When gas and charcoal are not allowed, many people turn to electric grills. For years these have been small, cheap grills that fail to perform. Today, the best outdoor electric grills can stand on their own and provide a great outdoor cooking experience for those who can’t have or don’t want a gas, pellet, or charcoal grill.
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All electric grills live by one major limitation; high heat requires a lot of electricity. To produce grilling temperatures with a heating element, most electric grills pull wattage at the limits of your circuit breakers. Recent improvements in design have, however, created electric grills that can do a pretty good job. There are even full-sized electric grills on the market today This is very fortunate since more and more people are living in places that don’t allow charcoal or gas grills.
The best outdoor electric grills on this list range in price from just over $100USD to more than $1000. Look through the full list and find the one that is right for you. Note that these are electric grills designed for outdoor use and should not be used indoors. But for apartments and condo balconies, these electric grills are perfect.
What you Get with an Electric Grill
Size
- Electric grills are limited by the amount of power they can draw from a normal household outlet. Most hit this upper limit and yet will only heat a cooking area of 300 square inches at most. The average gas grill is nearly twice this size. This is why you see so many portable electric grills.
- The average electric grill will cook 6 to 8 burgers, 4 large steaks, or about 6 chicken breasts.
- While larger, full-sized electric grills are now entering the market, most are built with portability in mind. These tabletop grills can be taken anywhere you can find an outlet and set on most surfaces. They all have a drip tray to collect grease and keep tables clean. Some are available with a removable stand
Heat
- Most electric grills have a single heating element. This is very similar to the heat source in an electric oven, but it sits below the cooking grate and the food. There will be an adjustable temperature control that runs from low to high.
- Electric grills can take time to heat up. While these grills will sear a steak, with some models it can take up to 20 minutes to reach their highest temperature. Few electric grills have a temperature gauge, so you may have to guess when it is as hot as it will get.
Flavor
- Electric grills do not burn wood or charcoal. They do not produce smoke flavor on their own. It is possible to place wood chips inside the grill to produce smoke, however. Also, drippings from foods will smolder on hot surfaces and produce some smoke that way. But do not expect much of a smoke flavor when cooking on an electric grill.
- Burning wood, charcoal, or gas produces moisture in the cooking chamber. This does not happen with an electric grill. This is the driest method of cooking you will find. Foods cooked on an electric grill will dry out faster than on any other type of grill.
Best Outdoor Electric Grills
Weber Q-2400
The Weber Q series was originally designed to be a portable gas grill. The cast aluminum lid and body, however, holds in heat very well. the heavy porcelain-coated cast iron cooking grate helps get the heat to the food. Weber added a metal deflector and a heating element and built one of the best outdoor electric grills on the market. This unit gets close to authentic grilling in ways most comparable products simply can’t.
- 280 square inches of grilling surface
- 1560 watt heating element
- 6 foot cord
- Porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grates
Char-Broil Edge
Read the Full Review of the Char-Broil Edge
The Char-Broil Edge is an industry first. While small, this is a full-sized grill. It has 330 square inches of cooking area and a single temperature control knob. It promises a lot—a maximum cooking temperature of 700°F and a self-clean function. This grill uses Char-Broil’s infrared technology for more even heat. For the apartment or condo dweller, this is as close as you are going to get to a full-sized outdoor grill that doesn’t have an open flame.
- 270 square inches of cooking surface with 60 square inches of warming space
- 1750 watt heating element
- 12 foot cord
- Stainless steel cooking grates
Weber Lumin
New from Weber comes their second line of electric grills. The Lumin is designed for the new all-electric patio. This unit can hit 600°F and has real smoking capabilities. What really differentiates this grill from others on this list are the pans that you can insert into the grill to steam or smoke. There are also a number of accessories available including a full-height stand and a cast iron griddle.
- 242 square inches of grilling area
- 1,560 watt heating element
- 6 foot cord
- Porcelain enameled cast iron cooking grates
Coyote 18-Inch
Coyote produces a complete line of outdoor cooking equipment including this little electric grill. It is the same size and power as the Kenyon above but engineered to be even more like a traditional gas grill. It even has a ceramic briquette barrier to produce smoke from the drippings.
