To find the best indoor grill, we recommend you look for a grill or panini press that is lightweight and compact and will cook at temperatures no greater than 485 degrees, feature a smokeless or low-smoke design that keeps heating elements away from direct food contact, and have nonstick, BPA-free, dishwasher safe cooking surfaces and drip trays for fat and grease. Additional features like food type detection, light indicators or alarms for guesswork-free cooking, and programmable cooking modes.
After analyzing hundreds of reviews amongst a multitude of products with varying price points and features, we’ve determined that the Zojirushi EB-CC15 is the best indoor grill you can buy on the market today. Keep reading about this and our other top picks to learn more about the best grills on the market.
Top 10 Best Indoor Grills
#1 Zojirushi EB-CC15 Indoor Grill
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: A lightweight but durable performer with precise heating controls, safety-minded design, and super easy-to-clean modularity at an excellent value for a great all-around choice.
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- Cool-touch handles and casing
- Ultra non-stick grilling surface
- Fully dishwasher safe
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- Open design less safe for kids
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The Zojirushi EB-CC15 is an open-top heavy-duty plastic and aluminum indoor grill. Its ultra non-stick grilling surface makes it easy to get perfect grill marks and high-heat results without ruining your food or the grill. Its Cool-touch handles and casing make it easier to handle during cooking or cool down, and its clever modular design breaks down into 100% dishwasher-safe parts, also making it easy to store when not in use.
Its open-top design means it’s slightly less safe for households with small children who may be able to reach kitchen countertops. This is a similar design seen on the popular raclette grills. But the variable heat control up to 400 degrees, safety-minded handling design, and easy to clean, easy to store build make it a great all-around choice. It’s a wonderful option for anyone looking for the best flat-top grills.
#2 Secura Smokeless Indoor Grill
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: Clever Grill and Griddle 2-in-1 design, a removable glass lid, and grease traps for healthier cooking in an easy-to-store and clean grill that still offers a generous grilling surface.
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- Safe-handling stay-cool grips
- Removable Tri-ply heating surface for more cooking options
- Drip tray/channels take excess fat away from food
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- One of the heavier models in class
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The Secura Smokeless is a heavy-duty cast iron/glass/aluminum indoor grill with a tri-ply removable cooking plate for griddling in addition to grilling options. Its grease traps and removable easy-clean drip tray move excess grease, fat, and oil away from food for a health-minded cooking option, and cool-touch handles and housing as well as a removable glass lid add an extra measure of safety and even allows limited steaming of food.
At 13.5lbs, it’s one of the heavier models in its class, but its multiple removable parts make it easy enough to store and especially easy to clean, with most parts being dishwasher safe. An additional removable controllable thermostat adds extra heating control for a flexible, easy-to-use, high-performing option for indoor smoke-free BBQing and more. You might also enjoy our best electric grills guide.
#3 Hamilton Beach 25361 Indoor Grill
Award: BEST ALL-IN-ONE
WHY WE LIKE IT: A handy removable serving tray, precise heat control up to 450 degrees, power/preheat indicators, and an extra-large drip tray for mess-free cooking make it a great go-to for easy meal creation all in one.
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- 450-degree max heat
- Generous 118 square inch cooking surface
- Power and preheat lights for guesswork-free cooking
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- Slightly less robust and durable than similarly sized models
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The Hamilton Beach 25361 is a stainless steel and tempered glass indoor grill with a generous 118 square inch grilling surface and a removable serving tray (serves for six) built-in for an all-in-one meal creation tool. With a maximum cooking temperature of 450 degrees and a precise temperature dial, it offers plenty of control and cooking options, and the quality flippable glass lid and extra-large drip tray help keep messes to a minimum.
Its light 8.14lb weight makes it fairly portable, but also means it’s slightly less robust and durable than models of similar size, though it’s tough enough to stand up to most normal use. It’s also relatively easy to clean and disassemble, and with its high heat output, handy serving tray, and indicator lights, it’s a user-friendly, powerful option that offers control and safety at a good value. For your backyard, you might also like our best propane grills guide.
