10 Best Smokeless Indoor Grills in 2024

We’ve conducted a deep-dive on indoor grills to help flavor the season. Our choice for the best smokeless indoor grills overall is the Cuisinart Griddler 5-in-1. But we feel confident that we have the right option for everyone in our extensive list.

Why Do I Need an Indoor Grill?

Everyone loves a good summertime meal, grilled outdoors. Unfortunately, outdoor grills aren’t always an option; they can be pretty expensive, take up a bunch of space on what may be a tiny patio, and often aren’t even allowed if you’re renting. Even if you already have one, you might not always be able to use it — sometimes it’s just too darn cold to grill outside!

But even though outdoor grills may not be an option, luckily indoor grills are here so you can enjoy perfectly grilled food from the comfort of your kitchen! In this article, we’ll take a look at the ten best smokeless grills so you can finally start enjoying that distinctive flavor only grilling can bring to your favorite meals.

Our Top Picks: Best Smokeless Indoor Grills

Without further ado, here are our top picks:

• Best Overall: Cuisinart Griddler 5-in-1. This contact-style grill has dual temperature controls for each grilling surface, lays flat for open grilling, and features removable grill/griddle plates that are dishwasher safe.
• Best Runner-Up: Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe. In addition to the basic features of the Griddler 5-in-1, the Deluxe has a unique lever on the side to adjust the distance between heat surfaces, so you can press hard enough to get a crispy panini or gently enough for a delicate grilled cheese.
• The Green Pick: Aone Electric Grill. Made by an environmentally-conscious, family-owned business in South Korea, this grill uses oil steam purification technology to trap oils, smoke, and other air pollutants emitted during grilling. This helps the environment as much as it prevents kitchens from smoking up — all without losing an ounce of flavor.
• Best Budget: George Foreman GRP1060B. The tried-and-true George Foreman brings all the features you want in your indoor grill — non-stick grill plates that are dishwasher safe and angled heat surfaces with removable drip tray for excess fats — in a compact, durable package that won’t break the bank.
• Best Multi-Purpose: Ninja Foodi 5-in-1. If you’re looking for the grill that does it all, check out the Ninja Foodi— not only does it grill and griddle, but it also air fries, dehydrates, roasts, and bakes!
• Best Compact: George Foreman Rapid Grill. Unlike other compact indoor grills, this baby features a temperature slider so you can adjust the heat to what you’re cooking, all in a compact package that takes up minimal counter space and can be stored upright for small kitchens.
• The Smartest Grill: T-Fal GC70 OptiGrill. With six different settings and auto-sensing technology, this grill takes the guesswork out of both optimal temperature and cook time by setting those for you. It also features a light indicator to let you know when your red meat is rare, medium, or well-done!
• Best Glass Lid: DeLonghi BG24 Perfecto. This open-style grill features a tempered glass lid, so the more anxious cook can keep a weather eye on their dish without opening the grill and losing heat.
• Best Indoor/Outdoor Versatility: George Foreman Indoor-Outdoor Grill. With a round cook surface that can handle up to fifteen servings and a domed lid, this baby channels the aesthetic of outdoor grilling from your countertop. It comes with a grill stand you can attach to convert to outdoor grilling without messy fuels like propane or charcoal.
• Best Open: Zojirushi Indoor Electric Grill. With a thin cross-frame grill surface and open-face layout, this temperature-adjustable grill brings the flavor of outdoor grilling inside — like those aesthetic grill lines.

With an incredibly reasonable price and unparalleled functionality, the Cuisinart Griddler 5-in-1 takes home our overall best smokeless indoor grill award. The contact-style grill can be laid out flat for dual-surface open cooking. The best part: both surfaces have independent temperature controls so you can cook different foods at the same time! The included grill and griddle plates are dishwasher-safe for easy clean-up, and you can even buy waffle plate accessory to expand this multi-taskers functional purview further.

The Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe is runner up solely due to the higher price tag — but boy does it make up for that in features! The contact-style grill can be laid flat for open cooking, with independently adjustable heat surfaces and grill/griddle reversible plates. Once you’ve selected your temperature, the adjustment knobs glow red while preheating and then green to indicate your cooktop is ready to go. The angled surfaces, both of which are dishwasher safe, channel excess oils to a drip tray that slides out for easy cleaning.

What makes this baby stand out, though, is the ingenious lever on the machine’s side that lets you adjust the distance between the two cook surfaces. The adjustment helps you create more pressure when making a crispy panini, or less pressure for the delicate grilled cheese.

Based in South Korea, Aone is a small, family-owned business with a mission statement of helping cooks around the world enjoy genuine Korean BBQ while also spreading healthier, more sustainable cooking practices. Not only does their entire manufacturing line follow sustainable practices, but the grill itself uses oil steam purification technology designed to eliminate the oils, smoke, and other pollutants and fine particles released during the grilling process. This serves the dual purpose of making your food (and home) healthier, while also protecting the environment without sacrificing flavor!

