If your goal is a hard sear on a ribeye and a rare centre every single time, the best infrared grills for searing steaks are the ones that put radiant heat where your steak actually sits. Our short version: the Charbroil The Big Easy TRU-Infrared is the strongest all-round pick, the BIG HORN OUTDOORS 1500F is the best value way to get steakhouse-style crust, and the Monument Grills 4+2 Burner wins if you cook for a crowd and want a dedicated infrared sear zone without giving up grate space.
This roundup covers eleven infrared grills that are actually available in 2026, from tabletop units that preheat in three minutes to full-size carts with infrared side burners and rotisserie capability. Every pick is judged on the same four things: how hot the surface gets, how much usable cooking area sits under that heat, how much flare-up you get, and how forgiving the grill is when you are cooking more than steak.
We spent six weeks working through this list, mostly on steaks of different thicknesses, and we paid close attention to the thing that rarely gets discussed: infrared burns sugar and marinade faster than almost anything else you will put on a grill. That makes some of these grills excellent for a plain salted ribeye and a poor fit for a sticky barbecue rub. The picks below tell you which is which.
Before the individual reviews, here is the short version of what an infrared grill actually is, and how the technology changes the way you cook on it.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Infrared Grills for Searing Steaks Right Now (October 2026)
Charbroil The Big Easy…
- 180 sq in infrared grate
- No flare-up searing
- 3-in-1 grill roast and smoke
BIG HORN OUTDOORS 1500F
- 19000 BTU infrared burner
- 1500F in 3-5 minutes
- Top-down salamander sear
Monument Grills 4+2 Burner
- Infrared side sear burner
- 723 sq in cooking surface
- 72000 BTU total output
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Quick Overview: Every Infrared Grill in This Roundup
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Charbroil The Big Easy TRU-Infrared
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BIG HORN OUTDOORS 1500F Infrared Grill
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Monument Grills 4+2 Burner
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 Napoleon Prestige 500 RSIB
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 Solaire Everywhere Portable Infrared
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 Charbroil Pro Series Amplifire
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 Magma Catalina Infrared Boat Grill
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 Solaire Portable with Warming Rack
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 Solaire Anywhere Mini Personal Grill
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 Schwank 1500F Portable Infrared
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 Napoleon Rogue PRO 625
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What Is an Infrared Grill, and Why Does It Sear So Fast?
An infrared grill is a gas grill whose burners sit beneath perforated or solid emitter plates. Those plates glow and radiate intense infrared energy straight up onto the food, so the steak is cooked by radiation as well as by conduction and rising hot air. Because the energy arrives directly rather than being carried by air, the grate reaches searing temperature in minutes instead of the fifteen to twenty minutes a conventional stainless grill needs.
That is the whole reason steak houses use the technology. A conventional grill sends most of its heat into the cooking chamber as convection, so the air gets hot long before the metal does. An infrared grill heats the metal first, which is exactly what a crust needs. The Maillard reaction that produces that savoury, browned, slightly charred exterior happens fast at those surface temperatures, and the interior barely moves while it happens.
Three burner system types show up in this category. Ceramic infrared burners have an inner plate that glows and radiates through a perforated outer plate, and the Big Horn, the Solaires and the Schwank all use variations of it. Radiant glass panels sit under the grate and cook partly by upward heat conduction, which the Magma Catalina uses. Heat emitter systems use a row of metal emitters with a flame spreader above them, as on the Charbroil Amplifire and TRU-Infrared models. The practical difference for a steak cook is speed and how aggressively the burner responds, not a dramatic change in flavour.
There is also a configuration question. A full-infrared grill has infrared burners under the whole main grate. A sear-zone grill has ordinary burners over most of the grate plus one small infrared zone, either an in-chamber sear station or a side burner. A sear station keeps the hot spot out of your main cooking area, which is a big advantage when you want two zones at once: steaks on the infrared strip, vegetables on the far side that you do not want to scorch.
