The options when choosing a new grill used to be gas, electric or charcoal. But a new technology, infrared grilling systems, are becoming much more popular at the moment. It’s not a fuel type, as the best-infrared grills can use either gas or electric, and in some cases even charcoal or wood, but rather a method of cooking.
In this article, I will take a look at the technology behind the best infrared grills and the benefits of infrared cooking grills. Later I will look at some of the best in a review of infrared grills you can buy in 2023.
Quick Answer: The 7 Best Infrared Grills For 2023
What Does an Infrared Grill Do?
The word “infrared”, especially when it comes to grills or other heating appliances, refers to a method of heat transfer. While traditional grills use direct heat or convection to cook your meats, with infrared, a radiant or indirect heat is used.
To put it simply, the flames touch and heat up the cooking grates in traditional grills. In an infrared grill, the plates or burners are designed to transfer heat as infrared radiation to cook the foods.
In the following YouTube video, the chief engineer of Char-Broil further explains what an infrared grill does. Remember that name Char-Broil, you’re going to hear a lot more of it later.
How Do Infrared Grills Work?
Infrared grill technology is nothing new, it was developed by TEC, or the Thermal Engineering Corporation in the 1980s. Small flames were used to heat ceramic plates which then emitted infrared energy that cooks the food. It’s only since that original patent of TEC ran out in the early 2000s that infrared grills have become more popular.
Although many grills still use ceramic plates in the best-infrared grills, the latest high-end models from TEC use glass panels over the top of stainless steel burners. Some electric grills may use infrared lights with a reflector to radiate the heat, while gas grills often use burners to heat up a metal cavity between the burners and the grates.
Infrared radiation heats food as electromagnetic waves are emitted from the heated surface. Traveling at the speed of light, these waves cook very efficiently and at searing hot temperatures when compared with other methods of grilling.
What Are the Benefit of Infrared Grill?
Perhaps the biggest advantage of the best-infrared grill is that you will be much safer from flare-ups. With no direct contact between the flames and the food, there’s less charring, yet still a high temperature for sear marks.
Infrared grills can also cook food much quicker, up to 30 percent faster than traditional gas or charcoal grills. A more uniform and quicker preheat of the whole infrared surface can reach temperatures of 700 degrees Fahrenheit or higher in just seven minutes.
Your food will be much juicier and retain more moisture with the best-infrared grill. While typical grilling methods use convection and heat the air surrounding the food, infrared heats the food up by vibrating the many molecules within it. As a result, all the juiciness gets trapped in the meat and the external moisture barrier isn’t broken down.
Finally, the best outdoor infrared grill will be more weather resistant than a traditional grill. The radiant heat of an infrared grill doesn’t rely on the air around it and so can retain its temperature better even in the most extreme circumstances.
How Hot Does an Infrared Grill Get?
Although a lot can depend on the fuel type and how many burners the grill has, the best-infrared grills can often reach temperatures over 1500 degrees Fahrenheit. Many of America’s best steakhouses now rely on infrared grills for the best crust or sear to a steak possible.
Domestic grills, like the ones we feature in the infrared grills reviews below, will normally be able to reach temperatures of about 700 degrees Fahrenheit with ease.
That may not seem too high when charcoal often burns at 600 to 700 degrees Fahrenheit, but for a gas grill, this is better than all but the largest of models with serious burners.
Are Infrared Grills Safe?
As soon as some people hear the word “radiation”, they start questioning the safety of an appliance. Microwaves were always questioned about how safe they were to use just as infrared grills have been too.
The good news is that while higher energy forms of electromagnetic radiation such as X-rays can pose a risk of cancer, infrared grills don’t. A study by Cornell University found lower energy infrared radiation, like that found in microwaves or grills, didn’t have enough power to damage or alter DNA.
What to Look for in the Best Infrared Grill?
If you are looking to upgrade to the best infrared grill, you have probably already been through the process of choosing a grill before. It’s all about what size of grill is right for you, how much space you have and what budget you have.
