Grilling is commonly done outdoors, but when you’re short on outdoor cooking space or the weather isn’t cooperative, grilling indoors might be the only option to consider. And there are indoor grills that make this possible. From these indoor options, you can get cooking temperatures as high as 500 degrees Fahrenheit without releasing smoke or exhaust fumes. And that’s why they’re called “indoor smokeless grills”.
Another advantage of indoor grills over their traditional cousins is space economy. They are usually small enough to sit on countertops and easy to move from one point to another.
Indoor grills range from budget single-temperature options for one or two people to those with smart cooking features that can cook meals for six people or even more. In this post, we’d be looking at some of the best indoor smokeless grills based on consumer reports and feedback.
Best Indoor Smokeless Grills — Consumer Reports
With so many options on the market, choosing the right indoor smokeless grill can be quite challenging. Here, we have reviewed some of the top models on the market that you won’t go wrong with. These options were carefully handpicked by our research team in terms of durability, ease of use, features, brand trust, and consumer feedback.
1. Ninja AG301
If you don’t have an outdoor living space that will accommodate a BBQ, the Ninja Foodi Health Grill and Fryer AG301 is the perfect solution that allows you to enjoy year-round, indoor grilling. It can fit into limited spaces, and combines the features of a smokeless grill and air fryer so you can grill, fry, bake, roast, and dehydrate without any hassles.
Starting with how the AG301 looks and feels, the first impressions are that of a big box that’s 7 inches long, 14 inches wide and 11 inches tall. Based on its dimensions, this grill should have no problem fitting right into most kitchens. With a weight of 15 pounds, you want to make sure wherever you place it is your final position for it as it is quite hefty.
To give an idea of what this grilling machine looks like, picture an all-in-one printer or a very large bread box. It is constructed of brushed stainless steel and has a black plastic domed lid. It’s unlikely that the AG301 will win any awards for its design but it feels well made and has a nice finish.
This model comes with a few accessories including a cooking pot, grill grate, and crisper basket – all nonstick-coated and free from potentially harmful PTFE/PFOA chemicals. The cooking pot doubles as a drip tray, which is very clever. A cleaning brush and kebab skewer are also included.
Going further, the Ninja AG301 comes with cyclonic grilling technology that uses a powerful fan to evenly distribute heat for quick cooking. Unlike traditional grills, the heat comes from the hood’s heating element and not from the bottom, producing temperatures up to 500 degrees. In effect, this means you don’t have to worry about turning food.
However, if you’re cooking with the air fryer and you have food piled, the hot hair may not be able to reach every part. In this situation, just give everything a shake. The machine sports pull-out drawers with handles but remember to have your gloves on to at least have tongs close by.
Its smokeless feature is made possible by the machine’s smoke control system, which means no accidental smoke alarm will be set off nor do you have to open the windows to dissipate the smoke. A metal mesh smoke screen snaps in over the heating element to contain the grease splatter and reduce smoke.
The front of the AG301 has a control panel with different cooking functions, temperature, and timer settings. You can choose between four preset temperatures: low, medium, high and max but if you’re in doubt about the ideal temp to use, consult a cooking guide although everything is pretty straightforward and easy to use.
As for its cooking functions, your options include grill, air fry, roast (perfect for meat and potatoes), bake (to cook pies and bread), and dehydrate (for herbs and fruits). This appliance can handle any type of grilling recipe and you can also cook frozen to charred without having to thaw your food for hours.
With regards to its performance, this grilling machine is simply a winner. With it, you can air dry with up to 75% less fat and you can grill all kinds of foods including marinated salmon filets, chicken breast, hot dogs, and frozen salmon burgers. The results are all impressive! Cleaning is a bit tedious given its size and components but the removable parts are dishwasher safe.
Overall, the Ninja AG301 is the perfect option for those looking for grilled food lovers who want more than a single-mode machine. The cooking results in all modes both look and taste great.
Pros
- Sturdy
- Easy to operate
- Intuitive control panel
- Nonstick coating makes grates and pans easy to clean
- Powerful heating
Cons
- Slow to heat up
- Pricey
- Large
2. Hamilton Beach Electric Indoor Searing Grill
The Hamilton Beach Electric Indoor Searing Grill would make a fantastic addition to any kitchen as it delivers an overall great taste, texture, and experience. It doesn’t just sear food seamlessly but is also compact, easy to use, and can serve up to six people at a time. This makes it a worthy choice for family use.
One of the first things you’d notice about the Hamilton Beach 25361 is that it is lightweight. At less than 10 pounds, you can move the grilling machine anywhere and at any time. Measuring 16 inches wide, 6-1/2 inches tall by 10 inches deep, this appliance isn’t going to take up a large footprint in your kitchen.
