Best Outdoor Electric Grill 2023 Reviews & Buying Guide

 

While traditional grills have been the go-to for outdoor cooking, electric grills have become increasingly popular due to their convenience and safety features. Unlike traditional grills that require the use of charcoal or gas, electric grills do not produce smoke or flames, making them a safer option for families and those with strict fire regulations in their community.

In addition, electric grills are easy to operate and clean, making them an excellent choice for beginners.

Choosing the best outdoor electric grill can be a daunting task, but with this review guide, you’ll be able to make an informed decision. Follow along as we guide you through the features to look for and the top electric grills available in the market.

Verdict

The Weber Q1400 is my outdoor electric grill top pick that you can get your hands on right now. It offers features that make it versatile and perfect as a general choice.

5 Best Outdoor Electric Grill Reviews

Now, let’s look at the 6 best outdoor electric grills from different brands that I have picked!

1. Weber Q1400 (Great For Outdoor Tabletop Grilling)

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If you’re in the market for a high-quality electric grill, the Weber Q1400 is a solid option. With its porcelain-enameled cast-iron grates, this grill heats up quickly and can handle high temperatures with ease. The cast iron is protected from moisture, which means you won’t have to worry about rust build-up, ensuring longevity and durability.

In addition to its impressive grilling capabilities, the Q1400 also features a removable catch pan that makes cleaning a breeze. The body is made of cast aluminum, which not only adds to its durability but also helps with heat retention. The heat control system is excellent, allowing you to achieve the perfect temperature for your cooking needs.

Another great feature of the Q1400 is its six-foot-long grounded cable, which makes it easy to reach outlets without worrying about electrocution. While the porcelain enamel coating may chip away over time, this is a common issue with all coated cast iron grills, and it shouldn’t affect your overall grilling experience.

Overall, the Weber Q1400 is a fantastic electric grill that offers reliable performance and durability. Whether you’re a seasoned grill master or a beginner, this grill is sure to impress.

To learn more about this electric barbecue, read my Weber Q1400 review.

Specs:

• Power – 1560 Watts
• Cooking area – 189 sq in
• Grate – 1 piece porcelain enameled cast iron
• Termometer – no
• Stand/cart – optional

Pros:

• Cast iron grates can be heated up quickly
• The porcelain enamel coating helps the grates last longer
• Robust cast aluminum body
• Long grounded cable for excellent connectivity

Cons:

• The porcelain enamel coating can chip away fast

2. Weber Lumin / Lumin Compact (Modern and Versatile)

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The Weber Lumin and Weber Lumin Compact electric grills are excellent choices for those seeking top-performing outdoor electric grills. Both models boast innovative design, high-quality construction, and impressive features that make them stand out among the competition.

Built with durable materials, these grills ensure a long-lasting and reliable cooking experience. The Lumin and Lumin Compact offer generous cooking areas (242 and 180 square inches, respectively), suitable for a variety of meal sizes. Their porcelain-enameled, cast-iron cooking grates retain heat evenly for consistent results.

Weber’s Lumin series offers four versatile cooking modes: High-Heat Sear, Steam, Grill From Frozen, and Keep Warm. These options cater to a wide range of cooking preferences and make outdoor grilling more enjoyable. The Smoke Infusion feature adds another layer of flavor to your dishes, elevating your grilling game.

Both grills have a maximum temperature of over 600°F and run on electricity, providing a clean and efficient energy source for outdoor cooking. The 6-foot grounded power cords give flexibility when choosing the perfect spot for your grill.

Weber’s Lumin Electric Grills boast several advantages, such as their ease of use, even heat distribution, and smoke infusion. However, their compact size might not be suitable for large gatherings. The Lumin Compact model, while more portable, offers a smaller cooking surface, making it ideal for smaller groups or limited outdoor spaces.

These grills offer great value for money, considering their features, build quality, and performance. Optional accessories such as a collapsible stand with a side table, premium grill covers, griddle, and versatility expansion kit further enhance the grilling experience.

