When you just can't get outside to grill, try one of these excellent indoor electric grills. While you won't get the authentic flavor you can still grill. Some of these units are open grills that you cook on similar to an outdoor grill. Others are contact grills (like the George Foreman Grill) that have a lid that cooks also, so you can grill on both sides at the same time. Many of these units are prefect for grilling a fish fillet and making a great
panini style sandwich.
Zojirushi American Corp.This open style indoor grill has the advantage of being easy to clean, quick to heat up, with a fine adjustment of temperature. Armed with a 1300 watt heating element and a 12 inch by 9 inch cooking surface, this grill is large and powerful.
DeLonghiThis open face electric grill has a removable, easy to clean cast aluminum cooking surface that gives you a more authentic grilling appliance. With an adjustable thermostat (removable) and good drainage you really get a healthier meal off this grill. This unit also has an "aroma scenter" that lets you add flavor to what you're cooking by adding such things as garlic or rosemary. About 140 square inches of cooking area.
SwissmarA Raclette is a traditional Swiss appliance that lets people prepare individual dishes over a heated surface. Kind of like a fondue, this is typically used to melt cheese. This particular Raclette has a heated granite stone surface on top that does everything a Raclette does but also lets you grill foods on hot stone. This is a great appliance for dinner parties because each of up to 8 people can prepare their own food. This unit has a 1,200 watt heating element. The stone takes a few minutes to heat up, but because it retains heat better than metal it stays hot.
LG Livart Co.Small but powerful, this little indoor electric grill is designed for
Yakatori cooking, but does so much more. The open cooking design and water pan to catch grease gives this grill as authentic a style and flavor as can be had with an indoor electric grill that is also easy to clean up. The cooking area is slightly over 100 square inches so it won't hand more than about two burger patties at a time. The cooking area is perfect however for small cuts of meat on skewers (hence the Yakitori design), and big enough for two people regardless of what they want.
Minden Grill CompanyWhen it comes to products labeled "indoor grill" what you typically find are electric contact grills that can certainly cook, but don't do much for authentic style grilling. Granted, you can not get the same flavor on and indoor grill that you would with an outdoor grill, but the Minden Master Range Top Grill gets you pretty close. Looking like a dutch oven, this grill fits over the small burner on your stove top with an open bottom.
Cuisinart Inc.This is a contact grill that gives you the ability to grill anything from panini sandwiches to steaks while cooking on both sides. The reversible cooking surfaces let you get good grill markets for your steak, but also let you cook pancakes. This is a very versatile grill. You also get a wide range of temperature control and the ability to set different temperatures on each side of the grill.
BrevilleThis might be one of the more expensive of this style of contact grill, but the construction is excellent. This grill works as a panini press, but also folds completely open to give you around 370 square inches of grilling space, making this one of the largest of the indoor electric grills. This is a highly versatile unit and if you have not trouble with the nearly $200 price tag I'd suggest buying this unit.
Krups Inc.This electric contact grill has a floating hinge that adjusts to the thickness of the food you are grilling. While this unit works best as a panini press it is great for many grilling functions. While the heat output is not very adjustable you can do a lot with this unit. The construction is great and the price at around $80 is very reasonable. Around 160 square inches of cooking area.
Hamilton BeachThis contact grill delivers real heat so you can grill up most items in a short time. The cooking surfaces are removable and dishwasher safe so you don't need to worry about scrubbing the cooking surfaces. The biggest failing of this grill is it's small size. At only 60 square inches of cooking area you really only have the space to cook for about two people. However the design lets you cook pretty much anything.
SaltonIt seems that every year there is a new generation of George Foreman Grills, and they are all pretty much the same, an okay contact grill that will be carried in virtually every store. You can't argue with the popularity of these little toasted cheese makers, but you can argue with the quality and healthy claims. All that aside, this little 72 square inch appliance is cheap, easy to use, and capable of making a meal for 3 or 4 people.
