What Is an Infrared Grill?
An infrared grill doesn’t heat the air around your food the way a conventional gas or charcoal grill does. Instead, a burner heats a ceramic, glass, or metal plate, and that plate radiates infrared heat directly onto the food. Because the heat is radiant rather than convective, infrared grills can reach much higher temperatures than conventional grilling methods — often 700°F to 1,200°F, compared to roughly 550°F for a standard gas grill or 700-750°F at the top end of a kamado-style charcoal grill.
Benefits of Infrared Grills
Faster Cooking, Shorter Preheat
Infrared grills typically hit their working temperature in just a few minutes, compared to roughly 10 minutes for a gas grill or around 20 minutes for charcoal to get fully ashed over. Once at temperature, the intense radiant heat cooks food noticeably faster than conventional methods — competitor sources cite cooking times up to 30% quicker for comparable cuts.
Higher Heat and a Better Sear
Because infrared grills run hotter than either gas or charcoal, they’re particularly good at producing a hard, flavorful crust on steaks and other thick cuts while keeping the interior from overcooking — the classic reverse-sear goal, achieved in a single high-heat pass.
Fewer Flare-Ups
On a conventional grill, fat and juices drip onto an open flame, which is what causes flare-ups. On an infrared grill, drippings hit the hot ceramic or glass plate and vaporize instantly instead of igniting, which means fewer flare-ups and less risk of accidentally charring your food.
Better Moisture Retention
Convection cooking (gas or charcoal) relies on hot air circulating around the food, which tends to dry out the surface over time. Radiant infrared heat cooks the food more directly, and the shorter cook time means less opportunity for moisture to escape — the result is often a juicier finish, especially on steaks and other quick-cooking cuts.
Fuel Efficiency
Infrared grills lose less heat when the lid is opened, since the heat is stored in the radiant plate rather than just hot air inside the cooking chamber. Combined with shorter preheat and cook times, this generally translates to less fuel burned per meal than a comparable gas grill.
Downsides of Infrared Grills
Higher Cost
Infrared grills cost more than equivalent gas or charcoal models. Portable infrared units can run under $500, but full-size infrared grills comparable to a standard four-burner gas grill often start well above $1,000.
Weak at Low-and-Slow Cooking
This is the biggest functional downside, and it’s consistent across every source we reviewed: infrared grills excel at high-heat, fast cooking (steaks especially) but struggle with anything that needs sustained low, even heat — smoking, slow-roasting, or barbecuing a pork shoulder. Some hybrid and variable-temperature models exist, but at that point you’re often paying infrared prices to replicate what a standard gas or charcoal grill already does well.
Specialized Cleaning
The radiant plate needs regular attention — buildup on the ceramic or glass surface affects heat distribution and can be harder to clean than a standard grate. Expect more maintenance than a typical gas grill.
Infrared Grill vs. Charcoal Grill: Head-to-Head
| Infrared Grill | Charcoal Grill | |
|---|---|---|
| Max heat | 700-1,200°F | Up to ~700-750°F (kamado-style) |
| Preheat time | A few minutes | ~20 minutes to fully ash over |
| Best for | Searing steaks, quick high-heat cooking | Smoky flavor, low-and-slow, all-purpose grilling |
| Flavor | Clean, seared crust; no wood/charcoal smoke flavor | Classic smoky char flavor from charcoal/wood |
| Learning curve | Easy to overcook food — high heat is unforgiving | Moderate — managing airflow and coal placement takes practice |
| Versatility | Narrow — excels at one thing (searing), weak at low heat | Broad — handles searing and slow cooking with technique |
| Upfront cost | Higher | Generally lower |
| Cleanup | Specialized (radiant plate) | Standard ash/grate cleanup |
If flavor is your top priority, charcoal wins — the smoky char that charcoal produces is exactly what infrared grilling doesn’t do, since it cooks with radiant heat rather than combustion smoke. If searing speed and consistency matter most, infrared has the edge. Charcoal is also the more versatile single grill, since a well-managed charcoal fire can go low-and-slow or blazing hot depending on setup, where infrared is really a specialist tool.
Is Infrared Grilling Healthier Than Charcoal?
Neither method is clearly “healthier” in a meaningful way for the average home cook, but the mechanisms differ. Charcoal grilling produces smoke from burning charcoal and dripping fat, which contributes to the char and smoky flavor people associate with barbecue — but charring and flare-ups can also increase compounds linked to health concerns when food is heavily charred. Infrared grilling produces less smoke and fewer flare-ups because drippings vaporize instantly rather than igniting, which can mean less direct char on the food. That said, any high-heat cooking method that produces a hard sear carries some of the same surface-charring considerations. If minimizing char is a priority regardless of grill type, keep an eye on cook times and avoid deliberately blackening the surface.
Who Should Buy an Infrared Grill?
Infrared grills make the most sense for people who grill primarily to sear steaks, chops, and other quick-cooking cuts, and who value speed and consistency over versatility. They’re a poor fit if you regularly smoke or slow-cook — a standard gas or charcoal grill (or a dedicated smoker) will serve you better there. If you’re still deciding on fuel type more broadly, our liquid propane vs. natural gas grill guide covers the more common gas-grill decision, and our guide to the worst time to buy a grill can help you time the purchase either way.
Infrared Grill FAQs
Are infrared grills good for you? There’s nothing inherently unhealthy about infrared cooking — it produces less smoke and fewer flare-ups than conventional grilling, which can mean less direct char if you keep cook times reasonable.
What are the downsides of infrared grills? Higher upfront cost, weak performance at low, sustained temperatures, and a radiant plate that needs specialized cleaning.
What is the healthiest type of grill to use? No single grill type is definitively healthiest — moderating char and flare-ups matters more than the fuel or heating method you choose.
Is infrared better for grilling? It’s better for one specific thing — fast, high-heat searing — but not a wholesale upgrade over charcoal or gas for everyday, varied grilling.