It’s always disappointing when it gets too cold to grill outdoors, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up your favorite grilling recipes until the summer. While I usually cook on a grill pan if I’m cooking a steak indoors, if you want to cook a lot at once or don’t want to take up a burner on the stovetop, one of the best indoor grills lets you “grill” right on your kitchen counter.
Thanks to their electric design, you don’t have to worry about setting off the smoke detectors while using an indoor grill. These countertop grills are also a great option if you live in an apartment or somewhere that you can’t have an outdoor grill.
I love to grill meals for my family all year long, and I’ve used my experience grilling in the past to pick out some of the best indoor grills that are top-rated options you might want to consider for your kitchen.
My Top Picks
- Best Overall: Hamilton Beach Electric Indoor Grill – $42.99 at Amazon
- Best Splurge: Blackstone Electric Tabletop Griddle – $147 at Walmart
- Best Budget: Hamilton Beach Electric Indoor Searing Grill – $59.99 at Walmart
- Best Smokeless: Power XL Elite Plus Smokeless Grill – $99 at Walmart
- Most Versatile: Ninja Foodi Smart XL 6-in-1 Indoor Grill – $169.99 at Amazon
Reviews of The Best Indoor Grills
1. Best Overall: Hamilton Beach Electric Indoor Grill
If you want to grill hamburgers and steak all year round without having a bulky appliance, I would get this small one from Hamilton Beach that’s easy to store. It has a removable drip tray that catches grease, and the nonstick grilling plates leave those true grill marks. According to the brand, it can fit up to six hamburgers at once, and it would work great for making paninis as well! To clean it, wipe down the surface and remove the drip tray to wash it fully.
The Specs:
- Size: 6.38 x 12.68 x 13.78 inches
- Weight: 5 pounds
- Power: 1,200 watts
The Pros:
- Lightweight
- Nonstick cooking surface
- Easy to clean
- Removable drip tray
The Cons:
- Can’t control temperature
What Others are Saying: The Hamilton Beach Electric Indoor Grill was named the best for hamburgers by PopSugar. It also has a 4.5-star rating from more than 4,500 Amazon reviews.
Buy the Hamilton Beach Electric Indoor Grill
2. Best Splurge: Blackstone Electric Tabletop Griddle
I’m a big fan of Blackstone Griddles, which are the key to making recipes like Smash Tacos, and the brand actually has a great 17-inch indoor griddle that’s perfect for grilling during the winter. Thanks to their flat cooking surface, griddles are often more versatile than regular grills, and you can use them to cook foods like pancakes and stir frys, as well as classics like hamburgers and grilled chicken.
This electric griddle has a large nonstick cooking surface that can fit several servings at a time, and it heats up to 450 degrees F, allowing you to create a delicious sear on any type of meat. The sloped cooking surface drains grease to a convenient collection cup as you cook, and its removable glass lid lets you monitor food without letting any of the heat escape. Just keep in mind that metal utensils aren’t recommended, as they may scratch the nonstick finish.
The Specs:
- Size: 17.89 x 18.7 x 6.97 inches
- Weight: 21 pounds
- Power: 1,200 watts
The Pros:
- Versatile
- Nonstick cooking surface
- Digital controls
- Built-in grease cup
- Removable lid
The Cons:
- Doesn’t leave grill marks
- Metal utensils not recommended
What Others are Saying: The Blackstone Electric Tabletop Griddle was named the best smokeless indoor griddle by Outdoor Life.
Buy the Blackstone Electric Tabletop Griddle:
2. Best Budget: Hamilton Beach Electric Indoor Searing Grill
This inexpensive indoor grill from Hamilton Beach is perfect for cooking for one or two people. It’s smaller in size, which makes it compact and lightweight, and you can fit two or three hamburgers on its cooking surface. The grill heats up to 450 degrees F, creating tasty char marks on your food, and there’s a drip tray underneath the grate that catches all the grease while you cook. The lid on this indoor grill has a small window for monitoring your meal, and the best part is that its grill plate and grease tray are both dishwasher safe.
The Specs:
- Size: 12.4 x 16.73 x 6.81 inches
- Weight: 8.14 pounds
- Power: 1,200 watts
The Pros:
- Affordable
- Lightweight
- Easy to use
- Dishwasher-safe grill plate
The Cons:
What Others are Saying: The Hamilton Beach Indoor Searing Grill earned the title of best affordable indoor grill from Serious Eats. It also has a 4.5-star rating from more than 19,000 reviewers on Amazon.
