by Rick Goldman
Most grills are designed to be outdoors because of how hot they can get. They are also designed to be outdoors because of the volume of what gets cooked on them.
However, if you do not have the luxury to grill outdoors, there are alternatives.
These alternatives come in the form of the indoor grill.
Indoor grills are a good alternative if you do not have the space in your home for an outdoor grill or if your neighborhood does not allow you to use an outdoor grill for whatever reason.
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Something that a lot of indoor grills lack are options. Most of them usually just function as a panini press or a griddle but nothing more than that. It is very rare to come across an indoor grill that will allow you to prepare your meals in many ways. This is really frustrating if you are cooking for more than one person.
One of the best things about Cuisinart's indoor grill is that true to its description, it contains 5 different functions. You can use it as a panini press, a contact grill, or a full grill. You can also adjust the tops of it where one it can be a half grill and half griddle. This is really useful when you are tasked with cooking different things a different way.
The temperature controls of Cusinart's indoor grill contain a lot more temperature and power level controls than other indoor grills do, as well. This is one more thing that contributes to its versatility as an indoor grill.
One thing that you might want to watch for when using Cusinart's indoor grill is that cleaning it will not be as easy as you might want it to be. This is because of how compact it is in size. This, combined with all of the functions it has will require you to clean it right after using it in order to keep enjoying it for the long term.
Indoor grills are very convenient, but one of the biggest issues that is common among most of them is that it is very difficult to cook a lot of food with them, if not impossible. This might not affect you if you are using an indoor grill for yourself, but you will struggle if you are using one for a small or large group.
George Foreman's indoor grill is what you need if you are hosting a tailgate or any similar gathering in your home. The surface measures an impressive 240 square inches, you will be able to cook whatever you need for whoever you need with it. The adjustable stand also allows you to use it outside or inside, and this is another fantastic thing about George Foreman's grill.
While no grilling surface is completely non-stick, the surface of George Foreman's grill is about as close to being perfectly non-stick as it can be. You will not need to douse the surface with butter, oil, or cooking spray in order to prevent the food you are cooking with it from sticking.
The one thing that can be improved about George Foreman's grill has to do with versatility. You will not be able to use it as a panini press, a contact grill, or anything else that most other indoor grills offer. You do not get this luxury with George Foreman's grill and that is unfortunate.
Most indoor grills do not give you an option to keep heat inside while you are cooking. This can lead to not only longer cooking times, but it can also lead to your countertop getting very dirty after the cooking process. Wasting a lot of time cleaning your countertop after using an indoor grill is very frustrating and it usually cannot be avoided.
Hamilton Beach has solved this issue with its indoor grill. Containing a grill hood as well as a viewing window, not only will you not need to clean your countertop as much after using it, but you can also see your food as it cooks inside of it. Very few indoor grills contain this kind of feature and it is very nice that Hamilton Beach's indoor grill has it.
The drip trays of most indoor grills usually leave a lot to be desired. They usually do not catch nearly as many juices as you might want and they often leave you cleaning up your countertop after using it as well as the drip tray. This is also not an issue with Hamilton Beach's indoor grill, as its drip tray is a little bigger than the drip trays of other indoor grills.
One thing that needs to be improved with Hamilton Beach's indoor grill is that it is very one-dimensional in its use. It has an adjustable temperature dial, but you can only use it as a searing grill and nothing else.
Some of the more versatile indoor grills typically don't have much to offer when it comes to surface area. Most of the time, you might be able to cook as many as 5 or so different servings on one. While this is negligible if you are using an indoor grill for yourself or for your family, it is certainly an issue if you are using one for a large group.
Power's indoor grill solves this by containing interchangeable plates that will allow you to use it as both a griddle as well as a grill. It also has a much larger surface that most other indoor grills that also function as a griddle. You'll be able to cook at least 8 different servings with it with no problems at all.
Most temperature controls of indoor grills use a knob. This is the industry standard for them, but Power's indoor grill improves upon this by containing an LED temperature control interface. This allows you to set your grill to get the perfect temperature quickly instead of adjusting the knobs like you would with other indoor grills.
