We Tested 20 of the Best Electric Grills so You Don’t Have To

In determining which grills to include, we put each one through exhaustive tests, with the George Foreman GFO240S placing first all around. We considered things like heat range and capability, size, portability, grill marks, and more. Those findings, combined with my own experience as a home griller and a restaurant cook (I’ve logged more hours on grill station in the last decade than I have doing nearly anything else), led to this list of the best electric grills.

Electric grills offer all the benefits of traditional gas or charcoal grills but without costly and time-consuming fuel. Generally, they’re smaller and more portable so cooking up enough hot dogs for a crowd at a barbecue at the park or even just getting a nice set of grill marks on a single piece of chicken no longer requires cumbersome equipment. They’re also way less smokey, so you can use many of them inside. This means that grilling isn’t just for summertime, and let’s be honest–sometimes leaning over sizzling coals or plumes of fire and smoke when it’s already scorching out isn’t actually that fun or appetizing. Electric grills bring the heat, but just for the food.

So you want that charred, grilled burger flavor, but it’s the dead of winter, or you live in an apartment, or you just don’t have the time to deal with finicky charcoal. Enter electric grills, self-contained appliances with grill grates that heat via an electric coil rather than gas or charcoal.

Best Overall: George Foreman GFO240S

Walmart

View at Walmart ($100)

Also available at Amazon and Home Depot.

Why It’s Great

• Indoor or outdoor
• Lightweight
• Not smokey

Grain of Salt

• Difficult to clean

It takes a lot to be named the best overall pick, and this George Foreman checked all the boxes during our tests. First, it earned high marks in versatility (it can be used both indoors and outdoors) as well as portability, since it can be removed from the stand and is incredibly lightweight and easy to move. Our testers did note that while on the stand, the grill felt a bit unstable, so we prefer to use it without.

The George Foreman performed exceptionally well, leaving beautifully defined grill marks on both steak and chicken breasts. “This grill works very well and results in nice, well-defined grill marks,” noted our testers, a professional recipe developer. However, the real test was with zucchini, a fussy vegetable that is easy to both over- and undercook. This grill took the spears in stride, yielding a tender final result. Through our trials, the grill didn’t produce much smoke, and it was easy to control via the temperature dial’s one-to-five heat range.

The grill itself has a larger than average grill surface and has a slight slope to it for fat to drip off into the drip tray. Though the drip tray is dishwasher safe, the manual suggests simply washing it, along with the grill plate and lid, with warm, soapy water and wiping dry. Our team of expert reviewers found the grill as a whole can be a bit difficult to clean thoroughly due to the hot plate that is attached at the base.

The Details: Indoor/outdoor; nonstick; 11 x 20 x 20.5 inches; 233.71-square-inch cooking surface; dishwasher-safe drip tray

Allrecipes/Morgan Hunt Glaze

Best for Beginners: Presto 09020 Cool Touch Electric Grill

Amazon

View at Amazon ($50)

Also available at Walmart.

Why It’s Great

• Inexpensive
• No assembly required
• Portable
• Easy to clean

Grain of Salt

• Not as hot or as consistent

If you’re new to the fast-paced world of electric grills, all the extra bells and whistles can feel overwhelming. We chose the Presto 09020 Cool Touch Electric Grill because it’s pared down and straightforward; there’s no assembly required and no extra buttons or gauges. This electric grill is basically an electric grill pan with an easy-to-use temperature control ranging from 200 to 400 degrees plus a “warm” setting.

In our tests, we noticed that this pan just didn’t get as hot as others, which was fine for our tests with chicken, steak, and especially bread, but it didn’t cook the zucchini quite as well. The grill marks came out mostly caramelized but didn’t necessarily get a deep sear due to its somewhat inconsistent heating. As some reviewers note, this is a good grill for things like burgers and hot dogs. The plus side, though, is that the body of the grill stays relatively cool to the touch, so accidental burns are basically a non-issue.

This grill also earned high marks for portability since it’s so lightweight, as well as for ease of cleaning.

“The heating element is attached to the body/housing, so just remove the power cord and drip tray and wash,” one of our testers says. “The nonstick coating allows stuck-on food to be easily wiped away while cleaning with warm, soapy water.”