#4 Presto 09020 Cool Touch Indoor Grill
Award: BEST ON A BUDGET
WHY WE LIKE IT: Super compact, with an easy to use, simple design but modern features like auto temperature control, it’s a space-saving, fuss-free option that offers plenty of performance at a serious value.
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- Ultra-light 5.5lb build
- Dishwasher safe
- Includes high-quality spatula
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- Fairly small cooking area
- No lid or grease traps
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The Presto Cool Touch is a budget-minded aluminum indoor grill/griddle with a long, narrow 19.75 x 3.38 x 13.06 build that takes up minimal kitchen counter space and is easily storable in most standard 18” kitchen cabinets. Its auto temperature control feature makes for fuss-free grilling of meats and veggies with sufficient heat output for most purposes, though not quite at the oven or outdoor grill temperatures of 450 degrees or higher.
Its fairly small cooking surface and lack of lid or grease traps mean it’s not as mess-proof as many larger models in class, but the Cool Touch handles and base add a measure of safety, and it’s dishwasher safe for easy cleaning. It’s a great option for quick and easy grilling, and its space-saving, compact size and included high-quality spatula make it a convenient option at a price point that’s hard to beat. If budget isn’t an issue for your backyard grilling, you might also like the best infrared grills.
#5 George Foreman GRP3060P Indoor Grill
Award: BEST FOR HEALTHY COOKING
WHY WE LIKE IT: Patented grease-trap design, a compact, sturdy build that keeps cool on the outside for maximum safety, and specialized nonstick coating make it the go-to for health-minded grilling.
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- Fat-removing sloped design
- Dishwasher-safe drip tray
- Advanced “George Tough” Nonstick Coating
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- Not the largest cooking area in class at 60 square inches
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The George Foreman Grill GRP3060P is a heavy-duty plastic and aluminum grill and panini press with a certified PFOA-free nonstick coating. The grilling surface’s sloped design and dishwasher-safe large grease trap drains up to 42% of fat, for some of the healthiest grilling available in small indoor models. The advanced “George Tough” nonstick coating makes for oil and butter-free cooking even after extended use, and its power/preheat/ready indicator lights and heat-protective molded plastic casing make for a safe, no-fuss meal making.
While its 60 square inch cooking surface is smaller than some models in its class, it will still grill 4 servings easily, and its square design and light 6.55lb weight make it easy to store and travel with. For ultra-healthy, easy cooking with a good amount of flexibility and a fairly easy to clean, semi-modular design, it’s a great choice for healthy meals at an exceptional value. For more versatility, we also recommend our best kamado grills buying guide.
#6 Dash Mini Maker Indoor Grill
Award: BEST PORTABILITY
WHY WE LIKE IT: Lightweight and perfect for travel, it’s a handy panini and one-serving meat and veggie griller that heats in minutes and cleans up even quicker.
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- Dual non-stick surfaces
- Ultra-light and compact 1lb/5” build
- Heats up in minutes and cleans up easily
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- Very small 4” cooking surface
- Limited max heat compared to most in class
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The DashMini Maker is a 350-watt, ultra-light, single-serve, top-rated portable grill and panini press with a non-stick dual cooking surface for mess-free, consistent cooking with or without cooking sprays or butter. Plug it in and it heats up in only a few minutes, making it great for quick snack making or for students and travelers with limited time and space who want a way to make fuss-free healthy meals for one.
Its small 4” cooking surface and limited maximum heat compared to most in-class mean it’s not suitable for large services or cooking larger food items. But its ultra-light 1lb/5” build, mess-free nonstick coating, super easy to clean (wiping down non-electronic parts is sufficient most of the time), and sleek look available in many colors make it great for students, travelers, and people with smaller kitchens, all at a super value. If portability is a big factor in your purchasing decision, you might also want to look at the best camping grills.
