Balcony, Patio or Kitchen: The Best Indoor Outdoor Electric Grill

An electric grill is how a lot of apartment cooks get carne asada back on the menu. Many buildings and homeowner associations do not allow charcoal or propane on balconies, and a plug-in grill makes no open flame. The catch is that “indoor/outdoor” means different things on different boxes: some grills are rated for both, some are outdoor-only grills that happen to be electric, and some are tabletop grills with a stand.

This guide sorts that out. We compare freestanding and tabletop electric grills you can use on a balcony or patio, say plainly which ones the maker approves for indoor use, and cover the electrical and fire-safety basics from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the U.S. Fire Administration. Indoor contact grills and smokeless countertop grills have their own guide, linked below.

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Quick verdict: which electric grill to buy

The table compares the five grills we would point most cooks toward, one for each kind of cook. All eight grills are reviewed in full after it.

Five electric grills compared

One pick for each kind of cook, with what each maker or listing says about heat, size and indoor use.

Product images from Amazon. Specifications are as stated by each maker or listing; check the listing and your building’s rules before you buy.

Our picks for the best indoor outdoor electric grill

These eight grills cover the ways a Mexican cookout happens in a small space: cast iron grates for a hard sear on skirt steak, nonstick plates on a stand for a crowd, a flat-top griddle for fajitas and tortillas, and two grills that add wood-pellet smoke. Every pick was in stock on Amazon when we checked, and we searched CPSC’s recall database for each brand and model.

Indoor, outdoor or both: read the label

The phrase on the box matters more than the shape of the grill. Of the eight here, the Kenyon is listed as UL approved for indoor and outdoor use, and the George Foreman, Techwood and Cuisinart griddle are sold for use indoors or out, usually by taking the stand off for the table. The two Webers, the Cuisinart FlavorBoost and the Ninja Woodfire are sold as outdoor grills. The two pellet-smoke grills also make real wood smoke, which is not something to do in a kitchen.

Even an indoor-rated grill makes smoke from fat and marinade, so grill under a range hood and keep a lid on hand. If you mostly cook indoors, a contact or smokeless grill may suit you better; our best indoor grill guide covers those, and our best indoor Korean BBQ grill guide covers tabletop grills for cooking at the table.

Balconies, leases and fire safety

We cannot tell you whether a grill is allowed where you live. Rules come from your lease, your homeowner association, your building’s insurer and your local fire code, and they vary a great deal. Some ban all grills on balconies; some allow electric grills only. Ask your building manager or HOA, or your local fire department, before you buy, and get the answer in writing if you rent.

The U.S. Fire Administration’s general outdoor fire safety advice is stricter than many buildings: it says “Do not store or use a grill on a porch or balcony.” Its other tips apply to any grill. Keep a 3-foot safe zone around it, place it away from siding and deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches, do not walk away from it while it is on, and clean it after each use, because grease left behind can start a fire.

Electrical basics from the CPSC

Electric grills draw a lot of power: the picks here are rated from 1,300 to 1,800 watts where the maker states it. The Consumer Product Safety Commission’s home electrical safety checklist makes several points that apply directly:

• Outdoor outlets should have ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection, and GFCIs should be tested monthly. Cuisinart’s FlavorBoost listing tells you to plug it into a GFCI outlet.
• If you must use an extension cord outdoors, use one marked for outdoor use, with three prongs to keep the grill grounded.
• Match the cord to the load. The checklist says a 16-gauge cord handles 1,375 watts and heavier loads need 14- or 12-gauge. A cord that feels warm may be overloaded.
• Extension cords are not a permanent fix, according to the checklist. Follow the grill maker’s manual on cords first.

Check CPSC recalls before you buy any grill and after. We found none for the eight picks here, but CPSC recently announced a recall of Char-Broil Bistro Pro electric grills because a grounding wire for the heating element can disconnect and create a shock hazard, and a recall of millions of Cuisinart wire-bristle grill brushes because bristles can come loose and end up in food. If you use a wire brush on any grill, check it before every cook.

How to choose an electric grill for a balcony or patio

1. Indoor rating

If you want to grill in the kitchen in winter, buy a grill whose maker approves indoor use, like the Kenyon, the George Foreman or the Cuisinart griddle. An outdoor-only grill stays outdoors.