This model is made of quality materials, which include a brushed metal lid. Apart from keeping grease splatter, smoke and steam contained, the lid also helps to keep the grill heat at your chosen temperature between warm and sear, thus preventing continuous reheating.
Speaking of heat, this indoor searing grill provides the same level of heat and more than propane grills offer, boasting a max temperature of 450 degrees. This helps to ensure that your meat and fish are well grilled to perfection while retaining their delicious flavors. What’s more, this grill cooks everything evenly.
Another attraction to the Hamilton Beach 25361 is its wide grilling surface that measures 118 square inches to precise. As a result, you can grille food for up to six people at a single time. Plus, the lid has is some inches of height away from the cooking tray, allowing you to fit in thicker items like veggies and fish without squishing them. That way, you can prepare more food in smaller amounts of time.
As far as controls go, this appliance has 11 different temperature settings to cover just about every type of cooking you might want to do. This is particularly great as it lets grillers choose their ideal temperature rather than rely on readings like low, medium, high, and max. You can adjust the heat settings using the knob.
Additionally, you will never have to worry about monitoring the meat as the machine sports power and heating lights to inform you of the cooking status. That way, you don’t have to open the lid again and again. Much like most modern grilling machines, this model has a nonstick-coated surface, which means it does not need preheating with oil.
The Hamilton Beach Electric Indoor Searing Grill does a nice job at cooking fish and meat to perfection. Thanks to the precise temperature offerings, you can follow recipes to the precision to get the results you desire, ruling out the possibility of ever getting the flavor and texture wrong again. It also creates grill marks without smashing the fish.
Overall, this grilling machine delivers a replica taste of foods cooked in an outdoor grill. It can cook just about anything including steak, burger, vegetables, etc. Plus, it is easy to clean as the removable parts are all dishwasher safe.
Pros
- Has a viewing window
- More temperature control
- Easy to clean
- Preheat light indicators
Cons
- Short power cord
- Long preheating time
3. Ninja Smart XL Indoor Grill
When it’s too cold to cook outside, the Ninja Smart XL Indoor Grill FG551 is an appliance that lets you grill delicacies for your family at all times. It also functions as a mini oven, roaster, air fryer, broiler, and dehydrator, completing your kitchen. It also comes with three removable pans: a cooking pot, grill grate, and a crisper basket.
Design-wise, the Ninja FG551 was made to take minimal space in your kitchen as evidenced by its 15 74 x 16.54 x 11.1-inches dimensions. For an appliance that can perform other functions besides grilling, this might be some good news if yours is a cramped kitchen space. It’s constructed of stainless steel with a black finish that will easily blend in with other kitchen appliances.
A notable element of the design is the addition of a touchscreen digital display that can be of assistance to you. Just choose your cooking program and the grill will guide you through the process by giving prompts like ‘add food’ or ‘rest.’ On the side of the grill, there’s a hidden magnetic compartment that houses a meat thermometer. As long as you put it away after use, you should have no worries about losing it.
The headline feature of the Ninja FG551 is its ability to replace nearly every other appliance you might have in your kitchen. It boasts six main features including grill, air fry, roast, dehydrate, broil, and bake. The accompanying thermometer lets you choose from different preset meat temperatures from rare to well.
Going further, the grill makes use of cyclonic grilling technology to chargrill every side of the meat with 500 degrees cyclonic air. The tech combines with the 500 degrees grill heat to quickly cook your meat whether it’s defrosted or not. Like most traditional grills, this model also smokes but the temperature-controlled grill’s cool air zones and splatter shields help bring the smoke to the barest minimum and keep it out of the kitchen.
Going by its name, it’s obvious the Ninja FG551 is an improvement on its predecessor, allowing you to grill up to six steaks at one time. It actually grills 50% more food than the original Ninja Foodi Grill, so you can prepare food for up to six people at a go. Cleaning the grill is easy as the included brush tool wipes the grate clean easily and all the removable parts (except the thermometer) are dishwasher safe.
Overall, this smokeless grill lets you cook food perfectly as it comes with a smart meat thermometer, temperature presets, and a digital display that removes the guesswork by telling you what to do. Add that to the four different settings for protein with up to nine customizable doneness markers, and you can become a professional chef even without much effort.
