ideal for condo or apartment living where the use of gas or charcoal grills is restricted. Theres no flame so no danger of flare-ups. Portability is another plus, especially for camping or boating. All you need is a power source, and youve got a safe alternative to gas or charcoal.

If you prize easy clean-up, nonstick grates are a must. And for authentic grilled flavor, look for a grill capable of searing at high temperature to lock in juices and flavor.

Here are six electric grills we recommend.

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Most Versatile: Ninja Foodi 5

If you really want to make the most out of your kitchen appliances, opt for Ninja Foodi’s indoor electric grill that also air fries, roasts, bakes, and dehydrates. By circulating 500-degree-Fahrenheit air, the versatile appliance cooks food evenly and it actually results in the grill marks everyone loves about traditional outdoor grills. The 10-inch grill plate accommodates four 8-ounce burgers, and the splatter shield is dishwasher-safe. “We’ve grilled steaks, chicken, hamburgers, and sausage,” said a reviewer. ” tried the air fry function with frozen fries and they came out just like restaurant fries! It is so easy, both to do and clean up afterward. We’ll probably never grill outside again since it’s just the two of us and this works perfectly for us.”

Buy it: $210

How Can You Get Smoke Flavor On An Electric Grill

One of the downsides of electric grills is that they don’t give your food any type of smokey flavor, as there’s no fuel being burned. If you want to grill more flavorful food, one of your best options is to use a smoker box. These containers are designed to hold wood chips or charcoal, and you place them on the grill alongside your food. The fuel will burn as your food cooks, and the smoke given off will make your meal that much more flavorful.

Recommended Reading: How To Convert Natural Gas Grill To Propane Weber

Are Electric Grills As Good As Gas

Electric grills are the healthiest way to cook outdoors. They dont produce carcinogens and they dont use unsustainable gas fuels that are bad for the environment. If health is your primary concern, an electric grill may be your best option compared to charcoal or gas.

George Foreman Gfo240s Grill:

Best for health

Heres a very popular machine, another of the George Foreman 15 serving indoor / outdoor electric grill range that removes up to 42% of the fat with its sloped grilling surface.

This one has a silver finish and boasts a large, 240 square inch grilling surface.

Thats enough for cooking 15 portions at once.

This grill has a large round domed top to help speed the cooking process and seal in the natural flavors and juices.

Features include a removable electric grill plate for easy cleaning, dishwasher safe drip tray, temperature control probe, and grill stand complete with a pedestal base.

So it can be used as a standard barbecue or as a tabletop or countertop unit, which is quite convenient.

Like other George Foreman outdoor electric grills, this one has a slightly sloped ribbed skillet that has been double-coated in a durable nonstick, Teflon coating making it easy to clean.

This smart design allows you to cook a variety of foods without using any oil or butter.

So its an excellent appliance to use regularly especially for those paying attention to their calorie consumption and overall health.

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Weber Q2400 Outdoor Electric Grill:

Easy to use and clean

Whats most interesting about Webers outdoor electric grills is that nobody ever suspects their perfectly-grilled dinner was cooked entirely on an electric grill.

This ones a beast! With 280 square inches of cooking area and 1560 Watts of power, Yet it plugs into any regular 110-volt household outlet.

Weber is a top producer of all types of grills and they have a huge legion of fans who swear by the brand. All Weber outdoor electric grills are easy to use.

It features a removable catch pan for excess grease and fat to drain into and porcelain-enameled, cast-iron cooking grates that retain heat better than stainless steel.

Not only are these easy to clean, have different temperature settings, and hold the heat exceptionally well, producing a superb sear and evenly cooked food throughout.

Best Electric Grill: Indoor Smart Grill

T-fal Walmart.com

This compact model is the best electric grill for couples or individuals cooking small portions. Pre-set programs do the work for you, with settings for burgers, poultry, sausage, sandwich, red meat, or fish. No more guesswork when it comes to grilling. What’s more, since the grill has a lid, you can easily use it to defrost and cook your frozen food. As an added bonus, we love its sleek, stainless steel exterior.

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Hamilton Beach Electric Indoor Searing Grill

For an indoor grill that cook food that tastes as though it comes from an outdoor barbecue, the Hamilton Beach Electric Indoor Searing Grill is the ideal choice for those rainy days or those homesteaders who live in an apartment but still enjoy that barbecue taste.

