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Would you like to transform your grilling experience and produce steak-house quality meals?
Grilling has come a long way, and one of the best ways to experience everything the latest technology has to offer is by adopting modern grilling techniques.
Infrared grilling is the latest convenience grilling method favored by people who value consistently-cooked barbecued foods full of flavor. Infrared grills apply radiation technology to grill your food, guaranteeing you excellent results consistently.
Unlike charcoal or gas grills, these grills do not use heat but metal, glass, or ceramic plates that absorb heat and radiate it to your food. This method cooks food faster and more efficiently.
While you’ll find many infrared grills on the market, not all of them are worth buying. Some are unreliable and perform terribly. Others have a hefty price tag but still won’t meet your specific needs.
We’ve combed through the cream of the crop to find the best infrared grill available and now present you with the top seven models available today.
Our Top 3 Favorites
- Easy to clean and maintain
- Strong and durable construction
- Versatile, as it can use either propane or natural gas
- Even and consistent heat distribution
- A convenient cart design that eases mobility
- Designed for fewer flare-ups and enhanced safety
- Easy to use, clean, and maintain
- It heats up quickly reducing cook times
- Highly portable
How to Pick the Perfect Infrared Grill for Your Needs
Infrared grills are the complete grilling tool for the modern barbecue enthusiast. These grills have an infrared plate that hinders direct flames from reaching your food while efficiently directing all of the heat into it. As such, it reduces cooking times significantly.
When looking for an infrared grill, you’ll come across different brands. Each of these brands poses their unit as the perfect choice for you, and figuring out who to believe can feel overwhelming. For this reason, it is essential to know what to look for in a grill before purchasing it.
Here are some of the key features to pay attention to when choosing a infrared grill:
Size of the Grill
A grill’s size is perhaps the most crucial feature to consider as a buyer. As you know, grills are available in different sizes, from small to medium or large. When choosing an infrared grill, it is wise to first measure the space in your backyard (or balcony, deck, patio, etc.) as well as the volume of food you expect to cook.
Despite having great features and performance, a grill can only be the right choice if it can fit in the space you have available. It should also be large enough to hold the correct amount of food without being too small or too large.
So, consider these factors carefully to get an idea of the perfectly sized grill for you.
Primary Cooking Surface
The cooking area is another vital aspect you need to consider before purchase.
Depending on the number of the individuals you need to serve, a grill should provide an adequate primary cooking surface area that correctly meets your needs. For instance, if you have a small family, a grill with a cooking area of 200 – 300 square inches would be more than enough.
On the other hand, you’ll need a grill with a larger cooking surface area if you’re grilling for a big family, crowd, or if grilling professionally. It is vital to consider the group you’re cooking for, and the space available in your home or business before choosing your best pick.
Source of Energy
Infrared grills use different sources of energy to power their operation. They can rely on charcoal, gas, or electricity as sources of energy and heat. Electricity stands out as the perfect option thanks to its cleanness.
However, it would not be the right choice for road trips or camping activities where power outlets are hard to find. Similarly, gas and charcoal are excellent energy sources, but these may affect the taste of your meal due to the production of excess smoke and other impurities. Despite this, these options serve you well during outdoor adventures.
Thus, considering your unique needs before picking an infrared grill as your choice is worth it before you dig into your pocket.
Number of Burners
Cooking your meal using an infrared grill relies on the even distribution of heat, and burners are the source of heat production. The number of burners in a grill determines its ability to ensure efficient heat distribution.
Although you’ll find grills with a single burner, it feature at least two to three burners. This way, you can be sure of efficient heat distribution on the cooking grates, guaranteeing you a well-cooked meal in a timely fashion.
BTU Ratings
Like other types of grills, the BTU rating of your infrared grill is an important factor to consider.
A grill with a higher BTU rating will heat up faster than one with a lower BTU rating. However, since the heat radiation goes directly into the food, it has a faster cooking rate and lower fuel consumption compared with other types of grills.