The Weber Lumin and Lumin Compact Electric Grills are among the best outdoor electric grills on the market. They cater to various cooking preferences, offer excellent performance, and feature a user-friendly design. With their innovative features and durable construction, these grills deserve a spot on any list of the best outdoor electric grills.

To learn more about this electric barbecue, read my Weber Lumin and Lumin Compact review.

Specs:

• Power – 1560 Watts
• Cooking area – 180 / 242  sq in
• Grate – 1 piece porcelain enameled cast iron
• Thermometer – yes
• Stand/cart – optional

3. Char-Broil Patio Bistro TRU-Infrared Electric Grill (Great For Patio Grilling)

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If you’re looking for a high-quality electric grilling experience, then we highly recommend checking out Char-Broil Patio Bistro TRU-Infrared Electric Grill. You can get this unit in four colors that are graphite, black, blue, and red. It comes with a porcelain top that’s great for heat retention.

The grates are coated with two layers of porcelain as well, and this ensures that they stay safe over the years. It comes with the TRU-Infrared technology that can spread the heat evenly across the grates. This can make sure that there isn’t any flare-up or any charred food. It also ensures that there are no hot or cold spots on the grill.

The 320 square inches cooking space will let you grill your favorite items on it. There’s also a top rack that acts as an extension.  The integrated heat control works great. It comes with a knob, making it easier to control the temperature. There’s also this front handle that you can use for moving the unit or for hanging a towel.

Finally, the grates are easy to maintain and clean. As these are porcelain enamel coated, you won’t suffer from any rusty grates anytime soon.

Specs:

• Power – 1750 Watts
• Cooking area – 240 sq in primary cooking area + 120 sq in removable warming rack
• Grate – porcelain coated grate with Char-Broil TRU-Infrared cooking system
• Thermometer – built-in
• Stand/cart – non-removable rolling cart included

Pros:

• The warming rack will help you keep the food warm
• Easy to clean with the pull-out grease tray
• The heat gauge on the lid makes it easier to determine the heat
• TRU-infrared technology ensures even heat distribution across the grates

Cons:

• Heating this up can take more time than most other models

4. Weber Q2400

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If you liked the previous Weber product on this list, you’re should definitely take a look at this one too. The Weber Q2400 is equipped with a 1560-watt electric heating system for heating up a 280 sq. inch area. The massive amount of energy the heating system can produce is enough to provide even heat across the grates. There are also aluminum heat retention liners that will help you save a lot of energy.

This one too comes with a grounded cord that can help you reach outlets easily and keep you from being electrocuted. The good news for beginners, this unit will come fully assembled out of the box. So, you won’t have to go through much of a hassle.

The infinite heat control system will provide total control on the temperature this grill can provide. This feature will help you get the right texture from the grills effortlessly. The grates are coated with porcelain enamel, so you won’t have to worry about rust. This also means that you can use water to clean up the grates once it cools off.

To learn more about this electric barbecue, read my Weber Q2400 review.

Specs:

• Power – 1560 Watts
• Cooking area – 280 sq in
• Grate – 1 piece porcelain enameled cast iron
• Thermometer – no
• Stand/cart – optional

Pros:

• Aluminum heat retention liners can save a lot of energy
• The infinite heat control system provides full control on the temperature
• 280 sq. inch of the cooking area should be enough for most
• Comes fully assembled out of the box

Cons:

• The lack of a thermometer makes it tough to determine the temperature

5. George Foreman GGR50B Indoor/Outdoor Electric Grill

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George Foreman is a popular brand in the grilling niche, and GGR50B Indoor/Outdoor electric grill  offers some of the best features that you can ask for. First of all, you’ll love the non-stick coating on the grates. This makes cleaning much easier than the rest of the grills. You won’t need to waste any butter or oil just for the sake of cleaning the grates.