Just like traditional charcoal or gas grills, the best infrared grills come in many shapes and sizes. The best small infrared grill may be ideal for taking on the road with you for a quicker and more efficient cookout, but won’t be too much good in your backyard for larger parties.
The best infrared grill for the money is one which suits your patio size, is easy to use and clean and durable enough to last many barbecue seasons. Try to pick a budget and stick to it—it’s quite easy to get carried away with all the extra features or vast cooking spaces of a high-end infrared gas grill.
Do you really need over 500 square inches of cooking space? Do you even need a grill which has so many burners it could cook a whole cow in one go?
The Best Infrared Grills of 2023
As we stated earlier, infrared is not the fuel of the grill, merely the cooking method. To this end, I have looked at the best gas infrared grills as well as a couple of the best electric and charcoal infrared grills.
Hopefully, in the following infrared barbecue reviews, there is a model which may tempt you to take the leap into the world of infrared grilling.
Using Char-Broil’s patented TRU-Infrared system, this propane grill offers a huge 500 square inch primary grilling area. You also get an additional swing away shelf for 180 square inches of a warming rack and a 10,000 BTU side burner. You will soon be searing better steaks and burgers at the largest of parties.
An infrared plate emits the heat of three top ported stainless steel burner tubes for a more even heat distribution and fewer flare-ups. With 27,000 BTUs of power, this TRU-Infrared technology can reach temperatures as high as 700 degrees Fahrenheit
There’s plenty of workspace with a steel shelf and the side burner with a fold-down lid that can also double as a work surface. A steel constructed main trolley is durable, and a large cabinet with painted doors under the grill offers extra storage. Both the steel lid and firebox are porcelain coated for better heat retention in all weather.
If you're looking for an infrared grill which can cope with larger parties, then the Char-Broil Performance 500 is the best-infrared grill for the money. You can also get smaller models like the Performance 450 or even a two burner model with just 300 square inches of cooking space if your patio space is more limited.
Pros
- Affordable full sized infrared propane grill.
- TRU-Infrared technology for higher temperatures and more even heat.
- Powerful main burners with 27,000 BTUs of power.
- Large cooking area, with a swing away warming rack and additional side burner.
- Durable porcelain coated grates are easy to clean.
- Surefire Electronic ignition system ensures the grill lights first time, every time.
- Plenty of storage options, and sturdy wheels for moving around your backyard.
- Top mounted temperature gauge in the porcelain-insulated lid.
- Can use natural gas with an official manufacturer’s conversion kit available.
Cons
- Steel body uses a non-durable coating which can peel or flake—invest in a cover.
- Assembly can be tricky, especially the side burner.
- Small holes in the infrared plates can get food stuck in them, causing flare-ups.
- Can take longer to preheat than high-end infrared grills.
I personally love the quality of this professional style infrared grill from Saber, but many of my friends are reluctant to spend so much on a grill. Built using a premium 304 stainless steel, the Saber Grills 3-burner propane grill is one of the most durable on the market.
Saber have developed their own patented infrared cooking system which they claim offers 30 percent more fuel efficiency. All the burners on this grill use this patented technology to allow for greater temperature control, rather than just one searing heat.
All the burners and infrared emitters are made with the same premium 304 stainless steel as the main body for added resilience and durability. An 18,000 BTU side burner is dual controlled to offer that extra space for keeping sauces warm or even wok cooking.
The all stainless steel build, including grates, is simple to clean—just burn off the food and brush away. A front-accessible grease tray runs the entire length of the grill and the hood even features two built-in halogen lights for grilling and cleaning in low light conditions.
The Saber Grills Stainless Steel 3-burner propane grill is a premium model which will last you many years. It is easily the most expensive I looked at, for that reason I can’t really give it the best-infrared grill accolade, as it may be out of many people’s price range.
Pros
- Well built and strong stainless steel grill.
- Fast to preheat and provides consistent results.
