What’s The Best Indoor Grill? Top 10 Revealed

Meta: Making the transition to indoor grilling or just curious about the best indoor grills on the market? Check out our take on the top 10 indoor grills of 2019.

Indoor grilling is on the rise, with the latest countertop grills offering impressive design upgrades and specifications over previous models.

How We Choose Our Picks

We’ve researched the most popular indoor grills on the market and selected the Top 10 to bring you our take on the best indoor grills available.

Read on to discover our choices for the Top 10 indoor grills of 2019, including:

• • Multi-function countertop grill designs

• • Versatile indoor/outdoor electric grills

• • Reversible indoor grills & griddles

• Sleek indoor grills with specialized Smart sensors and digital technology

T-Fal OptiGrill

Coming it at number one our list is the T-fal OptiGrill indoor electric grill.

T-fal’s OptiGrill utilizes Smart technology to grill an endless variety of cuts to perfection, a feature not available with most indoor grills on the market.

Crafted with specialized sensors and offering six different cooking programs, the OptiGrill can even cook frozen meat cuts to succulent fully prepared main courses.

Design Features: The T-fal OptiGrill features a clamshell, closed lid design.

As with most closed countertop grills, the OptiGrill features a relatively compact design in comparison to open countertop and stovetop grill designs.

Where the T-fal OptiGrill is modest in size, it is powerful in surface capacity—boasting the ability to heat food evenly from both sides.

Indicator lights alert you to the status of your food, as well as to the grill plates when heating the OptiGrill during preparation.

Clean up: Clean up is a cinch with the OptiGrill, and its grill plates and drip trays are removable and dishwasher safe.

A primary consideration of the cleanup process when it comes to indoor electric grills is the grill’s drip tray and protection offered from splatters and grease drippings during the cooking process.

One clear advantage of the OptiGrill is its secure containment of splatters, juices, and grease drippings.

The nonstick coating allows for smooth drainage into the drip pan, which is cleaned easily with water and in the dishwasher if preferred.

Takeaway: We recommend the T-fal OptiGrill to beginners and experts alike.

Its compact size, yet powerful surface capacity and ability to grill meats from frozen with the touch of a single button make the OptiGrill a must have for the indoor grill enthusiast.

George Foreman Indoor/Outdoor Grill

The reigning champion of the countertop grill is back in action with the George Foreman Indoor/Outdoor grill.

Like the original George Foreman grill, the versatile indoor/outdoor latest edition features the same slope design that allows fatty drippings to drain efficiently from your food while cooking.

Design Features: The design features of its predecessor are retained in the compact, lean, and easy to clean style of the newest addition to the George Foreman line.

The most obvious advantage over the former design is the versatility of the George Foreman indoor/outdoor grill.

The indoor/outdoor grill is readily adapted for use on kitchen countertops, tabletops, and even apartment balconies when positioned on the included pedestal.

With the popularity of apartment and indoor grill cookouts rising, indoor/outdoor styles that can fit perfectly into modest balcony and patio spaces are a top choice.

Unique to the George Foreman Indoor/Outdoor grill is its versatile design and electric power source.

Unlike most outdoor grills, charcoal and lighter fluid are not necessary to power up the Geoge Foreman if you decide that you’d like to have a balcony cookout.

Just plug the grill into the nearest power source for use on patios, balconies, and outdoor spaces.

Clean up: A further advantage over classic outdoor grill designs is the George Foreman’s simple clean up, with a removable grill plate and drip pan that are dishwasher friendly.

Takeaway: The George Foreman Indoor/Outdoor Grill is an excellent option for apartment and condominium dwellers looking for an authentic “cookout” experience that offers the functionality of both a countertop and balcony grill.

Hamilton Beach Indoor Flavor Searing Grill

Coming in at number three on our list of the Top 10 indoor grills is the Indoor Flavor Searing Grill from Hamilton Beach, an impressively designed alternative to outdoor grills when it comes to locking in smokey favors.

Featuring a sleek, minimal design and user interface, the Hamilton Beach Flavor Searing Grill competes with the outdoor grill experience by offering convenience and ease of use not available with most outdoor grills.

The grill’s flavor locking technology is in part due to its unique hood design—where similar models instead place a glass lid or plate.

Design Features: Along with its unique hooded design, the Hamilton Beach Flavor Searing Grill’s lid is removable to allow for maximum versatility when cooking an array of meat cuts.

The removable lid also allows for visibility when you’d prefer to check on the status of your food without opening the grill.

Indicator lights simplify the cooking process by alerting you to when the grill plates are thoroughly heated and ready to load.

Clean up: With removable grill plates, hood, and drip tray, cleanup is a snap and generally performed in minutes.

If you’d prefer not to clean the hood by loading it into dishwasher due to its considerable size, it can be easily wiped down with just a cloth and warm water.

