Welcome to our big table grill test 2022. Here we present all the table grills we have tested in detail. We have compiled detailed background information and added a summary of customer reviews on the web. We would like to make your purchase decision easier and help you find the best table grill for you.
You will also find answers to frequently asked questions in our guide. If available, we also offer interesting test videos. Furthermore, you will also find some important information on this page that you should definitely pay attention to if you want to buy a table grill.
Contents
- 1 Weekly newsletter with the best personal finance tips
- 2 Summary
- 3 The Best Table Grill: Our Picks
- 4 Guide: Questions you should deal with before buying a table grill
- 5 Decision: What types of table grills are there and which is the right one for you?
- 5.1 How does an electric table grill work and what are its advantages and disadvantages?
- 5.2 What are the advantages and disadvantages of a gas table-top barbecue and what functions does it offer?
- 5.3 What are the advantages and disadvantages of a charcoal tabletop barbecue and what functions does it offer?
- 6 Buying criteria: You can use these factors to compare and evaluate table barbecues
- 7 Facts worth knowing about table grills
Summary
- A table grill is a small, space-saving grill with which you can easily grill meat and vegetables. They are a good alternative to large conventional grills.
- Table grills are available in three different types: electric table grill, gas table grill, charcoal table grill.
- Electric table barbecues are suitable for indoor use, the gas table barbecues for the terrace or balcony and the charcoal table barbecues for barbecuing in the park or garden.
The Best Table Grill: Our Picks
Guide: Questions you should deal with before buying a table grill
What can I grill with a table barbecue?
Can I use all table grills indoors?
How dangerous is a table barbecue?
When buying a table barbecue, you should always make sure that it has various safety marks, such as the CE mark. When buying a gas table barbecue, you should also make sure that the gas cartridges are from Germany, as they then have the necessary safety marks and have been tested beforehand. Nevertheless, you should always keep an eye on the table barbecue and never leave children unsupervised with the table barbecue. Before using the table grill, you should also read the operating instructions completely and carefully so that you can use the appliance safely. Watch the video below for good tips on how to use electric table grills properly.
How much does a tabletop grill cost?
The gas table grills are a little more expensive to buy. If you want a good entry-level model, you will have to pay around 100€. But if you want a very good gas table barbecue, you'll have to reckon with a sum of over €400. You can also buy charcoal table barbecues for little money. The cheapest models start at 20€. The most expensive models can cost up to 200€. Nevertheless, it is not always the case that a more expensive model is better than a cheap one. It is worth reading test reports and customer reviews to get the best value for money.
| Type | Price range |
|---|---|
| Electric table barbecue | approx. 15-200 € |
| Gas table barbecue | approx. 100-400 € |
| Charcoal table barbecue | approx. 20-200 € |
How big is a table barbecue and how much does it weigh?
The normal grilling surface is about 47 x 35 cm. The charcoal table barbecue comes with a diameter of 37 cm for the normal barbecue surface. This type of table barbecue is usually round, which is why this type does not take up very much space. The charcoal table barbecue is also very light, as it usually weighs only two to three kilograms, making it the perfect companion for the park. Basically, weight and size play an important role in your place of use. You should make sure that your place of use is big enough for your table barbecue and that you don't have to carry a heavy table barbecue there for a long time.
Can I rent a table barbecue?
Decision: What types of table grills are there and which is the right one for you?
Generally speaking, you can distinguish between three types of table grills:
- Electric table barbecue
- Gas table barbecue
- Charcoal table barbecue
Each type of tabletop grill offers different functions, which bring different advantages and disadvantages. Everyone has different preferences when it comes to grilling, some prefer the aroma of charcoal and others prefer to prepare their food as quickly as possible. That's why one type of table barbecue is better suited to each than the other. In the following sections, we would like to help you find a suitable table barbecue that suits your preferences.
How does an electric table grill work and what are its advantages and disadvantages?