Nonetheless, you need to ensure that your grill of choice can deliver the right BTU rating sufficient to sear or grill your food. Ensure that your pick can produce a BTU rating of least 8,000.
Portability
It is crucial to consider the portability aspect when buying a grill, especially if you grill on the go.
Portability differs with your mobility needs. Some large infrared grills feature a cart design with two rugged and durable wheels for easy mobility and maneuverability.
Other smaller grills like the Solaire SOL-EV17A Everywhere Portable Infrared Grill feature a compact design, light weight, and handles that make moving it a breeze. These features make such grills easy to transport and store.
As such, if you’re a grill on-the-go barbecue enthusiast, it is a good idea to prioritize portability when selecting an infrared grill.
Carefully consider all of the foregoing factors before purchasing your infrared grill. This will enable you to make the right choice and get real value for your money.
Price
Whatever your purchase, price is always a determining factor. Your proposed budget will ultimately determine the product suited to your needs. However, be mindful that cheap can be expensive in the long run, so (as much as possible) while considering the price of your chosen grill, consider its quality as well.
To get the right one for your needs, balance value-for-money against price. If you have a small budget, there are mid-priced grills that can give you all the features you need. Should you, however, have access to more money, a reasonably expensive grill—with all the bells and whistles—can give you a stellar grilling experience, durability, efficiency, performance, and numerous extra features.
Top 7 Infrared Grills Reviews
Key Features:
- Primary Cooking surface: 525 square inches
- BTU Rating: 96,000 BTU plus 13,000 BTU for the side burner
- Number of burners: 4 + 1
- Weight: 162.9 lbs.
This Char-Broil Signature Infrared Grill is suitable for medium to large families or groups.
It has a primary cooking surface of 525 square inches suitable for cooking for a large group. The cooking surface features four top-ported 443 Stainless steel burners, which ensure the even distribution of heat and effortless temperature adjustment.
This unit comes with porcelain-coated iron grates that are durable, rust-resistant, and easy to clean. It has an additional 200 square inches of warming racks that enable you to keep your food warm before serving.
Its TRU-Infrared technology ensures no contact between the flame and your food, guaranteeing you a juicer, evenly-cooked, and delicious meal. This technology also prevents cold and hot spots from developing, which lengthens the cooking time.
The unit has a 13,000 BTU side burner for sauce and side dish preparation. This burner has a fold-down lid for extra prep space and a lid-mounted temperature gauge that gives you total heat control.
This grill can also convert from using propane to natural gas via a natural gas conversion kit. However, you’ll need to buy this kit separately.
This model has a stainless-steel lid and a porcelain-coated firebox stand. Thus, it is extremely durable and capable of withstanding harsh weather conditions.
Pros
- Easy to clean and maintain
- Strong and durable construction
- Fast and reliable ignition system
- Versatile, as it can use either propane or natural gas
Cons
- Users have complained about the iron grates rusting
- The temperature gauge can be inaccurate
Key Features:
- Primary Cooking surface: 450 square inches
- BTU: 24,000 plus 10,000 for the side burner
- Number of burners: 3 + 1
- Weight: 101 lbs.
If you love Char-Broil grills, you should put the Char-Broil Performance Infrared Grill on your bucket list!
It features a decent 450 square inches of cooking space, making it suitable for medium-sized families or groups. And it has porcelain-coated grates and swing-away warming racks that are not just durable but also easy to clean.
The unit comes with three burners that produce a total of 24,000 BTU heat, providing the right grilling temperatures for even the hottest cooking. The burners are easy to adjust, and their positioning within the cooking area ensures an even distribution of heat in the grates.
The Char-Broil Performance TRU Infrared 450 also features a 10,000 BTU side burner that you can use to prepare your sauces or side dishes while grilling. The fold-down burner lid and side steel shelves offer generous prep space.
This model leverages TRU-Infrared technology that ensures fast cooking. With fewer flare-ups, the grill assures you of juicer and delicious preparations. The lid-mounted temperature gauge offers heat control and monitoring, preventing cases of undercooking or overcooking.