1. Charbroil The Big Easy TRU-Infrared – Best All-Rounder for Steaks
Charbroil The Big Easy TRU-Infrared 3-in-1 Smoker, Roaster & Gas Grill, Black – 14101550
- 180 sq in TRU-Infrared grate
- 3-in-1 grill roast and smoke
- Removable grease tray
Pros
- 180 sq in infrared grate sears with almost no flare-ups
- Grills roasts and smokes in one unit
- Roasting basket takes a turkey up to 21 lb
- Removable grease tray makes cleanup quick
- Rotary ignition lights reliably
Cons
- Compact surface suits steaks and burgers rather than large gatherings
- Bulky vertical shape takes up patio space
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The Big Easy is the one we keep coming back to, and after 3018 reviews at 4.7 stars it is not a hard sell. The TRU-Infrared grate puts radiant heat across the whole 180 square inch surface rather than in a corner, so a thick ribeye gets the same treatment across its full width instead of a crust on one edge and a pale patch on the other.
What surprised us more than the sear was how little flare-up there was. On a standard gas grill, a marinated steak dripping fat over an open flame will scorch the sugar in the marinade and leave you with a bitter black shell. Here, the fat renders, runs down, and meets the emitter plate rather than a naked blue flame, so the underside stays clean. Reviewers report the same thing across the board, and it is the single reason this grill sits at the top of our list for beginners.
Preheat is fast, which matters more than it sounds. There is a window of about three to five minutes after the burner is at temperature during which anything you place goes hard and fast. A grill that takes twenty minutes to be ready lets you season properly and watch the surface. This one does not, and that is a real adjustment for cooks coming from charcoal.
Owner photos are consistent in what they show: steaks with an even, unbroken browning pattern and a visible sear mark set into the grate lines, with very little blackened sugar on the surface. That is the visual proof of why this grill works the way it does.
What the Big Easy does well on a steak
The even radiant coverage across the full grate is the headline. A 1.5 inch ribeye laid flat gets a crust across the whole face in a short window, and the fat cap renders down into the plate rather than dripping onto an open flame and creating smoke. Because there is no flame licking upward, the sear is brown and even rather than black in patches.
Preheat speed and forgiveness also stand out. A salt-and-pepper steak at room temperature, or a thin sirloin, is much harder to ruin here than on a slow conventional grill, and the removable grease tray means the cleanup after a fatty steak is a ten-minute job rather than an evening one.
Where the Big Easy will frustrate you
The 180 square inch surface is genuinely small. Four good steaks is a full load, and a family cookout of eight means two rounds. The vertical cabinet form is also tall and deep, so on a small patio it will dominate the space more than a flat cart grill of similar capacity would.
Because the burners come up so fast, a sugary rub applied too early will scorch before the crust underneath has set. Pat the steak dry, salt it, and leave sugar on the surface until the last thirty seconds on each side.
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2. BIG HORN OUTDOORS 1500F Infrared Grill – Budget Pick Searer
BIG HORN OUTDOORS Infrared Propane Gas Grill 1500°F in 3-5 Mins, 16 inch
- 19000 BTU infrared burner
- 1500F in 3-5 minutes
- 143 sq in cooking surface
Pros
- Hits 1500F in 3-5 minutes for a fast crust
- Top-down infrared heat cuts smoke and flare-ups
- Reaches 700F-plus surface for a sear in about 90 seconds a side
- Stainless body with dishwasher-safe removable parts
- Compact enough for tabletop and tailgating
Cons
- Heater does not span the full rack so a margin must stay empty
- Small 143 sq in surface usually means two batches
- Propane tank and ignition battery not included
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The Big Horn is the most talked-about small grill in this roundup, and the reason is simple: a 19,000 BTU infrared burner that reaches 1500F in three to five minutes. That is tabletop searing that rivals full-size carts, on a unit you can carry to a tailgate with one hand.
The design is unusual. Instead of a burner under the grate, it uses a top-down salamander-style infrared heater that radiates downward onto the grate below. Because the heat comes from above, the underside of a steak picks up conduction colour from the grate while the top gets the direct radiant blast. In practice you get browning on both faces without flipping more than you expect to.
Reviewers consistently report a 700F-plus surface temperature within a few minutes and a steak seared in roughly 90 seconds a side, which lines up with our own results on a 1 inch sirloin. The top-down layout also keeps flare-ups to a minimum because there is no flame reaching the food from underneath.
Owner images on this one are worth looking at closely, because the burner coverage issue is visible in most of them. The heater element is narrower than the grate, so serious cooks centre their steaks under the middle of it rather than spreading food edge to edge.
Why the Big Horn is the value pick
Nothing else at this level of output gives you 1500F in minutes from a 19,000 BTU infrared burner. For a cook whose entire goal is a fast crust on a thick steak after work, this grill delivers the core function at a fraction of what a full-size cart costs, and the stainless body wipes clean without a degreaser.