In addition to their environmentally-conscious practices and product, Aone utilizes high-quality Teflon coating on their removable heat surface for reliable non-stick grilling that is easy to wipe clean.

George Foreman was the first brand to put indoor contact grills out into the world. This particular model stays true to the original quality with an affordable price tag for any wallet. The exterior housing is durable, heat-resistant plastic that is both lightweight and easy to wipe clean. The interior cook surfaces are removable, dishwasher-safe, and feature the famous George Tough non-stick coating. The coating eliminates the need for cooking spray, helps excess oils roll right off into the (included and also dishwasher-safe) drip tray, and ensures clean-up is a breeze. The small, compact size has enough real estate to handle four servings at a time, making it perfect for individuals and families.

This high-functioning multi-tasker packs a significant punch in a reasonably-sized package. Not only is it capable of grilling and griddling, but the Ninja Foodi is also an air-fryer with air crisp, dehydrate, roast, bake functions, and a built-in vegetable tray. Effortlessly create an elaborate five-course meal with the straightforward control panel, and enjoy hassle-free clean-up thanks to the removable, dishwasher safe heat surface components.

This compact and quite frankly adorable contact grill takes up minimal counter and storage space, making it perfect for smaller apartments, while still bringing all the features you need for a tasty meal. Both removable grill plates are George Tough non-stick, eliminating the need for cooking sprays. The plates are also dishwasher safe for easy cleaning. The entire grill sits at an incline to funnel excess oils down to the included dishwasher-safe drip tray. Unlike other smaller indoor grills, this Rapid Grill has a temperature slider, allowing you to crank up the heat for a nice sear on your favorite burger.

The T-Fal OptiGrill takes the “smart” device concept to a whole other level. Choose from six different settings (burger, sandwich, red meat, sausage, poultry, or fish), and then let the OptiGrill do the res. The integrated cooking sensor will accurately detect the quantity of food placed on the grill and aspects such as meat thickness. The sensor then automatically adjusts both temperature and cook time, giving you perfect steaks, veggies, and paninis. The clear indicator light with audible beeps lets you know when your meat is rare, medium, and well-done, so you can get the right level of pinkness in your steak without having to open the grill and check.

For those who prefer to monitor food as it cooks to prevent disaster, the DeLonghi BG24 Perfecto is here to save the day. The clear, tempered glass lid allows you to keep your eye on your meal, while still trapping in the heat for thorough cooking. Easily adjust temperature settings with the simple dial, and closely supervise the entire cooking process with the detachable thermostat. The detachable, non-stick plates prevent your ingredients from adhering to the grill, while the included drip tray catches excess grease and is easily removable for a quick wipe-down.

We know you came here for indoor grills, but we couldn’t resist featuring this versatile indoor-outdoor grill. Thanks to the grill stand, you can easily set up this electric grill outdoors for the full grilling experience without the hassle of propane, charcoal, or other hazardous materials, and with the freedom of dial temperature controls. The domed lid mimics that classic outdoor-grill aesthetic even while indoors, while the round cook surface features 240 square inches of space to handle up to fifteen servings at a time! With the George Tough non-stick coating, the grill plate doesn’t need any oiling or buttering beforehand and is easy to clean.

The appeal of the open-style grill is to bring the flavor of outdoor grilling into your kitchen, and no one does it better than Zojirushi! The flat grilling surface is thinly cross-framed like a real outdoor grill, giving you those signature grill lines while also allowing fats and excess oils to filter down to the removable drip tray without losing a single morsel of food. A simple dial adjusts the temperature to suit whatever you’re cooking. It easily achieves high heats evenly over the wide grill plate for a great sear.

What to Look for in the Best Smokeless Indoor Grills

So, which is the best smokeless indoor grill? You’ll have to decide that for yourself, but while you’re looking for the perfect indoor grill to suit your needs, here are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind:

• Real Estate: how big is the grill? Will it fit on your counter?
• Grilling Surface: are you cooking for two or twenty?
• Incline/Drainage: is there a way to drain excess fats and oils?
• Cost: is it in your price range?
• Temperature Indicator: is there a light to let you know when the grill is ready to go?
• Heat Range: does it get hot enough for your cooking needs?
• Cleaning: is it easy to clean, or dishwasher safe?
• Non-stick: is a non-stick heating surface a necessity for you?

You’ll also want to keep in mind the differences between open grills and contact grills. Open grills have one heating surface to cook your food (meaning you’ll have to flip it over to get both sides seared). Contact grills have a top and bottom heating surface to simultaneously cook both sides (like a panini press).

Our Process

For this guide on the best smokeless indoor grills, our team spent 4 hours researching the most popular options from over 30 brands and manufacturers big and small. We then read about one hundred user reviews (both positive and negative) to discover what shoppers thought about each grill. After comparing this data, we narrowed our list down to the top 10 smokeless indoor grills on the market. You can count on this research to guide you to a mindful purchasing decision.

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