What are the best electric grills for the balcony in 2020?

An electric grill is ideal for use on a balcony. Electricity is available here, there are very compact models and handling is uncomplicated and convenient. If you want to buy a model, but are still unsure whether a high-quality or an inexpensive electric grill is more suitable for you or you do not yet know exactly which type of electric grill it should be, you have come to the right place. We provide you with some information and have finally determined the best electric grills for the balcony in the test and summarized the results for you in our list of the best.

See our list of Best gas grills under 500 if you find it interesting

Types of electric grills

Before you delve into the subject and compare models in question, you should know the different types of electric grills. There is no such thing as the best electric grill. Rather, it is a question of your personal requirements for the device, because in principle they are all suitable for use on the balcony.

Contact grill: The contact grill is a permanently mounted lid that is attached to the lower part. After placing the food on the grill, it is completely covered and cooked from above as well as from below, as it comes into contact with both plates. This ensures quick and even searing on both sides. With sufficient performance, crisp results are achieved. The compact design makes them ideal for use on the balcony.

Hood grill: A hood grill is a classic grill that can be used to grill both actively and passively. High temperatures are reached inside through the cover. Small models are very suitable for use on the balcony.

Stand grill: Every electric grill that has its own stand is called a stand grill. Many manufacturers offer separate feet with which the electric grills can be retrofitted. For example, you can later buy a stand for a Weber electric grill and thus convert it from a table grill to a free-standing grill. Stand grills are available with or without a lid and in many different versions. Compact models can also be used very well on the balcony. A column grill is also a standing grill. It has a grill unit that is attached to a column with a stand.

Table grill: Table grills are compact models that are often used indoors or when camping. They can also be used perfectly on the balcony. Since they are simply placed on the table, you do not need a frame as a substructure. If they have a lid, they can be used for both passive and active grilling.

Advantages and disadvantages of electric grills

Compared to the conventional charcoal grill, an electric grill has the decisive advantage that it is ready to use immediately. You don't have to buy charcoal and heat it up, nor do you have to connect a gas bottle - as with a gas grill. All you need is a power connection and you're ready to go. With the appropriate power, an electric grill also allows searing and if it is equipped with a lid, passive cooking is also possible without any problems.

If an electric grill is designed in such a way that it has a drip tray and the frying juice cannot hit the heating coil directly, grilling inside is even possible. This is also ideal for use on the balcony because there is much less smoke.

Another advantage is certainly the easy cleaning, because compared to the classic grill, no charcoal has to be disposed of and the grill plates or grilled food is simply washed with hot water and is easy to remove. However, cleaning the heating coil can sometimes be a bit more complicated depending on the model, so it is worth taking a closer look here.

One disadvantage is certainly that with an electric grill you are always dependent on a mains connection. Spontaneous, mobile grilling anywhere outside is not possible with an electric grill. But if you are looking for a model for the balcony, you can safely neglect this, because an electric grill is ideal here.

What makes a balcony electric grill?

In the test of the balcony electric grill, we attached importance to several criteria. On the one hand, the grill should be built compactly so that it doesn't take up too much space on the balcony. Ease of cleaning is also an important criterion, as is high stability and, in the case of a standing grill, it should be foldable and stowable to save space.

Grilling with a charcoal grill is not allowed on many balconies in the city. This also applies to an electric grill if there is a lot of smoke. Therefore, an electric grill for the balcony should always have a fat drip tray in which the grill juice collects without hitting the heating coil. This reduces smoke development. One speaks here of a "smoke-free grill".

Suntec BBQ-9493

The electric free-standing grill from Suntec is available with and without wheels. Since it can be folded up compactly and thus stowed away to save space, it is ideal for use on the balcony. It works with an output of 1,600 watts, with which high temperatures can be reached.

The hood of the grill has a temperature display and if necessary it can be completely removed if you want to use the model as an open grill. Thanks to the fat drip tray, the fat does not drip onto the heating elements, so that there is no smoke when grilling. A 46 x 35 cm grill plate is used instead of a grate. This makes grilling a clean affair. The thermostat is infinitely variable, the cleaning concept is well thought out and the workmanship of the model is excellent in relation to the price. Thanks to the storage tray, you also have storage space next to the grill, which is also a great advantage.

The bottom line is that the grill is convincing across the board and functions such as removable drip tray, cool-touch handles, a short heat-up time and anti-slip feet round off the overall picture. Incidentally, the grill with a grill area of 42 x 42 cm can also be used as a table grill if you do not want to use the stand. The only disadvantage is the somewhat more complicated structure, which is sometimes due to the relatively weak instructions.

Steba VG200

The compact model from Steba impresses with its good performance, solid workmanship and good results. Thanks to the die-cast aluminum grill plate with non-stick coating, there is no smoke development, so the grill is ideal for indoor use and balconies. Thanks to the glass lid, passive grilling is also possible and the temperature is continuously adjustable.

Cleaning is easy by hand, the grill area of 40 x 29 cm is easily enough for two people and with a size of 35 x 58 x 11 cm and a weight of around 5.5 kilograms, the table grill is pleasantly compact and mobile. Since it can be completely dismantled, cleaning is particularly thorough and uncomplicated and the vertical storage makes it very space-saving when not in use. Although the grill performance is slightly lower compared to more powerful models and it is only possible to sear in the corrugated hot zone, the bottom line is that the model is convincing across the board, so that the price-performance ratio is very good.

Steba VG 350

The column grill with hood is certainly not ideal for every balcony due to its size of 107 x 57 x 67 cm, but if you have enough space available, the model is highly recommended.

In particular, the high output of 2,200 watts in connection with a large XXL grill area of 55 x 41 cm was able to convince in the test. The temperature is infinitely variable, the additional storage space on the stand is practical and the frying liquid runs off completely into a drip tray, which means that hardly any smoke is produced. This is ideal for use on the balcony.

If necessary, you can simply remove the hood completely so that it can also be used as an open grill. It can also be used as a table grill without a stand, which is also very practical. The only thing that had a negative effect was the construction of the lid, which is sometimes a bit more difficult to put on because there are no hinges. Due to the large grill area, the temperatures are also not quite as high as with more compact models with the same performance. A very spicy searing is therefore not possible.