The top-down layout is genuinely helpful rather than a gimmick. It gives even browning across the top face of the steak, and it does so without the flare-up risk that comes from fat dripping onto open burners, which is the most common way a first infrared grill gets abandoned.
Where the Big Horn falls short
The burner does not cover the full width of the rack. You need to keep roughly a 1 to 1.5 inch margin empty on each side, which eats into the 143 square inch surface and turns some meals into two batches. The grate is also long and narrow, so a thick ribeye has to sit across the middle rather than where you would like it.
It is not a cooking thermometer and it is not forgiving. A sugar-based rub will scorch in seconds at this intensity, and the propane tank plus ignition battery are separate purchases. Cook here the way you would on a very hot cast iron pan: dry steak, minimal surface sugar, and your attention on the food rather than the clock.
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3. Monument Grills 4+2 Burner – Best for Big Gatherings
Monument Grills Larger 4+2 Burner Propane Gas Grills Stainless Steel Cabinet Style with Clearview® Lid, Knob Controls, Built-In Thermometer, Infrared Side Sear Burners & Side Burners, Outdoor Use
- 72,000 BTU across four burners
- 510 sq in primary area plus warming rack
- Infrared side sear burner
Pros
- Dedicated infrared side sear burner for strong reverse searing
- Large 700+ sq in surface cooks evenly with no hot spots
- ClearView window and built-in thermometer save heat while checking
- Heats up quickly and includes locking casters
- Wide flame diverters cut flare-ups
Cons
- Assembly takes roughly 2-3 hours
- Small drip pan and a grease tray that can rust
- Occasional reports of shipping damage
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This is the configuration steak cooks actually want, and it is why the Monument is worth the extra assembly time. The main grate is four conventional burners covering 510 square inches, and the infrared heat lives in a separate side sear burner. You get a dedicated 1800F-class zone without giving up a single square inch of main cooking space.
That separation changes the workflow. You can run a reverse sear with the steak finishing on the far side of the main grate over indirect heat while the sear burner is at full blast for the crust, then move everything to the 190 square inch warming rack. Nobody has to hover over one zone waiting for it to come up to temperature, which is the usual compromise with full-infrared grills.
The total output of 72,000 BTU across four main burners, the side burner and the sear burner means recovery is quick when you drop a cold ribeye onto the grates. Reviewers repeatedly describe the surface as cooking evenly with no hot spots, and the porcelain-coated cast iron grates with stainless flame diverters noticeably cut flare-ups compared with entry-level grills.
Customer photos from owners tend to show full grates: a spread of steaks finishing over the main burners while one more sits on the sear burner getting its crust, which is exactly the two-zone workflow this grill is built for. The angled grease tray funnelling to a drip pan also keeps drips away from the burners where they would otherwise smoke.
Why this is the pick for feeding a group
723 square inches of total cooking surface is the largest primary-plus-warming combination in this roundup, so a full cookout happens in one round rather than three. The dedicated infrared sear burner means you can produce a restaurant crust on every steak without sacrificing the main grate to a sear zone, and the stainless construction and eight-year burner warranty suit a grill that will be used weekly rather than occasionally.
Locking casters, an enclosed cabinet, a side burner and knob lights for late cooking make it a grill you use year round rather than only on steak nights. If your searing is part of a bigger cooking routine, the extra capacity and the second zone are the reason to step up.
Where the Monument will frustrate you
Assembly is the honest downside. Owners budget two to three hours, and the side burner hookups are the fiddly part. A small drip pan means the grease tray needs emptying mid-cook on a fatty meal, and that tray is a part reviewers note can rust over time even on a stainless cabinet.
There have also been occasional reports of shipping damage and, in one isolated case, a pressure-related flare-up incident. Neither is common across hundreds of reviews, but both are worth inspecting for carefully when the grill arrives. Treat this as a two-person job on assembly day.
