Grilled food is always tempting, but what if you don’t have access to an outdoor space or if it’s the middle of winter and you don’t feel like cooking in a heavy coat and gloves?
The answer is, invest in a good indoor electric grill.
In this guide, I’ll help you choose the Best Indoor Electric Grill for your needs. One that passes the taste test and doesn’t break athe bank.
Why an Indoor Electric Grill?
When you can’t cook outdoors and have limited
indoor space, you have to find an alternative to charcoal, gas, or propane
grills or else forego the idea of grilling altogether.
Luckily, with the right electric grill, you won’t have to do that.
Electric grills are the perfect solution that gives you the luxury of enjoying your favorite grilled food year-round.
There are a lot of indoor grills in the market. Most of them rely on electricity and are designed to duplicate the beloved results of outdoor grilling: a mouth-watering juicy flavor, a good sear, and of course the iconic grill marks.
They’re compact, convenient appliances that you can use in any indoor space.
Types of Indoor Electric Grills
Indoor Electric grills fall under two
categories,open grills, and contact grills.
Open grills are designed to simulate the outdoor grills that are commonly used
for hamburgers and hotdogs. They cook quickly and can handle a decent amount of
food for parties and gatherings.
Contact grills, which are increasing in
popularity nowadays, are commonly used for making some of the best, most
delicious toasted sandwiches out there because they’ve two heated plates that
press the item you’re cooking together.
They’re preferred by those who cook single or small portions.
Consider your lifestyle and food preference and make sure you choose the type of grill that fits your needs.
Tips for Using Indoor Electric Grills
To ensure your indoor grilling experience is a success, there are a few important things to remember. Before cooking, apply a light coating of vegetable oil or nonstick cooking spray to the grill’s surface and make sure the grill is preheatedto medium or medium-high temperature.
Allow the grill plates to get hot so your food will cook faster and retain more moisture.
For your food to be cooked to perfection, you need to understand the internal temperatures of your foods to avoid over or under-cooking them. A meat thermometer can aid you in doing that.Be sure to place the thermometer in the thickest part of the fish, chicken, or meat away from any bones, fat, or gristle.
Get creative with your spices, sauces, and rubs to achieve that desired charred taste and come as close to outdoor grilled food as you can.
When preparing your food, crank up your grill’s temperature and use a reliable pair of cooking tongs to keep all the juices intact and lock in a delicious sear the outside.
Think outside the basic barbecue food. Grilling is usually associated with burgers, but indoor electric grills can be good for more than just that.These appliances can handle all sorts of food.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with vegetables such as bell peppers and eggplants, as well as wraps, panini sandwiches, quesadillas, and more.
Another key factor to consider is proper ventilation. Make sure your stove’s exhaust is turned on while using an indoor grill. If you don’t have a built-in exhaust, turn on a fan and open a window and let your kitchen breathe.
With these tips in mind, you’ll be able to feel the gentle summer breeze and see the kids running around the yard as you enjoy your delicious barbecue right there in your kitchen.
Things to Look for When Considering an Indoor Electric Grill
After choosing the type of grill you want, you’ll need to compare a couple of chosen grills to make sure you end up with the perfect fit. Here are some of the specifics you’ll need to consider.
Size and Cooking Area
When you’re short on space, compact convenient
countertop electric grills are generally the best grilling solution for indoor
use.
Whether you’re making one grilled-cheese sandwich or a couple of burger
patties, make sure you choose a grill with the most suitable cooking space for
your needs.
For relatively small amounts of food, you’ll require about 80 square inches of cooking area. If you’re serving a large number of people at once, you can choose from the larger varieties of grills with cooktops as wide as 500 square inches.
Wattage
Make sure to look at the wattage listed on the grill’s box and choose at least 1000-1500 watts. Smaller watts won’t get hot enough to properly crisp and brown your food or give you perfect grill marks. Your food is likely to taste more steamed than grilled with a low-watt grill.
Higher wattage equals a more powerful grill, which generally makes it capable of producing higher temperatures and distributing heat more evenly than lower-watt grills.
Temperature Control
Being able to adjust the heat while grilling is a crucial feature, especially when cooking a thick piece of meat. It allows you to turn the temperature down when the meat is almost cooked through, so the outside won’t get charred while the center is getting done.
Ease of Cleaning
You should also consider if the appliance is easy to clean overall.
A grill with a grease tray and removable plates would be less exhausting and faster to clean and at the same time, keeps the grease at bay, making your food much healthier. Additionally, your grill should have a smooth surface for easy wiping and less scrubbing.
Additional Features
An added benefit for a good grilling machine is to have an adjustable hinge. This would allow you to be able to grill a thick steak just as well as you’d grill bacon or a panini. Some models also have a lay-flat function, where the lid flips, giving you double the grilling space.
My Top 5 Picks
Now that you have the basics of indoor electric grills down, here are my choices of the 5 best indoor electric grills under $100.
Pick your favorite, pair it with the best accessories for grilling, and you’ll be unstoppable in the kitchen!
Cuisinart GR-4N 5-in-1 Griddler
This Cuisinart
electric grill offers one of the best, most comprehensive grilling
experiences out there.The grill is known for its durability and versatility.