Takeaway: The Hamilton Beach Flavor Searing Grill is an excellent choice for those looking to replace the authentic smokey taste of food grilled outdoors with a sleek, contemporary indoor alternative.

Cuisinart 5-in-1 Griddler Indoor Grill

Don’t be fooled by the compact size of the Cuisinart 5-in-1—this versatile indoor grill and griddle functions as a master kitchen appliance.

Design Features: Among the Cuisinart 5-in-1’s most impressive design features are the dual heat controls, allowing for easy temperature adjustments as well as the adjustable floating lid.

The convenient floating lid design adjusts to accommodate steaks and other meat cuts of varying thickness. The Cuisinart 5-in-1 also features a handy hinge release button to detach grill plates.

Clean up: The detachable grill plates are dishwasher safe.

To clean the rest of the unit, wipe down the nonelectrical components of the grill with a cloth and warm water.

Takeaway: This is an intelligent appliance that functions as a grill, griddle, panini press, and can serve up to four people with its increased surface capacity.

The Cuisinart 5-in-1 Griddler Indoor Grill is a top choice for indoor grill enthusiasts in search of maximum convenience and versatility.

Breville Smart Grill

While the Breville Smart Grill runs on the higher end of the cost spectrum, it may be the most thoroughly rounded choice on our Top 10 list where excellent performance and multifunction capability is concerned.

The Breville Smart Grill is not only capable of functioning as a grill, griddle, and panini press—it performs each of these tasks equally well and without the typical detractors found among most multi-purpose models.

Design Features: We love the SmartGrill’s digital display, a rare find among indoor electric grills.

If extra surface space is required, the SmartGrill unfolds to double in size, offering you twice the surface capacity for larger servings.

Clean up: With its convenient hinge release button, the Breville’s dishwasher safe plates are removable in a snap, a feature we’d like to see among similar competitors.

Takeaway: The Breville Smart Grill is a premium electric indoor grill that surpasses competitors in design specifications and performance.

Due to its versatile design features, we recommend the Breville Smart Grill for preparing everything from steaks to panini sandwiches.

Wolfgang Puck Electric Reversible Grill & Griddle

The Wolfgang Puck Electric Reversible Grill & Griddle features the wide surface area that reversible indoor grills are known for when cooking meats and healthy snacks on the grill side, and breakfast favorites like sausage and bacon on the griddle.

Unlike an outdoor grill, the Wolfgang Puck Reversible Grill easily drains unwanted grease and fat drippings from your favorite foods, while offering the experience of an authentic outdoor cookout.

Design Features: As mentioned, the Wolfgang Puck reversible grill boasts a large surface area for a relatively small kitchen aplliance—a key advantage of opting for indoor electric grills over their outdoor counterparts.

Clean up: The nonstick surface plates make cleanup a breeze, with even challenging substances like barbeque sauce easily removed with just a cloth and warm water.

Takeaway: The Wolfgang Puck Reversible Indoor Grill & Griddle is a must have for the indoor grill enthusiast in search of versatility, effortless cleanup, and ease of use.

It also makes an excellent gift idea for the holidays, weddings, and housewarming parties alike.

Presto Cool Touch Electric Indoor Grill

The Presto Cool Touch delivers on its namesake by heating a variety of cuts quickly and evenly.

Offering an impressively wide surface area for an indoor grill, we love the Cool Touch for its ability to accommodate larger servings for indoor cookouts easily.

Design Features: The Presto Cool Touch is suitable for preparing large servings of chicken, burgers, and steak on a nonstick surface that’s easily wiped down and dishwasher safe.

If there is one detractor where the Cool Touch is concerned, the lack of a hooded lid or glass plate comes to mind.

While the addition of a lid would serve to enhance both flavor and surface capacity of the Presto Cool Touch, its current design more than compensates with its wide surface area and quick cooking time.

Clean up: The unit’s grill plate is removable and dishwasher safe.

Takeaway: The Presto Cool Touch is a convenient, consistently high performing indoor gill that features a large surface capacity and fast cooking times.

The Presto’s open, straightforward design makes it an excellent option for indoor grill beginners.

Delonghi Perfecto Indoor Grill

Coming in at number eight on our list of the best indoor grills is the Delonghi Perfecto indoor grill, an ideal choice for grilled meats.

Design Features: We love the Delonghi Perfecto’s tempered glass lid, a feature not offered by similar competitors.

Not only does the addition of a glass lid serve to enhance flavors by locking them in, but indoor grills with glass lids are also a convenient way to keep on eye on your cuts as they cook.

The advantage of visibility over models without clear lid designs means that you’ll need to open the grill to check on the status of your food much less frequently.

Increased visibility means reduced cooking time, as the amount of heat that escapes with frequent opening and closing of the grill decreases.

Clean up: The Delonghi’s grill plate and drip trays are removable and dishwasher safe for easy cleanup.