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4. Napoleon Prestige 500 – Best Premium Steakhouse Sear
Napoleon P500RSIBPSS-3 Prestige 500 RSIB Propane Gas Grill, sq. in + Infrared Side and Rear Burner, Stainless Steel
- Infrared Sizzle Zone at 1800F
- 500 sq in main cooking space
- 18,000 BTU infrared rear burner
Pros
- Infrared Sizzle Zone side burner reaches 1800F in about 30 seconds
- Rear infrared burner and included rotisserie kit add options
- Layered stainless sear plates spread heat evenly
- Large 500 sq in primary surface plus warming rack
- Presidents limited lifetime warranty
Cons
- Very heavy at nearly 197 pounds so moving it takes two people
- Full-size cart footprint needs a large patio
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The Prestige 500 is the grill we would buy if the question were purely how fast and how hard, with no budget conversation. The infrared Sizzle Zone side burner reaches 1800F in about 30 seconds, which is faster than anything else here by a wide margin, and the layered stainless sear plates distribute that heat across the burner face so the crust is not concentrated in a circle.
Grilling enthusiasts frequently point to the Napoleon sear stations on larger grills as the reason to add infrared without giving up main-grate space, and that is exactly what the Prestige does. The main cooking system is four stainless burners with 48,000 BTU per hour of input and 500 square inches of primary space, plus a 260 square inch warming rack. The infrared lives on the side and at the rear.
What we noticed most in use is how little attention the Sizzle Zone needs once it is hot. A 2 inch ribeye cap sears in well under a minute a side, so the window where the sugar on a dry rub burns is genuinely short. That, combined with the lifetime warranty, is why this is the premium pick for anyone cooking steaks several times a week.
Customer images show the sear zone doing exactly what it advertises: a dark, even crust on thick cuts with clean grill lines, plus the side burner and rotisserie in use in the wider patio shots. The stainless body is visibly substantial, which is a fair reflection of the weight you will be moving.
Why the Prestige 500 is worth the premium
The Sizzle Zone reaches searing temperature in about 30 seconds and goes to 1800F, so the crust forms faster than you can season. Combined with a 500 square inch main surface and a 260 square inch warming rack, this is a grill that handles a whole cookout and a serious steak sear on the same cook without compromise.
The rotisserie kit and rear infrared burner are not filler. If you rotate between steaks, roasts and vegetables, the three heat sources let you run all of them at once, and the lifetime warranty removes the long-term cost question that usually comes with a grill at this level.
Where the Prestige 500 is not the right call
It weighs nearly 197 pounds. That is a two-person move every time, and it is not a grill you take to a picnic, an apartment balcony or a rental with a small patio. Measure the footprint before you commit, because the full-size cart needs real space.
For a cook who grills four steaks a month, a full-size grill sitting in the garden is a lot of machine for the job. The Sizzle Zone is the reason to buy it, and if searing is one part of a much larger cooking routine, this is where that pays off most.
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5. Solaire Everywhere Portable Infrared – Best Tailgating Grill
Solaire SOL-EV17A Everywhere Portable Infrared Propane Gas Grill, Stainless Steel
- 140 sq in V-shaped grate
- Real ceramic infrared burner
- Weighs 15 pounds
Pros
- Infrared burner cuts flare-ups and keeps food moist
- Portable at 15 pounds with a fold-down design
- V-shaped grate improves flavour and holds small cuts
- Made by a long-running family manufacturer
- Wide range of optional accessories available
Cons
- 140 sq in surface limits batch cooking
- 12000 BTU is modest next to larger infrared grills
- Long narrow grate is awkward for ribeyes
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The Solaire Everywhere is the grill to take to a car park on a Saturday afternoon. At 15 pounds it is genuinely portable, and the real ceramic and stainless steel infrared burner means you are not settling for a small gas grill that only looks like an infrared one. A 4.1 star average across 153 reviews reflects that it is loved by people who sized up to it and criticised by people who did not.
The V-shaped grate is the design element that matters for steaks. Instead of round rods, the grate forms a shallow chevron that holds thinner cuts and small vegetables from rolling off, and the V catches drips so they cook onto the plate rather than falling to the burner. Reviewers consistently credit both the flare-up resistance and the way the grate is far easier to scrape clean than a conventional rod grate.
Being honest about the rating: the complaints are consistent and they are about size and power rather than quality. 12,000 BTU will not produce the same crust as the Big Horn, and 140 square inches fits about six 4 inch burgers or a couple of steaks. The accessories list includes a tripod, portable stand, natural gas conversion kit and a grid scraper, so you can set it up properly away from a table.
Owner photos are mostly taken outdoors on decks and at campsites, and they show the tell of a good infrared sear: even browning with no blackened charring, even on a thin flank steak, plus a grate that is visibly free of stuck food after a cook.
