Smokeless grills were introduced in the mid-90s but they’re still considered new, of course, because their counterpart has been around since the beginning of time. This perceived newness casts a lot of doubts in consumers’ minds. We are here to answer these questions and help you list all the relevant and important factors to consider when buying a smokeless grill. We have analyzed several factors below that can guide you more about what to look for in smokeless grills when purchasing one for yourself.
Are Smokeless Grills a Replacement of Charcoal or Propane Grills?
Like conventional charcoal grills, smokeless grills are used for grilling food of all kinds, but mostly indoors. They’re different from traditional propane or charcoal grills because they do not produce any chargrill-like carbon-based smoke or flame during the grilling process. It keeps the environment clean, and most have a certification to be used in apartment buildings. Nothing is burning, producing carcinogens, or emitting carbon-filled smoke to heat the iron cooking the food.
Outdoor vs. indoor
Consumers usually choose smokeless grills for indoor grilling, although they can also be placed outdoors. Charcoal or gas grills can only be kept outdoors and grilled by an open fire. Open and live-fire produce smoke and flare-ups and give a smoky flavor to your food. Both smokeless grills and charcoal or gas grills have grates for grilling the food.
How Do Smokeless Grills Work?
Electricity-powered grills produce heat through infrared rays. You can set the temperature through temperature control knobs. They do not make a mess like charcoal grills that need to be cleaned after you are done grilling your food. Food is grilled and cooked the same way as charcoal or gas grills, but a strong smoky flavor might be missing because smokeless grills have no smoke production.
Most Important Functions of a Smokeless Grill
Temperature control
There are two types of temperature controls available in smokeless grills. First, controlling the temperature of the food directly or through the iron temperature underneath. Furthermore, this temperature control can be exercised through buttons or knobs or managed smartly by the grill.
Dishwasher-safe plates
You should always prefer grill grates that are non-stick and safe to be washed in the dishwasher over any other option. There are many levels of this non-stick coating, such as a single ceramic coat, PTFE, silicon, and enamel. We highly recommend ceramic coating because it is PFOA-free, organic, good-looking, durable, an excellent heat conductor, and lightweight. In addition, the latest trend of infusing titanium with ceramic is amazingly effective in enhancing the life of the cookware.
Number of servings
They come in varying sizes to accommodate the grilling needs of all families. Even if your kitchen is not spacious, a small-sized smokeless grill will be your perfect cooking companion. They come in as small as 4-serving to up to 15-serving grill sizes. The 15-serving grills are mostly multi-purpose machines that can also bake, air fry, and roast.
Add-on features
The latest electric smokeless grills are more than just a grill. Add-on functions mainly stem from the air frying unit installed inside the grill. The hot air flow helps with the grilling because it heats the food quickly. In turn, these hot air cyclones do more than just air frying - you can also roast, bake, broil, dehydrate, and more! Another great add-on is the smart functionality to pre-set recipes in the smokeless grill. They are in preset settings for beef steak, chicken filets, roasted vegetables, fruit chips, etc. The drip tray is also one of our favorite design features. It is achieved by simply inserting holes in the grates, so the fat dripping from the meat drains through them in the drip tray underneath. It is a very mechanical way of making the food healthy but very efficient.
Cleaning a smokeless grill
Before cleaning your smokeless grill, make sure you have unplugged the device completely. Then, gently take out all the individual parts and place them in the sink or dishwasher. Filling them with hot water and soap helps soften the grease for easy scrubbing later on.
