Do you live in an apartment or condo where traditional grills are forbidden? Maybe it’s super hot out or too windy causing your city or town to have an open burn or wind ban, but you are just craving that perfect steak. Or you want to have a few beers and burgers with friends.
You may feel like giving up and just ordering a pizza or take out, but before you do, check out this list of the best smokeless indoor grills.
Yes, you read that right: smokeless indoor grills. Your backyard BBQ is back on, just in the kitchen instead of the backyard. With these grills, you can cook inside while still producing the same great taste as a traditional gas or charcoal grill.
Keep reading to discover more about our top picks below:
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#1. Hamilton Beach (25361) Electric Indoor Searing Grill
Specs
Dimensions: 12.4 x 16.73 x 6.81 inches
Weight: 8.14 pounds
Grilling surface: 118 square-inch
Temperature: 200°F – 450°F
This is a great grill for those who are wanting the taste of outdoor grilling but with the convenience of the indoors. Serving up to six with a grilling space of 118 square inches of grilling surface, this indoor grill locks in juices and flavors as it sears at 450 degrees Fahrenheit or you can use the adjustable temperature dial to grill your food at a lower heat.
You can keep an eye on your food through the window on the hood of the grill. Don’t worry about messes as this grill comes with an extra-large drip tray that is dishwasher safe. This grill is great for traditional steaks, bbq, and hamburgers as well as chicken, vegetables, and fish.
With such a high rating, it’s no wonder the reviews are perfect for this indoor grill. Consumers have only the best things to say. They love their Hamilton Beach grills.
#2. Cuisinart GR-150P1 GR-150 Griddler Deluxe
Specs
Dimensions: 15.98 x 14.6 x 7.87 inches
Weight: 13.3 pounds
Grilling surface: 240 square-inch
Temperature: up to 500°F
This indoor grill by Cuisinart is perfect for those who are looking for a griddle-style grill. It comes with six preset cooking options in one grill. Choose from a contact grill, panini press, full griddle, full grill, half grill, half griddle, and top melt.
It can sear at 500 degrees Fahrenheit for up to two minutes at a time. The 1.69 cubic feet grill and griddle plate are removable, reversible, and nonstick. The grill comes with dishwasher-safe accessories. It also includes an instruction and recipe book.
Consumers say this is a great grill for indoor cooking. People like the shorter heat-up times and ease of cleaning when done cooking. Its commercial-grade and well-made design features make this a hit.
#3. George Foreman 15-Serving Indoor/Outdoor Electric Grill
Specs
Dimensions: 22.2 x 20.5 x 13 inches
Weight: 21 pounds
Grilling surface: 240 square-inch
Temperature: up to about 400°F
If you’re planning on cooking for a large family, or if you’re heading to a tailgating party, this is the grill for you. The 240 square inch grilling space will let you make 15 servings at once. It can cook indoors or outdoors with its removable stand.
The nonstick coating makes the grill durable and easy to clean. It also removes the need for butter or oil, so you can cook healthier. The adjustable temperature control lets you choose from five heat settings so your food will come out perfect every time.
People love the fact that this is a great grill for an apartment balcony and that they can bring it indoors if they don’t feel like cooking outside. This makes it a great investment for year-round cooking.
#4. T-Fal GC7 Opti-Grill Indoor Electric Grill
Specs
Dimension: 14 x 13 x 6 inches
Weight: 11.6 pounds
Grilling surface: 93 square-inch
Temperature: up to about 400°F
Choose this grill if you are looking for basically effortless grilling with perfect results. This grill is the first of its kind that adapts its grilling cycles to the thickness of the food you’re cooking. The 236-inch cooking surface has six automatic cooking settings for burgers, poultry, sandwiches, sausage, red meat, and fish.
Keep track of the cooking process with the grill’s preheating and ready indicator lights with audible beeps for rare, medium, and well done. It’ll even cook frozen foods. The die-cast aluminum and removable nonstick plates make for easy cleaning and the drip tray and plates are dishwasher safe.
Reviewers say this is great for chicken, fish, and pork. It measures its doneness by the thickness and adjusts the cooking time when you use the auto-programs. It’s easy to clean up since all you need to do is put the grills in the dishwasher.
#5: Philips Smokeless Indoor BBQ Grill
Specs
Dimensions: 7.48 x 21.85 x 16.93 inches
Weight: 15.66 pounds
Temperature: up to 446°F
If you live in a condo or apartment, this grill is for you. Using advanced infrared technology, this grill cooks meat, poultry, and fish at a consistent temperature of 446 degrees Fahrenheit, keeping the food juicy and tender on the inside. The grill grid is dishwasher safe, making it super easy to clean up once you’re done.
