The top ranking Korean grill is the Elite Gourmet Smokeless Grill. This grill boasts a large cooking area, excellent temperature control, and its smokeless design makes it ideal for indoor use. As an added bonus, it is easy to use too!
Before the pandemic hit, I would go out to eat Korean BBQ several times a month. All those lockdowns put a stop to my favorite habit so I had to improvise and get my very own grill for home use. Here is what I learned during the shopping process!
In this post, I will reveal the best Korean BBQ grill, while giving you some other options to choose from. I have also included a buyer’s guide.
Here are the top picks for the best Korean BBQ grill:
Best Overall
This is definitely the best of the electric Korean BBQ grills on this list. And, one of the reasons is that this grill is so easy to use. All you have to do is plug in the Korean barbecue grill, set your desired temperature, and then wait for it to heat up. After this, you are good to go!
This is a great Korean BBQ grill if you are new to tackling the food by yourself.
I do love that it is so easy to control the temperature on this Korean BBQ grill. Just set the dial to your desired temperature and the grill begins to heat up. You have four settings to choose from – all the way from 195 F to 450 F. So, it doesn’t matter what you are cooking, you can find the right temp.
After putting this Korean BBQ grill to the test, I have to say that it maintains a consistent temperature quite well. I didn’t notice any cool or hot spots and so all the food cooks at a similar rate.
The whole point of looking for Korean BBQ grills is to be able to use one in your home. However, a surprising number of grills do produce smoke. This is truly a smokeless design, though.
I used it many times before writing this review and it produced the barest amount of smoke. Due to this, you can use it indoors without fear of setting off the smoke alarm.
The only downside here is that the cord is a bit short so you do have to keep it near an electrical outlet or use an extension cord.
One of the perks of heading to Korean BBQ restaurants is that the grills tend to be quite large. This makes them perfect for a crowd. Well, this BBQ grill has a large cooking surface area too. So, even if you are feeding a larger family, you will be able to do so quickly.
Runner Up
Are you looking for a more authentic Korean BBQ grill but still want something that is easy to use? Well, this Iwatani smokeless Korean BBQ grill offers you just that. It is a gas grill so while it isn’t completely authentic, the grill is based on a traditional design.
I love the fact that the water beneath the main plate reduces the amount of smoke coming out of this Korean BBQ grill. As a result, it is perfect for indoor use.
Now, as this Korean BBQ grill is run off gas, it isn’t super authentic but it is similar to what you will find in restaurants. In particular, I couldn’t help but notice that the flavor of this model is different from electric Korean BBQ grills.
So, if you would like to elevate the flavor of your food, I would certainly consider this Korean BBQ grill.
I will admit that I was a bit cautious about using a gas burner indoors. However, I found this Korean BBQ grill incredibly easy to use. Simply pop in the propane canister, pour water into the lower container, and place the Korean BBQ grill pan on top.
Then you just set the temperature and you are good to go. Even if this is your first time trying out Korean BBQ grills, you will be able to pick up the process quickly.
One of the reasons that this grill boasts easy cleanup is because most of the oil is directed into the oil catching tray, making it easy to clean up.
That being said, there is a small amount of oil that is left on the grill plate and this is spit out of the pan quite far away. So, you do need to create a small barrier around the Korean BBQ grill if you don’t want you or your surroundings to be spattered with oil.
Best Charcoal Grill
If you want a more authentic experience like how they used to prepare meats back in the day, then this is an excellent Korean BBQ grill for you. I love that by simply using this grill you are elevating the quality of your cooking.
My only complaint is that this Korean barbecue grill pan is pretty small. At most, it can feed two people and even then you may need to cook your food in batches.
Call me old fashioned but nothing quite beats the smoky flavor that charcoal produces. Use the right wood and you can infuse your food with a wide variety of flavors. However, even with natural charcoal, I was able to get an absolutely gorgeous flavor with the meats that I cooked.
One of the reasons that this grill is at the top of the best Korean BBQ grills list is because of its excellent temperature control. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to change the temperature on this Korean grill.
It is just a matter of opening and closing the vents and then the temperature lowers and rises accordingly.
Another thing that I like about this portable Korean BBQ unit is that it is pretty durable. So much more than the average electric Korean BBQ grill. Not only is everything from the grill plate to the charcoal bowl made from high quality ingredients, but there are also no delicate intricate parts to this grill.
This makes it an excellent investment!
Even with gas Korean BBQ grills, even cooking isn’t always guaranteed. This is why this grill is one of my favorites – the Korean BBQ grill pan boasts even heating within a short period of time.
This means that you can arrange your meat or veggies however you like and know that they are all going to be cooking at a similar rate. It also means that you don’t have to worry about certain food items burning.