This type is probably the best known when you think of table grills. The biggest advantage of an electric tabletop grill is that you can use it in your house or flat. So nothing stands in the way of the barbecue experience at home. The energy or heat for the grilling process is generated by electricity. Simply plug it into the socket and the built-in heating elements heat up. Many electronic table grills also have a temperature regulator with which you can set the desired grilling temperature. Once the electric table barbecue has heated up completely, you can place the food on it. Afterwards, you should pour away the water tray of the electric table barbecue for cleaning, so that you can clean the electric table barbecue even further.
The electric grill is also known to many people as a raclette grill, contact grill or tepannyaki grill. The electric table grill is already available at a low price, which is why it is well suited for beginners. Nevertheless, real barbecue fans will not like this model very much, as you cannot generate the typical aromatic barbecue taste here and also do not get to experience the real barbecue feeling.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a gas table-top barbecue and what functions does it offer?
The gas barbecue is a good option for you if you need to cook quickly and want to organise a spontaneous barbecue with friends. The gas table barbecue scores points for its quick heat-up phase and is ready for use within a few minutes. Although gas table barbecues are somewhat more expensive to buy than other models, the running costs for maintenance are low. The handling of the gas tabletop barbecue is very simple. Simply turn on the gas bottle with the propane or butane gas and then turn on the gas table barbecue with the electric ignition button. After a short warm-up phase, the gas table barbecue is ready for your food. Afterwards, you can clean your gas table barbecue perfectly, because you only have to let the gas barbecue heat up to the highest temperature so that the dirt dissolves into smoke or you can remove it with a brush afterwards.
The gas table barbecue is particularly suitable for people who prefer to barbecue smoke-free and do not want to bother their neighbours with the smoke. Of course, you have to do without the typical smoky taste of the grilled food, but this shouldn't bother some people. With the cheaper models, you often have the problem that the fat drips and so falls onto the burner, causing a little smoke to form. With the more expensive models, a different design of the grill prevents the barbecue juices from dripping onto the burners.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a charcoal tabletop barbecue and what functions does it offer?
The normal charcoal barbecue is probably the best known of all barbecues. Real "grillers" have always sworn by the charcoal grill. Of course, this grill is also available as a tabletop version. The charcoal table barbecue is particularly suitable for you if you don't have a lot of space on your terrace or if you like to barbecue in the park with friends. With this version, you don't have to do without the typical aromatic taste that charcoal gives off.
Nevertheless, barbecuing with charcoal is also somewhat controversial and is often described as unhealthy. For this reason, you should always place the food to be grilled on aluminium foil or special grill trays. Before you can put the food on the grill, you have to let the charcoal glow through, which can take up to 30 minutes and is therefore relatively long. Cleaning also takes some time, as the charcoal should first be disposed of in an environmentally friendly way and then the barbecue and the grill grate cleaned.
Buying criteria: You can use these factors to compare and evaluate table barbecues
In the following section, we would like to introduce you to factors that play a role when buying a table barbecue. You can use these factors to compare which table grill would suit you best: In summary, these are:
- Power
- Item weight
- Product dimensions
- Size of the grill plate
- Material of the grill plate
- Grill plate with non-stick coating
- Colour
- Drip tray for excess fat
- Temperature control
- Lid
- Removable grill plate
- Grill plate dishwasher safe
In the following paragraphs, we will explain each purchase criterion in detail so that you can take them into account when making your purchase decision.
Performance
You have already learned about the different types of table grills in the section above. A very important factor when buying a table grill is, of course, its performance. With a higher power, the table grill is ready for use more quickly and your food can be grilled more quickly. The power rating does not apply to charcoal table grills, of course, as it is difficult to measure the power here, as the fire or charcoal serves as the power. With electric table grills, the power is always given in watts. You should therefore make sure that your table barbecue has at least 2000 watts.