- Cooks meat more evenly.
- Large primary cooking area of 500 square inches and a warming rack of 175 square inches.
- Powerful 3 burners with 24,000 BTUs and infrared heat emitters.
- Side burner of 18,000 BTU is hot enough for stir fry.
- Patented infrared system uses 30 percent less fuel.
- Thermometers at grate level allow for cooking with the lid open.
- Cleaning of the all stainless steel surfaces is easy, just requiring a good grill brush.
Cons
- Very expensive.
- The grill can get very smoky—a trade-off for the lack of flare-ups.
- Very heavy at 187.2 pounds—assembly is definitely a two-person job.
Best Portable Infrared Grill—Char-Broil Grill2Go Portable TRU-Infrared Liquid Propane Gas Grill
From the huge monster of a backyard grill that was the Saber, let’s take a look at the best small infrared grill, the Char-Broil Grill2Go. Weighing less than 20 pounds, this compact grill is ideal for taking fishing, camping or tailgating.
Even though it is light to carry, that doesn’t mean it’s too cheap and flimsy. A die-cast firebox and hinged aluminum lid have been designed to survive the adventure of your weekends away. A high impact frame with legs and carry handles also has two latches for keeping it closed as you carry it to your next spot.
A push-button ignition is quick to start the 9500 BTU single burner which heats up the, larger than most, tabletop grill’s cooking surface of 200 square inches. Small and disposable 16.4-ounce propane cylinders are easy to carry, although you can also convert it to standard 20-pound tanks with an optional kit.
A stainless steel grate works as a radiant plate to ensure you reach those higher temperatures using minimal fuel. The TRU-Infrared design provides searing temperatures without flare-ups for evenly cooked foods.
Natural radiant heat also helps lock moisture into the meats rather than destroying the moisture barrier as convective heat does. The main drawback with this small grill is the struggle it has to maintain lower temperatures. Ideal for searing steaks and burgers, it won’t work too well with some fish and those more delicate meats.
If you’re just looking for a high-temperature infrared grill for those burger and steak cookouts at the camp, the Char-Broil Grill2Go is a great budget choice.
Stainless steel grates are quick to clean and Cool-Touch, heat-resistant handles make it easy to move on to the next spot when necessary.
Pros
- Solid construction with a high-impact frame, cast aluminum firebox, and dual stainless steel latches.
- Rust resistant and durable steel used with black porcelain coating.
- Portable and lightweight at less than 20 pounds.
- Heat-resistant carry handles.
- TRU-Infrared technology ensures a minimum of 65 percent of the heat output is radiant heat.
- Stainless steel grates for better radiation and easy to clean.
- Heats up very fast and can sear as well as some full sized grills.
- Large cooking surfaces at 200 square inches for its compact size.
Cons
- Underpowered with just a single 9500 BTU burner.
- No regulator included for keeping the temperature lower when cooking fish, pork or chicken.
- Cooking plates must be kept super clean as they can develop rust if food residues are left on them.
Alternative Best Portable Infrared Grill—Solaire SOL-EV17A Everywhere Portable Infrared Propane Gas Grill
An alternative to the Char-Broil Grill2Go is this premium tabletop grill, the Solaire Everywhere Portable Infrared Propane Grill. Lightweight at just 15 pounds, it features a similar external size to the Char-Broil but a smaller cooking surface at just 140 square inches.
The first thing you will notice about this well-built grill is the 20-gauge, 304 stainless steel construction for more durability. This is the only product in these infrared grills reviews which features a lifetime warranty—a good indicator of construction quality.
An infrared burner made with ceramic and stainless steel heats up fast, with just three minutes preheat needed for steak searing temperatures. The special Solaire infrared burner offers 14,000 BTUs of power with no hot or cold spots on the cooking surface.
Assembly is easy with just the legs needing attaching from the box. The hood protection with spring loaded hatches make it ideal for your next picnic, however, the hood is very shallow and Solaire don’t recommend cooking with the hood down. This model also doesn’t feature a built-in thermometer like similar infrared grills.