It is a compact and simple grill that is easy to use and it has plenty of room. With 118-square-inches of cooking space, you can easily fit three to four small steaks on the grill. The removable lid sears in the food juices and flavors. The non-stick cooking grid will stop your food from sticking to the grills surface.

There is adjustable temperature control with a temperature of 450°F, so it is ideal for searing meat. The unit has a power button light and a preheat light that lets you know when the grill has reached the perfect cooking temperature. The removable lid and the drip tray are dishwasher safe. To save the non-stick surface, it is a good idea to soak the cooking grid first.

Pros

• Lid hard to close on a thick steak
• Smokes a lot

George Foreman Ggr50b Indoor/outdoor Grill

As the name sounds, the George Foreman GGR50B Indoor/Outdoor Grill is not just an outdoor grill but it can be used indoor too. It is one of the best combo grills, which provides you with many features including the removable pedestal and tabletop grilling. Even the price is also reasonable. It has the capability to serve you with around 15 servings, which includes kabobs, veggies, meats, and desserts, etc.

Its coating is nonstick, which makes it easier for you to clean. It is highly durable. It also has temperature control, which is adjustable with five options to choose from.

Weve taken a look at this grill before when ranking our picks for the best smokeless grills, so its no surprise to see it appear on other best of lists too.

• George Tough Nonstick Coating – Thereâs a lot to love about this nonstick coating itâs…
• Indoor/Outdoor Removable Stand – Donât let the weather keep you from the glory of grilling …
• Adjustable Temperature Control – The temperature probe lets you choose from five heat settings…

Recommended Reading: Order Weber Grill Parts

Performance: Cast Iron Cooking Grates Provide A Great Sear

Since this is an outdoor-only electric grill that creates a fair amount of smoke, its unsafe to use inside the home. We placed it on our patio in Brooklyn, New York, and put it to work preparing veggie shish kebabs, hanger steak, and marinated chicken breast for a BBQ party.

Overall, we were really pleased with the outcome of our meal. One major positive is the cast iron cooking grates, which gave us drool-worthy sear marks on everything we grilled. The food tasted great, but we did miss the true smoky flavor that can only come from a charcoal grill.

We were super pleased with these grates, as they gave us drool-worthy sear marks during different grill sessions.

We also loved that Weber included a grilling guide detailing the total time and heat level recommended for different types of food. This was a really helpful reference to make sure we werent over- or undercooking any of our meats. One thing we did learn in our tests is not to open the lid too much during grilling, as heat escaped and affected our grilling process.

Check out our guide to the best grilling accessories.

Best For Patios: Char

• Gives food a smoky flavor

• Easy to clean

• No handle for moving the grill

• Thermometer placement could be better

If you have dedicated outdoor space where you can place a grill, the Char-Broil Infrared Electric Patio Bistro is a highly rated outdoor electric model. This electric grill features infrared technology that heats food directly to minimize hot spots, and it has 240 square inches of primary cooking space to hold around eight to 12 burgers at a time. There’s an additional removable warming rack for a total of 320 square inches of cooking space.

This electric grill delivers 1750 watts of power and plugs into a standard outlet. It features a porcelain-coated cast-iron cooking grate, as well as a lid-mounted temperature gauge and wheels for increased mobility. Our tester said this electric grill has a small learning curve if you’re switching from charcoal or gas grilling, but overall, controlling this device was pretty intuitive. The ability to smoke foods adds to its value.

Note: The model tested by The Spruce Eats included folding side shelves, which the most recent models do not.

Dimensions: 26 x 38.5 x 24.2 inches | Cooking Area: 320 square inches | Watts: 1750 |Use: outdoor

“While its not quite the same as a dedicated smoker, we thought this grill worked surprisingly well because the smoke is closer to the food, its a very efficient system.” Donna Currie, Product Tester

• Grill grate and lid are dishwasher safe

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Benefits Of An Electric Grill And How It Compares With Gas Or Charcoal

When grilling first became a trend decades ago, the only option people had were charcoal grills and gas grills. Fast forward to today and you have electric grills equipped with better features and functionality. An electric grill provides an inexpensive, time-efficient, and hassle-free way to prepare healthy and delicious BBQ dishes. Another benefit of electric grills is their convenience of use. They are compact, aesthetically designed and portably sized for use in even the smallest of spaces. They are also easy to clean as they mostly come with removable grill plates that can be washed in the dishwasher or simply cleaned with water and a clean dry cloth.