According to reviews, this grill is worth every penny. It’s perfect for apartments or condos where gas and charcoal grills aren’t allowed. The food tastes great and it’s easy to clean afterward.
#6. KRUPS Precision Electric Grill
Specs
Dimensions: 17.1 x 9.5 x 16 inches
Weight: 11.6 pounds
Temperature: 250°F – 525°F
KRUPS Precision Electric Grill is perfect for those who want their food done a specific way. This indoor grill detects the thickness of your food and will automatically adjust the settings to cook your food perfectly every time. Choose the mode for what you’re cooking, whether it be burgers, a panini, chicken, sausage, red meat, or fish and the grill will alert you when it’s reached your preferred setting of rare, medium-rare, medium, medium-well, or well done.
Cooking fruits or veggies? No problem since you can also customize the temperature anywhere from 250 degrees to 525 degrees Fahrenheit. There is no smoke so it’s great for indoors and the fat and grease drip safely away into a removable, dishwasher-safe tray.
Reviewers claim this indoor electric grill produces the perfect juicy burger every time. The touch controls and flexibility of automatic or manual cooking options are great features. It cooks to perfection every time.
#7. Weber 52020001 Q1400 Electric Grill
Specs
Dimensions: 23.5 x 27 x 20.5 inches
Weight: 29.5 pounds
Grilling surface: 189 square-inch
Weber is known for its high-quality grills. This grill is no exception. This electric grill comes with a 1560-watt electric heating element that will heat the 189 square inch cooking area. It has infinite control burner valve settings.
The grill comes fully assembled out of the box and includes porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grates with a cast aluminum body and lid and a six-foot grounded cord so you can easily reach outlets no matter where you’re cooking.
Coming from a popular manufacturer, this grill has gotten consistent outstanding reviews. People love how perfect their food comes out every single time along with the ease of use of this grill.
#8. Breville BGR820XL Smart Grill
Specs
Dimensions: 16 x 14 x 5 inches
Weight: 18.96 pounds
Temperature: 310°F – 450°F
Breville is a great option for those people who love to BBQ, but can’t have open flames or smoke around their home. This smart grill opens flat to ‘BBQ Mode.’
The 1800-watt embedded heating system has a variable temperature control of 310 degrees to 450 degrees Fahrenheit as well as low, panini, and sear modes. It also has six adjustable height settings. The removable drip tray and Element IQ plates are all dishwasher safe.
This is a great smokeless indoor grill that does a great job of cooking a variety of foods. Some reviewers say they’ve even cooked eggs and pizza on this grill. It’s also great for reheating.
#9. Char-Broil 17602047 Infrared Electric Patio Bistro
Specs
Dimensions: 25.6 x 39.8 x 39.8 inches
Weight: 54 pounds
Grilling surface: 240 square-inch + 80 square-inch warming rack
Live in an apartment or condo? This is another option to help you get the great taste of grilling out. The Char-Broil Infrared Electric Patio Bistro features 240 square inches of grilling surface with an 80 square inch warming rack. This is enough space to fit between eight and 12 hamburgers at a time.
The Electric TRU-Infrared cooking system cooks your food evenly for juicy, tender food each time. The porcelain-coated cast-iron cooking grates are rust-resistant and easy to clean. The folding side shelves provide plenty of prep space.
Consumers love their Char-Broil Infrared Electric Patio Bistro because it’s great for apartments and condos where you’re not allowed open flame or smoke. It holds the 500 degrees Fahrenheit temperature consistently, although they say not to open the lid too much as it’ll lose its heat. It’s the perfect grill when you’re cooking for a small number of people.
#10. De’Longhi Perfecto Indoor Grill
Specs
Dimensions: 19.69 x 13.19 x 6.69 inches
Weight: 10.8 pounds
Grilling surface: Large
De’Longhi is a great choice for indoor grilling. This 1500-watt indoor grill distributes heat evenly due to the fully embedded grill plate heating element. The large cooking surface provides enough room to cook for the whole family at once. You’ll be able to grill perfect food each time with the detachable, adjustable thermostat. It’s even easy to clean, simply wipe down the grill plate and empty the drip tray.
Reviewers say this is a great indoor grill and clean up is a breeze. The food comes out tasting as good as if it were cooked on a traditional gas or charcoal grill.
#11. Ninja Foodi Grill
Specs
Dimensions: 12.05 x 16.88 x 10.59 inches
Weight: 20 pounds
Temperature: 105°F – 500°F
This grill is for those who are looking for an indoor smokeless grill as well as an air fryer. That’s because this indoor stainless steel grill doubles as an air fryer.
