The Best Indoor Grills for a Smokeless Sear

Whether you’re forced to stay indoors or firing up the grill is just too much of a hassle for a couple of burgers, countertop options claim to deliver the same char. We tested the latest indoor grills to see which ones would do our patties proud.

The Best Indoor Grills for a Smokeless Sear

1. George Foreman Open Grate Smokeless Grill

Only the Breville has more capacity than the Foreman’s 172-square-inch surface, which left defined grill marks on chicken, burgers, and veggies. The heating element is molded into the grill grate for consistent edge-to-edge temperature control.

[$80; georgeforemancooking.com]

2. Krups Smokeless Indoor Grill

While we like the two cooking zones and smoke control, the Krups was stymied by slow preheating and inconsistent temperatures. The base was difficult to clean after cooking fatty burgers.

[$100; krupsusa.com]

3. Kenyon City Grill

Cooking on this chunky grill felt like the real deal with a 155-square-inch grate that hit 500 degrees. It charred chicken and burgers while a water-filled drip pan nixed nearly all of the smoke.
[$475; cookwithkenyon.com]

4. Breville Sear & Press Grill

The Breville’s reversible plates both grill and griddle, with a clamshell design that crisps paninis. A sear button reaches 500 degrees for good browning, and it had the best non-stick performance.
[$180; breville.com]