The 8 Best Indoor Grills of 2023

The Best Indoor Grills in 2022 — Simply Recipes / Chloe Jeong

If you are craving grilled food but don't want to or can't cook outside, smokeless indoor grills are the answer. Whether you live in a city apartment or have an outdoor grill but it’s the height of winter or pouring rain, you can enjoy the delicious taste of grilled meats, fish, and vegetables while never leaving the comfort of your kitchen.

To create a smokeless grilling experience, indoor grills usually employ infrared heat rather than direct, open flames. They run off electricity, so no need to deal with a heavy propane tank, and most fit nicely on your countertop. There are two varieties of indoor grills: open grills and contact grills. The former is a sort of scaled-down version of an outdoor grill with an open grilling surface. You'll need to flip your food halfway through so that everything cooks evenly. Contact grills have two cooking surfaces—one on top and one on the bottom, like a panini press.

We sent a few of our top choices out for testing in real home kitchens by testers who miss grilling but lack the outdoor space necessary for even the smallest of grills. To test, they cooked up the burger recipe of their choice, in addition to making grilled romaine lettuce. They noted a few determining factors along the way, like how easy or hard it was to set up each grill out of the box and how long it took to get to the optimal temperature; some checked the temperatures with an infrared thermometer for accuracy. Lastly, they noted if their kitchens got smoky and whether cleanup was a breeze or not, including if any greasy mess was left behind on the counter.

From grills that sear to ones that do a lot more than grilling, here are the best smokeless indoor grills.

The Rundown

Best Overall:

Hamilton Beach Indoor Grill at Amazon

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Best Overall, Runner Up:

Zojirushi Indoor Electric Grill at Amazon

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Best Budget:

Elite Gourmet Indoor Electric Grill at Amazon

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Best Splurge:

De'Longhi Livenza All-Day Electric Grill at Amazon

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Best Mini Grill:

Dash Mini Maker Portable Grill Machine + Panini Press at Amazon

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Best Panini Press:

Cuisinart Electric Griddler Five at Amazon

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Best All-In-One:

Ninja Foodi Smart XL 6-in-1 Indoor Grill with 4-qt Air Fryer at Amazon

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Best for Steak:

All-Clad Electric Indoor Grill with AutoSense at Williams-Sonoma

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4.5

Hamilton Beach Electric Indoor Searing Grill

Amazon

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What We Love: Adjustable temperature dial, open grates to allow grease to drip, easy to clean, extra-large drip tray

What We Don't Love: Grill is bulky

The Hamilton Beach Searing Grill is a perfect indoor replacement for an outdoor grill. It won't smoke up your space, there's no fuel to have to mess around with, and it's pretty much ready to use right out of the box.

The temperature dial allows you to sear at 450 degrees and then lower the heat to continue cooking your steaks, burgers, and pork chops to the doneness you desire. A green light tells you when the temperature is reached, which took about 3 minutes for our tester. The burgers came off the grill with nice sear marks—though were slightly overcooked, so be sure to check for doneness earlier—and the fact the grease dripped through the open grates made it similar to an outdoor grilling experience. The romaine lettuce test was a bit hard to handle; this grill sat high on the tester's counter, and when it came time to remove the lettuce, the leverage was off and it slipped out the tongs. During our tests, the lid kept any smoke and heat contained in the grill.

Cleanup afterward was extremely easy, especially since the grease was captured by the pull-out drip tray, which is larger than other indoor grill models. Once cooled, the hood, plate, and drip tray are removable and dishwasher-safe. The grill is a bit bulky, so you will need dedicated storage space.

Price at time of publish: $80

Dimensions (LxWxH): 16.7 x 12.4 x 6.8 inches | Cooking Area: 118 square inches | Weight: 8.1 pounds | Material: Stainless steel

hamilton-beach-indoor-grill — Simply Recipes / Siobhan Wallace

4.3

Amazon

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What We Love: Open top mimics outdoor grill, cool-touch handles, easy to clean

What We Don't Love: Counter gets greasy because of no lid

Unlike most indoor electric grills, the Zojirushi does not have a lid that cooks food from both sides, so it more closely mimics the outdoor grilling experience. Perfect for grilling fruits and vegetables, the grill lays flat and can reach up to 410 degrees. It has cool-touch handles and a base for safety on the counter and easy maneuvering post-cooking. Its dishwasher-safe drip tray and large ceramic nonstick grilling surface detach from the body for easy cleaning.

We sent this home to a tester who found that it only took a few minutes to set it up after a quick look at the instructions. When it came time to grill, the surface got to full heat within 7 minutes, with the side of the grill closer to the temperature prong heating up slightly faster. That didn't stop it from cooking up juicy burgers and beautifully charred romaine lettuce without smoking up the tester's apartment. After testing, the cleanup of the grill itself wasn't an issue once everything cooled down, but since this doesn't have a lid, the counter did need a good wipe-down.

