Best Smokeless Indoor Grill Consumer Reports 2021

On a cold day, smoking indoors seems like a good idea, but the smoke is often a prime concern as it sets off the smoke alarm or compels you to open the windows. Fortunately, you don’t have to be bothered with these issues if you are grilling with one of the best smokeless indoor grills.

These humble kitchen appliances are not only meant to offer a smokeless grilling experience but also make cleaning and storage a breeze. On top of that, these devices feature a compact design, which ensures they squeeze perfectly into your little counter space and bring enough cooking surface for cooking large servings.

However, hundreds of models are out there, from good to great, which makes selecting the right one for indoor grilling a bit challenging. So, here’s the top 7 smokeless indoor grills and a detailed buying guide to ensure you make an informed decision.

America’s test Kitchen Best Smokeless Indoor Grill by Consumer Reports 2021

#1. Ninja Foodi AG301 5-in-1 Indoor Electric Countertop Grill

You’d agree with me that nothing makes grilling convenient and fun like a grill with the Set-and-Forget feature. The Ninja Foodi AG301 5-in-1 Indoor Electric Countertop Grill is engineered with ease of use and comfort in mind.

This model sizzles, sears, and air fries with crispy results. It helps cooks just as any outdoor grill and delivers that sweet outdoor grill flavor right from the comfort of your home. This kitchen gadget circulates 500 degrees F air through your food for even cooking and delicious results every time.

Ninja Foodi AG301 5-in-1 Indoor Electric Countertop Grill comes in handy for transforming your frozen foods into a perfectly chargrilled meal in a fraction of the time. That’s not the only thing I love about this product. It offers five cooking functions: grill, dehydrate, bake, roast, and fry.

In addition, this versatile grill includes 6 quart PTFE/PFOA-free, non-stick, ceramic-coated cooking pot; 10″ x 10″ PTFE/PFOA-free, non-stick, ceramic-coated grill grate; 4 quart PTFE/PFOA-free, non-stick, ceramic-coated crisper basket;  Cleaning brush;  Chef-created 15-recipe book.

#2. Hamilton Beach 25361 Electric Indoor Searing Grill

While most people believe cooking over open flames is the best way to achieve sumptuous grilled steaks, the Hamilton Beach 25361 Electric Indoor Searing Grill easily replicates the restaurant-quality results.

This model offers a decent cooking space of 118 square inches but won’t be enough to grill more than four pieces of salmon or two steaks simultaneously. Thus, it’s best suited for cooking small servings.

Furthermore, the Hamilton Beach 25361 Electric Indoor Searing Grill comes with a see-through hood to allow you to monitor whatever you’re cooking without worrying about grease splashes. Also, it helps seal in all the juices and flavor while preventing your food from getting cold or dry.

Thanks to its 1200W heating element, this grill cooks your food at a perfect temperature between 200 to 450 degrees F and delivers incredible sear marks. Even better, it features a control knob to allow you to cook at the preferred temperature.

More importantly, the drip tray, grate, and hood are easily removable and dishwasher friendly for a convenient cleaning experience. Sadly, the hood lacks proper insulation, which makes the handle a bit warm to the touch, potentially causing accidents.

#3. Power XL Smokeless Electric Indoor Removable Grill and Griddle Plates

If you want a grill to cook burgers, grill salmon, and sear steaks with consistent, desirable results, then this might be the model for you. Its ease of control, relatively affordable price point, and overall performance set it apart from the competition and makes it arguably the best smokeless indoor grill.

This grill has a grilling surface of about 140 square inches to handle several large items such as three racks of ribs, eight burger patties, four large steaks, or a whole chicken at the same time.

Power XL Smokeless Electric Indoor Removable Grill features a heavy-duty die-cast aluminum base and a non-stick, ceramic -coated cooking surface to support cooking without extra butter and oil.

Other hallmarks of Power XL Smokeless Electric Indoor Removable Grill is its consistent temperature and even heat distribution, especially at its edges. It delivers even heat distribution to get rid of cold or hot sports for uniform juiciness and doneness. Equipped with a 1200W heating element, this model preheats in less than six minutes.

Even better, this beast features a touch-controlled and LED-lit dial to adjust the temperature precisely. Plus, it’s fun to clean, unlike gas and charcoal grills.

#4. Philips Kitchen Appliances HD6371/98 Premium Smokeless Electric Indoor Grill

The Philips Smokeless Indoor Grill features advanced infrared technology for even heat distribution and delivers a delicious, smoky taste similar to the restaurant-grade outdoor grills.

This unit has several temperature settings to offer more control over the generated heat and max out at 446 degrees Fahrenheit. It has a drip tray to catch the grease and stays cool to prevent releasing steam or smoke, making it suitable for cooking indoors.