Is mobility a significant consideration for you? If so, this grill is a good pick. It has a cart with two large wheels that ease relocation to any corner of your backyard.
Pros
- Even and consistent heat distribution
- A convenient cart design that eases mobility
- Suitable for medium-sized barbecue productions
- Designed for fewer flare-ups and enhanced safety
Cons
- Cleaning the infrared plates can be a challenge as it allows flare-ups
- The instruction manual is hard to understand
Key Features:
- Primary Cooking surface: 4 grill racks
- BTU rating: 8,500
- Number of burners: 1
- Weight: 32 lbs.
This grill fits well with people who prefer cooking with ovens.
Unlike other infrared grills, the Northfire Inferno Grill functions much like an oven because of its unique rack design and efficient grilling temperatures.
The unit produces heat of up to 15,000F, which ensures quick grilling of steak, pork, poultry, fish, desserts, or any other meal. In place of a cooking surface, this grill comes with four racks that allow you to cook different meals in one go. These racks are also fairly easy to clean.
Heating time can be an issue when grilling. Sometimes, you have to wait several minutes before you place your food onto the grates. This grill is different. It heats up in less than a minute, eliminating unnecessary waiting time. This aspect reduces cook times while delivering a perfectly-seared and delicious meal.
The push igniter offers easy startup and makes it user-friendly. Its compact design makes this grill a perfect choice for indoor grilling activities. Plus, it is relatively lightweight for easy portability.
Pros
- Easy to use, clean, and maintain
- Highly portable
- It heats up quickly reducing cook times
- Delivers reliable heat of up to 15,000F
Cons
- Users have complained of loose screws resulting in a loss of durability
- Lighting this unit can be challenging
Key Features:
- Primary Cooking surface: 162 square inches
- BTU rating: 11,200
- Number of burners: 1
- Weight: 19.9 lbs.
If you’re a BBQ enthusiast who likes trying new grilling technologies, this unit is an excellent choice.
The Magma Newport infrared Grill comes with a primary cooking surface of 162 square inches fit for a small family or group. It has an 18-9 marine grade mirror and polished steel construction that makes it sturdy and durable.
A dynamic combustion system enables it to withstand the harshest wind and rain. It also features an easy to close lid for enhanced performance and convenience. The burners deliver 14,000 BTU, ensuring even heat distribution across the cooking area.
The A10-918-2GS Newport 2 Infra Grill heats up quickly and also comes with high heat retention, which reduces cook times. It features a hermetically-sealed thermometer that allows you to control and monitor the temperature, plus, it has a tempered glass panel, so you can see your meal as it cooks.
Regarding mobility, the grill comes with foldable legs that ease portability. It’s light enough to make a good companion for a myriad of outdoor activities, including tailgating, holidaying with your RV, or camping.
Pros
- Sturdy and durable construction
- Enhanced design for superior heat control and monitoring
- Highly portable and foldable leg design
Cons
- Small grilling surface that isn’t suitable for large families or groups
- Not as durable
Key Features:
- Primary Cooking surface: 140 square inches
- BTU rating: 140,000
- Number of burners: 1
- Weight: 15 lbs.
Are you a grill on-the-go barbecue lover? If you spend most of your time in the outdoors, this grill should be your first consideration. The Solaire SOL-EV17A stands out as one of the most portable infrared grills in the market.
Its lightweight and compact design and convenient carry handles enable you to take it to any place, ensuring that you do not miss a grilled meal on the road.
Despite the compact design, it has reliable features. The unit features a primary cooking surface area of 140 square inches enough to grill six burgers at a go. Its infrared burner also offers efficient heat control while delivering 14,000 BTU heat. This energy is enough to cook any food well.
304-stainless steel construction guarantees enhanced durability, and the unique V-shaped grates ensure even distribution of heat and faster cooking. Its ceramic infrared plates enhance easy cleaning and prevent rusting.
Overall, this unit comes with a unique design and sturdy construction that will serve you well for years to come.
