The Best Smokeless Indoor Grills, Tested
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Take your passion for grilling indoors with one of these top smokeless grills.
Grilling outdoors with a charcoal or a gas grill is an excellent way to prepare a meal, but cooking outside isn’t always possible. Inclement weather can sideline an outdoor grill. And those who live in an apartment or a condo might not have the option to cook outdoors. In these cases, fortunately, smokeless indoor grills make it possible to grill right inside the kitchen.
Electric smokeless grills are suitable for indoor grilling because they use an electric heating element that can raise a cooking surface to temperatures as high as 500 degrees Fahrenheit without creating exhaust fumes or smoke. Some of them require you to add water to built-in reservoirs to make them smokeless, whereas others have fans or unique patented systems that drive the smoke downward.
Unlike their larger cousins, indoor grills are small enough to sit on countertops and store in cabinets. Such countertop grills range from budget-priced single-temperature models for one or two people to grills with smart cooking features that can create a meal for six or more.
With so many options, selecting the best indoor electric grill can be daunting. We tested the following models with various food items, ranging from proteins like steak and fish to vegetables such as Brussels sprouts and asparagus. We included common items, condiments, and sauces suited to a variety of diets, from vegan to gluten- and dairy-free to flexitarian, to see if they would produce smoke. And we explored every feature of the smokeless indoor grills, pressing sandwiches in folding grills and air-frying potatoes or roasting poultry under lids where warranted.
This guide explores the features to consider when shopping for smokeless indoor grills and includes some of the top models on the market.
- BEST OVERALL: PowerXL Smokeless Grill Pro
- BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Hamilton Beach Searing Grill With Lid Window
- UPGRADE PICK: GoWise USA 2-in-1 Smokeless Indoor Grill and Griddle
- BEST SMALL: George Foreman Indoor Grill and Panini Press
- BEST LARGE: Carl Schmidt Sohn Smokeless Indoor Grill
- BEST PRESS-STYLE: Cuisinart Griddler Elite
- BEST SMART GRILL: Ninja Foodi Smart XL Grill
- BEST WITH REMOVABLE PLATES: Cuisinart Contact Griddler With Smoke-less Mode
- BEST FOR STOVETOP: Kitchen + Home Stovetop Smokeless Indoor Grill
How We Tested the Best Smokeless Indoor Grills
We tested each grill with a variety of proteins, vegetables, and other typical barbecue products, examining each of the grills’ features. We gave these elements scores ranging from one to four, with four being the highest. Factors included temperature, amount of cooking surface, ease of setup and cleanup, durability, portability, storability, cord length, and price. We also reviewed customer satisfaction with both product and service and considered the learning curve for each appliance.
Our Top Picks
We tested the following electric smokeless grills extensively with a range of foods that suit a variety of diets. We used every feature of the grills, assessing them for ease of use, how long it took to learn their features, weight, portability, how difficult they were to clean and store, price point, size of cooking area, and even the length of the cord. Using these factors, the list below offers some of the best indoor electric grills on the market. It includes both affordable and high-end electric smokeless grill models of varying sizes, all of which are safe for use indoors.
Best Overall
PowerXL Smokeless Indoor Grill
Photo: amazon.com
While the PowerXL smokeless grill doesn’t duplicate the feel of an outdoor grill, it comes close, making it a worthy choice for those looking for an indoor grill experience that mimics their backyard barbecue. The grill consists of a cooking grate recessed into a rectangular body. This design helps the grill generate ample heat for searing a brown char on meat while also creating space for heat circulation when covered.
The clear glass lid differs from a standard barbecue, but it allows cooks to monitor the food without having to crack the lid. We found this helpful when cooking food like fish because it traps the aromas, allowing the user to open it only once or twice near a window or oven fan. It also has its own fan, keeping the whole appliance from overheating.
A drip tray that slides out from the bottom made post-barbecue cleanup relatively easy. With its 108 square inches of cooking surface, the grill is large enough to cook three steaks or a half dozen burgers while remaining small enough to store in a kitchen cabinet. Two cooking surfaces—a griddle and grill grate—add versatility, making the PowerXL both a traditional and a flat-top grill ideal for families or hosts who like to throw parties.