Furthermore, most components of this grill are easily removable and dishwasher friendly for a stress-free cleaning process. Philips Smoke-less Indoor Grill has nonslip feet to ensure it stay in place for a wobble-free cooking experience.

Here’s more: this unit features non-stick grid ALU to add the authentic grill marks to your food for a more appealing look. Also, the non-stick coating ensures easy food release during the cooking process. Equally important, it includes a free recipe book containing a huge variety of recipes for inspiration to cook all year round.

#5. T-Fal GC7 Opti-Grill Indoor Electric Grill

This model comes in a small, compact design but packs many bells and whistles for a better grilling experience. This piece of equipment is an ideal choice for people who prefer multitasking when cooking.

The T-Fal GC7 Opti-Grill Indoor Electric Grill features sensors to determine the thickness of the food and choose the best cooking model considering the piece’s size and thickness. This way, your food gets grilled properly and evenly every time.

With this appliance, you don’t need to be a professional chef to use this grill, as it was designed with both beginners and professional chefs in mind. It sports six cooking programs to allow you to cook a wide range of foods, including red meat, fish, sausage, burger, poultry, and sandwich.

Even better, this handy indoor grill takes out the guesswork when cooking your favorite foods. Also, T-Fal GC7 Opti-Grill Indoor Electric Grill has audible and visual indicators to allow users to monitor their foods easily and perform other tasks inside or outside the kitchen.

#6. George Foreman 5-Serving Multi-Plate Evolve Grill System

Another versatile grill making it to our list is George Foreman 5-Serving Multi-Plate Evolve Grill System. This multifunctional grill can easily replace several kitchen appliances and serve as a Muffin Pan, Bake dish, and Panini Press. Obviously, this machine is built to handle different cooking functions with ease using the plate.

That’s not all: this machine can be set flat, to use the muffin pans and baking pans or making gourmet Panini, or sloped to drain the excess fat from your meat. Thanks to its adjustable 1-inch hinge, this model can accommodate everything from thin-cut veggies to thick cuts of meat.

Wait, here’s more. This unit has a digital control panel to select the precise grilling temperature. Also, it displays the grill temperature and cooking time for a convenient and precise cooking process. For searing bursts up to 500 degrees, you have to push the special button.

The George Foreman 5-Serving Multi-Plate Evolve Grill System comes with a cooking surface measuring 75 square inches, which should be more than enough for toasting, baking, or grilling about five servings at a go. Thanks to the removable, non-stick plates, this unit is hassle-free to clean.

#7. Techwood Indoor Smokeless BBQ Grill

The Techwood Indoor Smokeless BBQ Grill is designed to cook evenly and deliciously without a heavy propane tank or charcoal. This unit delivers the flavor of an authentic outdoor grill, from grilled vegetables and chargrilled steaks without the smoke, for a seamless indoor grilling experience.

More importantly, it comes with a LED accurate digital temperature control to ensure users cook at the specific cooking temperature from 220 – 450 degrees F. Also, it maintains the set temperature throughout the whole grilling process and leaves BBQ grill marks with a gourmet chargrilled texture.

Things to Consider When Purchasing an Indoor grill

When trying to pin the best smokeless indoor grill, you need to consider a couple of factors, which will be discussed in this section:

Price

It’s important to determine your shopping budget and find a product that offers the best bang for your buck. However, indoor grills are relatively cheaper compared to charcoal-fed and gas-fueled grills.

More so, the price of an indoor is usually influenced by the brand and its interior capacity. The main functions include grilling, warming, and preheating, which means extra functions such as specific-food cooking and defrosting will cost more.

Size

To start with, indoor grills are not meant for cooking large servings to cater to large parties. Hitherto, these models are only large enough to cook for a whole family. They are ideal for creating quick meals without much hassle. While some smokeless indoor grills can serve up to five people, there are slightly larger models to cook for up to eight people at a go.

Construction

For an indoor grill, there are two main components: the grate and the heat source. The heat source is responsible for heating the grill and determining the heat level and how fast it heats. Therefore, you want to opt for a grill with easy-to-use temperature control and high energy efficiency to ensure it handles anything thrown at it.

Cleaning Ease

Nobody wants to spend quality time cleaning a kitchen appliance after a long cooking session. Thus, it would help if you considered a smokeless indoor grill with easily removable and dishwasher friendly components.

The best smokeless indoor grill should come with a drip tray to catch the excess fat and food dripping for an easy cleaning experience.

Smokeless Indoor Grill Review – Which One Is Best?

Conclusion

Indoor grills allow you to enjoy a grilled feast despite the unfavorable weather or apartments with limited space. However, it’s paramount that you purchase a model that offers the best bang for your buck.

So to ensure this, we’ve reviewed the top 7 best smokeless indoor grills, along with a detailed buying guide to help you make an informed decision.