The Details: Indoor; 19 x 13 x 3 inches; 152-square-inch cooking area, some parts are dishwasher safe but hand wash is recommended

Allrecipes/Morgan Hunt Glaze

Best Outdoor: George Foreman GGR50B Indoor/Outdoor Electric Grill

Amazon

View at Amazon ($157)

Also available at Walmart

Why It’s Great

• Great grill marks
• Portable
• Not smokey

Grain of Salt

• Stand feels unstable
• Takes up a lot of space

This grill earned some of the highest marks throughout all our tests. It consistently performed well, creating beautiful grill marks while producing very little smoke. The surface is genuinely nonstick, so we had no issues with food sticking, and cleanup was a breeze. The drip tray is dishwasher safe, and the entire grill surface can be removed and easily hand-washed in the sink. The grill has an easy-to-use heat dial with settings from one to five. We found that it heated up lightning-fast, reaching 400 degrees after five minutes on level three and 500 degrees after five minutes on level five.

Like the other George Foreman grill on this list, the stand feels unstable, which, if you store this grill outside, could be a concern in inclement weather. If you choose to keep this elsewhere, know that its large, circular design takes up a significant amount of space. Unlike square or rectangle grills, this one can’t easily slide into smaller spaces, though it is very easy to move.

The Details: Indoor/outdoor; measures 22.2 x 20.5 x 13 inches; 227-square-inch cooking area; drip tray is dishwasher safe

Allrecipes/Morgan Hunt Glaze

Best Grill-Griddle Combo: Hamilton Beach 38546 3-in-1 Electric Grill

Amazon

View at Amazon ($70)

Also available at Walmart and Target.

Why It’s Great

• Dual plates
• Lightweight
• Portable
• Not smokey

Grain of Salt

• Issues with the grease trap
• Some hot and cool spots

By far, the biggest selling point for this model is the dual plates that make it both a grill and griddle in one. This is an excellent choice if you’re cooking for a crowd or just making a meal that you would usually need a grill and a pan for. Every year for Father’s Day, I make my dad steak and eggs, which requires a grill pan for the steak and a nonstick pan for those sunny eggs. This year, I’m buying him this Hamilton Beach 3-in-1 Electric Grill so I can do fewer dishes and make everything for his breakfast all at once.

Our trials found that this grill performed well, yielding deep brown grill marks with no smoke at all, making it perfect for that classic grilled steak look. The design of this grill-griddle combo is particularly unique: Two plates sit on either side with a reservoir in the middle for fat to run into and drip into the below grease trap.

Unfortunately, we found in our tests that the fat didn’t always run down into the middle and sometimes just pooled under the item being cooked. While this grill did heat well, the area in between the plates was noticeably cooler than the plates, while the exterior body got extremely hot.

Overall, the cleanup for this grill was relatively easy; both the plates are removable and dishwasher safe and so is the drip tray. We found that a bit more elbow grease was required to scrub off some more stubborn, cooked-on food.

The Details: Indoor; measures 23 x 12.5 x 7 inches; 190-square-inch cooking area; non-stick grill grates and drip tray are dishwasher safe

Allrecipes/Morgan Hunt Glaze

The Best Electric Griddles, According to Our Tests

Best for Families: Weber Q 2400 Electric 55020001

The Home Depot

View at Home Depot ($399)

Also available at Target

Why It’s Great

• Large capacity
• Easy to assemble
• Portable

Grain of Salt

• Smokey
• Expensive

With a staggering 280 square inches of cooking area, this grill has the largest capacity on this list by far. That’s enough to cook burgers for an entire kid’s soccer team, plus a few more. If your grilling needs regularly involve table settings approaching the double digits or more, this one is for you. The one downside of this grill’s massive size is that it makes it difficult to store because it takes up so much space.

We thought this grill was easy to set up and break down, so it’s a great choice to take on the road as well (tailgate, anyone?). Weber sells an optional stand for this grill that can be purchased separately, making it even easier to set up outside. However, with the already high price tag, you may not want to purchase additional accessories.