Product Specs
- Cooking surface: 108 square inches
- Dimensions: 5 inches high by 20 inches wide by 12 inches deep
- Weight: 17 pounds
Pros
- Clear tempered-glass lid keeps odors in and allows cooks to monitor food
- Grease-management system slides out to make cleanup easier
- Interchangeable griddle and grills plates are easy to clean and add versatility
Cons
- Pricey compared to other indoor grills
- Requires the addition of water to become smokeless
- Short cord limits flexibility of placement; an extension cord might be necessary in some kitchens
Get the PowerXL smokeless indoor grill at Amazon.
Best Bang for Buck
Hamilton Beach Searing Grill With Lid Window
Photo: amazon.com
At a price that’s more affordable than other smokeless electric grills, it’s tough to beat the value of this model from Hamilton Beach. The grill surface gets hot enough to sear steaks. And with its 118-square-inch size, it’s large enough to cook a couple of steaks, six good-size hamburgers, a pair of fish fillets, or a dozen asparagus. While it may be difficult to cook an entire meal on it, we were able to cook a main course for a group of people.
A large concave lid does a better job of mimicking that of a larger outdoor grill than the more expensive models that use glass lids. The lid’s concave shape better circulates hot air, while its hinged design and a handle that covers the entire length make it easy to open and close when turning food. It also features a viewing window for seeing our food cooking without needing to open it. A large knob on the front of the unit adjusts the heat, and an extra-large drip tray does a great job of managing greasy barbecuing tasks.
Product Specs
- Cooking surface: 118 square inches
- Dimensions: 6.81 inches high by 16.73 inches wide by 12.4 inches deep
- Weight: 8 pounds
Pros
- Affordably priced compared to other smokeless electric grills
- Broad cooking surface for the money; accommodates cooking a main course for a small group
- Large grill-style lid with viewing window and surface hot enough to sear
- Ample grease tray does a great job of managing barbecuing mess
Cons
- Lack of specific temperatures on controls makes consistency more challenging
- Short cord doesn’t always allow the smokeless electric grill to be in a convenient location
Get the Hamilton Beach smokeless indoor grill at Amazon, Target, or Hamilton Beach.
Upgrade Pick
GoWise USA 2-in-1 Smokeless Indoor Grill and Griddle
Photo: amazon.com
The GoWise USA smokeless grill features two cooking surfaces with enough space for grilling family meals. It heats up to 482 degrees Fahrenheit using powerful convection elements that give food an authentic barbecue taste.
The two interchangeable griddle and grill plates allow a variety of foods to be prepared, including pancakes, eggs, steak, and burgers. It’s also great for fare that requires browning on the outside and quick heating in the middle, like quesadillas or grilled cheese. We liked that the griddle is equally useful for various sauteed and stir-fried dishes ranging from rice to proteins and veggies that get stuffed into pita bread. We also found it convenient to prepare one plate with raw ingredients while other items were already being cooked. That said, we had to be careful about removing one cooking plate and replacing it with the other, as their small metal handles do get hot.
To keep the air clean and the grill “smokeless,” we added water to the bottom of the drip tray, which is cooled by a rather loud built-in fan during cooking. The fat and grease from the cooking surface above drop into the cooled liquid, neutralizing any smoke. The grill, griddle, and drip tray are removable and dishwasher-safe, while its slim profile makes it easy to store when not in use.
Product Specs
- Cooking surface: 141 square inches
- Dimensions: 5 inches high by 21.5 inches wide by 14 inches deep
- Weight: 10 pounds
Pros
- Interchangeable grill/griddle allows for preparation of a variety of foods
- Comes with recipe book that inspires meal ideas for new and adventurous cooks
- Heats to 482 degrees Fahrenheit to give food an authentic barbecue taste
Cons
- Handles on grill/griddle aren’t cool-touch; requires extra care, especially when children are nearby
- Heat control knob doesn’t display temperature
- Fan is louder than expected, which is inconvenient when entertaining
Get the GoWise smokeless indoor grill and griddle at Amazon or Wayfair.
