How Does a Smokeless Grill Work? Are They Worth It
When we think of grills, we always tend to picture a big, outdoor appliance with an open flame and lots of smoke.
However, there are some fantastic smokeless grill that don’t get as much attention, and they should definitely be on your radar if you are into barbecuing.
And they work similarly to cook food too, so you won’t feel that you are missing out on any authentic flavors without an open flame.
Indoor smokeless grill bring the grilling experience to the comfort of your kitchen. Whether you want to barbecue inside or outside you can place your smokeless grill onto a barbecue as you would a smoking grill.
This will allow you to have the same experience without all the extra smoke, smells and clean-up time. It is possible to grill food in a way that is easy, convenient and still super tasty if you use one of these grills.
Do Smokeless Grills Really Work? Are They Worth It?
You will definitely be able rely on this type of grill to work just as well, if not better, than a grill that requires smoke to cook. Your food will have that same smoky, char-grilled taste without all the extra effort needed to clean the grill off afterwards or keep an eye on the flame.
Even better, the non-stick surface of the smokeless option means even less hassle with cleaning and your food clogging up the grill.
These grills are definitely worth it because they are super flexible, especially compared to other alternatives.
You can use it indoors or outdoors, so there is no need to cancel your barbecue if the weather turns wet, and it is a great option for cooking for a party or just for your family.
Though it is an individual appliance, the smokeless grill essentially functions quite like an induction hob, so your food will be cooked to perfect in no time at all right there in your kitchen.
Though they are, naturally, smaller than an outside barbecue grill, don’t count smokeless appliances out. You can cook food very quickly on them and then have the grill hot and ready to immediately cook more food.
The size also comes with the benefit of a much lower price than a bigger smoking grill, so you could choose to buy several of the smokeless if you’d prefer.
What Makes A Smokeless Grill Smokeless?
As the name evidences, a smokeless grill works to cook your food without the use of smoke. The surface of the grill heats up when in use and you use that to sear and grill the food.
They do not require anything else at all to cook food, not even oil or butter.
There is also no charcoal or propane, so a smokeless grill is a completely independent cooking appliance that will make all your barbecues and get-together so much easier.
You may notice tiny wisps of smoke when you cook your food, but that is just generated by the heat as opposed to the open flame you use on a smoking grill.
The main beauty of it being smokeless is that you require no gas or flame to cook, you just need to purchase the grill and it will have everything you need. As they are electric, you can simply turn them on to cook whenever you like without needing to stock up on gas or wood pellets.
Which Food Works The Best?
Of course, any type of grill is perfect for cooking a wide variety of meats, and the smokeless is no different. You can sear and chargrill chicken, ribs, sausages, burgers, and bacon, to name a few.
You can also use smokeless grills to get perfectly cooked vegetables and potatoes for side dishes with the same barbecued taste. Though less expected, the smokeless grill also works to cook things like seafood and eggs.
The temperature ranges mean that pretty much anything can be cooked to perfection on these grills, though the foods mentioned above tend to work the best because they taste good char-grilled.
The smokeless grill will give you barbecue flavors without all the extra work it takes to set up and maintain a traditional grill ( gas, charcoal, pellet or wood ). Anything that you do not want char-grilled can be cooked at the same time in your kitchen so that all the food is prepared together.
Smokeless Grill: Major Parts and Working
These grills come with several parts to make them work. The major parts are, of course, the grill, the control panel, the water tray, the power cord, the fan, and the lid.
The grill is used to cook the food, with the control panel allowing you to turn it on and adjust the temperature to your preferred heat. The water tray goes underneath to be filled with approximately 1.5 cups of water.
This helps you achieve perfect smoke-free grilling indoors, with the fan also working to extract any smoke that is produced. You need the power cord to power the grill and the lid to insulate it.
You can easily set up your smokeless grill by piecing the parts together, starting with the water tray at the bottom. You will have a manual guide to follow, so you shouldn’t struggle.
Then, you can power the grill up and get it working. Make sure that you don’t overfill the water tray when adding the cups of water because a maximum of two cups should be more than enough.