This one can be used indoors too, and what makes it even better is the portability. You can remove the stand easily, and transport this indoors from outdoors without breaking a sweat. As it’s fully electric, it can be used both indoors and outdoors.

It also offers a 240 square-inch of cooking area, and the cooking area is circular too. This will help you cook a lot of things at a time. The non-stick coating will also keep the food from sticking to the grates, ensuring that you can enjoy your meals to the fullest.

There’s a temperature control knob on the side handle of this unit. We love how subtle this feature is, how elegant it looks, yet how well it functions. This knob will allow you to dial the temperature to the right settings easily.

Specs:

• Power – 1600 Watts
• Cooking area – 240 sq in
• Grate – 1 piece porcelain enameled cast iron
• Thermometer – no
• Stand/cart – removable stand included
• Can be used indoors

Pros:

• 240 square inches of cooking area will let you make over 15 servings at a time
• The stand can be removed easily for moving the unit
• The non-stick coating will ensure no food gets stuck on it
• Easy to adjust the temperature with the controlling knob

Cons:

• The cord isn’t that long

6. Cuisinart CEG-980 (Small & Compact)

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Cuisinart CEG-980 is an amazing outdoor grill and it offers tons of features that make it versatile. One of the major features that make this unique is the very design. It’s designed like a briefcase, and it even has a handle on the front that’ll let you carry it. You can also use it for opening and closing the lid.

Despite the compact form factor, this one will let you cook a lot of items at once. You can cook 8 burger patties, 6 to 10 chicken breasts, and about 4 pounds of fish at once. This makes it perfect for grilling for a lot of people.

For the 145 square-inch cooking area it provides, the Cuisinart CEG-980 offers a 1,500-watt heating system and a 5,120 BTU burner. Needless to say, these are perfect for grilling the items equally across the grates, and they also managed to minimize the number of weak spots to zero.

The best part about this is the unit that you won’t need to assemble. If you’re new to grilling or buying a grill for yourself, this will make things much easier for you.

Specs:

• Power – 1500 Watts
• Cooking area – 145 sq in
• Grate – 1 piece porcelain enameled cast iron
• Thermometer – no
• Stand/cart – integrated collapsible stand

Pros:

• The 5,120 BTU burner is enough for providing equal heat across the grates
• Doesn’t require any assembly
• The briefcase like design makes it very portable and compact
• Doesn’t take much time for heating up

Cons:

• The cooking surface is much smaller compared to the rest of the products

6. Kenyon B70400 Texan All Seasons Built-In Electric Grill (Built-in Outdoor Electric Grill)

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The Kenyon B70400 is an electric grill designed for professionals and enthusiasts. If you’re a griller who wants the best experience and outcome from every session, then this is the right choice for you. This comes with two heating systems of 1,500W each, and each of these will stay in direct contact with the two cooking surfaces.

There’s a huge lid covering the entire cooking surface, and the lid is divided in two. You can use the lids by joining them with one another too. The two cooking zones are independent, so you’ll be able to heat them up to different temperatures. This will help you cook multiple types of items simultaneously.

This also comes with touch controls. This control panel makes it easier to control the different parameters, and it’s also waterproof. It also comes with a drip tray. This tray will help you add different types of vapors into your food without any problem, allowing more versatility in your cooking.

Unlike many other electric grills, this one is strong enough for providing grill marks too. Overall, it’s one of the best electric grills that you can get.

Specs:

• Power – 2 x 15o0 Watts
• Cooking area – 280 sq in
• Grate – marine grade stainless steel
• Thermometer – no
• Stand/cart – no
• Can be used indoors

Pros:

• Provides two separate cooking surfaces
• The waterproof touch control panel is easy to use and long-lasting
• Reaches up to 600-degrees in 10 minutes
• The drip tray allows you to add different type of vapors into the mix

Cons:

• Very expensive and not for beginner grillers

Related reading: Breville BGR820XL Smart Electric Grill Review

Outdoor Electric Grill Buying Guide

Now that you know which are the best outdoor electric barbecue machines, you won’t have to go through the thousands of products available online. However, it’ll still be hard for you to pick one among the six products provided in the list above.

