Buying guide for Best Hamilton Beach indoor grills
For anyone who loves grilling burgers, steaks, and chicken, an indoor grill can be very handy in the kitchen. If the weather is bad or you don’t have outdoor space for a grill, you can still whip up your favorite grilled foods with those telltale sear marks. Hamilton Beach offers a variety of indoor grills to suit your barbecuing needs.
Hamilton Beach has been making home appliances for more than 100 years and offers a wide range of feature-packed indoor grills that make grilling in your kitchen a breeze. The company offers both open and contact models, depending on how quickly you want to prepare your meals. Most of the grills are easy to clean and have a drip tray to catch the fat. Not only does that produce more healthful food, but it keeps the fat from burning on the grill.
If you’re looking for a Hamilton Beach indoor grill, our buying guide has all the facts you need to decide what type, size, and features are best for your needs. We’ve also included some product recommendations to help make your shopping completely stress-free.
Key considerations
Type
All Hamilton Beach indoor grills are electric, but the brand offers two types of grills: open and folding contact.
Open grills have a heated grill plate on the bottom but don’t have a top grill plate or lid. In general, these provide the closest cooking experience to an outdoor grill.
Because they don’t cook the food on both sides at the same time, it can take longer to grill burgers, steaks, and other food. Also, these grills can be somewhat messy because the lack of a lid means grease can be splattered around your kitchen.
Folding contact grills have a bottom grill plate with an attached grill plate/lid that closes over the food. Because the food is surrounded by heat on both sides, it cooks faster in this type of grill. The lid also helps to limit the grease that ends up in your kitchen.
Note that these grills are usually smaller than open grills, so they aren’t as suitable for large families or groups.
Size
Hamilton Beach indoor grills vary in size, which determines how many servings you can prepare at one time.
Open grills usually provide up to 140 square inches of cooking space, so they’re large enough to cook up to eight servings at a time.
Folding contact grills can be as small as 60 square inches and only fit up to four servings at a time. Some models can be folded flat and provide up to 110 square inches of cooking space. These grills can fit six to eight servings at a time.
Weight
In most cases, you won’t want to leave your indoor grill out when it’s not in use because it takes up valuable counter space. To make sure that it’s easy to take out of the cabinet and put away when you’re done, you should consider the grill’s weight. Folding contact models tend to be heavier, but some weigh as little as 5 pounds. Others can weigh as much as 9 pounds.
Did You Know?
Need some grilling inspiration? The Hamilton Beach website offers plenty of recipe ideas for your indoor grill.
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Features
Controls
Some Hamilton Beach indoor grills don’t offer variable heat controls, so once you turn on the grill, it heats to a single temperature. That limits the control you have over the heat level, which may affect your grilling results.
If you’re willing to pay a little more, you can find Hamilton Beach indoor grills with variable temperature controls. Some higher-end models offer low, medium, and high heat settings, so you have more control over the temperature that cooks your food.
The most expensive Hamilton Beach grills allow you to choose a precise temperature, so you can set the grill for 200°F or 425°F, for example, depending on what you’re preparing. These models offer the most control and versatility when grilling.
If you opt for a model with variable heat controls, consider the grill’s maximum temperature. For those sear marks that most people want on their grilled food, you need a maximum temperature of at least 400°F. Some high-end Hamilton Beach models can get as hot as 450°F.
Removable plates
Some Hamilton Beach indoor grills have removable grill plates. That makes it much easier to clean the grill because you can take the plates to the sink to wash them. Some models have removable plates that are dishwasher safe for the easiest cleaning possible.
If your grill doesn’t have removable plates, you’ll have to clean the grill by wiping it down with a damp, soapy rag. Never place the entire grill in the sink to wash it because it can damage the grill.
Smokeless
The one drawback to indoor grills is that they can sometimes fill your kitchen with smoke. Hamilton Beach offers several smokeless models to limit this problem. These grills have a drip pan that you fill with cool water. When grease or fat drips off the meat, it falls into the water to cool without producing much smoke. If you’re concerned about the smoke a grill generates indoors, consider a smokeless model.
