Cooking a steak is easy when you have a large outdoor BBQ that you can you use at any time you wish. With that being said, maybe it’s cold outside or maybe you live in an apartment building where you just can’t have a real flame to cook with. Whatever the case may be, your next best bet is always going to be an indoor BBQ.
If you get the right indoor grill, cooking a steak can be very easy and still produce the same great results as an outdoor grill. However, this means that you first have to choose the best unit for your needs. This is what we are here to help with today. Let’s get to it and take a look at the top five contenders for the best indoor steak grill.
Best Indoor Steak Grills: Reviews
1. Ninja AG301 Foodi 5-in-1 Indoor Grill
Here we have a relatively high-end indoor grill and air fryer that can cook steaks and so much more. If you are looking for a versatile kitchen appliance, this is it.
Product Highlights
What’s really cool about this product is that it is a very versatile appliance that can roast, bake, air fry, grill, and dehydrate. You can do all of those things with this one nifty kitchen tool. Yes, you can use it to cook steak, but it can also do so much more. Anything that needs to be grilled, baked, roasted, or air fried is fair game for the Ninja.
What you get here is a nonstick grill grate that is going to leave those classic grill marks on your steak. The grill grate is coated in a ceramic nonstick coating to ensure that nothing sticks to it, plus it’s also very easy to clean as it is totally dishwasher safe.
To help cook your food, this unit uses what is known as cyclonic grilling technology, which is more or less a fancy way of saying that it uses convection baking. It comes complete with a dedicated grill function that can be adjusted to four separate settings to achieve the perfect results.
Yes, in essence, this is just an air fryer, which is beneficial, because you can achieve the same great results as a deep fryer with around 75% less oil, therefore making it much healthier. It can also achieve temperatures of 500 degrees Fahrenheit, which is perfect for searing a steak.
This unit features around six quarts of interior capacity, which is enough for about four small stakes. It’s not huge, but still big enough to cook for a few people, while also being small enough to be space efficient. We do also like how it comes with a very simple and user-friendly touch screen control panel.
What We Like
We really like how the Ninja is such a versatile unit because you can air fry, roast, baked, and dehydrate with it. Yes, it can cook steak, and quite well too, but it can also do so much more. The fact that you could use this one single air fryer to cook virtually every meal is very convenient. On a side note, we do also appreciate that it is made out of very durable materials.
What We Don’t Like
One small issue that seems to occur with this indoor grill is that it produces a good deal of smoke, especially when using the grill function. Just be ready to open your windows when using this unit.
Pros
- Durable
- Heats up fast
- Easy to clean
- User friendly
- Many different functions
- Good size for most purposes
Cons
- Produces a lot of smoke
2. Hamilton Beach Electric Indoor Searing Grill
Here we have a convenient indoor grill that is perfect for cooking up steaks, vegetables, and much more. It’s not huge, but it is rather powerful, user-friendly, and has some other great features too.
Product Highlights
This is a relatively small indoor grill that features a 118-inch cooking surface. This should be enough to cook for around two or three people. It’s definitely not very large, although the big benefit here is that it doesn’t take up a lot of counter space. It’s also very easy to store in a small cupboard or cabinet.
The cooking surface is a nonstick removable grill plate that will leave beautiful grill marks on your steaks, hamburgers, and so much more. The removable grate is very easy to clean, plus it is even dishwasher safe. At the same time, this unit also comes with a drip tray to catch all of the grease and drippings, which is then also very easy to clean.
This unit can achieve temperatures of up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, which is more than hot enough to sear steak, other meats, vegetables, and more. Although it doesn’t allow for 100% exact temperature control, it does come complete with a user-friendly control dial.
To help keep all of the heat in, it comes complete with a lid. This hinged lid also comes with a viewing window, so you always see what’s going on inside of the grill. The exterior of this grill is made out of stainless steel, which we appreciate because it’s quite tough and also won’t rust. The exterior is also easy to clean.
What We Like
We really like how this is just a small and simple indoor grill that you can take out of your cupboard, put on your counter, turn on, and have dinner ready within just a few minutes. It may be very simple and unassuming, but it gets the job done and is affordable.
What We Don’t Like
The only thing that we really don’t like about this indoor grill is that it is so small that you really can’t cool from more than two people at once with it. Moreover, it would also appear that this indoor grill is not the number one most durable unit in the world.