#7 T-Fal GC7 Opti-Grill Indoor Grill
Award: BEST VERSATILITY
WHY WE LIKE IT: Multiple cooking program options, switchable frozen food and manual modes, and fillet thickness detection for consistent cooking for a very modern, ultra-versatile meal maker.
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- 6 programs for different food types
- Automatic fillet thickness detection
- Powerful 1800 watt heating element
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- A bit too bulky for space-saving and storage
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The T-Fal GC7 Opti-Grill is a stainless steel indoor grill and panini press featuring a 600 square centimeter non-stick grilling surface. It features 6 automatic cooking programs for Burger, Poultry, Sandwich, Sausage, Red Meat, and Fish and two automatic temperature regulation modes for frozen food and fresh meats and veggies respectively.
Though its sandwich-style close design and large cool-touch handles make it versatile, burn-proof, and easier to move, they add a bit of bulk and weight (11.6lbs), making this model slightly less easy to store in some kitchen cabinets and making it take up more counter space than some. However, its generous, PBA-free non-stick dual cooking surfaces, preheating / ready indicator lights, and sound alarm for rare, medium, and well-done, and its great performance both for grilling meats and veggies and for use as a panini press make it an excellent choice and a reasonable value for its quality. If you’ve got an outdoor kitchen, we also recommend the best built-in grills.
#8 Philips Kitchen Appliances HD637 Indoor Grill
Award: BEST EASE OF USE
WHY WE LIKE IT: A pared-down but powerful grill that heats automatically to optimal meat grilling temperature with a very easy to clean, smokeless, and non-toxic design.
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- Powerful 1660 Watt design
- Removable, dishwasher-safe surface
- Sets up in 1 minute
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- Less versatility and safety features than many
- No manual temperature control
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The Philips Kitchen Appliances HD6371 is a power 1660-watt virtually smoke-free indoor grill that automatically heats quickly to the optimal meat grilling temperature of 446 degrees. The ultra-simple design lacks temperature control and opts instead for purpose-built functionality, but it heats to maximum very quickly and set-up is easy and takes no more than a minute.
The lack of control features and safety features means it’s less versatile and family-friendly than some on the market. However, for grilling meat and other similar uses, it’s a top performer that’s incredibly easy to use even for the inexperienced, and the dishwasher-safe removable grill surface makes for headache-free cleanup. Additionally, you might like our best natural gas grills guide for your backyard grilling needs.
#9 Breville BSG600BSS Indoor Grill
Award: BEST FOR SANDWICHES
WHY WE LIKE IT: Designed specifically as a panini press, it also excels at quesadillas and breakfast sandwiches, and its lightweight, compact, attractive brush steel build makes it easy to store and saves kitchen counter real estate.
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- Brushed stainless steel housing
- Adjustable height control clip
- Adjustable crush control
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- Less ideal for grilling meat
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The Breville BSG600BSS is an indoor grill and panini press that heavily emphasizes performance as a panini press and sandwich grill. Its adjustable height control allows and adjustable crush control allows for precise control over the degree of pressure food is pressed with related to its thickness, allowing it to perfectly cook a wide variety of hot sandwiches and similar snacks like quesadillas.
Its lower top temperatures and sandwich press-oriented design means it’s less ideal, but still functional, for grilling meats. But its compact, lightweight, and burn-preventing design and attractive stainless steel build make it a great reasonably priced addition to any kitchen where paninis, quesadillas, and hot sandwiches regularly are on the menu. If you enjoy eating brisket or pulled pork sandwiches, consider buying one of the best pellet smokers to take your BBQ game to the next level.
#10 All-Clad PG710850 Indoor Grill
Award: BEST ADVANCED FEATURES
WHY WE LIKE IT: 6 pre-set programs, multiple grilling style options, food type detection technology, and a sloped design for healthier low-fat cooking in a sturdy, attractive design.