Pros
- Compact design that’s lightweight and incredibly portable
- Sturdy and durable construction
- Suitable for outdoor trips and grilling on the go
Cons
- Features a small grilling surface so it cannot cook large amounts of food
- It can be difficult to control temperatures with this grill
Key Features:
- Primary Cooking Surface: 240 square inches
- BTU rating: around 13,000
- Number of burners: 1
- Weight: 43 lbs.
Is compatibility your priority? Well, this grill will undoubtedly serve your purpose.
The Char-Broil TRU-Infrared Patio Bistro is the most compact grill in our review. Its design fits as a perfect choice for your patio or balcony, or for grilling indoors.
Despite this, it features a sizeable cooking surface area of 320 square inches perfect for grilling 6-12 burgers at a go. With infrared technology, it can provide adequate heat for grilling, baking, or searing, ensuring that you enjoy juicier meat.
Are you looking to enhance your meal with new and unique flavors? Well, this grill allows you to add wood chips onto the grates for added flavor.
The unit has porcelain-coated grills and grates to prevent rusting and enhance durability while making the overall unit easy to clean. The material is also suitably resistant against any weather condition.
If your guests are yet to arrive, you won’t need to worry about your cooked food getting cold. The grill comes with a detachable warming rack that helps you to keep your meals hot until they’re ready to serve. Plus, it has two wheels that ease maneuverability and portability around your porch or backyard.
Pros
- Compact size suitable for most patios and balconies
- Energy-efficient unit with a decent BTU rating of 13,000
- Allows for wood chips addition for enhanced and smoky flavors
Cons
- The assembly can be challenging
- The propane hose isn’t as durable
Key Features:
- Primary Cooking Surface: 200 square inches
- BTU rating: 9,500
- Number of burners: 1
- Weight: 20 lbs.
Some models are usually expensive and far from reach for mid-range consumers. The Char-Broil Grill2Go X200 Portable TRU-Infrared Grill is a perfect choice if you’re facing budgetary constraints. This unit serves your grilling needs without requiring you to break the bank.
This unit is also perfect for adventure lovers thanks to its weight, weighing in at less than 20 pounds. It features 200 square inches of grilling surface suitable for you and your partner’s cooking needs and has a rugged body with a latched lid for surviving harsh adventures.
The grill has a 9,500 BTU burner that uses push-button ignition, which makes it easy to light it even in the coldest weather conditions. Plus, the system ensures quick heat up and provides the right temperature to grill any type of your favorite dishes.
Besides, the unit features a hood-mounted thermometer handing you maximum heat monitoring and control capabilities. The stainless steel grills and lid enhance its sturdiness and durability. So, despite your shoestring budget, you’ll have a chance to enjoy an infrared-grilled meal with this unit.
Pros
- It is budget-friendly
- Easy to start up and use with push-button ignition
- Highly portable and suitable for outdoor and indoor grilling
- Faster heating while delivering perfect searing temperatures
Cons
- It gets hot uncharacteristically quickly, which can mess up the heat settings
- The hose is susceptible to leakage
Final Verdict: Best Infrared Grills For Your Money
All the grills featured in our page offer high performance, durability, and convenience. Whether you’re on a shoestring budget or have the money to prioritize technology, extra features, or portability, you’ll find a good fit that meets your needs.
Nevertheless, the Char-Broil Signature TRU-Infrared 525 4-Burner Grill stood out as our top pick.
This unit features a large cooking surface area with excellent performance. TRU-Infrared technology enables you to reduce cook times by more than 50%, and stainless steel construction enhances sturdiness, durability, and weather-resistant capabilities.
Also, this grill comes with durable porcelain-coated iron grates for faster heating and non-stick capabilities that make cleaning easier. Plus, it uses Surefire Electronic Ignition ensuring smooth and reliable lighting.
Do you agree with our top choice? Have you bought and tried any of the infrared grills mentioned in our post or you want to try other type of grill like built in? We’d love to hear your comments, so please do let us know in the comments.