- 156 square inches of grilling area
- 1300 watt heating element
- 6 foot cord
- Stainless steel rod cooking grates
Kenyon All-Seasons
Kenyon makes a number of small appliances, particularly for the kitchens in boats. Their grills, while more expensive, are incredibly well built. Using the highest grade materials and with years of experience, this unit is truly fantastic.
- 155 square inches of cooking area
- 1300 watt heating element
- 6 foot cord
- Stainless steel cooking grates
Fire Magic E250t
Known for its superior engineering and quality products, this is one of the most expensive and best outdoor electric grills on the market. It is also one of the best. This little grill produces very high temperatures; if an electric grill is all you can have, then this is the grill to own. From the styling to the cooking, there isn’t a part of this grill that hasn’t been designed to perfection.
- 250 square inches of cooking space
- 1800 watt heating element
- 6 foot cord
- Stainless steel rod grilling grates
Cuisinart Outdoor with VersaStand
Cuisinart is famous for its indoor appliances and cooking equipment. Several years ago they went all in on outdoor cooking. This little grill, on a collapsible stand, is small, lightweight, and both very portable and able to stand up to full height. It isn’t great, but it is very good.
- 145 square inches of cooking space
- 1500 watt heating element
- 6 foot cord
- Porcelain coated steel rod cooking grates
Stok Gridiron
Another of the cart-mounted portable electric grills, this one from Stok has a collapsible cart design on wheels. This is important for this grill since it weighs in at around 57 pounds. This is one of the largest electric grills on the market, which means that it doesn’t get as hot as the others on this list of the best outdoor electric grills. For tailgating (with access to electricity of course), this is a good choice.
- 348 square inch cooking surface
- 1500 watt heating element
- 6 foot cord
- Porcelain coated cast iron cooking grate
George Foreman 15+ Domed
There can’t be a list of electric grills without a George Foreman. True, these are not the best products, but this model is portable, can be mounted on a stand, has a good deal of space, and performs pretty well. It is certainly worth considering; especially since it is widely distributed and comes at a reasonable price. The domed lid makes this a good unit for roasting as well. The cooking grate is non-stick and closed so this grill produces very little smoke. This model is also available on a full-height stand.
- 240 square inch cooking area
- 1600 watt heating element
- 6 foot cord
- Teflon, closed cooking grate
Meco Tabletop
This little electric grill is primitive and now being sold under a couple of different names (like Easy Street). It is a good grill and does a pretty good job, but as you can tell by its placement on the list, there has been a lot of innovation lately and there are many better units.
- 164 square inch cooking grate
- 1500 watt heating element
- 4 foot cord
- Steel wire cooking grate
A Note about Electric Grills
Electric grills need to be plugged into a standard electric outlet. You knew that. Some manufacturers will recommend that the outlet being used be placed on an independent circuit breaker. Electric grills draw a lot of power so they should be the only appliance plugged into that outlet. Otherwise, they can trip your breaker.
You can use an extension cord with your electric grill. This is fortunate since many come with very short cords. This is a list of the best outdoor electric grills and therefore you should use only an outdoor-rated extension cord. This extension cord needs to be rated at 20 amps or more. That cord sitting in the bottom drawer in your kitchen probably won’t do. If you are going to be using an extension cord with your grill all the time, you should buy a new one. It should be as short as possible and fit the criteria I listed above.
Why You Should Trust Me
I have been writing about Barbecue & Grilling for 25 years. I have cooked on almost every grill or smoker ever built. In that time, I have endeavored to match people with the grill or smoker that is right for them. I believe that the right product is the one that you find easy to use, capable of doing everything you want, and reliable for the long haul. If you have a good first experience, you will be back for more. In this way, we grow barbecue for the next generation. I want you to make memories that your children will cherish.
Affiliate Disclosure
This article and the website it appears on use sales affiliates to cover the cost of operation. If you choose to purchase a product through the links provided, a portion of that sale will go to me. It helps me create content, so I can help you and others have the best barbecue experience. I am grateful to all my readers over the years that have been so kind as to assist me in my exploration of outdoor cooking. Thank you.