My only issue is that this isn’t the most durable Korean grill. The pan can begin to warp after about a year or so of use. So, it is best to use and clean it carefully.
Even if you haven’t spent a lot of time cooking on Korean BBQ grills, you will still be able to turn out delicious food with this Korean grill. The gas fired grill pan and the even heating allows you to produce tasty food each and every time.
I also love how easy this Korean barbecue grill is to use too. For one thing, the ignition is really reliable and starts up without any delay. The temperature is also easy to control and quite exact.
And, of all the Korean BBQ grills I have tested, the grease drainage system has to be the best. The orientation of the grill pan combined with a drainage hole allows all the excess fat and liquid like soy sauce to be readily removed.
As most of the excess oil is drained away, it is quite easy to clean this Korean grill pan. The cooking surface is pretty non-stick too so getting the grease off is no problem at all.
Best of all, since the walls of this Korean barbecue grill pan are pretty high, you only really have to clean the pan. The rest of the stove can be wiped down.
Now, this grill isn’t the most traditional Korean grill out there, but it is a great option if you want a large grilling surface. This is the largest grill on this list and is great for feeding a crowd!
Not only is the grilling surface quite large, but there are also two types of grilling surfaces on one cooking plate. This means that you can get foods with and without grill marks, depending on your preference.
Do you want Korean BBQ but also wish that your grill could perform other functions? If so, this is the grill for you! You get everything from a grill stone to a raclette set. This allows you to use the grill in any way that you want!
As an added bonus, this grill table is pretty simple to use, too. The indicator lights let you know how the grill is functioning and the thermostat makes it a breeze for you to set the temperature.
My only complaint regarding this grill is that it doesn’t get as hot as I would like it to. Due to this, it is best to cook only very thin cuts of meat and veggies if you want your food cooked quickly.
Here are some tips to follow to choose the best Korean grill for you:
The first decision that you have to make is regarding the type of Korean barbecue grill that you want to get.
What I like about the electric grill is that they are simple to use. Also, if you live in an apartment, these grills are almost completely smokeless. However, I do feel that they are a bit lacking in flavor.
Then you have the gas grill – this is what you find in Korean restaurants. So, if you want to recreate delicious Korean BBQ indoors in the comfort of your home, this is the grill to use.
With these grills, you do get a bit more in terms of flavor. Also, they are fairly simple to use as it is just a matter of turning them on and setting the dial to the right temperature.
The heating can be spotty at times, but this does depend on the make and model. Some people may also not feel very comfortable attaching the grill to a gas canister.
Then you have the charcoal grill – you can’t really beat it for flavor! It gives off a gorgeous smoky taste and really elevates the taste of your food.
Of course, these grills do have a tendency to be fussier and trickier to clean. Also, keep in mind that these give off a lot more smoke too.
Now, if you don’t mind a gas design, then you will have the option to choose between a full Korean BBQ setup and a single pan that goes on top of a stove or gas grill.
If you aren’t sure which one you want, just think about your preferred eating style. Do you mind if just one person does the cooking? If so, you can have one that can be set on top of the stove.
On the other hand, if you would like a more communal eating experience, then you should think about getting a full setup. This way, you can set it on the table and have everyone contribute. This also creates a more authentic Korean BBQ experience.
A lot of these grills are meant to be portable and so are quite small. Due to this, it is important to consider how many people you would like to cook for at one time.
If you have three or more members in your family, you may want to think about choosing a larger grill. If not, you will be forced to cook in smaller batches and this can take a while!
It doesn’t matter what kind of grill you are getting, just make sure that the cooking surface is coated with a high quality, non-stick coating. This way, you will be able to easily get the food off the grill and let the next batch cook.
Also, I have found that nonstick cooking surface pans tend to be easier to clean, so this is a perk too.
A lot of people fail to think about this but it is a key element. When you are considering a grill, make sure to look at the drainage system.
First, is the pan designed in a way that the oil can drain from the center and move to the sides? Then, take a look at the actual drain – is it placed and designed in such a way that facilitates the disposal of the oil from the grill?
Now, taking a look at the drainage does two things. First, it ensures that your meat and veggies aren’t sitting in a pool of oil as they cook. The other benefit is that it ensures that your pan will be easy to clean up once you are done.
The Elite Gourmet Smokeless grill is the best Korean BBQ grill. It has a large cooking surface area, offers up great temperature control, and has a smokeless design. It is also easy to use.
Of course, if you want to find the best Korean barbecue grill for you, then I would suggest checking out all the Korean BBQ grills in this post. You can never know which one will turn out to be the right one for you!