"I like the grill! I think it's a nice substitution for an outdoor grill for those who don't have outdoor spaces in urban environments. I've also grilled peppers and mushrooms so far, but I think it'd do a nice job on delicate seafood like prawns, scallops, and fish." — Elspeth Velten, General Manager, Simply Recipes

Price at time of publish: $102

Dimensions (LxWxH): 20.75 x 14 x 6.1 inches | Cooking Area: 112 square inches | Weight: 7.75 pounds | Material: Plastic and aluminum

4.2

Smokeless Indoor Electric BBQ Grill with Glass Lid

Amazon

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What We Love: Good-size cooking area, dishwasher-safe parts, lid prevents mess

What We Don't Love: Grill temperature may not be accurate, can be awkward to store

This pan-like indoor grill features an adjustable temperature knob that allows you to customize your cooking, reaching a high searing temperature of 450 degrees to lock in flavor. Your veggies, burgers, and fish will cook perfectly on the 14-inch round grill (there’s even enough space to cook those things altogether).

This grill comes with a large, slightly domed lid to let you cook without splashing grease or oil, and that came in handy during our testing. After a quick set-up, our tester started prepping for a burger dinner. Setting the temperature dial to 400 degrees, it's questionable if the grill pan got that hot; an infrared thermometer didn't register the same temperature once the grill's indicator light went on. As the burgers cooked, some grease sputtering happened, but the lid prevented a mess. The romaine performed less well than an outdoor grill; the leaves wilted and tasted great, but there were no sear marks. This all said, our tester enjoyed cooking on this, especially since the lid stopped a greasy mess and smoke in her kitchen.

The handles and base did stay cool to the touch, so you can safely use this without any burns to you or your countertop. Everything was on the easier side when it came to cleaning as the parts are dishwasher safe, though you might need to give the nonstick pan a little extra wipe-down as the grease tends to cling to it. Also, since the pan is very wide, it may be tricky to store.

Price at time of publish: $40

Dimensions (LxWxH): 17.5 x 16.5 x 4 inches | Cooking Area: 14-inch diameter | Weight: 6 pounds
| Material: Aluminum

Elite-Gourmet-Indoor-Grill — Simply Recipes / Siobhan Wallace

De'Longhi CGH1020D Livenza All-Day Electric Grill

Amazon

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What We Love: Versatile, lid opens fully flat, cooks evenly

What We Don't Love: Large size and accessories make it challenging to store

Featuring interchangeable plates, this versatile and efficient grill from De'Longhi includes embedded heating elements, which prevent hotspots for a more even cooking process. There's also an integrated drip tray for grease-free grilling.

The grill features separate temperature controls for the lid and base plate so you can customize your cooking, or cook a variety of foods that require different temperatures at once since the grill fully opens up to double your cooking space. Its extras fulfill all kinds of cooking desires—from the dishwasher-safe griddle, waffle, and grill plates to a broiler function that allows the lid to float for gorgeously melted cheese atop your burgers. All these extras and the size of the grill mean you need a decent-sized storage space.

Price at time of publish: $300

Dimensions (LxWxH): 18 x 14 x 7.5 inches | Cooking Area: 130 square inches | Weight: 20 pounds | Material: Stainless steel

Related: The Best Panini Presses

Amazon

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What We Love: Perfect for one person, versatile, inexpensive

What We Don't Love: No drip tray

If you often cook for one or counter space comes at a premium, Dash's mini and mighty grill might be your best grilling answer. Make a single serving (think a burger or a veggie burger) in just a few minutes—there’s no space to cook up too much more than that. What it makes up for in lack of size is its versatility: The 350-watt Dash Mini Grill is also perfect for grilling up breakfast sandwiches, paninis, and grilled cheese.

The nonstick surface means the plates are easy to wipe down when you're done. The biggest downside is that there isn’t anywhere for the oil to drain into, so if you have an oily burger, the cleanup might be a bit of a mess. This affordable, petite indoor grill comes with a 1-year warranty, recipe book, and recipe database.

Price at time of publish: $13

Dimensions (LxWxH): 5 x 6.4 x 2.8 inches | Cooking Area: 4-inch diameter | Weight: 1.6 pounds | Material: Nonstick

Related: The Best Electric Skillets

4.5

Amazon

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What We Love: Many functions, adjustable height, easy to store

What We Don't Love: Buttons to release grill plates can break easily

What’s better than a perfectly grilled, juicy burger? Perhaps a crispy-on-the-outside, melty-on-the-inside panini! The Cuisinart Griddler Five can deliver both of these and various other dishes due to its many capabilities.

Named for its five—yes, five—functions, this sleek machine is a panini press, contact grill, full grill, full griddle, and half grill/half griddle. Flip the grill plates to cook chicken, veggies, and quesadillas, or make a panini—the height adjusts to accommodate various thicknesses of bread. Its LCD screen shows function, temperature, and timer, while the removable and reversible dishwasher-safe nonstick cooking plates mean easy storage. A con mentioned by users is that the buttons you press to pop out the grill plates are made of plastic and can break easily.