Buy the Hamilton Beach Electric Indoor Searing Grill:
3. Best Smokeless: Power XL Elite Plus Smokeless Grill
Indoor grills create less smoke than propane or charcoal grills, but they can still leave your kitchen smelling a little bit like a campfire. To minimize the amount of odor created— which is especially important in apartments—this electric grill from Power XL is equipped with a tight-fitting lid and fan system that filters out smoke and other odors as it cooks. It has a maximum temperature of 450 degrees F, and its hinged glass lid lets you keep an eye on your food while it’s cooking. The grill has a nonstick cooking surface and grease tray, and several of its components are dishwasher-safe for easier cleanup.
The Specs:
- Size: 19.8 x 11.9 x 5.5 inches
- Weight: 12.5 pounds
- Power: 500 watts
The Pros:
- Fan system removes smoke
- See-through glass lid
- Nonstick cooking surface
- Dishwasher-safe components
The Cons:
What Others are Saying: The Spruce Eats named the Power Elite Plus XL Smokeless Grill the best smokeless indoor grill in their testing.
Buy the Power XL Elite Plus Smokeless Grill:
4. Most Versatile: Ninja Foodi Smart XL 6-in-1 Indoor Grill
If you have limited counter space, the Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 Indoor Grill can do the job of a few different countertop appliances, helping to streamline your kitchen. In addition to serving as an indoor grill, this gadget can also air fry, roast, bake, broil, and dehydrate foods. It has a large cooking surface that fits up to six steaks at a time, as well as a convenient digital control panel, and it’s even equipped with a built-in meat probe that monitors the doneness of your food. It can grill at temperatures up to 500 degrees F for better searing, but it is quite heavy and takes up more space than other indoor grills.
The Specs:
- Size: 11.1 x 15.7 x 16 inches
- Weight: 25 pounds
- Power: 850 watts
The Pros:
- Large cooking surface
- Six cooking functions
- Built-in meat thermometer
- High-temperature grilling
The Cons:
What Others are Saying: Food Network calls the Ninja Foodi Smart XL the best large indoor grill, and Good Housekeeping named it the best indoor grill and air fryer.
Buy the Ninja Foodi Smart XL 6-in-1 Indoor Grill:
Other Indoor Grills to Consider
Cuisinart Griddler FIVE
The Cuisinart Griddler FIVE is both an indoor grill and panini press, and it comes with both grill and griddle-style cooking plates. It has a digital control panel that lets you adjust the temperature between 175 and 450 degrees F, and it also has a sear function to give your food more color. The grill plates are removable and dishwasher-safe, but they don’t have any features to help minimize smoke while cooking. The Cuisinart Griddler FIVE is available at Amazon for $95.08.
Breville Smart Grill & Griddle
The Breville Smart Grill & Griddle is another option that resembles a panini maker, featuring a hinged lid that can lay flat for a larger cooking surface. It cooks at temperatures between 320 and 450 degrees F, and its cooking plates are dishwasher-safe and scratch-resistant. However, it’s notably more expensive than many other indoor grills and lacks any special features. The Breville Smart Grill & Griddle is available at Williams-Sonoma for $319.95.
Cosori Aeroblaze Smart Indoor
The Cosori Aeroblaze is another highly versatile appliance that has eight different cooking modes. You can choose from crisp, broil, air grill, roast, bake, dehydrate, preheat, and keep warm settings, and it has a smoke filter in the lid that uses activated carbon to prevent odors in your kitchen. It can cook at up to 510 degrees F, and it even connects to your smartphone for app controls, if desired. The Cosori Aeroblaze Smart Indoor is available at Best Buy for $249.99.
George Foreman Classic Plate Electric Indoor Grill
This panini press style indoor grill is super skinny for storage and is a great option for getting those grill marks. But the brand claims that it’s still large enough to cook up to five servings of food at once. However, with only an on and off button, it’s harder to control the temperature when cooking. The George Foreman Indoor/Outdoor Electric Grill is available at Amazon for $36.99.