This will ensure that your food is cooked evenly and that the table grill does not take long to heat up. The power of gas table barbecues is given in kilowatts. Your gas table barbecue should therefore definitely have more than three kW so that your gas table barbecue only has a short heat-up phase. Generally speaking, a higher number is always better than a lower one. So you should always check the power of the different table barbecues before you buy and always prefer the one with a higher value.
Item weight
Sit down with friends or family in the park or at the lake in summer temperatures and enjoy a relaxed barbecue. That's why the weight of a gas or charcoal table barbecue plays an important role, as you may want to transport a charcoal table barbecue. With an electric table barbecue, the weight is not necessarily very important, because you don't transport it very far anyway, but usually only to a suitable table. The electric table barbecues are also generally not very heavy at around two to five kilograms.
With gas table barbecues, you have to assume an approximate weight of more than ten kilograms, which makes them relatively heavy. The lightest, however, are the charcoal table barbecues, which weigh only two to three kilograms. The less the table barbecue weighs, the easier it is to take it to certain places, such as the park. That's why you should consider where you want to use the table barbecue when making your purchase decision. If the table barbecue always has its fixed place, then you can rather neglect the weight and it only plays a subordinate role in your purchase decision.
Product dimensions
As the product name suggests, you should have a table available for your table barbecue. However, the sizes of the different types of table barbecues also differ here and you must see which table barbecue size suits you and your barbecue area best. The electric table barbecues are the smallest and handiest here, designed to fit easily on your dining table. With gas table barbecues, you need to plan a little more space, as these table barbecues are slightly larger, but it should still fit perfectly on your patio.
The charcoal table barbecues, on the other hand, are not very big and are easy to transport, which is what most charcoal table barbecues are designed for. You can easily pack it in your car to drive to the next park and barbecue there. Of course, you must always bear in mind that the size of the table barbecue has a lot to do with the size of the barbecue surface.
Size of the grill plate
The larger the grill plate, the more food you can grill on your table barbecue. If you want to barbecue with your family or friends, it is of course better if your table barbecue has a large grill plate. This way you can grill many things at the same time and no one has to wait long for something to grill. The normal table grills have normal dimensions of 51 x 31 cm, where you can grill with four or even up to eight people.
If you know that you only want to grill up to a maximum of four people on the table grill, then a table grill with a grilling surface of 35 x 24 cm is also sufficient. With charcoal table barbecues, you don't have much choice in this respect, because the diameter of the grill grate is about 36 cm, where up to four people can place their food. The number of people is, of course, only approximate and may be different for you.
Material of the grill plate
The grill plates or grill grates can be made of stainless steel, die-cast aluminium or chrome-plated. The grill plate or grill grate on cheap table grills is usually chrome-plated, as this is a rather cheap material. If you want a slightly better material, you have to take a table barbecue with a stainless steel grill plate or an aluminium die-cast plate. These offer you more advantages, such as easy cleaning or a non-stick coating. Therefore, you should pay attention to the material of the grill plate before buying and you should perhaps spend a few euros more for a better material.
Grill plate with non-stick coating
You certainly don't want your meat or vegetables to stick to the grill plate while grilling. That's why many grill plates on table grills have a non-stick coating. So the meat doesn't burn and you can turn your food perfectly and take it off the grill. This non-stick coating also makes the table grills easier to clean. Almost all electric table barbecues offer this coating, but unfortunately you have to do without this important feature on the cheaper models of this type.
The non-stick coating is also always available on gas table barbecues. Unfortunately, you have to do without the non-stick coating on the grill grates of the cheaper charcoal table barbecues. To prevent burning, you should place aluminium foil or aluminium trays on the grill plate or grill grate. This also makes it easier to clean afterwards.
Colour
By default, most table grills are in a neutral colour. For electric and gas table barbecues, you will usually find the colours black and silver. However, some table barbecues are also available in other colours. Especially the charcoal table barbecues can be purchased in bright colours, such as red or even neon green. In the end, the colour will probably not be your decisive criterion for deciding which table barbecue to buy. However, you may have other ideas than silver or black and would like to buy your table barbecue in a different colour. In that case, of course, you should always check whether your model is available in another colour.
