If you don’t have much time and just want to find out what the best electric grill is, then I recommend the George Foreman 15-Serving Indoor/Outdoor Electric Grill as the best one.
With a market full of options, finding the best electric grill for you can be overwhelming but is an extremely exciting purchase.
Electric grills offer many benefits to improve cooking and grilling time when compared to a charcoal or gas grill. It will leave you wondering why you haven’t tried electric grilling before!
All About Buying an Electric Grill
An electric grill can change the way you cook, leaving you with great grilled meals in record time.
The time from grill to table will become much shorter so you can enjoy your meals sooner. I know that for me, electric grilling saves me during a time crunch.
Incorporating an electric grill into my lifestyle has allowed me to not sacrifice flavor for convenience. And for me, convenience is necessary since I have a busy lifestyle. Of course, the flame charred smell doesn’t surround my back yard anymore but I still can attain this flavor with an electric grill.
This is what to look out for when searching for a new electric BBQ.
Advantages of an Electric Grill
Portability
Most electric grills can be used inside and outside.
This is a very appealing feature for someone who likes to grill all year round. Electric BBQ can happen not only when it is 70 degrees and sunny, but also 20 degrees and snowing.
Electric grills can be transported with much more ease compared to charcoal grills. However, you have to be aware that some electric grills are much more travel-friendly than others. Some can be as small as a textbook, while others will be as big as a regular charcoal grill.
Convenient for Any Type of Building
Often regular charcoal BBQs are not permitted in apartment complexes due to fire hazards. This can be an absolute bummer. However, there is no need to fret because electric grills are a convenient alternative to charcoal grills. They come in several different sizes to fit anyone’s living situation.
Additionally, they are permitted in most apartment complexes so there is no need to sacrifice being able to grill. Electric grills allow you to truly have it all! All that is required is a plugin and then you are on your way to starting grilling.
Controllability
An interesting benefit of electric grills is the ability to manage heat. Electric grills allow for an accurate stable temperature. This ensures that you know that your food is evenly cooked from one part to another.
As importantly, this stable temperature won’t be disturbed by any outside forces out of your control, such as varying weather or wind conditions.
This can save time, energy, and frustration when you are trying to cook the perfect steak.
Less Odor and Smoke
This factor could be seen as an advantage or a disadvantage.
Electric grills are relatively odorless and smokeless compared to gas or charcoal grills. Some people enjoy the sweet summertime smell of a charcoal grill. On the contrary, others would be quite glad to not have to deal with strong odors and smoke, especially when grilling indoor.
What You Need to Know About Electric Grilling
Extended Cooking Time
Unfortunately, electric grills often increase cooking times since the cooking element must heat up to temperature. This could end up causing you to spend more time cooking than you’d hope.
Doesn’t Taste Authentically Grilled
This is an important factor to consider. Electric grills are not using fire to cook. Therefore, there is no smoky, charcoal taste on the food. Good BBQ can still be achievable however; it will just end up looking and tasting a bit different.
The Risk of the Hot Heating Element
An electric BBQ is all fun and games until there is a potential for severe burns.
When using a charcoal or gas grill, it can be a lot more obvious when it is hot. There is either an open flame or searing coals in the eye’s view.
When using an electric grill, it can be difficult to tell when it is hot, and when it has cooled down. Accidentally burning from a heating element could be more likely with an electric grill.
Additionally, the hot grease and meat juices collect in an electric grill. These juices and fats can cause burns when handling.
Myths and Truths About Electric Grills
One myth about electric grills is that you must spend a pretty penny to get a good value electric grill.
This is not true.
Often, you can find great quality electric grills for 200 dollars or less. Certainly, you can always spend more. In this case, you won’t have to lose out on a great grill if you don’t spend hundreds of dollars.
Another myth about electric grills is that they are difficult to maintain.
Again, it’s quite the contrary that is true: they can be maintained with minimal effort.
Electric grills cannot be put in the dishwasher but they can be unplugged and cleaned with a sponge and water. There is no need for check-ups on various working parts like gas because it is just a plugin.
What Is the Best Electric Grill?
I’ve compiled a list of five electric grills on the market and examined their benefits and drawbacks so you can figure out which electric BBQ will best serve you and your needs.
George Foreman 15-Serving Indoor/Outdoor Electric Grill
This large family-style electric grill offers 240 square inches of working space to cook. This George Forman grill has an upright stand that reflects the same look of a charcoal grill, which I find quite nice. The stand is a removable feature, convenient for indoor and outdoor compatibility.
There are five featured heat settings, which allow for a wide range of cooking options. These settings allow for a precise and accurate grill every time you cook!
With the George Foreman patented fat-removing design, the grill is shaped to collect the excess fat. Its removable grill plate makes this electric grill one of the easiest electric BBQs to clean.
The unique drip tray also ensures a safe and fast clean-up. It collects fat and can be removed for a thorough dishwasher clean.