Electric grills such as the George Foreman GFO240S can be used both indoors and outdoors, bringing added versatility compared to charcoal and gas grills. This is because most electric grills do not emit large amounts of carbon monoxide and hazardous fumes. Reducing the intake of such compounds can also be beneficial for your health.

And The #1 Electric Grill Is

The best electric grill based on our research is the Hamilton Beach Electric Indoor Searing Grill because of its viewing window, and you can throw it in the dishwasher for easy cleanup. The team and I have spent hours testing all of the best electric grills to bring you the best.

While all of these grills have great qualities, we think one truly stands out in this roundup. We liked that it came in a compact design, but it was still big enough to cook food for 6 people. The customer reviews were positive, and the price was reasonable for this type of grill.

Read Also: How To Grill Boneless Chicken Breast

Price: Worth The Price Despite A Few Flaws

At around $270, the Weber Q 1400 Electric Grill is one of the more expensive electric grills on the market . However, its worth the price in our opinion. Not only is this grill sturdy and portable, but it also passed our expectations when it came to how the food tasted on an electric grill versus a gas one. Plus, since we wont need to purchase charcoal or propane, well be saving money in the long run.

There is no temperature gauge, so theres no way to know how hot the grill is or if the temperature has dropped at all while opening and closing the lid.

Best Electric Grill: Outdoor Versatility And Flavor

George Foreman Walmart.com

This grill is suitable for indoor and outdoor use, giving you the best of both worlds when it comes to whipping up your favorite grilled meals. All of the health features that made George Foreman’s original indoor grill so popular are back on this versatile, indoor/outdoor grill its sloping base pulls fat and oil away from your food and into an easily cleanable tray. The grill can be used outdoors with a removable stand, or the tabletop version can be moved indoors in case of inclement weather.

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Weber Q1400 Electric Grill Vs Easy Street Deluxe Electric Grill

When looking at other electric grills in the same price range, the Easy Street Deluxe Electric Grill is a good option, depending on your space and what you need in a grill. The Easy Street grill is designed with three heating positions and comes with a glass viewing window so you can see inside without opening the lid. It also includes a stand and side tables, which is great if you have the space, but not super portable if that is your priority. The Weber grill, however, has a better cooking surface with the cast iron cooking grates.

Need some more help finding what you’re looking for? Check out our guide to the best electric grills.

Exceeded expectations for an electric grill

Overall, we were very pleased with the Weber Q 1400 Electric Grill. It was easy to assemble and portable plus, it grilled food to perfection and cleaned up easily. Yes, there are a few areas for improvement, but none were deal breakers. The cast iron grates alone made this one a winner, and wed recommend it to anyone who cant have a gas grill at home.

Questions About These Or Other Outdoor Electric Bbq Grills

Matthew on July 21, 2017:

Personally, I love the Weber Q Series electric grills. They bring the Weber quality we all know and love to the world of electric grilling. Yes, you’re going to have to pay up a bit, but it’s so worth it.

The Weber Q 1400 has some nice bells and whistles to it. First, the grill looks damn nice. They designed the grill to both function well and holdup over time due to its construction. Second, the grill delivers authentic flavor. This Weber can hit the 300 degree temps no problem.

Does it have some downsides? Of course, all grills do. Grilling space ends up being limited on this grill, and for its price point that’s a bit disappointing. My full thoughts on the grill can be found at . Overall the Weber rocks.

Electric grills really make for a solid choice for anyone needing one. Apartment dwellers, condo denizens, and RVers all can benefit bigly from their addition.

Susan on June 13, 2017:

I need advice on the best BBQ for flavour on a balcony. Propane and bbqs aren’t really allowed. So I would need one that suits the buildings regulations, but gives me the best BBQ flavour. Any recommendations please. I miss my bbqing

LP on June 07, 2016:

Which one is best for giving off that grilled/bbq flavor? Thanks!

Lisa on May 23, 2016:

What’s the difference between the 1400 and the 2400?

dubincorp from Nice, France on February 02, 2016:

Thank you Henry Williamson.

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Outdoor Electric Grills In Restricted Areas

If you love to grill but are restricted by smoke regulations and fire codes in your area and a gas or charcoal grill is not allowed.

Or youre concerned about the health of your family and friends dont worry all is not lost, outdoor electric grills could be the perfect solution to your dilemma.

Theres no smoke like you get from charcoal and there are no toxic fumes generated like propane or natural gas.