Although you are getting a premium grill that will last many outdoor adventures, you will pay around three times the price of the Grill2Go or other tabletop grills. For the price, it’s missing many features found on the cheaper grills. Decide whether you want ultimate durability or more features with a larger cooking surface.
Pros
- Fully welded 20 gauge 304 stainless steel construction for durability and weather resistance.
- Ceramic and stainless steel burner is super quick to heat up.
- Electronic push button ignition with batteries included.
- V-shaped burner for powerful 14,000 BTUs of infrared power.
- 140 square inch cooking surface is complimented with an additional 67 square inch stainless steel warming rack.
- Compact and lightweight for portability.
- Lifetime warranty on the burner and all other parts.
Cons
- Expensive but is something you will only ever need to buy once.
- Attached propane dangles from the side, limiting where you can place the grill.
- Small cooking area will find it hard to cope with more than 4-5 burgers at a time.
- No hood mounted thermometer and not recommended to cook with the lid down.
Best Indoor Infrared Grill—Philips Smoke-less Indoor BBQ Grill HD6371/94
One of the best things about radiant heat is the smaller amount of smoke it produces. This Smokeless Indoor Barbecue Grill from Philips uses electricity and infrared power for up to 80 percent less smoke (ok, not the smokeless promised in the name, but near as damn it!)
This compact Philips grill is quick and easy to use, with advanced infrared technology and reflectors which direct heat to the grill plate. Two infrared burners either side of the reflector plate provide 1660 watts of power for a quick heat up in just under five minutes.
There’s no need to alter the temperature with a consistent 446 degrees Fahrenheit being the ultimate temperature for cooking and searing a wide variety of foods. All sides of the meat are grilled evenly with the grid leaving those all-important sear marks.
A non-stick aluminum grill plate is easy to clean, either by wiping with a cloth or placing in the dishwasher. The specially patented design features barriers at the side which avoid splattering as your foods grill. An extra-large grease tray collects the fat as your meats cook for leaner grilling.
If you are looking for that barbecue taste indoors, this (almost) smokeless Indoor Infrared grill from Philips is quick and simple to use. Just be warned that thicker cuts of meat may contain too much fat which can produce more smoke—you may need to open that kitchen window a little wider!
Pros
- Infrared heating elements ensure food is cooked evenly.
- Constant 446 degrees Fahrenheit temperature for grilling after just five minutes.
- Includes a heat setting for keeping food warm.
- Non-stick aluminum grid and other parts can be removed and placed in the dishwasher for simple clean up.
- Less smoke than other indoor grills.
- Drip tray underneath the heat emitters stays cool and prevents smoke or flare-ups.
- Energy efficient and clean to use.
- Non-slip feet prevent it from moving about on your worktop.
Cons
- A small cooking surface of just 112 square inches—about enough for two large steaks or four average sized hamburger patties.
- Very bright infrared light can make it difficult to see if meats are properly cooked—you may need an ultra-bright white light to check your food is done.
Best Charcoal Infrared Grill—Char-Broil TRU-Infrared Kettleman Charcoal Grill
Looking more like a traditional kettle grill, this infrared grill uses charcoal as it’s fuel source—just less of it. The heat is provided by the charcoal burning but is transferred using infrared plates for radiant heat and a more even cooking of the food.
This charcoal infrared grill still reaches the same temperature as more traditional charcoal grills but with fewer ashes to clear up in the removable ash bowl afterward. Not only is it more economical, but it also produces more moist food and evenly cooked meats.
There’s no more need for adjusting dampers, as radiant heat doesn’t rely on airflow. No more spit rods or water pans, the infrared heat will produce delicious, evenly cooked food every time. You can even add smoke chips for that extra flavor as they heat up.
A 22.5-inch porcelain-coated rust resistant grate offers 360 square inches of cooking surface, while the infrared cooking system distributes the heat evenly. No more hot spots or cold parts of the grill. A steel construction is also porcelain-enameled for better durability and more heat retention.