Takeaway: The Delonghi Perfecto is a top choice for quickly and evenly grilling meat cuts and barbeque.

We recommend the Delonghi for those in search of simple design, user interface, and reliable performance.

George Foreman Indoor Grill And Panini Press

The George Foreman line makes our list once again with the George Foreman Indoor Grill and Panini Press.

Fundamentally speaking, this countertop electric model is a contemporary version of the original George Foreman grill.

The George Foreman Indoor Grill and Panini Press boasts improvements in performance and specifications, including faster heating time and dishwasher safe removable plates.

Design Features: The latest incarnation of the George Foreman grill yields a broader surface area for cooking when compared to the original, a design upgrade that we approve of.

Like the original, the latest edition features the classic slope design that the George Foreman grill is known for, allowing for easy fat drainage and cleanup.

Clean up: The nonstick coating makes clean up a cinch with just a cloth and warm water.

For maximum convenience, the nonstick grill plates are removable and dishwasher safe.

Takeaway: The George Foreman Indoor Grill and Panini Press is a worthy investment for preparing simple meat cuts like burgers, sandwiches, and dinners for two.

Customers new to the George Foreman line of indoor grills will appreciate its easy cleanup and straightforward design.

Oster DuraCeramic Reversible Indoor Grill & Griddle

The unique design of the Oster Reversible Indoor Grill & Griddle puts it into the ranking at number ten, wrapping up our list of the best indoor grills.

Where the Oster Reversible Grill & Griddle wins is in versatility and durable construction, outperforming similar models with its superior ceramic hardware.

Design Features: Along with nonstick ceramic cooking plates, the Oster DuraCeramic provides a wide surface area for easy grilling of chicken, fish, and various meat cuts of your choice.

Whether used as a grill or griddle, the simple knob control dials and cool touch safety handles of the Oster DuraCeramic make it a versatile, multipurpose appliance that will quickly find a new home in your kitchen.

Clean up: The DuraCeramic features removable and dishwasher safe grill plates.

In a pinch, the unit is easily wiped down with just a cloth and warm water due to its convenient nonstick coating.

Takeaway: We love the Oster DuraCeramic for its consistent performance, impressive hardware, and versatile nonstick ceramic design.

Buyer’s Guide: What To Look For While Shopping For The Perfect Indoor Grill

Whether you’re an outdoor grill enthusiast making the transition to indoor electric models, or new to the world of grilling altogether, a countertop grill is an increasingly popular choice that can accommodate a variety of meat cuts, healthy snacks, and even prepare breakfast items.

Although indoor grills feature some design similarities to their outdoor counterparts, it can be tricky to navigate the indoor grill market.

When gearing up to purchase your first indoor grill, there are a few basic design criteria to take into consideration:

Open Countertop Grills, Closed Countertop Grills, And Stovetop Indoor Grill Designs

Generally speaking, indoor grill models follow one of three design principles: open countertop, closed countertop, and the stovetop grill.

The Stovetop Grill

A stovetop grill fits directly above your stove and utilizes the power harnessed from open flame burners.

While the stovetop grill provides a convenient, open design that is most similar to a classic outdoor grill, it is a less popular choice due to its often difficult cleanup and lack of advanced configuration features.

Open Countertop Grill

Open countertop grills act as standalone units that harness power from an electrical source.

Many popular indoor grills follow the open countertop grill design.

Open countertop grills offer a wider surface area for cooking, as well as more control over your food during the process.

On the downside, open countertop grills are prone to splashes, spilling, and drainage if not adequately equipped with well-designed drip trays.

Closed Countertop Grill

Closed countertop grills function much like open countertop grills with the addition of a clear glass or tempered glass lid.

While closed lid countertop grill models are often smaller in size, they compensate for surface capacity by offering the ability to heat food from both sides.

Containment of juices, splashes, and grease drippings is another advantage of the closed countertop grill design.

Overall, closed countertop grills offer less versatility than open countertop grill options.

The countertop grills that have made it onto our top 10 list offer the best of both worlds, with expertly designed hardware and versatile multipurpose designs.

Advantages Of The Indoor Grill Versus Classic Outdoor Models

In some respects, outdoor grilling is an experience that is unique and incomparable with that offered by indoor electric grills.

However, certain characteristics unique to the indoor electric grill yield advantages over outdoor grilling.

Smoke “Less”

While no grill is truly smokeless, indoor grills produce less smoke than outdoor grills, and closed countertop grills produce the least smoke of all.

Convenience

We don’t have to argue the convenience of the indoor grill.

With the rise of apartment and condominium dwelling over home ownership, indoor/outdoor models like the George Foreman Indoor/Outdoor grill, offer the perfect alternative to the traditional cookout.

Grilling Year Round

Countertop and Indoor/Outdoor models allow for year-round grilling and cookouts—a clear advantage over conventional outdoor counterparts.