Pros
- Does the job of six other appliances
- Has different pre-programmed meat settings
- Includes a smart thermometer
- Can prepare food for six people
Cons
- Small capacity
- Takes time to preheat
4. Power XL Smokeless Electric Indoor Removable Grill
If you love to host BBQ parties but don’t like the idea of standing in the elements, the Power XL Smokeless Electric Indoor Removable Grill has got you covered. It is a well-loved cooking machine that saves you from the hassles of smoke, ash, or soot-like an outdoor charcoal grill.
Thanks to its sleek look, the Power Smokeless Grill will make for a good addition to any kitchen. It has a lot of parts including a heating unit, a water pan, a collection tray, a grill plate, a griddle plate, a power cord, and a lid – all of which sit on the base unit. It doesn’t consume a lot of space as the size of the grill stands at 8 x 14 inches.
The Power Smokeless Grill has a non-stick ceramic grill surface, which means you don’t need any extra fat or oil. Plus, this contributes to making the appliance easy to clean. As for the water tray, it eliminates any dangerous flare-up while taking in any smoke odor.
Speaking of smoke, this grilling machine features a turbo extraction fan that also works to capture any smoke air so you can have a smokeless experience while grilling your delicacies. Keep in mind that when the fan is running, the appliance doesn’t produce any steam, so you might have to turn it off if you want some steam when cooking basted eggs or other meals.
Coming to the controls, what this machine offers is an LED smart control to allow for cooking with precision. With it, you can control the heat up to 450-degrees of custom heat. The heat control has buttons marked 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, and 450.
Apart from its smokeless capability, this appliance also boasts a large grill surface that is wide enough to accommodate three entire racks of ribs or eight large burgers at the same time.
Overall, the Power Smokeless Grill is a decent grilling appliance that does just what its description says – allow you to grill without smoke. Because there are many parts, cleaning can be overwhelming but, fortunately, all the removable parts are dishwasher safe.
Pros
- Impressive extractor fan
- Lid seals well
- Grill surface is extra large
Cons
- A lot to clean
- No timer
5. PowerXL Smokeless Grill with Tempered Glass Lid
The Power XL Smokeless Grill with Tempered Glass Lid shares a lot of similarities with its sibling listed above with its major difference being its tempered glass lid. It comes with both a grill and griddle plate, making it suitable for cooking a range of different meals.
With regards to aesthetics, this appliance looks attractive as it is constructed of stainless steel with a black coating and tempered glass lid to allow you to see what’s cooking per time. The advantage here is that you don’t have to open the lid multiple times to monitor what you’re cooking. Plus, its size of physical proportions of 20 x 12 x 5 inches means it won’t take up too much space in your kitchen.
The control panel of the Power Smokeless Grill with Tempered Glass Lid is straightforward, so you don’t have to rely on guesses. There’s a button to power the appliance on/off while the temperature buttons are positioned next to it. By tapping on the plus (+) and minus (-) buttons, you can adjust the heat setting between 200 degrees and 450 degrees. There’s also a light on the dial that flashes while it’s warming and only becomes solid color when it’s at the desired temperature.
The grill surface has a nonstick coating and as per usual, it is free of potentially dangerous PTFE and PFOA substances. With its 112 square inches of cooking surface, the grill is large enough to cook three steaks or half a dozen burgers. While you’re at grilling, the advanced fanning system will help capture smoke and keep it out of your kitchen.
Overall, the Power Smoke Grill with Tempered Glass is a modest appliance that’s easy to use and does a great job at grilling. It is also easy to clean as the removable parts are dishwasher safe.
Pros
- Stylish design
- Clear tempered glass lid
- Extra-large grill surface
- LED control panel
Cons
- A lot of parts to clean
6. Indoor Grill Electric Grill Griddle Cusimax Smokeless Grill
If you want to cook your food indoors without worrying about setting off the smoke alarms, the Indoor Grill Electric Grill Griddle Cusimax Smokeless Grill is a good option to consider. With its 1500W, it can handle just about anything you throw at it.
One of the first things that come to mind about this appliance is that it is elegant and that is sure to complement the aesthetics of your kitchen. The tempered glass lid wins it some points as it means you can monitor your cooking with ease. It also comes equipped with an LED smart display that lets you adjust the temperature from 200 degrees to 400 degrees.
This smokeless grill from Cusimax is able to grill different types of food to perfection including steak, fish, chicken, and more. The perforated grill plate can filter out excess oil while leaving grill marks on the food as a charcoal grill does.
Using its turbo smoke extractor technology that comes with a built-in fan, this appliance will clear out smoke while you cook. Overall, the Indoor Grill Electric Grill Griddle Cusimax Smokeless Grill is worth buying. Cleaning is easy as the removable parts are dishwasher safe.
Pros
- Fast and consistent heating
- Clear tempered glass lid
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Fan is louder than in others.