Lid window
If you opt for a Hamilton Beach folding contact grill, you can’t see your food cooking when the lid is closed. To avoid having to open the grill and release the heat, some models have a window in the lid. That means you can check on your food without interrupting the cooking process.
Did You Know?
If you’re grilling vegetables or lean meat, mist the grill plates with cooking spray before adding the food. If your food is marinated, you don’t need to grease the plates.
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Accessories
Grill tongs: Weber 6610 Original Tongs
To safely handle meat on your indoor grill, it helps to have a quality pair of grill tongs. These tongs from Weber are favorites because they’re dishwasher safe. The tongs are also 17 inches long, putting a safe distance between your hands and the heat.
Meat injector kit: Bayou Classic Seasoning Injector with Marinade Needles
If you want to get the most flavor from the meats cooked on your indoor grill, an injector kit allows you to inject marinades and other seasoning liquids into raw meat before you grill it. We love this one from Bayou Classic because it’s made of stainless steel and is easy to clean. It also comes with two needles, one for liquids and one for minced marinades.
Hamilton Beach indoor grill prices
Hamilton Beach indoor grills vary in price based on type, size, and special features. Most cost between $29 and $69.
Inexpensive: The most affordable Hamilton Beach indoor grills are compact folding contact models. These can typically prepare four to five servings at a time. They don’t offer variable temperature controls, fold flat, or have a floating hinge to accommodate larger foods. These grills cost between $29 and $44.
Mid-range: These Hamilton Beach indoor grills are open models or midsize folding contact grills that can hold six to eight servings. They have variable temperature controls, and many can open flat to provide additional cooking space. These grills generally cost between $45 and $59.
Expensive: The most expensive Hamilton Beach indoor grills are large folding contact grills that can hold eight servings or more. They have variable temperature controls and many have a maximum temperature of 450°F. They have a floating hinge to accommodate thicker food and may have special features like a window in the lid. These grills typically cost between $60 and $69.
Did You Know?
Hamilton Beach indoor grills come with a year of warranty protection from the date of purchase, so you can have the grill repaired or replaced if a problem arises related to workmanship or materials.
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Tips
- Preheat the grill. This is key for the best grilling results. You want the grill plates to be extremely hot before you add your food.
- Try liquid smoke. Because indoor grills are electric, you don’t get the same smoky flavor you do from a charcoal grill. You can make up for the missing charcoal flavor by adding several drops of liquid smoke to the marinade you use on your steak, chicken, or other meat.
- Experiment. While you can make grilled favorites like steaks, burgers, and chicken on an indoor grill, you can also prepare delicious grilled veggies. You can also use a folding contact grill like a panini press to make sandwiches. It can even be used to make quick quesadillas.
- Keep flammable items away from the grill. Bear in mind that an indoor grill can get very hot during operation. Make sure you don’t leave anything flammable nearby, such as paper towels or something that might melt like plastic wrap.
FAQ
Q. Is an indoor grill safer to use than an outdoor grill?
A. In general, yes. Indoor grills are powered by electricity, so there’s no open flame involved. It doesn’t produce carbon monoxide or other harmful fumes like charcoal or propane grills do.
However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t observe safety procedures. Ensure the grill is on a stable surface in a location that isn’t near your sink. You don’t want the cord from the grill to accidentally wind up in the water. Remember the grill itself will be hot too, so you should still use tongs to handle food around it.
Q. Do Hamilton Beach indoor grills cut fat and calories from food?
A. Most Hamilton Beach indoor grills have a drip trap that catches the fat and grease that falls off the meat. The grill plates are angled slightly, so the grease can drain into it. Because your food isn’t sitting in grease, it likely won’t have as much fat or as many calories as it would otherwise.
Q. What’s the best way to clean a Hamilton Beach indoor grill?
A. It depends on the model you have. Some have removable grill plates. If the plates are dishwasher safe, they can be placed in the dishwasher with your next load. If they aren’t dishwasher safe, wash them in the sink with mild dish soap and water. Dry them thoroughly before returning them to the grill.
If the grill plates aren’t removable, clean the plates with a sponge or cloth dampened with warm water and mild dish soap. Check that the appliance is unplugged, and rinse it with a clean, damp cloth before drying it thoroughly. Submerging the grill in water will damage it.