Price at time of publish: $117

Dimensions (LxWxH): 13.25 x 12.5 x 8 inches | Cooking Area: 99 square inches | Weight: 9.4 pounds | Material: Stainless steel

Related: The Best Quesadilla Makers

Ninja Foodi Smart XL 6-in-1 Indoor Grill with 4-qt Air Fryer, Roast, Bake, Broil, Dehydrate

Amazon

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What We Love: Multi-functional, large cooking area, built-in temperature probe

What We Don't Love: Bulky to store

If you plan to keep your indoor grill on the countertop—whether due to lack of storage or frequency of use—this all-in-one indoor grill is worth the precious real estate. The Ninja Foodi Smart XL not only has a generous cooking area for grilling your favorite foods, but it can also air fry, roast, bake, broil, and dehydrate. Perfect for when the cookout is rained out, this indoor grill can fit up to 24 hot dogs or six steaks; and with the temperature-controlled grill grate, cool-air zone, and splatter shield, you don't have to worry about smoking up the kitchen. Once you're done grilling, keep the food warm in the oven while you swap to the air fryer insert to cook up some fries.

The Smart Cook system and built-in temperature probe allow for foolproof cooking. Use the front panel to choose among four protein settings and customize them to your desired doneness; you can also check on the food's progress with the integrated thermometer. The 500-degree Cyclonic Technology means the grilling surface sears the outside of the meat while circulating hot air to cook the inside evenly. Keep in mind that the accessories don't fit inside the grill for storage, so you will need a large space if putting it all in a cabinet.

Price at time of publish: $300

Dimensions (LxWxH): 15.75 x 16.54 x 11.1 inches | Cooking Area: 108 square inches | Weight: 22.44 pounds | Material: Stainless steel

All-Clad 5-Level Electric Indoor Grill with AutoSense, XL

Williams Sonoma

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If you’re going to forgo the steakhouse for your own kitchen, you’re going to need a grill that delivers a serious sear, great flavor, and gorgeous grill marks.

The All-Clad AutoSense Indoor Grill automatically detects the thickness of your food, and the number of pieces, and then uses sensors to cook each piece to perfection. You can even choose your level of doneness, for the perfect medium-rare or whatever you choose. It heats up to 525 degrees, roaring hot for an indoor grill. You can even defrost and grill ingredients straight from the freezer with its handy frozen setting.

Nonstick die-cast aluminum grill plates direct fat and oil into a drip tray for non-greasy results with minimal mess. Plus, this stainless-steel number will look fetching on your countertop.

Price at time of publish: $280

Dimensions (LxWxH): 19.25 x 14.5 x 9 inches | Cooking Area: 192 square inches | Weight: 16.5 pounds

Related: The Best Grills

Final Verdict

The Hamilton Beach Searing Grill will completely satisfy your grilling craving, whatever it is you want to cook up, while still being affordable. Though if you want to replicate your outdoor grill inside, you should pick up the Zojirushi Indoor Electric Grill.

Hamilton-Beach-Indoor-Grill-Burger-Testing — Simply Recipes / Siobhan Wallace

What to Look for in an Indoor Grill

Capacity

When it comes to the cooking surface, bigger isn’t necessarily better—especially considering you will have to find a spot to store the indoor grill in your kitchen. An 80-square-inch grill is a great fit for a single person or a couple, while a 100-square-inch can easily grill enough food for families of three to five. If you need to feed more people, get ready to grill up a few batches (or move the party outside, as you’re unlikely to find an indoor grill larger than 150 square inches).

Power

Higher wattage means two things: Your food will cook faster, and you will pay more. If speed matters, it’s worth investing in a higher-watt grill. It also helps if you want the option to sear your meat since that can only be achieved at a high temperature.

Features

If your kitchen doesn't have the best ventilation, a grill with a built-in filter will cut the smoke levels way down (despite the name, even these smokeless grills produce some smoke). Removable grill plates are also a great feature—they make cleaning up many times easier—especially if they're dishwasher safe. If not, you’ll have to carefully wipe the whole thing down with a damp cloth.

FAQs

Do you need a grill brush to clean an indoor grill?

Yes, it’s helpful to use a grill brush to clean an indoor grill. "Indoor grills can utilize the same equipment one would typically use for an outdoor grill, such as tongs and a grill brush,” says Chef Tim Hastings. Our testers found that indoor grills with nonstick grates were fairly easy to clean without a brush, though one would help if using the grill often.

Are cooking times different on indoor grills?

No, cooking times should be similar on indoor grills and fairly comparable to outdoor ones. To determine how your indoor grill heats up, cook something familiar like burgers, chicken, or veggie kebabs on it the first few times. Also, if your indoor grill has a lid, the cooking time will be cut in half compared to an outdoor grill since there is no need to flip the food.

Does food grilled on an indoor grill taste like outdoor grilling?

If you are used to eating foods grilled on a charcoal grill, indoor grilled food won't compare. But an indoor grill can create a similar taste and look to food cooked on an outdoor gas grill.

Why Trust Simply Recipes?

Hannah Howard has been writing about food and cooking for over a decade, including the memoirs “Feast” and “Plenty.” She feeds her little family, including a grilled-cheese-loving toddler, a lot of paninis, grilled veggies, and a burger.

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