If you’re not quite ready to give up the charcoal yet, the Char-Broil Kettleman is an ideal way to try all the benefits of infrared cooking without giving up the smoky taste. At a reasonable 50 pounds, it’s about the same weight and size of many traditional kettle grills and is easy to store away when not in use.
Pros
- Traditional kettle grill design with sturdy trolley for easy movement.
- Large cooking space of 360 square inches is enough for roasting up to 25 pounds easily.
- Large domed lid allows for some basic smoking with adjustable dampers for the flow of smoke.
- Temperature gauge mounted in the lid for longer cooks.
- Rust-resistant porcelain coated grill with infrared technology for more even heat.
- Charcoal grates can be moved closer or further from the food to adjust the temperature.
- Hinged lid means you don’t have to find somewhere to hang it when tending your meats.
- Chrome-plated bottom shelf for storage with two sturdy wheels for movement.
- Less charcoal needed, yet the same high temperatures offered.
Cons
- The cleanup will be inevitably more difficult than propane grills.
- Heat may not be as constant as a gas infrared grill.
- Takes longer to preheat and more skill to master the control of temperature.
Best Budget Infrared Grill—Char-Broil TRU-Infrared Patio Bistro Grill
No, we’re not sponsored by Char-Broil, it just seems they have cornered the market when it comes to affordable infrared grills. If you like what you have read so far the Char-Broil TRU-Infrared Patio Bistro Gas Grill could be the perfect budget way to experience infrared—without resorting to a smaller portable model.
Offering 320 square inches of total cooking surface with 240 square inches of primary grilling area it’s not the largest of grills. But it’s not the smallest either and could easily cope with a barbecue for a small family or a few friends. Best of all it features the same TRU-Infrared cooking system of Char-Broil’s larger cabinet style gas grills.
The infrared technology of the cooking grates and burners helps with the even cooking, holds moisture in and prevents flare-ups, like the other grills in these reviews. A kettle style design is sleek and modern and allows you to add some wood chips to the stainless steel grates.
A unique electronic ignition, Easy Light, is integrated into the front-mounted large gas control dial which allows you to choose from a wide range of temperatures. A towel bar is also included for storing your utensils, with sturdy wheels at the bottom of the trolley for more portability.
If you live in a city dwelling apartment block, this compact infrared gas grill would be an ideal way to get around the no open fires ban. Unfortunately, at this low price, the paints used on the grill body are not too durable and may peel or flake so definitely invest in a cover if leaving out on the balcony or in your backyard.
Pros
- An affordable entry into the world of infrared gas grills.
- The TRU-infrared cooking system offers a minimum of 60 percent radiant infrared heat.
- Small footprint and lightweight.
- Primary cooking area of 240 square inches and an 80-inch warming rack is large enough for groups of 4-5 people.
- Integrated Easy Light ignition system.
- The large gas control dial is easy to use and accessible.
- Easy to clean stainless steel cooking surface, cool touch handles and wheeled base for cleaning up after cooking.
Cons
- Cheaper materials used in the construction include thinner steel which can be easily dented.
- Paint can sometimes bubble and peel off when used at higher temperatures.
- This small grill can often take 15 to 20 minutes to preheat.
- Can be hard to assemble with plenty of parts needing attaching.
Conclusions
Although many skeptics argue that infrared grills are a fad or gimmick, the best-infrared grills offer too many benefits to be dismissed so lightly. As an almost-professional steak eater (we Spanish are renowned for our love of meat), I find it hard to beat the sear you get with the best outdoor infrared grill.
I may have previously gone on at great length about my preference for all things charcoal, but with infrared technology, gas can be good too. The best-infrared grill for the money, in my opinion, the Char-Broil Performance TRU-Infrared 500 3-Burner Cabinet Liquid Propane Gas Grill could be a valuable addition to any grill fanatics backyard.