Best infrared grills 2024

Best infrared grills
(Image credit: Getty Images)

With summer approaching we are all eager to get our grills roaring and our steaks cooking. The best infrared grills help you make the most of the sunshine and hot weather - they're great for cooking food and hosting barbecues. Infrared grills are different from conventional grills in how they cook food. Infrared grills heat your food directly to cook it, whereas conventional grills heat the air around the food by utilizing a heat source such as burning gas or charcoal. 

If you are in the market for the best infrared grills, it is essential to consider how much cooking space you are going to need. The larger models generally cost more, so if you don't plan on entertaining a lot of people or if you have a small household then you can save some money by going for a smaller compact grill. If however, you are going to be hosting regular cookouts then a larger model will be beneficial.

It is important to think about where you plan to place your new infrared grill. All of the models in this guide are designed to be used with the lid open, so do take this into account when thinking about a grilling location. If you want to take your grill camping or with you in an RV then you will find some good portable options on our list. 

When buying one of the best infrared grills, there are a large number of factors to consider. .  Our guide consists of a variety of different types of infrared grills, with brands like Broilmaster and Char-Broil being among our top picks.

The best infrared grills

Best infrared grills Broilmaster R3B

(Image credit: Appliances Connection)
The best infrared grill overall

Specifications

Fuel type: Gas
Main cooking area: 442 square inches

Reasons to buy

+
 Even cooking 
+
 Powerful 

Reasons to avoid

-
 Expensive 
-
 You need a natural gas supply 

If you’re serious about grilling, then Broilmaster R3B may be the best choice for you. Great for consistent cooking, this infrared grill is built to last and its left-hand burner is great for cooking food slightly slower. 

Specially designed to prevent your food from drying out and overcooking, the Broilmaster R3B infrared grill also features a right-hand ceramic burner which is great for searing steaks before transferring them onto the left-hand burner.

If you’re cooking for a crowd or simply have a lot to prepare at once, the Broilmaster R3B has a handy warming rack so that you can serve everything at the same time. The main cooking area isn’t as big as some of the others we reviewed, however, the heat consistency is great and the quality build somewhat makes up for this. This infrared grill is also made in America. 


Best infrared grills: Char-Broil Grill2Go X200 review

(Image credit: Walmart)
The best portable infrared grill

Specifications

Fuel type: Propane
Main grill space size: 200 square-inches

Reasons to buy

+
Durable 
+
Compact

Reasons to avoid

-
Can get too hot

It’s certainly not the most stylish grill on this list, but the Char-Broil Grill2Go X200 is a compact infrared grill that’s designed to be tossed into the trunk of your car or stored out of sight, so it needs to be able to take a few knocks and bumps.

It also offers really good value too. More expensive grills often don’t include a temperature gauge, so it’s a really nice inclusion on the Char-Broil Grill2Go and allows for greater control over your grilling.

It’s not an especially powerful grill, producing up to 9,500 BTU worth of cooking energy, but it still manages to reach good cooking heats that can cover most grilling needs. As a compact infrared grill, it is on the small side, but it can still grill a decent amount of food.


Best infrared grills: Char-Broil Patio Bistro Electric Grill

(Image credit: Char-Broil)
The best electric infrared grill

Specifications

Fuel type: Electric
Main grill space size: 240 square-inches

Reasons to buy

+
Compact 
+
Quality grates

Reasons to avoid

-
Struggles to maintain heat

Skip the hassle of charcoal and gas with an electric infrared grill that’s quick to set up and easy to cook with. The Char-Broil Patio Bistro Electric Grill is designed to plug and grill and while it’s small, it still has enough space to cook a decent amount of food.

It’s a little light on features, but for just $180 that’s understandable. It’s certainly not the most powerful grill on the market either, gas grills tend to be able to heat up quicker and maintain the heat better too, so you are swapping power for the ease of electric. But for quick or regular meal cooking it’s not a bad swap to make.

The integrated control knob is nice for greater temperature control, while the removable warming rack is nice for keeping cooked food at the right temperature while your other food cooks, but using it does reduce the grilling space.


Best infrared grills: Solaire SOL-EV17A Everywhere Grill review

(Image credit: Walmart)
The best infrared grill for searing

Specifications

Fuel type: Propane
Main grill space size: 140 square-inches

Reasons to buy

+
Lifetime warranty 
+
Compact 

Reasons to avoid

-
Awkward to attach a gas canister  

The Solaire Everywhere Grill is a portable grill that operates well in quite a narrow temperature range. This makes it a good choice for anyone who has struggled to find a grill that can sear good cuts of red meat as it reaches high heat well and cooks quickly. It struggles with medium and low heat cooking, often charring chicken, so it is quite a niche grill.

As a portable infrared grill, it needs to be durable so the stainless steel construction is a good choice by Solaire. The propane gas canister is awkward to attach though.

The Solaire SOL-EV17A can struggle to keep the heat in more exposed conditions too. While it’s unlikely to go out with a good gust of wind like a blue-flame grill might, windy conditions do mean the grill struggles to keep the heat on the food and, as you can’t close the lid with food on the grill, it’s even more difficult to control this loss of heat. 