The most prominent feature of the appliance is its double-sided plates (flat on
one side and lined on the other), acting as a multifunctional 5-in-1 panini
press, contact grill, full grill, full griddle, and half grill/ half griddle.
Pros
- Lightweight plates, which are dishwasher-friendly and easy to remove and clean
- Brushed stainless-steel BPA-free body
- Sturdy panini-style handle and adjustable cover to accommodate foods of different thicknesses
- Changeable temperature controls with indicator lights
- Gourmet recipes and scraping tool included
- Independent top and bottom temperature control
Cons
- Takes a lot of counter space
- The Handle doesn’t fold down
Zojirushi EB-CC15 Indoor Electric Grill
The minimal and simple design of this Zojirushi indoor grill made me doubt its proficiency at first, but after a little bit of
research I have to say, I’m very impressed.
The 12.5/8 x 18.75×3 inch grill is separated from the housing so the handles
stay cool, allowing for easy mobility and safe handling. This enables you to
make your favorite foods anywhere and eliminates the risk of you burning
yourself.
If you’re a newbie to the world of electric
grills, then you’ll probably want to try this indoor electric grill.It’s a very
popular grill among singles and couples, with enough room to cook up sandwiches
and enough leeway to grill different kinds of proteins.
If you’re not used to cooking meat, this grill will help you grill each kind of
meat accurately with little effort. You’ll be a cooking maestro in no time.
Pros
- Compact size for small spaces
- Variable wide temperature range from 176-410 degrees
- Large titanium and ceramic enhanced dual-layer nonstick grilling surface
- The grill’s design directs excess oils and fats away from food for healthier cooking
Cons
- Short power cord
- No lid included
George Foreman GRP3060P 4-Serving Grill
The only way to make a George Foreman grill better is to make it even faster. With 35% faster heat-up time than the previous models, this 4-serving grill allows you to go from plugging in the grill to heat up and enjoy a tasty meal in just 10 minutes.
It also enables you to cook your meat or
poultry in about half the time of a charcoal grill and can sear your favorite
fish to perfection, which can help you with some of the more sophisticated
dishes you may want to experiment with.
Not only does this George Foreman grill do it all, but it’s also the most
affordable of the bunch.
Pros
- The 4-serving cooking space is perfect for dinner portions for most families
- Removable dishwasher-safe plates
- The exclusive inclined grilling surface design drains up to 42% of fat, making for lighter and healthier cooking
- Advanced Non-stick Coating that eliminates the need for excess oil and butter during cooking
- Adjustable Floating Hinge that accommodates a variety of meat cuts and vegetables
Cons
- No digital display
- No temperature controls
- The power cord is the only means of turning the power on and off
T-fal GC70 OptiGrill 4-Serving Electric Grill
This is a great little indoor electric grill
for any gathering or occasion you might have where you want to impress your
guests, here’s why.
Unlike the other grills I recommended, the T-fal
GC70 OptiGrill has smart automated settings, through which the grill
can estimate the thickness of your meat cuts and adjust its time and
temperature accordingly.
The grill has 6 different cooking programs for burgers, poultry, sandwiches, sausage, red meat, and fish which allows you to cook different kinds of food and always get them right without having to lift a finger to adjust the temperature controls. Impressive, right?
Pros
- Easy monitoring of the cooking process with audible beeps and varying light indicators for different cooking levels: rare, medium, and well done
- Automatic sensor cooking which detects the number of items and thickness of the food placed on the grill and adjusts the settings accordingly
- 2 cooking modes: one for frozen food which can grill food right from the freezer, and a manual mode that allows you to cook anything you want
Cons
- Almost industrial in appearance
- The plates are tough to remove for cleaning
- Heavy and hard to transport
Hamilton Beach 25360 Indoor Searing Grill
The Hamilton
Beach 25360 indoor electric grill can cook up to 8 servings at a
time, making cooking a breeze. The removable cover design is similar to the one
you find on gas grills, giving you the feeling of cooking outdoors.
It‘s the perfect solution if you’re into cooking outdoors during the spring and
summer months but are pining away for grilled food in the winter.
The tightly
sealed lid and the extra-large drip tray that comes with the grill along with
the removable hood and plate, make this grill a solid and reliable choice for
any amateur.
The Hamilton Beach 25360 can be used as both a grill and a press.And, it does
both remarkably well.
Pros
- High searing temperature that locks in the juices and flavors and gives you the outdoor grilled taste
- Fast heating and cooking speed
- Removable indoor grill hood, plate, and drip tray which are easy to clean
- The lid gives instant grill marks
- Power and heating light alarms
Cons
- The cover doesn’t lock
- Very short power cord
Final Thoughts
The above options are some of the most well-loved models in the market right now. If you still can’t make up your mind, let me narrow it down further for you. After serious contemplation and research, I have a clear winner; the prestigious T-fal GC70 OptiGrill.
With its numerous extra features, remarkably
accurate settings, and automated smart design, T-fal’s OptiGrill is a great
option that guarantees that your money is well spent.
Even if you’ve never held a spatula or a set of tongs in your life, the
OptiGrill will help you make meat like a pro. As you can already tell, this is
no ordinary indoor grill.