Hopefully, our buying guide right here will make that easier for you.

Grilling Power

The grilling power of an outdoor electric grill is determined by wattage. You’ll find a wattage rating on more or less every grill that you find on the market. If you don’t, it’s better to avoid that product as it’s not transparent about the components it’s using.

The grilling power will influence the maximum temperature the grill is capable of reaching directly. It also controls the time the grill requires to reach a certain temperature.

In general, we’d recommend getting an electric heater that comes with a power rating from 1300 to 1800 watts. However, if the grill is relatively smaller, you’ll do just fine with a grill of 800-watt rating.

When buying a grill, it’s not important to look for a higher grilling power. Rather, it’s important for the grilling power to complement the cooking surface.

Cooking Area

Next up, there’s the cooking area. When it comes to that, the electric grills automatically provide more convenience than the gas and charcoal ones, as these are far more compact. So, which size you really need will depend more on the cooking surface you require.

To determine the range of the area of the cooking surface, you need to ascertain two major factors. For starters, you need to determine the food item you’ll be cooking. Secondly, you need to consider the number of people for whom you’ll be cooking.

If you don’t require a lot of cooking surfaces, then we don’t recommend spending the extra for more. You won’t only be spending the extra cash for purchasing a bigger grill, but you’ll also end up spending more energy for heating that bigger grill up. In the long run, this won’t be viable at all.

Grills usually come with a cooking area ranging from 60 to 200 square inches. If you’re going to grill for yourself or a couple, then 80 square inches will be enough for you. If you’ll be cooking for 5 people, then 120 square inches will be good enough.

Controls

Not every electric grill comes with temperature controls. Even if they do, some of them come with a pretty basic control panel that allows you to set the temperature on three to five pre-determined levels.

However, there are also machines that will let you set the temperature manually to any level you want. We highly recommend getting these, because they will allow you to get the right level of heat from the grill, allowing you to grill the food to perfection.

Then again, there are some high-end electric grills that come with waterproof touch controls. These are very easy to use, and they are robust as well. If you go for mid-range grills, you’re most likely to find knobs for controlling the temperature. These work great too.

Heat Retention

Temperature is one of the most important aspects of grilling, and to cook the food items perfectly, you need the temperature to be consistent during the process. This is exactly where heat retention comes in.

The capacity of heat retention ensures that the heat on the grates of the grill retains throughout the time. The lower the heat retention, the more power will the grill need to heat up the grates. This phenomenon will lead to the expense of more energy, which in turn will cause higher electricity bills.

This is why we highly recommend getting an electric grill with high heat retention. This is a great way of enjoying barbeque without having to spend a lot.

Stand or Cart

Different electric barbeque machines come with different types of stands. In this section, we’ll discuss the options for you to choose from.

Removable or Fixed

Certain grills come with stands that are fixed. These grills are great for outdoor use, as you won’t be able to carry them easily. Just bring them out when you need them and store them away for the rest of the time. You’ll get grills with a fixed stand if you get a cheap or mid-range one. However, there are some high-end grills that must be fixed on a tabletop counter. These are mostly professional ones.

Then again, if you spend a bit more cash, you’ll find grills with removable stands. These are much easier to use as you can disassemble them effortlessly.

Standing or Rolling Cart

Some outdoor electric grills come with standing or rolling carts. These are very easy to use because you can move them with minimum effort. These will come in handy when you need to move them while grilling or right after grilling.

Optional or Included

You’ll also find some grills that come with optional but included stands. You won’t need to use the stand to use the grill, but you can use it if it makes things more convenient for you.