Char-Broil 463370719 Infrared Grill

(Image credit: Char-Broil)

5. Char-Broil 463370719

The best infrared grill for rust resistance

Specifications

Fuel type: Liquid propane
Main cooking area: 450 square inches

Reasons to buy

+
Rust resistant 
+
Easy to move

Reasons to avoid

-
Can be hard to clean
-
A lot of assembly is required

The Char-Broil 463370719 is a solid option if you want a permanent but easy-to-move infrared grill for your yard. You don't need to worry about moving this grill around, as its rust-resistant stainless steel finish prevents it from tarnishing when subjected to the elements, but if you do want to move it then it is easy to do so. Its trolley design features two wheels which make it easy to move into your garage or around your patio. 

The push-to-start electronic ignition makes it easy to start up, and the warming rack means you can keep cooked food hot while grilling up some fresh dishes or garnishes. This grill features 450 square inches of cooking space, which is more than enough for a large cookout with many guests - everyone will eat at the same time so you don't need to worry about cooking in batches and leaving people hungry. 

This grill does require a large amount of assembly, a problem that has been mentioned a lot in Amazon reviews. Some users have called the assembly "a nightmare", which is understandable if it is your first grill. If you have assembled grills before then it shouldn't be too much trouble, but if you are a first timer then we would recommend looking into some other options. 


Weber Spirit II E-310 GBS BBQ

(Image credit: Weber)
The best infrared grill with cast iron cooking grates

Specifications

Fuel type: Patio gas
Main grill space size: 60x44cm

Reasons to buy

+
Cast iron cooking grates
+
10 year warranty

Reasons to avoid

-
Can be prone to rust
-
Two prep and serve tables

The Weber Spirit II E-310 is a great grill for meat and fish. The cast iron cooking grates will help you get a great crust on your food - perfect for making your steaks juicy and flavorful. The storage shelf allows you to keep cooked food warm while you grill garnishes or additional items. 

This grill features two side tables for serving or prepping food so that you have extra space to work (no one likes those flimsy wobbly folding tables that you have to take outside when cooking). The side tables are foldable, which will save you a lot of space when the grill is not in use. 

One issue with this grill is the nature of the grates. They are cast iron, which is great for cooking but prone to tarnishing and rust. It is important that this grill is stored correctly when not in use, with the lid down. We would recommend storing it in a garage or under a waterproof cover to prevent rusting. If something major goes wrong, such as a faulty tube or ignition then you can take comfort in the fact that this grill comes with an impressive 10-year warranty. 


Napoleon Prestige 500 Grill

(Image credit: Napoleon)
An impressive and high tech grill for experienced cooks.

Specifications

Fuel type: Propane gas
Cooking area: 46x71 cm

Reasons to buy

+
Stainless steel
+
High capacity

Reasons to avoid

-
Very expensive

If you are an experienced griller and you want one of the best grills on the market then this could be the model for you. With a huge capacity that can cook up to 30 hamburgers at once, this grill is ideal if you host large cookouts with a lot of guests. 

This grill features seven stainless steel sear plates and WAVE cooking grids for a distinctive wavy sear mark on your steaks or burgers. This grill has SafetyGlow technology that makes the control knobs glow red when the grill is on so that you don't leave your grill on by accident and waste that precious fuel. 

The interior is designed to greatly reduce flare-ups from dripping food residue and fat. The stainless steel sear plates provide extra surface area for dripping juices so that they vaporize with less of a risk of bursting into dramatic flames. 

This grill is expensive, with the price usually around the $2,800 mark, which is why we would recommend this for the most experienced cooks who host barbecues frequently. The warranty information can be found on Napoleon's website, with some parts of the grill having a lifetime warranty and others a 5-10 year warranty. 

How to choose the best infrared grill for you

Firstly, you need to think about what you will be using your grill for. If you have a small family and you want to cook for them, then a smaller grill suitable for a patio would probably be the best choice for you, but if you want to host large garden parties then you might want to look into a larger capacity grill with multiple burners. You might want a grill that you can take on camping trips or one that can be easily stored in an RV - for this, we would recommend looking at compact models. 

If you don't need a large-capacity grill or a portable tabletop model then a reliable midsize grill would be a good choice. If this is what you are looking for then we would recommend the Char-Broil Patio Bistro Electric Grill. 

If you are cooking for vegans or vegetarians then you will be pleased to know that the best infrared grills are great for cooking vegetables as well as meat. Some grilled eggplant or peppers will have a beautiful char, and would also be great as a side dish for meat eaters. 

An unevenly heated grilling surface is a nightmare for any cook (we have all experienced chicken that is burnt on one side but still somehow raw on the other). You can rely on infrared grills to get the job done efficiently and evenly, as they are specialized to heat constantly so you can always have thoroughly cooked food.


Infrared grills vs gas grills

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So, what's the difference between gas grills and infrared grills? Your regular gas grill works by heating the air which in turn cooks the food. Infrared grills on the other hand are specially designed to heat food directly. The other difference is that they use radiant energy to cook rather than regular or blue-flame grilling. They’re designed to be used with the lid one, unlike some gas grills.

Thanks to this clever technology, you can rely on infrared grills to deliver even heat distribution. No more food that’s burnt on the outside and raw in the middle. Infrared grills have the bonus of cooking food more quickly so you don’t have to worry about hungry guests. 

Stevie Keen
Contributor

Stevie is a freelance digital consultant, copywriter and photographer. She's worked for brands like the Radio Times and Wallpaper*, and has also written for Amateur Photographer, Clash Magazine and Flash Pack, amongst others. Stevie's bylines cover all things related to the home - from air conditioning units to refrigerators to gas grills (and everything in between).

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