The grates are made of porcelain-enameled cast iron, the same material that most commercial grill grates at restaurants are made of. Porcelain-enameled cast iron is different from the usual nonstick coating in that it’s slightly more durable but also more prone to sticking, especially on maximum heat. This also creates more smoke and some uneven grill marks. In our tests, we did experience some sticking and had to put in slightly more work to thoroughly scrub off the food that had gotten stuck. The good news is that the grates are dishwasher safe.

We also tested the smaller version of this grill, the Weber Q1400, another solid performer. While its smaller footprint may be a better fit for some households, it does have a smaller cooking surface (209.5 square inches).

The Details: Outdoor; measures 31 x 26 x 25 inches; 280-square-inch cooking area; parts are dishwasher safe

Allrecipes/Morgan Hunt Glaze

Tip: If you’ve only worked with stainless steel or nonstick grills before, cast iron does take some getting used to. In my experience, the trick is to make sure you start with meat that has been patted dry and your grill is ripping hot before putting anything on it.

The Best Portable Grills We’ve Tested

Most Versatile: Ninja Foodi AG301 5-in-1 Indoor Electric Grill

Amazon

View at Amazon ($200)

Also available at Target and Best Buy.

Why It’s Great

• Grill-air fryer combo
• Small footprint

Grain of Salt

• Loud
• Hard to clean

Part air fryer, part grill, the Ninja Foodi AG301 5-in-1 Indoor Electric Grill does a little bit of everything. If you’re looking to get the most bang for your buck or working with a smaller space but want both an air fryer and grill, this is the model for you.

From the outside, this model looks like your standard air fryer, but with the grate insert, it turns into a grill, though there’s no option to turn the air fryer fan off, so it can be very loud. It’s an awkward shape like most air fryers, but it has an overall small footprint and takes up much less space than two separate appliances would. Plus, it’s easy to pick up and move around—although exercise caution because it gets incredibly hot on the outside after use.

We loved the user-friendly controls and temperature gauge, as well as features like the loud beep that lets you know it’s preheated. However, if Instagram-ready grill marks are a priority for you, this might not be the best choice. Our tests yielded acceptable marks without much smoke or sticking, but the swirl design on the grill plate leads to inconsistent marks without the classic crosshatch pattern.

The temperature settings were also less reliable than traditional grills; the actual temperature readings were incongruent with what the gauge read, which can lead to inconsistent grill marks as well. Upon breaking down, we noticed that it was a bit more difficult to clean, especially since some brushes can scratch the nonstick coating.

The Details: Indoor; measures 11 x 14 x 17 inches; 100-square-inch cooking area; 90-square-inch air fryer basket; grill plate and basket are dishwasher safe

Allrecipes/Morgan Hunt Glaze

We Tested the Best Air Fryers—Here Are the Ones Worth Buying

Our Takeaway

If you’re looking for a durable grill that can be used both indoors and outdoors, our best overall pick, the George Foreman GFO240S, is your best choice. It has the top spot on our list because it really does check all the boxes. Versatile, portable, affordable, and powerful, this grill is the best all-around. If you entertain a lot or have a lot of family barbecues, our large-capacity pick, the Weber Q 2400 Electric 55020001, is the one for you. It’s a bit on the pricey side, but you really get your money’s worth with the massive cooking area.

How to Pick the Right Grill

Indoor or Outdoor

When grill shopping, the first thing to consider is where you plan to use your new grill. Inside? Outside? Both? Some grills are indoor only, while others are more versatile and can be used nearly anywhere. Make sure to check where your grill can be used, especially if you plan to leave it outside. A portable option is great if you think you might want to use it indoors and outdoors.

Size and Capacity

When looking for a new grill, it’s important to think of where you’re planning to store it and what you plan to do with it. For our tests, we measured the actual usable area, not necessarily from one edge to the other. If you’re someone who is planning to host the next backyard barbecue, you’ll probably need a much larger outdoor grill, like the Weber Q 2400 Electric 55020001. But someone who wants to grill just one or two pieces of chicken in a small kitchen without a lot of storage space might want to opt for a smaller, more versatile indoor model like the Ninja Foodi AG301 5-in-1 Indoor Electric Grill.