It circulates 500 degrees Fahrenheit air around the food for searing while the 500 degrees Fahrenheit high-density grill creates delicious char-grilled marks and seals in the flavor. You’ll get perfectly cooked food on each side every time. Did you forget to defrost the food? No problem as this electric grill will cook your food from frozen to perfect in about 25 minutes.
The reviews for this product are great. The consensus is that this is a great indoor grill. The only drawback is that it’s a bit bulky so you’ll need plenty of counter space to use it. Other than that, consumers say it cooks their food to perfection every time.
#12. Power XL Smokeless Electric Indoor Removable Grill
Specs
Dimensions: 21 x 15.4 x 8.1 inches
Weight: 15.47 pounds
Grilling surface: big enough for 8 burgers
Temperature: up to 450°F
Are you wanting to bring your BBQ indoors? Do it with the Power XL Smokeless Electric Indoor Grill. The surface area is big enough for three entire racks of ribs, eight large hamburgers, or combine your meat with veggies for an entire meal at one time. The 450-degree Fahrenheit custom heat control lets you get the perfect doneness you want with each meal. Grill from frozen to done in no time.
The nonstick surface means you won’t have to add any butter or oil and even fish won’t stick to it and it’s dishwasher safe.
Reviews say this is a great grill that is perfect when you can’t use a gas or charcoal grill. It chars just like a traditional grill, even giving you those great looking char marks. There’s even a tray where you can add liquid to diffuse into the food while it cooks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you interested in a smokeless indoor grill but aren’t sure how they work? Unlike charcoal or gas grills, smokeless indoor grills rely on electricity. Many of these types of grills work using an advanced technology like infrared and reflective coating to simulate outdoor grilling results.
Other types operate by heating up water that, in turn, heats up a top plate. Regardless of the heating method, you’re sure to get that same great grill taste without having to put a foot outdoors.
Since smokeless indoor grills are designed to be, well . . . smokeless, many come with lids. But not all of them have this option, so don’t be alarmed if your new grill doesn’t come with one. Most do come with a drip tray so the grease runs off instead of burning off, which helps keep your smoke detectors in check and doesn’t fill your house with smoke. This makes these types of grills perfect for apartment or condo living.
Now that you know how a smokeless indoor grill works, you want to know what you can safely cook on it. After all, you don’t want to cook something that is going to either burn up your new grill or taste horrible when you sit down to eat your meal, or worse yet, overcook or undercook the food.
One of the best things about a smokeless indoor grill is that you can cook anything on it that you would cook on a traditional charcoal or gas outdoor grill. This includes steaks, hamburgers, hot dogs, sausages, vegetables, pork, fruit, and so on. Smokeless indoors grills bring the amazing outdoor grilling experience indoors so you can get that savory, delicious grilled food taste all year round.
You’ve just cooked an amazing meal on your smokeless indoor grill and it’s time to clean up the kitchen. Thankfully, there’s not much of a mess, but how exactly do you clean your grill? Should you hand wash it or is it dishwasher safe?
This is going to be up to the manufacturer so you’ll want to read the manual before you begin the cleaning process, however; most smokeless indoor grills are super easy to clean. There’s often no or very little scrubbing required.
The easiest way to clean these grills is to put the griddle plate, drip tray, lid, and water tray all right into the dishwasher. Hand wash the base unit with a warm, damp cloth and mild cleaning liquid and then dry. It’s really that easy. Again, before you do this, make sure you read the manufacturer’s instructions so you don’t void out any warranty that may come with the product.
Did you open the new box to your indoor smokeless grill and only to realize there are pieces missing? Or maybe you plugged your product in for the first time and the smokeless grill wouldn’t work. What are your options?
Well, you have a couple of options. Oftentimes, you can go back to the retailer where you purchased it for an exchange or return. Just keep in mind that retailers may not have access to replacement parts or be authorized to make exchanges on behalf of the manufacturer.
I recommend calling the manufacturer and seeing if there is a warranty on the product. In any case, the manufacturer may be able to send you the replacement parts needed or they might go ahead and replace the entire grill. This option is best, especially if you bought it on sale since retailers most likely won’t honor returns at full price value.
Conclusion
While most of these grills work the same basic way, some have more features than others, such as the ability to cook based on thickness or automatic controls. Choose the smokeless indoor grill that is perfect for you and your family’s cooking needs. Whether you need a large grill to feed your kid’s youth baseball team, or a smaller one for a romantic night of steak and wine, the smokeless indoor grill for you is on this list.
Jeff Wilson is a writer, product comparison expert, and grilling enthusiast, passionate about helping you save money on popular home products.