Temperature Gauge

Having a temperature gauge can make your life much easier, and you won’t know it until you use a grill with one of these. There are different ways in which a temperature gauge can help you.

Firstly, a temperature gauge can help you determine the exact temperature of the electric grill. With the help of this gauge, you’ll be able to ascertain when the temperature has reached the perfect point for cooking. A lot of electric heaters don’t feature this, and you’ll have to depend on your instincts for knowing whether the temperature is enough or not.

Secondly, some electric grills lose their capacity of heating after some time. If you have a temperature gauge, you’ll be able to determine whether the potential of the temperature gauge has reduced or not with the help of the gauge.

Grates

Grates can be of different types depending on their material and configuration. Let’s take a close look at the types of grates that you’ll come across in the future.

Material

Grates can be of different materials, and the material the grates are made of has a huge impact on how the grill performs overall.

You can pick from stainless steel, cast iron, and porcelain-enameled grates. The stainless steel grates are among the best. These are rust-proof, and they perform great in terms of heat retention as well. However, grills with stainless steel grates can be very expensive.

Cast iron grates are relatively cheaper, and they function well. They can be heated up fast and to a high temperature with ease. The only problem with these grates is that they catch rust if exposed to water.

Finally, there are the porcelain-enameled grates. These grates can be heated up fast and last longer than cast iron because these are mainly cast-iron grates coated with porcelain enamel. However, the coating can chip off fast if the grates aren’t cleaned with appropriate brushes.

Configuration

Grills can be of two types in terms of grate configuration. There are grills with a single grate, and there are ones with multiple. Some grills with multiple grates will also let you swap a grate for a griddle, which can help you bring variety in the items easily.

Ease of Cleaning

It doesn’t matter how many features an electric grill is providing unless it’s easy to clean. You don’t want to spend hours cleaning your electric grill. Trust me, cleaning some of them can take hours. When cleaning grates, you’ll find the cast-iron grates to be the worst. These are very sticky, so there will be a lot of debris after you’re done cooking.

Porcelain-enameled grates are smooth and non-sticky, but you can’t clean them with just about anything. For example, cleaning them with stainless steel wires or brushes can scratch them or even chip them off. Using nylon-bristled brushes for cleaning them will be the best move.

This is where stainless steel is the best again. These are easy to clean, and you can clean them properly with just about anything.

Read more: How To Clean Electric Grill?

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use these outdoor electric grills in my kitchen if the weather goes bad?

No, most outdoor electric grills aren’t designed for indoor usage, which is why we highly discourage you from doing so. If you use the electric grills indoors, the risk of an accident only increases.

While electric grills don’t cause any smoke, there will be some amount of vapor, and that’ll ruin the condition of the interior. Then again, the heat may put an impact on the walls or ceiling as well. This is why we don’t recommend using electric grills in the kitchen.

Can I add a smoky taste to the food?

While electric grills don’t offer a smoky taste, as no fuel is burned in the first place, the grilled food might taste a bit devoid of taste first. However, it’s easy to get a smoky taste by burning a smoker box with the food.

All you need to do is burn the smoker box along with the food, and this will add a smokey flavor to the food.

Can you use an electric grill in the rain?

Using an electric grill in the rain can damage the grill and can even lead to fatal accidents. This is why I highly suggest thinking twice before using an electric grill in the rain.

Read more: Can You Use An Electric Grill In The Rain?

Conclusion

Now that you’ve looked at the different products on our list and the buying guide, it’s time to decide which one is the best outdoor electric grill.

We can safely say that the Weber Q1400 is our top pick among all the products we’ve come across till now. This product offers features that make it suitable for people of all budget range and requirement. Even if you’re getting started with grilling, this electric barbeque machine won’t seem to be “extra” for you. The same can’t be said for many high-end machines.

Plus, it offers amazing features that add value to the convenience. This is why we highly recommend getting this one. However, the other products on this list are great as well. If one of them satisfies a certain requirement better than this, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t go for that.

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