Because Power's indoor grill is so versatile and because it also prevents smoke with its glass lid, there are a lot of components of it that you will need to clean. There are a lot more components to Power's indoor grill compared to other indoor grills and this can make cleaning it a frustrating process.
One of the biggest issues with indoor grills is that the juices of the foods you cook with them can splatter and splash all over your countertop. This results in a lot of wasted time cleaning up after you are finished cooking. Also, indoor grills are also one-dimensional as far as cooking appliances that you can use in the place of an outdoor grill are concerned. They can only do so much.
The Foodi, by Ninja, is your solution when you are looking for a suitable replacement for an outdoor grill. If you want to use it as an air fryer, you can do so. Like most other air fryers, it contains a cooking pot that you can use as an air fryer. This is perfect if you are preparing multi course meals. You can fry certain dishes then turn right back around and grill something all within an hour.
You will be able to prepare a lot of food using the Foodi as well. With its grill surface measuring 10 inches in diameter, you'll be able to fit anything you need on it. You will not need to worry about juices splattering and splashing all over your countertop, either; the grill hood that the Foodi comes with takes care of that.
Air fryers tend to spread heat all over the areas that they are used in. This is one reason why many are turned away from them. You will deal with the very same issue with the Foodi. In fact, this will be even more pronounced when using it. Prepare for your kitchen to get really hot when using it.
Most indoor grills can grill and do nothing else. This is even true if the grills have multiple plates. Most of the time, indoor grills that have multiple plates usually just perform nothing more than other variations of grilling. You'll often need to look elsewhere if you are looking for an indoor grill that can also function as a waffle maker or a panini press.
Your search for an indoor grill that can truly do more than just function as a grill ends with the Evolve, by George Foreman. It contains the classic George Foreman grilling plates you have come to love over the years as well as a plate that functions as a panini press as well as a waffle maker. You will not be able to find an indoor grill so versatile.
Very few indoor grills cook as quickly as the Evolve does. It has an option called the "searing burst" which has the temperature go from 0 degrees to 500 degrees within 90 seconds, saving you all kinds of valuable time. If you are not comfortable using the searing burst, you can also use its settings to set the temperature from 325 at the lowest to 450 at the highest.
While the Evolve is indeed easy to clean, it also contains a lot of grilling plates that need to be cleaned. These all must be individually removed so that you can clean them by hand or place in the dishwasher. This will have you spend a lot more time cleaning it than necessary.
One of the biggest issues with any given indoor or outdoor grill is that they tend to give off a lot of smoke when cooking. While this is perfectly acceptable for outdoor grills, it can ruin your cooking experience when using it in the kitchen. This is especially true when using it in a small kitchen, which can easily be polluted with smoke for a couple of hours after using an indoor grill.
Issues such as these are solved decisively when using Philips' smokeless indoor grill. It contains infrared technology that clears out as much smoke as possible when cooking with it. Some smoke will appear, but not nearly as much as other indoor grills.
Adjustments to heat is also another issue that surrounds most indoor grills. This can cause heating to be inconsistent, which is very frustrating to deal with. You also will not need to worry about this when using Philips' indoor grill. It is preset to a temperature of 446 degrees, making things much more consistent.
One of the biggest drawbacks to Philips' indoor grill is that it is nothing if not one-dimensional. It contains just one grill plate and that is it. You cannot make any adjustments to its cooking temperature at all. These two things unfortunately make Philips' indoor grill one of the least versatile indoor grills in existence.
Most indoor grills have very little to offer in terms of size and capacity. You'll be lucky to be able to grill a couple of pieces of meat and a few vegetables on one. While this is a negligible issue if you are just using an indoor grill for yourself and a couple of others, it is a significant issue if you are using an indoor grill for a large group.
Size and capacity issues are decisively solved when using Elite Gourmet's indoor grill. With the grill plate measuring an impressive 14 inches in diameter, you'll be able to put nearly anything you need on it. It is a must if you intend to use an indoor grill when hosting a party or other kind of social event at your home.
