Checklist · 13 picks · 5 categories
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No balcony, no backyard, still want grill marks? Start with the machine.
Food Network names the Cuisinart 5-in-1 Griddler its best overall indoor grill and the Hamilton Beach its best value. For cooking at the table, its best compact pick, the Zojirushi EB-CC15, is an open tabletop design with no lid, and sits just 3 inches tall. Already short on counter space? A cast iron grill pan works on the stove, and America's Test Kitchen's winner is the Lodge Chef Collection. Add its winning grill press for crispy burgers, tongs, shears for snipping meat and a fast thermometer. Check the label before you buy any electric grill: several on Food Network's list are outdoor only. Each card shows the drawback the outlet called out, like a plate that won't go in the dishwasher.
Who this is not for. Skip this if you've got outdoor space and want real charcoal or gas; the Grilling Starter list covers that.
Tell me what you can spend. I pick a tier for every item, essentials first, and show what is left. The first amount covers everything you need at the cheapest tier.
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Estimates based on typical prices, checked Nov 1, 2026. Prices change; see the store for today's price.
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cuisinart 5-in-1 Griddler | mid | $100-150 | burgers one night, pancakes the next | 1 outlet |
| Zojirushi EB-CC15 Indoor Electric Grill | mid | $100-150 | cooking right at the table | 1 outlet |
| Hamilton Beach Electric Indoor Grill | budget | $25-50 | tiny kitchens and a first grill | 1 outlet |
| Gourmia FoodStation 5-in-1 Smokeless Grill & Air Fryer | mid | $100-150 | one machine that grills and air fries | 1 outlet |
| Ninja Foodi Smart XL 6-in-1 Indoor Grill | splurge | $200-300 | feeding the whole group chat indoors | 1 outlet |
Best indoor grillmid pick · 13.5 x 11.5 x 7 in
Best for burgers one night, pancakes the next
Food Network's best overall indoor grill: a grill, a griddle or both, and opening it flat doubles the cooking area.
Heads up. Takes up a lot of storage space
1 outlet. Food Network best Overall indoor grill.
$100-150
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mid pick · 18.75 x 12.6 x 3 in
Best for cooking right at the table
Food Network's best compact electric grill: an open tabletop design with no lid, excellent nonstick and responsive temperature control.
Heads up. No lid, the grill plate isn't dishwasher-safe, and capacity is limited
1 outlet. Food Network best Compact electric grill.
$100-150
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budget pick · 6.25 x 12.75 x 14 in
Best for tiny kitchens and a first grill
Food Network's best value indoor grill: a hinged contact grill that's compact, light and easy to run.
Heads up. Plates don't come out, so it's harder to clean, and there's a small cooking surface with no temperature control
1 outlet. Food Network best Value indoor grill.
$25-50
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mid pick · 15.75 x 17 x 7 in
Best for one machine that grills and air fries
Food Network's best all-in-one food station: a grill and air fryer with a clear lid that lets you watch your food while it traps smoke.
Heads up. Bulky
1 outlet. Food Network best All-In-One Food Station.
$100-150
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splurge pick · 17 x 14 x 11 in
Best for feeding the whole group chat indoors
Food Network's best large indoor grill: room for six steaks or 24 hot dogs, with a built-in temperature probe.
Heads up. Heavy and expensive
1 outlet. Food Network best large indoor grill.
$200-300
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Best grill panmid pick · 9 x 9 in surface
Best for the one grill pan to keep for good
America's Test Kitchen's winning grill pan: tall, well-defined ridges made excellent grill marks, and it looked new after extensive use.
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen winner grill pan.
$25-50
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budget pick · 8.5 x 8.5 in surface
Best for grill marks with no new appliance
Recommended by America's Test Kitchen: tall ridges made crisp, golden-striped panini and distinct marks on fish.
Heads up. Fish stuck when flipped, and the tall sides made it awkward to slide a spatula under food
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen recommended grill pan.
$25-50
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Best grill pressbudget pick · 2 lb
Best for a no-maintenance press you can toss in the dishwasher
America's Test Kitchen's best stainless-steel press: it did a great job of flattening and browning all foods.
Heads up. The surface can be a touch slippery, and it occasionally slid off rounded salmon fillets
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Stainless-Steel Press.
$15-25
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mid pick · 6.75 x 4.5 in
Best for crispy smashed burgers on a grill pan
America's Test Kitchen's winning grill press: its smooth surface seared single steaks, salmon fillets and burgers to perfection.
Heads up. A bit heavy, with a slightly slippery handle, and it needs hand washing and drying to prevent rust
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen winner grill press.
$25-50
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Best kitchen shearsbudget pick · Standard
Best for snipping meat right at the table without a big spend
America's Test Kitchen's Best Buy: nimble shears that make nice, smooth cuts on all foods.
Heads up. The lightest pair in the review, with loose tension, and less powerful than the winner
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Buy kitchen shears.
$15-25
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splurge pick · Standard
Best for lefties and righties sharing one great pair
America's Test Kitchen's winning kitchen shears: the cutter blade sliced through every kind of food with equal ease.
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen winner kitchen shears.
$50-100
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Top pickmid pick · 12 in
Best for one pair of tongs for everything
America's Test Kitchen's winning tongs and its longtime favorite: the scalloped, uncoated pincers felt very precise.
Heads up. The uncoated pincers didn't securely grip ceramic ramekins
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen winning kitchen tongs.
$15-25
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budget pick · Compact
Best for knowing the chicken is done, not guessing
America's Test Kitchen's Best Buy: a no-frills model that's quick, accurate and dead simple to use, a bargain for the price.
Heads up. Not a leave-in probe
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Buy instant-read thermometer.
$25-50
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means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me
Food Network's compact picks are the Hamilton Beach Electric Indoor Grill, its best value at 5 lb, and the Zojirushi EB-CC15, its best compact grill at 3 inches tall. The Cuisinart Griddler does more, but Food Network says it takes up a lot of storage space.
No. Food Network marks each one, and models like the GrillPro Tabletop and Ninja Woodfire ProConnect are outdoor only. The Hamilton Beach, Cuisinart Griddler and Zojirushi on this list are made for indoor use.
A grill pan is the smaller buy. America's Test Kitchen's winner, the Lodge Chef Collection, makes excellent grill marks on the stove, but its cooking surface is 9 x 9 inches. Food Network's Ninja Foodi Smart XL holds up to six steaks if you're cooking for a crowd.