Whether you are an avid home chef or just a regular person that likes to cook indoors without all the hassle of multiple pans, these electric indoor grills may be just the cooking gadget you need to make your life easier. Since we like to focus on Asian dishes here, these grills come in handy with many Asian inspired dishes.
New word alert- You will see the term “grillet” in this roundup of grills, but don’t worry, it’s not a typo! A grillet is just a grill that is also used as a skillet. Put the two words together and.. well, you know the rest!
The Aroma Housewares Company
All these selections you will find on this buyer’s guide happen to be from the same manufacturer, Aroma Housewares. This company is well known for its popular rice cookers, tea kettles, air cookers, and many other cooking products.
They have a knack for making cooking gear that can be used specifically for Asian style food (such as rice, and tea). They have a long history in the business and have a reputation for high-quality goods and solid customer service. With that out of the way let us get to the fun part!
Now let’s dive into our top 3 favorite indoor portable electric grills by Aroma Housewares!
#1- Aroma Housewares ASP-137 Grillet 3Qt. 3-in-1 Cool-Touch Electric Indoor Grill Portable, Dishwasher Safe, 3-Quart, White
Our Rating:
Compared to many options out there this grillet (grill/skillet) is comparably large. Clocking in at 10 inches in diameter it is big enough for cooking lots of ingredients at once. It is also deeper than many other grillets in its class. It has a 3-quart capacity and a nice glass lid as well. With a raised grilling surface which allows for fat to drip away as the food cooks, this grill is a healthy choice. The ASP-137 can be used for grilling, steaming, simmering, slow cooking, and even serving, which makes it quite versatile.
Pros
- Large 10-inch grilling area
- Deep 3 quart capacity
- Raised grill helps remove fat
- Versatile
Cons
- Some customers complained about some paint smearing off in the dishwasher
- May be too big for an exceedingly small apartment or RV
Conclusion
Our Rating:
This is our favorite choice for most people and most situations. It is large enough for bigger meals and versatile enough to handle varied cooking needs. The raised grill will help you make healthier meals while the high capacity will allow you to feed a medium-sized family with only one cooking surface. It is not expensive compared to many other indoor grills we tried. The Aroma Housewares ASP-137 grillet is a good choice if you need an indoor electric grill that can handle a lot of cooking at a price point that will not break the bank. It has the most positive reviews of all the 3 that we feature in this guide!
#2 Aroma Housewares ASP-218B Grillet 4Qt. 3-in-1 Cool-Touch Electric Indoor Grill Portable, Dishwasher Safe, with Nonstick Pan & Tempered Glass Lid, Black
Our Rating:
Our second choice is a slightly bigger grillet coming in at a 4-quart capacity. It is a rounded rectangular shape which may be appealing to some people since it can fit in the corner if your kitchen is already crowded (like ours is). It is another versatile grill that you can use for stew, searing, grilling, or steaming. It has a tempered glass lid which allows for simmering pot roasts or soups. It has a more precise temperature knob and is dishwasher safe. The ASP-218B is also a slow cooker so you could use this as a crock pot if you wanted to put together a stew and leave it to sit and go on about your day.
Pros
- Large capacity
- Rectangular shape
- Precise temperature control
- Tempered glass lid
Cons
- Some customers complained that it was poorly packaged and arrived broken
Conclusion
Our Rating:
The Aroma Housewares ASP-218B grillet is a solid choice for just about anyone. It is rectangular shaped which can be helpful for specific space requirements in small spaces. It has precise temperature control and a solid tempered glass lid. Because it is a larger capacity (4 quarts) it could be used to make a pot roast or a big batch of stew or chili. It has many good reviews with only a handful of complaints. Of the 3 that we tested and checked out, this one is our second favorite. A good choice if your needs match what this grillet can do!
#3 Aroma Housewares ASP-266R Indoor Grill, multi-use pot, skillet, 6-Quart, Red
Our Rating:
Before we get started on this indoor electric grill, a warning. This one is significantly more expensive than the other 2 we have reviewed in this guide. The ASP-266R is a rectangular shaped grillet that is as versatile as the other 2 grillets we cover here. Like the others, it has a raised grilling surface which helps fat run away from the food and leads to healthier finished dishes. This grill is quite a bit more attractive in a bright red color. The red color may be perfect for some but it definitely narrows down how many people would find this as a perfect match for their kitchen décor. It has a 6-quart capacity making it the largest capacity grill in our lineup.