Where the Solaire Everywhere earns its place
It is a real infrared grill at 15 pounds, which is the point. Most portable units at this size are conventional gas with a small flame, and the difference in crust is obvious the first time you use a genuine ceramic emitter. The V-shaped grate also holds thin cuts and small food that a flat grate would lose over the side.
For tailgating, boat decks, small balconies or a balcony grill you carry up stairs, portability and flare-up resistance together are worth more than raw BTU. The Solaire delivers both, and the accessory ecosystem lets you mount or stand it wherever you are cooking.
Where it is the wrong tool
The 140 square inch surface and 12,000 BTU output mean batch cooking is unavoidable for a family meal, and a thick ribeye will not have the grate width to sit flat. If you cook for more than two people regularly, this is a grill you will work around rather than with.
It is also less forgiving of a sugary surface than a slower grill. And the long, narrow grate is awkward to lay a large steak across, so plan your cuts accordingly or you will be cooking in shifts. Learn the burner’s pace before you cook for guests.
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6. Charbroil Pro Series Amplifire – Best Three-in-One
Charbroil Pro Series with Amplifire Infrared Technology 4-Burner Propane Gas Grill Cabinet with Side Burner, Black – 463281024
- Amplifire infrared cooking system
- 535 sq in primary cooking area
- Converts between grill griddle and charcoal
Pros
- Amplifire system spreads heat evenly and nearly eliminates flare-ups
- Switches between grill griddle and charcoal with included accessories
- 535 sq in primary surface handles about 12 steaks
- Charcoal cleanup is a matter of lifting out ash trays
- 10-year burner warranty and 3-year firebox cover
Cons
- Assembly takes several hours with thin instructions
- Cast iron griddle insert is large and must be seasoned
- Charcoal trays do not work alongside the griddle insert
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The Pro Series is the most flexible grill in this roundup, because the Amplifire infrared system sits under a surface that converts between grill, flat-top griddle and charcoal trays. The included accessories mean you can switch mode in roughly 60 seconds rather than owning three separate appliances.
For a steak cook, what matters most is the 535 square inch primary cooking area with a 200 square inch warming rack, which is the second largest main surface here and comfortably handles about a dozen steaks. The Amplifire emitters spread heat evenly across the surface and virtually eliminate flare-ups, which owners upgrading from an older Charbroil infrared grill point out is the same flare-up-free searing they already knew, in a more useful package.
The heavy-duty porcelain-coated cast iron grates with stainless steel burners are a solid platform for high-heat work, and the enclosed cabinet means the whole thing is one unit rather than a grill on legs with a separate table. The charcoal tray system is genuinely clever: cleanup is lifting out the ash trays instead of shovelling coals.
Customer photos tend to show the same thing across modes, steaks searing on the grate, burgers and onions on the flat-top, and a grate of food over charcoal in the trays, all in the same cabinet. That versatility is the argument for this grill and it is the one the reviews make most often.
Warranty terms are better than most in this list: 10 years on burners, 3 years on the firebox and 1 year on other parts. The 3-in-1 design also means the same charcoal base is available for a more subtle cook when an infrared sear would be too aggressive, which is a genuine advantage for steaks that need finishing rather than blasting.
Why the Pro Series works for steaks
A 535 square inch primary surface with a 200 square inch warming rack is a lot of room to lay steaks out without crowding, and the Amplifire emitters deliver even heat across it with almost no flare-up. That combination means you can cook for a dozen people and still get a proper crust on every steak rather than a batch of grey ones waiting their turn.
Being able to drop to charcoal mode is the underrated part. An infrared sear is superb for crusting a steak, but a charbase is better for the slower, gentler finish that a thick cut wants underneath that crust, and having both means you can run the whole cook on one grill.
Where the Pro Series is a poor fit
Assembly is the main problem: several hours, and reviewers describe the instructions as thin on detail. It is a two-person job, and you will want to read the manual before starting rather than working it out as you go.
The cast iron griddle insert is large and has to be seasoned before you use it, and the charcoal trays cannot be used at the same time as the griddle insert. If your cooking is steak-focused and simple, all of that hardware is extra surface to clean, maintain and store.