The glass lid of Elite Gourmet's indoor grill is also a very nice thing about it. Not only will it prevent smoke from rising from the grill, it will also make sure that everything you cook with it will retain as many of its juices as possible.
The only thing that you need to worry about with Elite Gourmet's indoor grill is that it is completely one-dimensional with its grill plate. You'll need to look elsewhere if you are looking for an indoor grill that you can also use as a panini maker or a waffle maker.
Most indoor grills do not provide you with too many cooking options. The only options you might see is the ability to change temperatures but that's about it. It isn't often that you get to experience using an indoor grill that does more than that.
Wolf Gourmet gives you a few more cooking options than other indoor grills. First, its lid makes it possible to steam certain foods. This is different from other lids in that the one for Wolf Gourmet's indoor grill actually locks in moisture and heat instead of just micromanaging smoke, which is what the lids of other indoor grills do.
Another thing that gives you a lot more cooking options with Wolf Gourmet's indoor grill is that it operates at a much wider range of temperatures. You can keep it warm at 150 degrees, or you can increase the temperature all the way to 450 degrees.
The only thing that would make Wolf Gourmet's indoor grill a little better is if it had different kinds of grill plates. It would be perfect if you could use Wolf Gourmet's indoor grill as a panini press or a waffle maker or something similar.
Most indoor grills give off a lot of smoke when cooking with them. Not only can this crowd your kitchen with smoke that doesn't go away for hours, it can also cause the food you cook with it to lose a lot of its flavor as its grease and fat can also be expelled from it.
One of the best things about Philips' indoor grill is that it is smokeless. The heat from it will be guided towards the food that you cook with it, which not only allows food to retain its flavor, it also prevents grease and fat from the food to be expelled from the grill as much as possible.
Another challenge that many indoor grills face is cleaning it. Although it should be easy to clean most indoor grills, the process is not as easy as it should be most of the time. Philips' indoor grill solves this by including a cleaning tool that you can use to clean its grill plate much easier. It will allow you to clean within the grates of the grill much easier.
The only thing that can be improved about Philips' indoor grill is that it is completely one-dimensional. It only comes with one grill plate. You'll need to look elsewhere if you are looking for an indoor grill that can do more than just act as a grill.
Indoor grills come in all kinds of varieties. There is no one indoor grill that does everything you want it to perfectly.
This is why you need to consider a number of things before making the decision to buy an indoor grill.
Like with outdoor grills, you need to be very aware of how many people you need to regularly cook for.
If you know that you will encounter some offhand occasions where you know you need to cook for a large group, you should consider that as well.
It is actually quite possible to replace your outdoor grill with an indoor one, and this might actually be a smart thing to do if you encounter a lot of rain or other conditions that prevent you from using your outdoor grill.
Keep in mind that when you do this, you will need to make some accommodations when it comes to size and capacity, since indoor grills often do not have the capacity that their outdoor counterparts have.
Some indoor grills are able to fold, allowing you to cook different food in different ways. Some of them function similar to an outdoor grill in that they contain one flat grill plate.
It is up to you to decide which one of these you need and which one is more useful for you.
Some indoor grills can also function as a panini press or even as a waffle maker as well as an open or a contact grill.
These come with their own set of sacrifices, and you should certainly know if you need an indoor grill like this instead of running out and buying one sight unseen.
One of the best features about any given indoor grill is that they are much easier to clean than their outdoor counterparts.
However, there is a certain way to clean indoor grills and you need to be aware of this.
Most indoor grills contain a number of components that you can easily remove. They contain the grill plates, a drip pan that catches the grease and oil, and some of them come with lids or covers.
Most grills come in two common varieties, each with their own properties and features.
There are a lot of indoor grills out there, and in order to select one that is right for you, you should know about which brands of indoor grills promise the most quality.
One brand that is probably the most synonymous with indoor grills is George Foreman. In fact, most indoor grills are referred to as "Foremans" because of how synonymous the brand is to an indoor grill.
The Foreman brand of indoor grills are proof of quality, however. It has a variety of indoor grills that are ideal for any situation and you cannot go wrong with any indoor grill by Foreman.