Pros
- Large 6-quart capacity
- High-quality build
- Glass lid
- Even heating
- Versatile
Cons
- Way more expensive than the others
- Bright red color may not work in your kitchen
Conclusion
Our Rating:
The Aroma Housewares ASP-266R indoor grill is a good choice for people that have red accents in their kitchen and have a bigger budget. It has a very high capacity compared to many other indoor grills and can handle a higher volume of food cooking at once. The reviews are mostly all glowing and positive, but it is a much new model with only a handful of reviews at the time of this writing. Overall it is a higher-end choice that can definitely handle your cooking needs, just keep in mind it is not a low-cost model and has a bright red color which really limits the number of people that this model would work for.
Portable Indoor Electric Grill Buyer’s Guide
What do you need to look for in an indoor grill, anyway? With all the options out there what makes one a better choice for you than the others? If these questions are driving you nuts, do not worry we have got you covered. Let’s tackle these issues one at a time and give you a clear picture of how to choose the perfect grillet for you and your family.
Capacity
When choosing a grill like these, knowing how big of a capacity you need should be among the first questions you ask yourself. If you are a single person living alone, you don’t need a big 8-quart model that will take up more space and be harder to clean. On the other hand, if you have a large family you should be looking at a deeper cooker that can fit more food inside. When trying to decide on which one to buy, think about your space requirements (bigger capacity means it takes up more space), and how much food you will typically be cooking in one session. If you don’t need a lot of food at once, a smaller capacity model will work better, while the opposite is also true.
Storage / Shape of Grill
One of the other questions you should be addressing before pulling the trigger on one of these is where are you going to store it? The rectangular models are a little easier to store in a kitchen drawer or cabinet, while the round models seem to take up more space. Take a look around your space and think about where you are going to put this thing when you are not cooking. With these things in mind, you should be able to make a more logical choice.
Budget
This one is obvious and is usually one of the first things you think about whether consciously or unconsciously. Sometimes the price of the item is the only thing that matters when making a buying decision. Most of these grills are under 50 bucks with some of the fancier ones going over a hundred. You get what you pay for as they say, so if you are just trying this out for the first time it may be a good idea to not spend too much, see how you like it, and if you end up using it a lot you can upgrade to a better model later. There are 2 grills in this guide that are under 50 and one that will cost you over a hundred bucks.
If you are on a tight budget like many of us are either one of the top 2 choices should suit you just fine. If you have a little more to spend and like the appeal of a fire engine red grill sitting in your kitchen then the last pick may be exactly what you need.
What Kind of Food Can Be Cooked with These Grillets?
Negima Yakitori
This is a kabob-like Asian dish that features chicken thighs and scallions with thick yakitori sauce. It is simple to make and oh so tasty!
Grilled Corn with Miso Butter
A super simple dish is perfect for your indoor grill. Just remove the corn husks and place the corn on the cooking surface. Turn the corn a few times while it cooks to get an even heat. When the corn is cooked and has some golden-brown spots, brush on some Miso butter and you are ready to eat!
Steaming Veggies
One of the most common uses for electric grills like these is steaming. You can put your veggies inside, put on the lid, and wait for the steaming action to cook them just right.
Fish Filets
Since this is an Asian cooking focused site, we would not be doing our job if we did not mention seafood! These grills are perfect for cooking fish fillets. The raised grill area will put those sear stripes on your filets and produce a tasty seafood meal in a short amount of time.
Stews
Everyone loves a good stew. These grills are suitable for making all types of stew. Just throw the ingredients in there, turn on the grill, put on the lid, and hang out until the stew is ready to eat.
Kabobs
Even classic kabobs can be made in these electric grills. Think of them just like a normal outdoor grill just smaller and easier to clean. For kabobs, you can cut the meat and veggies into the right size and plop them on the grill. It is one of the simpler dishes and just about everyone likes a good kabob.
Chili
The best part about these grills is that they are essentially 3 types of cooking tools. They are obviously a grill, sometimes a skillet, and some of them can also be used like a croc pot! Chili is a classic meal that just about everyone loves and has their own closely guarded secret recipe for. You can put all the beans and tomatoes and sauce and spices in the grill, put the lid on, turn on the heat and walk away! It is always a good idea to stir it every so often, but it’s pretty much a one-step meal.
Final Thoughts
We really like these indoor electric grillets! They are so versatile and many of them are inexpensive. You can cook just about anything with them and they do not take up too much space. If you have never owned one, there are 3 on this guide that you can try out. Any one of them will do the job, just keep your requirements in mind as you make your choice. After getting our first one we were wondering how we ever lived without it, and have not been outside to use the barbeque in a long time!
If you like detailed buyer’s guides like this one, good news! We have many of them right here!