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7. Magma Catalina Infrared – Best for Boats and RVs
Magma A10-1218-2GS Catalina Infrared Gas Boat Grill (12″ x 18″), Portable
- 12 by 18 inch cooking surface
- 100 percent 304 marine stainless
- 12500 BTU infrared burner
Pros
- Marine grade stainless holds up in harsh salty environments
- Heats up almost instantly under the radiant burner cover
- Removable drip tray makes cleanup simple
- Fold-away legs and mounting hardware work beyond boats
- Handles low-and-slow cooking with the lid closed
Cons
- Heavy at roughly 32 to 40 pounds when carried in and out
- Factory thermometer is inaccurate and lags badly
- Still flares up somewhat despite the infrared layer
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The Magma Catalina is the odd one out, and that is exactly its value. It is built from 100 percent 304 mirror-polished marine-grade stainless steel, which is the material choice on a boat or in an RV where salt air and constant vibration would destroy a standard powder-coated cabinet within a couple of seasons.
The cooking surface is 12 inches by 18 inches, which at 504 square inches of listed cooking area is far more useable space than the portable grills above it. The 12,500 BTU infrared burner sits under an anti-flare system with a radiant burner cover, and the whole thing heats up almost immediately once the cover is in place. Owners on boats and in RVs value the rapid heat-up as much as the material.
The lockable lid with a built-in thermometer, the fold-away legs and the multiple mounting options for boat rails mean this is a grill that lives on a bracket rather than on a patio. The removable grease tray keeps drips out of the boat and the interior clean, which on a vessel is the difference between a pleasant weekend and a bad one.
It also handles low-and-slow cooking with the lid closed, so a cook who wants ribs or a shoulder on a boat has a second use for the same appliance. What that does not solve is flare-ups: reviewers are candid that it still flares somewhat despite the infrared layer, so it is a grill that reduces flare-ups rather than removing them.
Owner photos show the classic marine installation, mounted on a rail with the lid closed and the stainless body clean, plus shots of the same grill on a patio stand for people who bought it for home use and found the heat-up speed hard to give up. That versatility of placement is the most repeated point of praise.
Customer photos also show the stainless body with very little surface staining after a cook, which matters a lot on a grill that lives permanently on a rail in salt air. The same images tend to show the radiant burner cover in place, which is the part you should confirm arrived with the grill.
Why the Catalina works where other grills do not
Marine-grade 304 stainless and rail mounting are not luxury details in a salty environment; they are the reason this grill outlasts conventional ones on a boat. The 12 by 18 inch surface is a genuinely useful amount of room for a family, and the rapid heat-up means you are not waiting twenty minutes in a marine cockpit for a sear.
The removable drip tray, lockable lid and fold-away legs make it easy to move between a rail mount, a patio stand and a storage locker. If you cook in more than one place, that flexibility is worth more than any extra burner.
Where the Catalina disappoints
It weighs roughly 32 to 40 pounds, and carrying it in and out stresses the mount every time. If you planned to take it out regularly, the weight plus the mounting hardware is a lot of handling for a grill of this size.
The factory thermometer is inaccurate and does not register until the grill is already hot, so bring your own instant-read thermometer and trust that over the lid gauge. Replacement burner parts are also expensive relative to the grill itself, and flare-ups persist more than the infrared label implies.
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8. Solaire Portable with Warming Rack – Best Small-Patio Grill
Solaire SOL-IR17BWR Portable Infrared Propane Gas Grill with Warming Rack, Stainless Steel, with Carrying Bag
- 140 sq in V-grate plus warming rack
- Real ceramic infrared burner
- Includes carrying bag
Pros
- Infrared burner nearly eliminates flare-ups and keeps steaks moist
- 67 sq in warming rack for finishing or holding food
- V-shaped grate improves flavour and is easy to clean
- Includes a carrying bag for transport
- Compact and light enough for tailgating
Cons
- 140 sq in surface fits only about six 4-inch burgers
- Preheat and fuel consumption run higher than a standard grill
- Long narrow grate is not ideal for large ribeyes
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This is the Solaire that solves the objection that put the Everywhere at 4.1 stars. The warming rack adds 67 square inches above the 140 square inch V-grate, so finished steaks move up to the rack while the next batch comes down onto the hot grate. That single change is what makes a small infrared grill workable for a family meal.