Philips is known for a lot of appliances, and indoor grills are no exception.
Something that is almost exclusive to Philips is that their indoor grills are smoke free.
Smoke free indoor grills are really useful if you intend to use an indoor grill regularly. This feature alone is a good reason why Philips is one of the best indoor grill brands.
Ninja is more synonymous with blenders and air fryers than indoor grills, but there do exist indoor grills that are made by Ninja.
One of the best things that Ninja does with its indoor grills is that a lot of their products combine indoor grills with air fryers.
Consider Ninja's indoor grills if you are interested in an indoor grill that you can also use as an air fryer. You will not be disappointed.
Ans : The best indoor smokeless grills should be able to do all the things that an indoor grill that is not smokeless does. They should be able to cook food evenly, you should be able to adjust temperatures easily, and you should be able to clean the grill plates easily, being able to remove them if necessary. Just because an indoor grill is smokeless doesn't mean it shouldn't contain other features.
Ans : Indoor grills are useful in a couple of situations. The first of these is if you live in an apartment and you prefer not to use the grills in the common areas of your complex. Indoor grills are also worth it if you encounter a lot of rain or snow in the areas where you use your outdoor grills at. In this example, you can use an indoor grill in place of your outdoor one.
Ans : Indoor smokeless grills are a little more complicated to use than their counterparts, but they certainly work. There are a few things that you need to consider when using an indoor smokeless grill, and making sure your food is cooked evenly is one of them. Something that you might need to do with an indoor smokeless grill is check on your food periodically to make sure everything is being cooked evenly because this is not guaranteed with an indoor smokeless grill.
Ans : While you can use an indoor grill for steaks, there are a few things that you need to consider. The best indoor grills for steaks are able to cook your steak evenly and use very high temperatures, well above 400 degrees. Most outdoor grills are able to generate temperatures hotter than that, so the best indoor grills are those that can get very hot very fast to at least somewhat reflect what outdoor grills can do.
Ans : Indoor grills do produce a lot of smoke. When using one, you'll need to be aware of this. Make sure to keep a window open, turn on a fan, or do something else to make sure that the smoke doesn't crowd your kitchen. If you do not do this, the smoke from your indoor grill will significantly decrease your visibility in your kitchen. It will also cause you to clean up after yourself a lot more than you probably want.
Ans : Gotham smokeless grills are very effective, but it does take some creative effort on your part to get them to work properly. Because they do not cook food as evenly as their counterparts, you'll need to adjust your temperatures and check on what you are cooking as your Gotham smokeless grill cooks, moving your food around as necessary.
PowerXL Smokeless Grill with Tempered Glass Lid with Interchanable Griddle Plate and - Walmart Link
Techwood Smokeless Grill 1500W indoor Grill with Tempered Glass Lid, Compact & Portable - Walmart Link
Gotham Steel Indoor Smokeless Grill Electric Grill Ultra Nonstick Electric Grill - Walmart Link
Hamilton Beach Electric Indoor Searing Grill with Viewing Window and Removable - Walmart Link
Tenergy Redigrill Smoke-less Infrared Grill, Indoor Grill, Heating Electric Tabletop - Walmart Link
Ninja FG551 Foodi Smart XL 6-in-1 Indoor Grill with Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Broil & - Walmart Link
Philips Avance Indoor Grill HD6371/94 (Renewed) - Walmart Link
T-fal GC722D53 1800W OptiGrill XL Stainless Steel Large Indoor Electric Grill with - Walmart Link
