Outdoor Kitchens Guide

If you live in a condo or high rise you may find it against the rules to have a gas grill on your balcony or in your screened area. While these rules make perfect sense and are in place for the safety of all residents, it still leaves you with a bit of a void when it comes to filling your desire to entertain your family and friends with a good old fashioned cookout.

You might have more options than you realize, as there are many electric grills on the market today, with more coming out every year. From table top or pedestal models to a built in electric grill that can be an integrated part of your outdoor kitchen, there is surely an electric grill to suit your needs.

Electric grills range in price from around $100 up to several hundred dollars and everywhere in between. Some models operate on standard 110v power, and some require 220v power. Be sure to read the description on any grill you are considering and identify the type of power requirement for that particular grill.

Electric grills are divided into a few basic categories. These are electric table top grills, built in electric grills, electric grill on a cart, and pedestal electric grills.

Table top electric grills are just what the name implies. It is a grill that is placed on top of a counter or table. These grills are very convenient because they can be stored out of sight and only taken out when you plan on using it. They can also be used as a portable grill, as they are usually very small and can be carried quite easily.

Built in electric grills look pretty much like any other built in grill. They are mounted into a cabinet as part of outdoor kitchens. Most built in models are stainless steel, and while they can get expensive, you get closer to “real” grilling than with any other type of electric grill. Most built in electric grills require 220V power.There is a category of electric built in grills that features a downdraft system. The most popular of these is the Jenn Aire electric grill. This grill looks much like an indoor cooktop, but is mounted in your outdoor kitchen cabinet. The built in fan pulls the smoke down and out a vent that usually goes through a wall under the cabinet, or into the wall and then up to the roof. Keep the need for a vent in mind when considering a Jenn Aire.

Electric grills that are mounted on a cart do not look much different than a typical grill you might see in your neighbor’s backyard. These grills can usually be moved around as the cart typically has wheels, and there are usually small wing like peices on either side in order to hold your prepped food or cooking condiments.

A pedestal electric grill looks a lot like one of the table top versions that has been mounted on a pedestal. Think pedestal sink, and you get the idea. While these grills do not take up much space, the downside is you don’t have any part of the grill where you can place food, plates, or condiments to use while cooking. Because of this it is useful if you place this kind of grill near a table of some kind.