Best Small
George Foreman Indoor Grill and Panini Press
Photo: amazon.com
This classic countertop electric grill can hold two burger patties and heats up quickly, offering a fast, easy, and affordable way to cut fat and avoid char. It cooks most foods in 10 minutes or less.
Always being improved, this more recent model has a lower profile, taking up 34 percent less space than the original version. And while it’s sleeker and slimmer, it’s now also three times as tough. The nonstick coating on the grill plates is also free of PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid), a common chemical used in nonstick products.
The grill is equipped with a cool-touch handle at the front. An indicator light on the top enables users to see when the grill is on or off. It weighs only a bit more than 3 pounds and has just enough cooking space to prepare a meal for one or two people. We experimented with setting the legs on an angle to let grease slide out or set it flat to make it into a panini press. We also adjusted the hinge for thicker steaks, burgers, fish, and chops. In the end, we appreciated how these newer features increase the versatility of the traditional George Foreman, but the size limitations remain. This is one grill we won’t be using to cook for a crowd.
Product Specs
- Cooking surface: 78.75 square inches
- Dimensions: 3.1 inches high by 7.53 inches wide by 10.49 inches deep
- Weight: 3.63 pounds
Pros
- Adjustable 1-inch hinge accommodates cooking thicker steaks or veggies
- Adjustable grilling angle, hinged legs, and nonstick coating allow for easy grease runoff
- Space-saving design is great for couples and convenient to leave on the counter
Cons
- Small cooking surface won’t be enough to cook for a family or a group of friends
- No temperature control makes it hard to be consistent when cooking
- No presets or timers means all measurements must be external
Get the George Foreman smokeless indoor grill at Amazon or Target.
Best Large
Carl Schmidt Sohn Smokeless Indoor Grill
Photo: amazon.com
The compromise with countertop grills is their comparatively small cooking surfaces, which typically hover around 100 square inches. Carl Schmidt Sohn expands those parameters with an indoor smokeless electric grill that boasts 135 square inches of cooking surface divided into a grill and a griddle. And, while other large indoor grills lack lids, Carl Schmidt Sohn’s sports a large tempered-glass lid so that it can roast, bake, and dehydrate as well as grill. This product is a good choice for a family that relies on a versatile appliance for quick weeknight meals like roasted chicken or grilled kebabs as well as more elaborate or fun items during the weekend.
Simple controls allowed us to easily adjust the grill’s temperature and fan-powered smoke control system. We found it easy to clean thanks to a construction that breaks down into individual parts. Keep in mind that its large cooking surface also makes this one of the larger grills on the market, at 19.29 inches wide and 12 inches deep, so make sure there is plenty of free space on the counter.
However, that large grilling surface means that users can also cook a whole pork loin or an entire head-on fish if they so choose. While the glass lid makes it less portable than other grills to take to a campsite, it would also be perfectly at home in an RV, should there be room for it.
Product Specs
- Cooking surface: 135 square inches
- Dimensions: 3 inches high by 19.29 inches wide by 12 inches deep
- Weight: 15.07 pounds
Pros
- Wide cooking surface provides ample cooking capacity
- Dual grill and griddle sides offer the versatility to roast, saute, and grill
- Clear tempered-glass lid adds the option to bake and dehydrate
Cons
- Has a large footprint, meaning it’s unlikely to be kept out between uses
- The glass lid makes it less portable than other grills and requires careful handling
- Large size makes it hard to store
Get the Carl Schmidt Sohn smokeless indoor grill at Amazon.
Best Press-Style
Cuisinart Griddler Elite
Photo: amazon.com
Press-style grills eliminate the need to periodically turn food by grilling both sides simultaneously. Of this grill type, the Griddler Elite from Cuisinart is one of the best, combining durable stainless steel construction with a versatile design. Functional and practical, it’s useful for anyone, wheth