Side-by-side comparison based on expert reviews and community consensus.
Breville The Smart Grill
Best Premium Indoor GrillHamilton Beach Electric Indoor Searing Grill
Best Budget Indoor GrillPrice
$350
$80-$101
Summary
Serious Eats' splurge pick with a tilted grill plate that channels grease away from the heating element to reduce smoke. At $350, it's for serious indoor grillers who want premium build quality and precise control.
Serious Eats' runner-up pick at a fraction of the price of premium models. The viewing window lid and adjustable temperature make it a solid everyday indoor grill for apartment dwellers.
Pros
- Tilted grill plate design channels grease away from heating element to minimize smoke
- Premium build quality and materials justify the higher price point
- Precise temperature control for consistent results
- Enclosed cooking environment with lid for more even heat distribution
- Serious Eats' top splurge recommendation after hands-on testing
- Lid with viewing window lets you monitor food without releasing smoke
- Adjustable temperature control for versatile cooking
- Dense hole pattern in grate whisks fat away quickly to minimize smoke
- Compact at 16.75 x 12.25 inches — easier to store than larger models
- Affordable price point without sacrificing core performance
Cons
- Expensive at $350 — nearly 4x the price of the Zojirushi
- Heavy at 19 pounds — difficult to move and store
- Grease drainage hole is a bit small, which can limit effectiveness
- Smaller cooking footprint (14 x 14 inches) than the Zojirushi despite higher price
- Grate bottom is uncoated, making cleanup harder than the Zojirushi
- Took nearly twice as long to cook food as the Zojirushi in Epicurious testing
- No visible grill marks in some tests — more like pan-searing than grilling
Our take
The Breville Smart Grill is the choice if you're cooking indoors regularly and want the closest thing to a professional setup. The tilted plate design is genuinely clever — it's the only indoor grill that actively manages grease rather than just collecting it.
For under $90, the Hamilton Beach punches well above its weight. Serious Eats tested it head-to-head against grills twice the price and still recommended it — that's the kind of value that matters.
Buy
