How to Buy an Indoor Grill

Indoor grills provide convenience and easy clean up as opposed to outdoor grills. Indoor grills allow you to grill all year long from inside your home so you do not need to be concerned about poor weather conditions. Indoor grills are generally easier to clean than outdoor grills, and some are even dishwasher safe. There are some indoor grills that are designed to drain excess fat from food while limiting the amount of smoke that is released, making your food healthier and less greasy. Indoor grills come in many sizes and varieties that can fulfill all types of grilling needs. Here are a few steps on how to buy an indoor grill.

1)Decide whether you want an open grill or a contact grill. An open grill consists of a single grilling surface that is used like an outdoor grill, but is heated by a source such as electricity. A contact grill has 2 grill plates, the food is placed on 1 to cook it from underneath and another is folded on top of the food to cook it from above, simultaneously.



Open grills are most like outdoor grills and can be used to cook a variety of different foods. They are generally better than contact grills at creating grill marks on food, and because the grilling surface is open, you can prepare foods that may be more difficult to prepare in a contact grill where the top grill is hinged above the food, such as thick pieces of meat. Open grills tend to have larger grilling surfaces because they are not as heavy as contact grills, so you can cook larger quantities at once.

Contact grills cook food in less time because it is being cooked from both sides at once. They can also be used as panini presses, which may be an advantage to those who will be using their grill to make pressed sandwiches quite often. Contact grills also come in compact sizes so they may be ideal if they will be used in a small kitchen for 1 or 2 people.


2)Consider the voltage of the grill you want to buy and what foods you will be cooking. Some grills have a lower voltage than others and are not efficient for cooking steaks, chicken and other cuts of meat. The higher the wattage on the grill, the hotter it will be able to get.

3)Look for a grill on which you can adjust the heat. Many indoor grills do not provide heat control so there is only a single temperature. Being able to adjust the temperature may come in useful if you plan on grilling a variety of foods.

4)Think about how the grill needs to be cleaned. You will need to clean both grilling surfaces on a contact grill, but an open grill may have more crevices to clean between. Some contact grills and some open grills have a removable plate that can be washed in the dishwasher as well.