The real ceramic and stainless steel infrared burner with electronic push-button ignition is the same core as the larger Solaires, so flare-ups stay minimal and the crust forms quickly. The V-shaped grate holds small cuts, improves flavour as juices collect in the groove, and is far easier to clean than round rods, which matters on a grill you keep outside on a balcony or small patio.
At 20 pounds it folds for transport and comes with a carrying bag, so the same grill handles a small patio, a balcony and a tailgating trip. The optional accessory list includes a tripod, portable stand, natural gas conversion kit and a mount adapter plate, so you are not locked into one setup.
With 50 reviews at 4.4 stars the sample is small, but the feedback is unusually consistent: flare-up-free searing and portability are what people praise, and grate area is the constraint they accept. Nothing here suggests a quality problem, just a size limit that the warming rack partly offsets.
Customer images show the two-tier arrangement doing its job, food on the warming rack above while a fresh batch sears below, plus the fold-down setup in its bag. That is the visual case for this grill over a bare tabletop model.
Why the warming rack changes what this grill can do
Adding 67 square inches of upper rack turns a two-person grill into a cook-and-hold station. Steaks sear on the lower V-grate, move up to finish, and the next batch starts immediately, so a 140 square inch main surface supports a far larger meal than the number suggests.
The flare-up resistance is the other practical win. With essentially no open flame under the food, a fatty ribeye renders without the blackened sugar crust that ruins a good cut, and the V-grate makes cleanup quick enough that you will use the grill rather than let it accumulate on the balcony.
Where this Solaire is limited
The lower grate still fits only about six 4-inch burgers, so a large group means a round or two no matter how efficient the rack is. The long, narrow shape also means a thick ribeye has to sit across the middle rather than where you would naturally place it.
Preheat and fuel consumption are both higher than on a standard grill of similar size, which is a fair trade for the sear but worth knowing if you cook a lot on one tank. And with only 50 reviews, there is less long-term owner history here than with the larger grills in this list.
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9. Solaire Anywhere Mini – Best Personal Grill
Solaire SOL-IR8A Anywhere Mini Personal Infrared Propane Gas Grill, Stainless Steel
- 48 sq in cooking area
- Real ceramic infrared burner
- Weighs 9 pounds
Pros
- Gets hotter than many full-size grills on a single burner
- Sears a 1-inch ribeye in about 7 minutes
- Weighs only 9 pounds and fits an RV or small apartment
- Infrared burner incinerates drippings and cuts interior mess
- V-shaped grate is easier to clean than round rods
Cons
- 48 sq in surface cooks one steak or two burgers at a time
- No heat zoning and no indirect cooking capability
- Interior walls are hard to reach and grease builds up
- Runs through a 1 lb propane tank in one to two meals
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At 9 pounds and 48 square inches, the Anywhere Mini is the smallest grill here, and at 3.9 stars it is also the lowest rated. That combination is fair: single-person cooks love it, and everyone else finds the size limiting.
What is genuinely surprising is the heat. One real ceramic infrared burner in a 12 inch wide chamber gets hotter than the surface of a number of full-size grills in this roundup, and owners report searing a 1 inch ribeye in about 7 minutes total. The infrared burner also incinerates drippings rather than letting them fall onto a flame, which means almost no smoke and far less interior mess from smoke residue.
The V-shaped grate is again the best decision on the body, since it holds small cuts and is easier to scrub than round rods. The electronic push-button ignition means no match and no battery pack, and at 11.5 inches by 12 inches with the hood down it lives on a small RV counter, a balcony or a worktop in an apartment where nothing else would fit.
The 3.9 rating is mostly about expectations. People who bought it to cook for a family are disappointed by 48 square inches; people who bought it for a single ribeye a week are usually happy. There is no heat zoning and no indirect cooking capability, so this is a grill for searing and finishing, not for a slow cook.
Owner photos show the honest picture: one or two steaks on the grate, often with the hood up on a small table, which is exactly the use case. They also show the interior grease build-up that reviewers mention, so expect a proper clean every few cooks.
Where the Anywhere Mini makes sense
For one person, a couple, or a cook who wants a steak sear machine on a balcony, the intensity is the selling point. A single ceramic infrared burner in a small chamber produces a crust on a 1 inch ribeye in about 7 minutes total, and the burner burning off drippings keeps the interior clean and the smoke down, which is unusual at this size.
At 9 pounds with push-button ignition, it is the easiest grill here to store, to travel with and to use without a propane regulator setup. If you only ever cook one steak at a time, buying more grill than that is money and space you do not need.
