We Tested 14 Smokeless Grills to Find the Best Ones for Indoor Grilling, These 5 Gave the Perfect Char (2024)

Our Top Picks

The Hamilton Beach Electric Indoor Searing Grill is a versatile countertop grill with a relatively large cooking area for an indoor model, and it has a temperature range from 200 to 400°F, with 50-degree increments. In our tests, the grill was responsive to heating changes, with some hot and cool spots that decreased with higher temperatures. Our searing tests showed that it provides good grill marks while producing low or non-existent levels of smoke, although the temperatures recorded on the grill are slightly lower than the setting indicates. This lower temperature gives light caramelization to the foods tested, a result in line with the grill's temperature range. Plus, cleanup is easy with this model; the removable lid, drip pan, and grates allow easy scrubbing and are also dishwasher safe.

Grill Grate Material: Nonstick ceramic coating | Cooking Surface Area: 114 square inches

Breville's The Smart Grill has both grill and griddle functions, expanding its usefulness by allowing you to choose your cooking style. We found that the large cooking area shows the most consistent temperatures when testing the cooking surface versus the temperature settings. It also sears and toasts quite well but produces a comparatively large amount of smoke to attain those sears, so you'll need to turn on your range hood when cooking with this model. Cleanup is easy, and the grill plates are dishwasher-safe. The only downside is that the handle sticks out too far, making it clumsy on the countertop. However, the consistent performance and ease of use we saw with this grill justify the higher price tag.

Grill Grate Material: Nonstick cast aluminum| Cooking Surface Area: 117 square inches

The Presto Cool Touch Electric Indoor Grill scored consistently high marks when we weighed its performance against the price. It’s not as powerful or feature-rich as the more expensive models we tested, but it still does its job well, making this a good-value grill with a large cooking area. Our searing and toasting tests were mixed, with the Presto giving some good char marks for most of the food we tested but leaving some spots un-browned. Still, it’s one of the few grills on the market that slightly overshoots the temperature settings, whereas most units struggle to reach the desired temperature. We love that cleanup for this model is easy by design: remove the power cord and drip tray, and the unit is washable and dishwasher safe.

Grill Grate Material: Nonstick material | Cooking Surface Area: 152 square inches

The Hamilton Beach 3-in-1 Grill comes with two reversible grill/griddle plates, so you can use the unit in any combination you’d like. We found some inconsistent heating, with cool spots where the two plates join, but our searing and toasting tests showed good (if occasionally spotty) results. However, searing and toasting produced little to no smoke or steam, so it lives up to the challenge in those areas. It’s also easy to clean, but we found that the plates require more scrubbing to remove stuck food than other models tested.

Grill Grate Material: Nonstick material | Cooking Surface Area: 190 square inches

On the outside, there’s little the Ninja Foodi 5-in-1 Indoor Grill can’t do — it’s a grill, air fryer, roaster, oven, and dehydrator. Our tests found that it reliably toasts bread and grills vegetables and meat, adding well-defined, if oddly circular, grill marks while producing very little smoke or steam. When we tested the actual temperature versus the settings on the controls, we found it fairly accurate, though it fell short of reaching the highest temperature settings. Still, the upper-temperature range is higher than other models tested, which translates into a better sear.

It wasn't as easy to clean as some other grills tested, as the nonstick interior scratched easily. Plus, the fan, also used in the air fryer and dehydrator features, constantly runs as part of the smokeless design, which may irritate some. However, the fan makes the grill function like a convection oven, which speeds up cooking efficiency. That convection also reduces smoke and steam, so it’s a fair trade-off.

Grill Grate Material: Nonstick ceramic coating | Cooking Surface Area: 100 square inches

Frequently Asked Questions

• What happens to the smoke in a smokeless grill?

  Some grills have lids or fan systems that help eliminate smoke before it leaves the grill. The most common features among smokeless grills are a means of moving grease and moisture away from the heat before they can turn into smoke or steam, and electric heating elements that won’t ignite the fat to cause smoke in the first place.

• How do you clean a smokeless grill?

  Most of the grills we tested have at least some elements that are entirely dishwasher-safe. For those that aren’t, a gentle detergent like Dawn, hot water, and a sponge with a nylon scrubber will clean up any stuck-on food or errant grease splatters. Always consult the manufacturer’s recommendations before cleaning an appliance.

• How do you get a smoky flavor on a smokeless grill?

  The nature of an electric grill won’t provide smoke flavor in and of itself, but there are a few ways you can accomplish that, despite the lack of flames. You could start your food in a stove-top smoker and then finish on the grill. You could use liquid smoke as part of your marinade, or make your own by putting ice inside a smoker and letting it absorb the wood flavor as it melts. You could then put the smoke water in a spray bottle and apply it to your food. The other option is to use smoked ingredients, like smoked salts or paprika, in your marinades or rubs to lend your food a smoky flavor.

Zojirushi EB-CC15 Indoor Electric Grill ($100 at Amazon)

Temperature control wasn't a strong suit for this Zojirushi. The grill marks hardly appeared on bread, were very light on chicken, and were nicely caramelized on flank steak, again speaking to the grill's inconsistency. What it lacked in performance, it made up for in design and user-friendliness. And it still outranked many of the grills we tested.