Pros
- User friendly
- Fast heating
- Small and compact
- Space efficient
- Easy to clean
- Lid with viewing window
Cons
- Limited capacity
- Limited durability
3. Elite Gourmet Smokeless Indoor Electric Grill
Here we have another small and compact indoor grill that is perfect for searing steaks and cooking a variety of foods.
Product Highlights
Something that stands out about this particular indoor grill is the fact that it comes complete with a very powerful 1300-watt heating element. This allows it to achieve very high temperatures in a very limited amount of time. It can achieve temperatures up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit in just a few minutes. This means that you can save time cooking, plus it easily gets hot enough to sear your steaks.
At the same time, it also comes complete with a glass lid, which is important because it helps to keep the heat in. This is important when it comes to maintaining high temperatures for fast and reliable cooking. It is made out of glass, so you can still always see what is going on inside of the grill.
Speaking of temperature, this indoor grill comes complete with a very simple temperature control dial that allows you to choose from five different settings. This is extremely user friendly.
It comes complete with a simple non-stick grill plate that creates beautiful grill marks on your meats and other foods. Keep in mind that it is PFOA free, so it should be 100% safe to use in all situations. Moreover, it is also removable, not to mention that it is also dishwasher safe.
To help make clean up time a bit easier, it comes with an easy to empty grease collector. The exterior of this indoor grill is made out of aluminum, which is also very easy to clean. With that being said, although aluminum is very lightweight, which is convenient in some regards, there are more durable materials out there.
The Good
We like how this is just a very simple indoor grill that comes with just a few components. It’s very user friendly and easy to clean. At the same time, it does a good job at cooking a variety of foods, all without costing very much at all.
The Bad
One of the things that we don’t like about this indoor grill is that it does not come complete with accurate temperature controls. There are just a few settings to choose from, but no specific temperatures. This can make it difficult to cook some foods that require specific temperatures.
Pros
- Small and compact
- Super affordable
- Fast heating
- Good temperature maintenance
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Temperature control is not very precise
4. Gotham Steel Smokeless Indoor Grill
If you need a small and convenient indoor grill that is not going to produce any smoke, then here we have a good option for you to look into it. Let’s keep in mind that this is also one of the most affordable indoor grills on our list.
Product Highlights
Right off the bat, what stands out about this particular indoor grill is the fact that it comes complete with a nonstick titanium, copper, and ceramic grilling surface. What is so impressive about this is that it is non-stick, dishwasher safe, yet also metal utensil safe. There aren’t many nonstick surfaces that are safe to use with metal utensils, so this is definitely a really big benefit.
In terms of the cooking surface itself, it comes in at 12 by 10 by 3 inches, which is fairly moderate. It should be enough to cook for around two people, but definitely not more. Although it is a relatively small indoor grill, the convenient aspect here is that it is space efficient. It’s just not going to take up pretty much counter space.
What is also beneficial about this indoor grill is that it is virtually smoke free. It comes complete with a very large drip tray that catches all of the grease and drippings before it gets a chance to ignite and turn into smoke. This is more than ideal for indoor cooking, especially if you don’t want to constantly set off the smoke alarm.
Although this unit does not come complete with precise temperature controls, it does have various settings for you to choose from, with the highest one reaching temperatures that are more than high enough to sear a piece of meat. All in all, for the very low price that it comes in at, we think that it is a great option to consider.
The Good
Our favorite aspect here is definitely the grill grate that still allows you to use metal utensils. Using both nonstick and metal utensil safe is always a big bonus. There’s also the fact that this is just a very affordable little grill that isn’t going to cost you a fortune.
The Bad
One thing that we really don’t like here is that this indoor grill doesn’t come with a lid, which means that it has some trouble maintaining high temperatures. At the same time, it could also use some precise temperature controls.
Pros
- Affordable
- Compact and space efficient
- Metal utensil safe, nonstick grill grate
- Very easy to clean
- Heats up fast
- Fairly durable build
Cons
- Trouble maintaining high temperatures
- Could use precise temperature controls
5. De’Longhi Perfecto Indoor Grill
Here we have another compact indoor grill that is perfect for cooking up a couple of small steaks. It comes with some really good features that allow for fast heating and high temperature maintenance.
Product Highlights
Something that really stands out about this indoor grill is the fact that it comes complete with a 1500-watt heating element. That is really powerful for such a small indoor grill, and it allows it to achieve very high temperatures in a limited amount of time. It heats up very quickly and can easily achieve temperatures of 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
Keep in mind that this unit comes complete with a simple to use temperature control dial, although it’s not overly precise, as it has just a few settings.