And when you have finished using the grill, it is easy to fit all of the parts back into the original box to keep them all in good condition and stored out of the way.
5 Major Benefits of Smokeless Grills
1 ) Easy To Regulate Temperature
As they are electric, these grills have a control panel that you can use to regulate the temperature of your food, which makes them much more versatile than cooking over a flame.
You will be able to heat the grill up fast, but also turn down the temperature to avoid your food being overcooked. The smokeless appliance works fast to regulate itself.
And these grills can also get just as hot as a smoking grill would because they are able to reach as hot a temperature as 230 degrees Celsius.
Because of the innovative design, there is no risk of this grill burning your kitchen countertops, so don’t feel shy about turning up the temperature.
2 ) A Healthier Alternative
The smoke produced by a regular grill can sometimes be overwhelming, especially for older people or those with asthma. So, a smokeless alternative will leave the air clean and fresh for everyone to enjoy being around while the food is cooking.
And any smoke that is produced from the heat will be dealt with by a built-in fan on most grills.
A charcoal grill will also produce other potentially harmful substances, such as soot and excess carbon, which aren’t present in a smokeless.
It is mostly the smoke that triggers respiratory issues when cooking, which is why smokeless is a great way to go, but you also know that nothing else will come into contact with your food when using a smokeless, electric grill.
3 ) Faster Meal Preparation
As mentioned earlier, you can use a smokeless, electric grill to make the cooking process faster and more efficient, which allows you to get your food done quicker.
You can cook meat and a whole range of sides on a smokeless just as with a flame, so your whole meal can be prepared on one grill.
But if you would prefer to use it just for the meat then you could cook your vegetables, potatoes and other sides in the oven or on the hob while the grill does the rest of the work.
If you have multiple smokeless grills, separate different foods onto individual grills and have it all cooked together. With the convenience of these grills, you’ll be able to prepare other things for the meal at the same time.
4 ) Easy To Clean & Maintain
With the style of a smoking grill, you are almost always left with food stuck to the grill or dropped into the tray underneath, which takes more time to clean up.
Additionally, the smoke leaves soot and odors on the grill, and a wood pellet smoker will require extra clearing out time too. So, choosing to cook smokeless means you don’t need to do any of that cleaning.
Of course, you should wipe over the grill and make sure it is in tidy condition, but there will be no smoky smell or charcoal dust left on it. As these grills tend to be smaller than smoking grills as well, you can easily maintain them by packing them away after use.
A larger, outdoor-only barbecue grill would need to be covered to stop the elements getting to it, thus requiring more maintenance.
5 ) Can Be Used Indoors
Leading on from that, the biggest difference that sets the smokeless grill apart from other grills is that it can be used indoors; all without having safety concerns.
If you prefer cooking indoors, live somewhere where it is always raining, or just want to cook a small meal rather than a huge barbecue then you can put your smokeless appliance in the kitchen to cook.
The lack of smoke is what makes it easiest to use these grills indoors because they won’t set off your smoke detectors or clog up the air inside the house.
You can cook on them the same as on a hob with an extractor fan, but your food will be seared and have the same chargrilled taste as food cooked over a barbecue flame.
Best Indoor Smokeless Grill Worth Buying
George Foreman Indoor / Outdoor Smokeless Electric Grill
For years, “George Foreman” has been used interchangeably with “electric grill.” The former boxer created a cooking sensation with his innovative kitchen products, allowing people to enjoy grilling indoors.
The George Foreman grill brand has over 25 years of experience producing electric grills, and it shows in this product. Heat is quickly and evenly distributed to the entire 240 square-inch surface area.
The adjustable temperatures range from a gentle simmer for slow cooking to a mighty heat perfect for searing.
While there’s no upper heating element like a traditional George Foreman, the included lid helps to trap heat and reduce cooking times all the same.
This particular George Foreman is bigger and simpler than many other electric grills. There’s no fan, no water pan, and no upper heating element. Its huge size makes it ideal for parties or cooking multiple types of food at once.