Allrecipes/Morgan Hunt Glaze

Ease of Use

Are you an aspiring pitmaster who has moved into an apartment that bans charcoal grills? Or maybe just someone new to the grilling game? When shopping around, how easy a grill is to use based on your personal needs and skill level is an important factor. A casual user who is often just having a few burgers in the kitchen will have vastly different needs than someone who enjoys regularly making perfectly seared steaks for a crowd on the patio. Considering features like temperature, heat controls, and portability in regard to your specific needs will help you make the best decision in the long run.

About Our Tests

Allrecipes/Morgan Hunt Glaze

We took a deep dive into the world of electric grills, leaving no stone unturned and no grill lid unopened. After amassing 20 of the best-rated grills we could find, the real work began. Our team of professional testers spent days putting each grill to the test and meticulously comparing their performance. We made sure to focus particularly hard on:

• Assembly and Cleanup: How easy is it to put together and take apart? How easy is it to clean? Is it dishwasher safe?
• Portability: Can it be taken apart and moved? Is it heavy? Does it take up a lot of space?
• Design and Usability: Is it difficult to use? Are there multiple buttons, gauges, and settings? Does the exterior get hot? How is the grease handled?
• Cooking Performance: Does it heat evenly and constantly? Are the grill marks defined, dark, and even? Does it create a lot of smoke?

Our experts tested these grills on common items you might cook on your new grill: bread, chicken, steak, and zucchini. Once we compared all the grills across these metrics, it was clear which grills measured up and which didn’t.

Allrecipes/Morgan Hunt Glaze

The Leftovers: Other Grills We Tested

Char-Broil TRU-Infrared Patio Bistro Electric Grill

Amazon

View at Amazon ($320)

Also available at Lowe’s and Target.

This Char-Broil didn’t meet our expectations. First, as an outdoor-only grill, it’s less versatile than other options we tested, but the main reason we left it off our list is that it wasn’t very efficient. It took unreasonably long to heat up (though we did appreciate that the handle and sides stayed cool once it did) and food stuck to the grates.

Zojirushi EB-CC15 Indoor Electric Grill

Amazon

View at Amazon ($100)

Also available at Crate & Barrel and Home Depot.

This model appeared on a previous iteration of this list but failed to impress this time around. We ultimately cut it primarily because of its heating performance; it just doesn’t get as hot as its competitors, and the temperature control is erratic. Many customer reviews complain that they feel this grill doesn’t get hot enough to thoroughly cook meat. Additionally, there’s a minor but significant flaw in its design: The edges of the hot grill grates sit higher up than the lip of the exterior, so it’s frustratingly easy to burn yourself.

Cuisinart GR-4NP1 5-in-1 Griddler

Amazon

View at Amazon ($100)

Also available at Walmart and Williams Sonoma.

The Cuisinart GR-4NP1 5-in-1 Griddler was another close call on this list. One seriously major benefit of this grill is that the plates are removable, which makes cleaning up a snap, even more so since they’re dishwasher safe. Though this model is advertised as having five different cook settings and options, many reviewers note that it essentially functions just as a panini press with no noticeable difference in heat. And speaking of heat, be careful with this model; in our tests, we noticed the exterior got extremely hot and could quickly burn you, making it less safe for households with kids.

PowerXL PG1500-FDR Smokeless Grill

Amazon

View at Amazon ($120)

Also available at Walmart and Bed Bath & Beyond.

The PowerXL PG1500-FDR Smokeless Grill also wasn’t up to par during our tests. Our main complaint was about temperature consistency and accuracy. It failed to maintain an even and consistent heat, and the temperature shown on the temperature panel was not accurate. A significant benefit of this particular model, however, was the tempered glass lid that can help cut down on smoke and spatter.

T-Fal GC7 OptiGrill XL

Amazon

View at Amazon ($250)

Also available at Bed Bath & Beyond and Home Depot.

The most significant selling point for this particular grill is that it comes with a plethora of features and presets advertised to be tailored to any individual task. We found that many didn’t actually work, though. In our testing process, food came out cooked inconsistently and sometimes crushed due to the design of this grill. This was a letdown because our expectations were high for the price tag.