2. Heat and grate

Searing needs a hot, heavy grate. The Weber Lumin and Kenyon state 600°F or more, and the Webers use porcelain-enameled cast iron grates. Nonstick plates are easier to clean but give less char. For marinated meats like carne asada or pollo asado, heat matters more than size.

3. Cooking area

About 150 to 190 square inches feeds two to four; 240 square inches is closer to a family cookout. Remember that a griddle’s flat 240 square inches holds more tortillas and fajita vegetables than a grate of the same size.

4. Stand or tabletop

A removable stand, as on the George Foreman, Techwood and Cuisinart griddle, gives you a freestanding grill outdoors and a tabletop grill inside. Tabletop grills need a sturdy, heat-safe table away from the railing.

5. Smoke

Pellet-flavor grills like the Ninja Woodfire and Cuisinart FlavorBoost add a taste of wood, but they make smoke that neighbors and buildings may object to. A plain electric grill makes less.

6. Power and outlets

Check that your outdoor outlet is GFCI protected and that nothing else heavy runs on the same circuit while you cook. Keep the cord out of walkways.

How we chose these eight grills

We started from what a working Mexican kitchen wants from a grill: enough heat to sear marinated steak and char vegetables, a surface big enough for the people you feed, and a design that fits the space you have. We searched Amazon in the United States for freestanding and tabletop electric grills, checked every pick’s stock with Amazon’s product data, and kept only in-stock grills from identifiable makers, skipping unbranded sellers. Specifications come from the makers’ websites and the brands’ Amazon listings; we wrote “Not stated” where neither gave a figure and labeled the one retailer figure we used. We searched CPSC’s recall database for every brand and model, and took safety advice only from CPSC and U.S. Fire Administration pages we read. We have not cooked on these grills for this guide.

Several well-known grills did not make the list. Char-Broil’s electric Patio Bistro was not offered new on Amazon, and its Bistro Pro electric grills showed low stock or lead times when we checked, and some Bistro Pro units are under the recall above. Ninja’s smaller Woodfire grills were back-ordered or low in stock. We did not find Weber’s Q 2400 electric offered new on Amazon, and the George Foreman 15-serving round grill is already in our indoor grill guide.

Electric grill questions, answered

What is the best electric grill for indoor and outdoor use?

If you need one grill rated for both, the Kenyon Floridian All Seasons is listed as UL approved for indoor and outdoor use and reaches 600°F or more, according to the listing. For a bigger, lower-cost option with a removable stand, the George Foreman indoor/outdoor grill works on a table inside or a stand outside.

Can you use an electric grill on an apartment balcony?

Only if your lease, HOA and local fire code allow it, and that varies. Many buildings that ban charcoal and propane allow electric grills, but some ban all grills on balconies, and the U.S. Fire Administration’s general advice is not to use a grill on a porch or balcony. Ask before you buy.

Do electric grills get hot enough to sear?

Some do. Weber says the Lumin passes 600°F, and the Kenyon’s listing says 600°F or more in 10 minutes. Cast iron grates hold that heat better than thin nonstick plates. Preheat fully with the lid closed before you add the meat.

Do I need a GFCI outlet for an electric grill?

CPSC’s electrical safety checklist says outdoor outlets should have GFCI protection, and Cuisinart’s FlavorBoost listing says to plug it into a GFCI outlet. Follow your grill’s manual and test the GFCI monthly.

Can I use an extension cord with an electric grill?

Follow the maker’s manual first. If an extension cord is allowed, CPSC says to use a three-prong cord marked for outdoor use, sized for the load: 14- or 12-gauge for anything over 1,375 watts, which covers every grill here that states its wattage.

Our final pick for a balcony or patio grill

Buy the Weber Lumin if you cook outdoors and want an electric grill that sears like the real thing. Choose the Kenyon if you want one grill rated for the kitchen and the patio, the George Foreman or Techwood for a crowd on a budget, and the Cuisinart griddle if fajitas and quesadillas are your cookout. Add smoke with the Cuisinart FlavorBoost or the Ninja Woodfire only where smoke is welcome. Whatever you buy, check your building’s rules first.

More grill guides: portable grills, Blackstone griddles.

Related guide: Best balcony grill.

If you have the space and the permission for fire, compare our best gas grill and best charcoal grill guides. For grilling on the stove, see the best grill pan, and for pressed tortas, the best panini grill. Not sure whether to grill tacos or fajitas? Read tacos vs fajitas, or skip the grill tonight: look over the menu and call to order.