Pros:
- Looks just like a charcoal grill
- Large cooking plate of 240 inches
- Removable stand
- Dishwasher-safe drip tray
- 5 heat settings
Cons:
- The circular design of the cooking tray is difficult to fit into a sink for clean up
- Easy to forget about the drip tray because it is hidden, a possible safety hazard
- Drains occasionally get clogged
Hamilton Beach Indoor Electric Heating Grill
A convenient tabletop electric grill, the Hamilton Beach indoor electric grill allows for flavorful cooking all year round.
It can serve up to six, featuring a 118 square inch cooking surface. The hood of the grill is specifically designed to lock in flavors and heat to get a faster, more even grill. It sears up to 450 degrees for crisp burgers and vegetables. There is a versatile temperature knob so you can choose which temperature you’d like to cook at.
The indoor grill hood, cooking plate, and drip tray are all removable and dishwasher-safe. The design of the Hamilton electric grill offers a simpler clean up with its non-stick grill rack. That way, you don’t have to spend too much time scrubbing away after your meal.
An integrated cooking view window is in the cooking hood. You can watch your food sizzle and cook to perfection through this unique design. Two lights are featured on the grill, showing you when it is preheating and then when it’s ready to start grilling.
Pros:
- Adjustable temperature knob
- Unique grill hood for all-around heat distribution
- Window in the grill hood
- Dishwasher safe grill rack and grease tray
Cons:
- After long usage, Teflon non-stick covering may flake off
- Grease tray sometimes doesn’t catch all the grease, can be slightly messier compared to other grill grease handling systems
T-fal GC722D3 1800W OptiGrill XL Indoor Electric Grill
As a powerful force, the T-fal electric grill offers 1,800 watts of power that senses when your meat is done. This smart technology features nine auto cooking programs which include:
- burger
- poultry
- sandwich
- sausage
- red meat
- pork
- fish
- bacon
- shellfish
It can cook all of these items with the touch of a button. Especially for the instances when you don’t know how long a frozen item needs to be cooked. The grill will beep at you when your food is cooked to your liking. It offers a rare, medium, and well-done option.
It is capable to serve up to eight people.
This is the best electric grill for novice grillers. The T-fal makes it easy for them to cook their preferred steak every time with the automatic settings. Also, this grill includes a recipe book for those who don’t know exactly where to start in the world of grilling.
With an ergonomic handle that compliments the shape of the hand, it is easy to access the control panel.
Pros:
- Automatic settings for various foods
- Audible beep for rare, medium and well done
- Includes a recipe book
Cons:
- Potential error for automatic cooking like overcooked food
- Issues with recalibrating the sensors
- Pricier than other competitors
Phillips Smokeless Indoor BBQ Grill
This high tech electric grill offers a novel infrared technology for grill-centered heat. There are infrared lights placed just below the grill top that crank up the heat. This way, you’ll go without the extra smoke and fat burning before your eyes and in your home. It offers 1,660 watts of power to get the grill job done.
This grill offers a smokeless attractiveness due to its lowered drip tray. This allows for the drip tray to stay cool and away from any heat source that could cause smoke.
This Phillips grill makes the simple choice for you; it cooks at one temperature. It cooks at 446 degrees which is an overall good temperature for any type of fish, meat, or poultry when grilling.
The grill top is removable so it can be put in the dishwasher or wiped clean. It also features non-slip feet so the grill is stable and won’t move during prep, grilling, or clean up.
Pros:
- Infrared patented technology for less smoke and odor
- Non-slip footing
- Drip tray remains cool since it is far away from the heat source
- Evenly cooks with infrared technology
- No heat fluctuation
Cons:
- Cannot adjust heat, only one heat setting
- Difficult to use for the first set up, must-read instructions diligently
- Can’t spray any non-stick spray due to the open component
Char-broil TRU-Infrared Patio Bistro Electric Grill
This grill offers 320 square inches of grilling space for maximizing serving size.
It features infrared technology for an evenly grilled steak. This can help reduce the dryness of food since the temperature is consistent. The juices are locked into the meat due to infrared technology.
What I like about the Char-broil electric grill is that it looks like the electric twin to a charcoal outdoor grill.
Just like an authentic charcoal grill, it is mainly for outdoor use and can be wheeled around. There are also two surfaces, one lower and one higher. Vegetables can be cooked higher up and meat on the bottom.
The hood features a temperature gauge to always know when your food is cooked through. There is also a temperature control so you can choose any temperature to cook at.
Pros:
- Looks just like a charcoal grill, designed with two-tier cooking
- Large cooking surface
- Wheels for easy storage in garage
- Infrared technology for even and juicier cook
- Dial that allows choice for temperature
Cons:
- Can only be used outside
- Bulky and not compact
- Loses heat quickly when opened
Conclusion
The best overall pick is the George Forman grill.
It has several different features that make an effective electric grill and one of my personal favorites.
It’s adaptable to both indoor and outdoor use and offers a large grilling surface. It also offers a great choice for heat setting and its tray is dishwasher safe. These features make it incredibly easy for me to enjoy a perfectly seared steak every time and leave me with minimal clean-up stress.
In my opinion, it’s the ideal electric grill for just about any circumstance.