Collecting tray for excess fat
The draining fat prevents the food from swimming in the fat and soaking up the fat. The food can thus be grilled more healthily. This function is only offered by electric table grills, even the cheap ones. The drip tray also makes cleaning easier, as the dripping fat simply has to be disposed of and the drip tray only has to be cleaned briefly. This is not available on gas and charcoal table barbecues and is not absolutely necessary, as these barbecues are handled differently and have a different design.
Temperature regulator
Many table barbecues allow you to grill your meat to different temperatures. Everyone likes their meat grilled differently and at a different temperature. Maybe you prefer your steak medium, but someone else would rather have it grilled at a different time. That's why some electric and gas tabletop grills have a temperature control where you can set different levels. These levels range from a low temperature to a very high temperature level, and this can of course also shorten your grilling time. Of course, the charcoal table barbecue does not have a temperature regulator in the classic sense. There, the temperature controller sets the different levels where you can insert the grill grate.
Lid
The lid of the table barbecue is intended to prevent the food from drying out so that the meat stays nice and juicy. This way you can cook your food even better and it develops a certain flavour. Of course, your meat can also be grilled much faster because less temperature can escape through the lid. Some electric table barbecues offer this lid, but they cost a little more. This is standard on gas table barbecues and all gas table barbecues have a lid. Among the charcoal table barbecues, some also have a lid. This criterion is not necessarily of great importance and you must decide whether the lid is an important criterion for your purchase decision.
Removable grill plate
With many table grills, it is possible to remove the grill plate or the grill grate. This is intended to make subsequent cleaning easier. It often happens that something burns and then it is not only helpful to clean the grill surface normally. You often have to soak the grill surface to make it much easier to clean afterwards. That's why you should make sure that the grill plate can be removed when buying a grill.
Grill surface dishwasher-safe
Many grill surfaces can easily be cleaned in the dishwasher. Of course, you must first make sure that the grill plate can be removed from the table grill at all. But some grill plates are not suitable for the dishwasher either, because the material is not dishwasher-safe and has a coating that can come off in the dishwasher. The grill grate is also too large for some dishwashers and it does not fit in the dishwasher and should rather be cleaned by hand. Perhaps you also have a dishwasher and would like to make cleaning the grill plate easier. Therefore, before buying, make sure that you can remove the grill plate and that it is dishwasher-safe.
Facts worth knowing about table grills
Which meat is suitable for the table grill?
It depends on your taste or that of your family and friends, but you can grill all kinds of meat on the table grill. The typical meat for the table grill is the bratwurst or the steak, which usually comes from the pig. If you want to add a little variation to the grilled meat, you can also grill spare ribs, chicken wings or lamb chops. If you want to try something really exotic, you can grill ostrich meat on the table barbecue, for example.
What side dishes are suitable for the table barbecue?
In addition to the meat, you will probably want to eat something as a side dish. The most relaxed way to do this is to grill it at the same time, of course. Grilled potatoes or grilled corn on the cob are very popular side dishes. But you can also grill stuffed tomatoes, courgettes or champions. Here too, you can try out a lot and grill what you or others like best.
Why should I put water in an electric table-top grill?
All electric table-top grills have a drip tray that you should fill with water before use. How much water you need to fill it with varies depending on the table grill. You can find the exact amount in the operating instructions. The water in the drip tray has two functions. Firstly, it catches the dripping fat so that it does not drip onto the heating elements and cause unpleasant smoke. Secondly, the water also ensures that the grill does not get too hot, because the water absorbs the heat directed downwards. You should also make sure to check the water level from time to time. The water evaporates very quickly due to the intense heat.
Photo credit: unsplash.com / The Digital Marketing Collaboration
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