Cuisinart Electric Griddler, Stainless Steel 10.5"(L) x 12.0"(W) x 7.0"(H) - Walmart Link
George Foreman, Silver, 12+ Servings Upto 15 Indoor/Outdoor Electric Grill, GGR50B, - Walmart Link
PowerXL Smokeless Grill with Tempered Glass Lid and Turbo Speed Smoke Extractor - Walmart Link
Techwood Indoor Grill Smokeless Grill, 1500W Indoor Korean BBQ Electric Tabletop Grill - Walmart Link
George Foreman Family Size (4-6 Servings), GRD6090B Smokeless-Digital Smart Select, - Walmart Link
Kenyon B70082 Floridian All Seasons Portable Stainless Steel Electric Grill, 120V - Walmart Link
Breville BGR820XL Smart Grill, Electric Countertop Grill, Brushed Stainless Steel. - Walmart Link
Cuisinart GR-150P1 GR-150 Griddler Deluxe, Brushed Stainless - Walmart Link
T-fal GC7 Opti-Grill Indoor Electric Grill, 4-Servings, Automatic Sensor Cooking, Silver - Walmart Link
Ninja AG301 Foodi 5-in-1 Indoor Grill with Air Fry, Roast, Bake & Dehydrate, Black/Silver - Walmart Link
Hot Shot Smokeless Grill Indoor Use Electric, Compact and Portable Grilling Grill Grate - Walmart Link
Secura Smokeless Indoor Grill 1800-Watt Electric Griddle with Reversible 2 in 1 Cast Iron - Walmart Link
PowerXL Smokeless Grill with Tempered Glass Lid with Interchanable Griddle Plate and - eBay Link
Techwood Smokeless Grill 1500W indoor Grill with Tempered Glass Lid, Compact & Portable - eBay Link
Gotham Steel Indoor Smokeless Grill Electric Grill Ultra Nonstick Electric Grill - eBay Link
Hamilton Beach Electric Indoor Searing Grill with Viewing Window and Removable - eBay Link
Tenergy Redigrill Smoke-less Infrared Grill, Indoor Grill, Heating Electric Tabletop - eBay Link
Ninja FG551 Foodi Smart XL 6-in-1 Indoor Grill with Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Broil & - eBay Link
Philips Avance Indoor Grill HD6371/94 (Renewed) - eBay Link
T-fal GC722D53 1800W OptiGrill XL Stainless Steel Large Indoor Electric Grill with - eBay Link
Cuisinart Electric Griddler, Stainless Steel 10.5"(L) x 12.0"(W) x 7.0"(H) - eBay Link
George Foreman, Silver, 12+ Servings Upto 15 Indoor/Outdoor Electric Grill, GGR50B, - eBay Link
PowerXL Smokeless Grill with Tempered Glass Lid and Turbo Speed Smoke Extractor - eBay Link
Techwood Indoor Grill Smokeless Grill, 1500W Indoor Korean BBQ Electric Tabletop Grill - eBay Link
George Foreman Family Size (4-6 Servings), GRD6090B Smokeless-Digital Smart Select, - eBay Link
Kenyon B70082 Floridian All Seasons Portable Stainless Steel Electric Grill, 120V - eBay Link
Breville BGR820XL Smart Grill, Electric Countertop Grill, Brushed Stainless Steel. - eBay Link
Cuisinart GR-150P1 GR-150 Griddler Deluxe, Brushed Stainless - eBay Link
T-fal GC7 Opti-Grill Indoor Electric Grill, 4-Servings, Automatic Sensor Cooking, Silver - eBay Link
Ninja AG301 Foodi 5-in-1 Indoor Grill with Air Fry, Roast, Bake & Dehydrate, Black/Silver - eBay Link
Hot Shot Smokeless Grill Indoor Use Electric, Compact and Portable Grilling Grill Grate - eBay Link
Secura Smokeless Indoor Grill 1800-Watt Electric Griddle with Reversible 2 in 1 Cast Iron - eBay Link
Indoor grills are slowly becoming not only a suitable alternative to an outdoor grill, but a preferable alternative to an outdoor grill.
More and more indoor grills are able to cook chicken, steak, and other proteins just as easily as any given outdoor grill and this makes indoor grills much more convenient than their outdoor counterparts.
Take some time to explore what indoor grills have to offer. You will be amazed at what they can do.
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About Rick Goldman
Rick Goldman's grandpa was a captain of a California coast cruise. This afforded Rick the luxury of traveling to exciting places along the Pacific Coast as a young boy. He got to try different, exotic foods on these journeys - something he really enjoys blogging about from his grandpa's beautiful garden home today.
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