This means that it is more than ideal for searing a steak or any other such meat. At the same time, to make sure that it can maintain high temperatures without wasting energy, it also comes with a lid. This lid is transparent, so you can always see what’s going on inside of the grill. This also helps to keep moisture in to help keep your food juicy.
The grill itself isn’t huge, although it should be enough to cook around four steaks at once, or two steaks and some sides. It is therefore large enough to cook for around two people at once. We do like how the grill grate leaves those great grill marks on your steaks, plus it is nonstick, so it’s very easy to clean.
Just keep in mind, however, that it is not removable, which is one small downside when it comes to cleaning it up. That said, it does come complete with a drip tray that is removable, so it catches the grease and drippings from your food, which can then be easily disposed of.
The Good
Something that we appreciate about the visiting indoor grill is that it heats up really quickly thanks to that 1500-watt heating element. It’s definitely one of the faster units on the list today.
The Bad
Something that we really don’t like about this indoor grill is that the grill grate is not removable. Although it’s certainly not a deal breaker, it definitely makes cleanup time much more difficult.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Heats up fast
- Has a transparent lid
- Nonstick cooking surface
- Fairly durable
- Affordable
Cons
- Grill grate is not removable
Buyers Guide
Before you go out and buy any old indoor grill for cooking a steak, there are some important purchasing considerations that you should keep in mind at all times. Let’s take a closer look at the most important factors when purchasing an indoor grill.
1. Size
You always want to keep an eye out for the size of the indoor grill in question. You obviously want something that is large enough to cook for you and your family, yet also small enough so that it won’t take up too much space.
If you go for something that is around 120 square inches, this should be enough to cook for two or maybe three people at once.
Always consider how many people you will be cooking for. A small tip here: always go for a rectangular indoor grill, not a round one, as square grills are more space efficient and allow you to make better use of the space that you have.
2. Power
Always pay attention to how much power the indoor grill in question has. You could always go for a unit that has at least 1000 watts of power, with around 1200 or 1300 watts being ideal. Anything more than that, and you’re definitely on the right track. As you can see, some of the units that we reviewed today have power levels as high as 1500 watts, which is ideal for fast and even heating.
3. Temperature Control and Features
Another very important feature to look for is precise temperature control. Some indoor grills come with temperature control dials, although they might only have a few settings. If they only have a few settings, make sure that you get a unit that is accurate.
That said, precise temperature controls that allow you to choose a specific temperature are always best. The more precise you can be with temperature control, the easier it is to achieve great results when cooking any food, whether a steak or otherwise.
4. Ease of Cleaning
You also want to go for an indoor grill that is hard to clean. A big part of this is having a grill grate that is nonstick, so that food won’t stick to it. At the same time, the grill grate should also be removable, which makes cleaning a lot easier.
If you can find one that is dishwasher safe, then you are definitely on the right track. On that note, if you find a unit that has dishwasher friendly components, this is definitely going to help make life a lot easier. Moreover, if you can find an indoor grill that has a stainless steel exterior, it’s going to be easy to wipe down.
5. Safety
You should also look for an indoor grill that has some decent safety features. At the very least, it should have a short circuit and overheat protection.
FAQs
1. Are smokeless indoor grills completely smokeless?
However much smokeless indoor grills do great jobs at cutting back on the smoke produced when grilling food, they are not 100% smokeless. That said, they do eliminate around 90% of the smoke that would usually be produced when grilling food.
2. How do I clean my smokeless indoor grill?
If it has a removable grill grate, simply take it out and soak it in some hot water. You can then use a nonabrasive scrubber or brush to remove any food. If the unit in question is dishwasher friendly, then just pop the grate right into the dishwasher. You can then use a damp cloth to wipe down the exterior of the indoor grill.
3. Can I use a smokeless indoor grill outdoors?
As long as you can find a plug to outlet it into, there is no reason why you can’t use a smokeless indoor grill outside.
4. How many hours can I keep my smokeless indoor grill on?
Depending on the quality of the unit in question, a grill should not be left on for more than two or three hours at a time.
Final Thoughts
We think that the best indoor grill on the list today is the Hamilton Beach Electric Indoor Searing Grill. It’s not very expensive yet it comes with everything you need to sear a steak to perfection.