Unlike most smokeless electric grills, this model comes with a stand that makes it easy to use on a patio or in a backyard. This make it idle for both indoor / outdoor settings.
While the removable non-stick cooking surface doesn’t take a lot of effort to clean, it can be a bit awkward to fit in the sink due to its large radius.
Because of this, the George Foreman Indoor / Outdoor Smokeless Electric Grill might not be the choice for small households that don’t cook a lot. If you do grill often, however, or you want to use your electric grill on a patio, this George Foreman is one of the best choices.
George Foreman Indoor / Outdoor Smokeless Electric Grill: Check Its Price on Amazon!
CARL SCHMIDT SOHN Indoor compact Smokeless Grill
If you’re not a patio person or you don’t think you’ll be grilling quite as much, this Carl Schmidt Sohn grill is the perfect choice for you.
While it’s not as large or as simple as the George Foreman above, its easier storage and advanced features make it more ideal for casual indoor use.
For starters, the 135 square-inch non-stick grilling surface is a great compromise between cooking space and storage space. It’s not too large to fit in the sink, but it’s more than large enough to comfortably grill several steaks with some room left over for sides.
Just like other modern smokeless grills, the cooking surface and drip pan are coated with non-stick ceramic and can be easily cleaned after use. The Carl Schmidt Sohn features an adjustable heating element that gets hot, fast, and responds rapidly to your temperature adjustments.
Unlike simpler grills its heating element is paired up with a small fan that gets air moving beneath the grill’s clear glass lid. Just like in an air fryer, this fan helps distribute heat evenly and can make food cook faster and better.
The biggest downside to this indoor smokeless grill is the number of parts you have to clean after cooking. If you’re grilling juicy meats, you’ll have to clean the cooking surface, the drip pan, and sometimes water tray.
All of these elements are removable and dishwasher safe, making them simple and easy to clean, but you’ll have to find space to dry all of the parts.
Given the great performance and small form factor of this smokeless grill, it’s an easy sacrifice to make.
CARL SCHMIDT SOHN Indoor compact Smokeless Grill: Check Price on Amazon!
Power XL Electric Indoor Removable Smokeless Grill
This Power XL electric grill is a great alternative to the Carl Schmidt Sohn grill above.
With 110 square inches of non-stick grilling surface, an internal fan to control smoke and distribute heat, and a glass lid, it’s great for small apartments and compact kitchens.
The Power XL grill is slightly smaller than the CSS grill above. It offers just enough space to cook food for a medium family in one go.
An LED control panel gives you the ability to precisely adjust the heat for different foods, while the internal fan and water tray ensure that greasy drips don’t lead to any smoke or foul odors.
A detachable power cord makes storage even easier and helps reduce the risk of accidents.
As with the CSS grill above, this style of smokeless grill has a few extra elements that you’ll have to clean. Expect to dedicate a big chunk of your sink to this appliance when you’re done cooking.
The non-stick ceramics make cleanup extremely easy, just somewhat space-intensive.
If you’ve got a smaller kitchen, a smaller family, or you just don’t grill that much, the Power XL Smokeless Electric Indoor Removable Grill is the choice for you.
Its smaller footprint, truly smoke-free cooking, and non-stick surfaces will make it a great addition to your arsenal of cooking tools.
Power XL Electric Indoor Removable Smokeless Grill: Check Its Price on Amazon!
Conclusion
You can find indoor smokeless grill available from pretty much any retailer that sells barbecues.
They are absolutely worth it, especially with their affordable prices, and are a great option for experienced barbecue lovers or newbies who are just starting out.
You won’t feel out of your depth when cooking on an electric appliance and it is ultimately a safer, easier way to cook than with an open flame, which can be unpredictable and very smoky.
The smokeless alternative is fresher, less hassle and a great family friendly grilling option.
Related Post To Consider
Chips or Chunks | Which One Better for Grill Smoker Setup
Can I Convert My Natural Gas Grill To Propane | Conversion