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- 5 cooking stage modes
- Manual 4-degree temperature control
- Dishwasher safe cooking surface and drip tray
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- Higher price point than many models
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The All-Clad PG710850 is a high-performance smokeless indoor grill and sandwich press. Its stainless steel construction houses double non-stick grill surfaces that are removable for dishwasher-safe cleaning and its sloped design allows grease and oil to drain off into its dishwasher-safe drip tray for healthier, low-fat cooking.
6 pre-set programs for burgers, fish, veggies, more as well 5 basic cooking settings for rare, medium-rare, medium, and well done, and 4 levels of manual temperature control are all augmented by advanced food type technology for perfectly cooking a wide variety of foods every time. Its high performance and variety of advanced options come with a higher price tag than many other similar models, but for a reliable, easy to clean, high performing indoor grill, it’s a great choice. For outdoor, slow-cooking, we’ve also identified the best rotisserie grills on the market.
How We Decided
We preferred smokeless or low-smoke indoor grills and panini presses that cooked at temperatures no hotter than 485 degrees for safe use inside. We liked grills with safety features like cool-touch handles and housing, and auto-off functions as well as durable steel, aluminum, or high test plastic housing.
We also preferred indoor grills and panini presses with sloped designs and/or large drip trays for low-fat, healthier cooking of meats. Additionally, we liked grills that featured modular, easy to clean, or dishwasher-safe parts including removable drip trays and cooking surfaces. Also appreciated were nonstick cooking surfaces that were certified BPA-free.
Finally, we liked compact, lightweight grills that were fairly easy to store in standard 18” kitchen cabinets and which weren’t heavier than 15lbs, with cooking surfaces large enough for a small fillet or hot sandwich. We also appreciate advanced features like automatic thickness detection, multiple cooking modes and programs, auto on/off, and indicator lights or alarms.
Best Indoor Grill Buyer’s Guide
The Most Important Features to Consider
- Open or Closed Grill
Indoor grills come in two basic design categories. The first is the open grill, which has no lid or dual closing cooking surface and often is purpose-built for use as a meat griller or a griddle for pancakes and the like. These often allow for higher temperatures and are thus better for meat and fish, but aren’t as safe as closed grills and panini presses because of having an exposed cooking surface. A closed grill or a panini press features either a folding sandwich-like dual cooking surface design or a glass lid, allowing for safer cooking and handling, and usually featuring more temperature and cooking-style options. For low-smoke as opposed to smokeless grills, it also keeps more smoke out of the house. - Compact & Lightweight
Indoor grills and panini presses are great for producing outdoor BBQ and restaurant-like results in the comfort of the home. However, if they’re large, heavy, and bulky, they can wind up taking up valuable kitchen counter real estate if they’re not used regularly, and they may not fit in standard 18” kitchen cabinets. There’s no reason a small, compact, and lightweight grill or press can’t produce great results at high enough temperatures for meat grilling, and manufacturers have answered the need with a large variety of grills and presses that feature space-saving, easy-store designs. Some models are even built for travel with single-serving cooking surfaces, carrying handles, and weights in the low single digits. - Easy To Clean and Safe
If there’s one thing that tends to keep people from using things like cast iron pans and high-temperature grills more often, despite their performance, it’s that they’re often a chore to clean. Luckily, there are plenty of indoor grill and panini press options that address this problem. Many electric indoor grills and panini presses feature semi-modular designs and whose main components are dishwasher-safe or easy to clean simply by wiping with a wet cloth. Though indoor grills are electric and generally safer than outdoor grills and gas stovetops, they still have hot surfaces that are sometimes exposed, not to mention handles and housing that can reach high heat as well. Look for “cool-touch” features on grills that keep heat from building up to dangerous points on handles or housing, and designs featuring lids to keep cooking surfaces from little hands. A slightly less common issue is the fact that in the past, some nonstick surfaces were made with potentially dangerous chemicals known to cause cancer over long-term use. Thankfully, most nonstick material at this point is BPA-free, meaning it’s been certified to not contain any dangerous or carcinogenic material. This is usually specified in product descriptions.
