Convenient and compact indoor grills keep the cookin’ inside, which is especially nice when the weather isn’t cooperating. The good ones are great for grilling food for families and small gatherings, but don’t have the capacity for large get togethers.
There are electric kitchen grills and stove top grills that rely on the heat of your stove to do the cooking. Indoor gas grills are also available, but can only be used when adequate venting is installed.
Indoor Electric Grills
The most common are the electric grills, the type George Foreman made famous. His line of grills has expanded to include many styles and a range of sizes. Other manufacturers including Salton, Delonghi, Hamilton Beach, Westbend, All Clad, Char-Broil and more produce these handy grills.
Electric indoor grills come in two basic styles.
- Contact Grills
- Open Grills
Contact grills cook the food on both sides at the same time, and work about the same as a waffle iron. The attached top section is hinged and spaced to allow foods up to about one inch thick.
The greatest benefit of contact grills is that they are fast cooking, and can finish burgers (after the grill is preheated) in five minutes or less. They are slanted so grease and juice can run out into a drip pan. The non-stick surfaces are usually durable and clean up easily.
Open grills cook food more like the outdoor propane or charcoal grill-the single surface cooks food on one side at a time. Thicker foods can be grilled on these, which is a plus. Grease is channeled to a drip pan. Some models have a lid for covered grilling.
According to Consumer Reports, indoor grills don’t heat up to much over 400 degrees Fahrenheit. The grill surface on a charcoal or gas grill can reach 600 degrees or more. That means you’ll never get the level of searing and crusting from an electric grill as from a conventional grill.
Some of these grills have temperature controls, but since the maximum temperature isn’t really that high, it’s really not something that’s needed. No need to spend money for that feature.
The smallest countertop grills are large enough for two burgers, while the largest can cook eight or more at one time. When deciding on a grill, consider how much food you’ll need to cook at one time, along with how much countertop or cabinet storage space you’re willing to give up. You may decide that a smaller contact grill would be a better choice, since you can quickly cook a second or third batch of food.