Chefman Electric Smokeless Indoor Grill
The Chefman Indoor Grill is an inexpensive option with a large cooking surface. The innovative design includes a water tray to cool down grease and reduce smoke instantly. It’s easy to use, featuring just one dial to control its temperature, and its nonstick grill plate is dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup. The one drawback is that it doesn’t come with any lid. The Chefman Electric Smokeless Indoor Grill is available at Amazon for $40.10.
Zojirushi Indoor Electric Grill
The Zojirushi Indoor Grill is another option that has an open cooking surface without a lid. It can cook at temperatures up to 410 degrees F thanks to its 1,300-watt heating element, and the grill comes apart easily for cleaning. However, it doesn’t feature a cover to help reduce smoke. The Zojirushi Indoor Electric Grill is available at Amazon for $97.95.
About Me
I’m the author and recipe developer behind Skinnytaste, which features hundreds of family-friendly healthy recipes, including lots of lightened-up recipes for the grill. I love grilling for my family during the summer, and having an indoor grill has allowed me to make our favorite recipes during the winter months, as well.
To put together this list of the best indoor grills, I relied on my own experience with a variety of different appliances and brands. I selected models that are easy to use and able to replicate the same results as a full-size outdoor grill. For products I haven’t personally used, I turned to the insights of other cooking publications and experts, as well as user reviews on Amazon and other retail sites.
Everything to Know Before Buying an Indoor Grill
What to Consider Before Buying an Indoor Grill
With so many options out there to choose from, it can be hard to decide which grill is the best. Here are the factors I recommend looking at when comparing different indoor grills:
Capacity: Indoor grills tend to be much smaller than outdoor models, so capacity is important if you’re cooking for several people. Most brands list the size of the cooking surface in square inches or note how much food the grill can accommodate.
Power: Because indoor grills are powered by electricity, their power is measured in watts. Models with higher wattage will heat up more quickly and be able to reach higher temperatures for searing meat.
Smoke Control: Indoor grills can get smokey if you’re cooking food with a lot of fat, so some models have special features to minimize odors in your kitchen. If you’re concerned about smoke, look for an indoor grill with a cover, odor-control filter, and/or fan system.
Cleaning: For easy cleaning after each cooking session, look for an indoor grill that has a removable grease tray. You may also want to select a model with dishwasher-safe grill plates.
Can You Use a Propane Grill Indoors?
You should never use a propane grill indoors—even portable propane grills are designed for outdoor use only, as they use an open flame and require ample ventilation. Instead, you’ll want to use an electric indoor grill for cooking inside your home. These grills have safe electric heating elements, yet they still deliver the delicious flavors and crunchy char marks that you’d get from an outdoor grill.
How Do You Grill Indoors?
To make your favorite grilled recipes in the kitchen, you’ll want to use either an electric indoor grill or a grill pan, which is a type of skillet with raised ridges along the bottom. The process of using an indoor grill is similar to using an outdoor one. You’ll want to let the grill heat up for a few minutes, then arrange your food on the cooking grate. Let it cook for several minutes—the exact length of time will depend on what you’re cooking—then flip your food to cook the other side. The longer you leave the food on each side, the more defined your char marks will be.
How Do You Clean an Indoor Grill?
When you’re finished cooking on your indoor grill, let the appliance cool down for several minutes before you clean it. Remove the grill plates, then wash them with soap and water. Alternatively, you may be able to put them directly into the dishwasher. Indoor grills are generally equipped with a grease collection cup or tray, as well. Remove and dispose of any grease, then wash out the tray. Let all the pieces dry completely before reassembling and storing the grill.
How Do You Grill Chicken Indoors?
Grilled chicken breasts are great for sandwiches, salads, and more, and they’re easy to cook on an indoor grill. I like to pound chicken to ¼-inch thickness, then marinate it for several hours. When you’re ready to cook, turn your indoor grill up to medium-high heat, then cook the breasts for several minutes on each side until browned and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Let the meat rest for a few minutes before serving to ensure it’s moist and flavorful.
The Best Grilling Recipes
With the best indoor grills, you can cook all the same foods that you make on a gas or charcoal grill outdoors. This includes classics like hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks, and grilled vegetables, but there are lots of other grilling recipes that you and your family will love. Here are several of my favorite lightened-up options to try on your new grill:
Prices were accurate at time of publication.
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