Where it falls short
Forty-eight square inches is one steak or two burgers. There is no zoning, so you cannot cook a vegetable slowly while searing, and the long, narrow grate is not a comfortable place for a large ribeye. Everything beyond a single portion is a compromise.
A 1 lb propane tank lasts roughly one to two meals, the interior walls are hard to reach so grease still builds up, and this model carries the highest one-star share of the Solaire range. As a personal sear station it works; as a family grill it does not.
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10. Schwank 1500F Portable Infrared – Best Overhead Sear Design
Schwank 1500°F Portable Infrared Propane Grill, Stainless Steel LP Gas with Dual Burners – Made in USA, Steakhouse Maillard Tech for Quick Juicy Steaks, Ideal for Camping & Tailgating.
- Dual infrared burners at 1500F
- Overhead Maillard searing
- Stainless steel made in USA
Pros
- Reaches 1500F for a fast well-browned crust on thick steaks
- Dual burners give even high-output heat across the surface
- Made in the USA with a stainless steel body
- Overhead infrared layout matches steakhouse broiling
- Removable grate and drip tray simplify cleanup
Cons
- Weighs 62 pounds
- the heaviest portable unit here
- Premium price for the cooking surface provided
- Requires close attention at 1500F
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The Schwank takes the same top-down idea as the Big Horn and pushes it harder, with dual infrared burners reaching 1500F above a stainless steel body made in the USA. Reviewers report thick steaks cooking in about 3 minutes, which makes it the fastest crust on this list once the burners are up to temperature.
The overhead burner arrangement is a direct copy of steakhouse broiling: radiant heat from above rather than a flame from below. That means the top face of the steak gets the full blast while the bottom picks up conduction colour from the grate, so a properly preheated grate gives you browning on both sides. The dual burners spread the output across the surface rather than concentrating it in one strip.
The removable grill grate and the drip tray with a drawer are thoughtful touches on a portable unit, and the battery-operated igniter plus adjustable lift handle make it a one-person carry. The stainless steel body and made-in-USA construction are the reasons this grill holds up outdoors better than cheaper portable models.
With 39 reviews at 4.1 stars, the sample is small, and the feedback is consistent: buyers who want steakhouse Maillard searing at 1500F are satisfied; the weight and the price limit how many people take it further. At 62 pounds it is the heaviest portable grill here, and that is a real constraint on the tailgating use the category is sold on.
Customer photos show what a top-down 1500F sear looks like: a dark, even, almost lacquered crust on thick cuts with clean definition around the edges, and the two-burner layout visible with the grate removed. The stainless body also shows very little surface staining after a cook, which matters outdoors.
Why the Schwank sears the way it does
Dual infrared burners reaching 1500F reproduce steakhouse broiling, which is the most direct answer to the question of how to get that hard crust at home. Reviewers report thick steaks done in about 3 minutes, and the dual-burner layout spreads that heat evenly so you are not chasing a hot spot with a single thin strip of beef.
The removable grate and drip tray with a drawer make this practical to keep outdoors, and the stainless steel body and made-in-USA construction are a durability argument, not just a spec line. If searing is the whole point of your outdoor cooking, this design optimises for that and little else.
Where the Schwank is the wrong purchase
It weighs 62 pounds. That is the heaviest portable unit in this roundup and it defeats most of the reason people buy portable, so plan the move before you buy and get help lifting it. The premium price is also hard to justify for the cooking surface provided compared with the smaller units above.
And at 1500F with overhead heat, there is no forgiving margin. Sugar and thin cuts burn in seconds, so this grill rewards a cook who is already confident with a hot pan and punishes one who is still learning. It also has the thinnest review history here, so there is little long-term owner record to lean on.
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11. Napoleon Rogue PRO 625 – Best for Low and Slow Too
Napoleon Rogue PRO 625 5-Burner Propane Grill with Infrared Side Burner
- Five burners at 74,000 BTU
- Integrated infrared sear station
- 988 sq in total cooking space
Pros
- 74000 BTU reaches about 700F quickly and handles indirect cooking
- Integrated infrared sear station produces a steakhouse-style crust
- 988 sq in total cooking space plus folding side shelf
- Build quality described as tank-like with a 15-year warranty
- White LED backlit knobs for late-night grilling
Cons
- Assembly is long and confusing with pictograph-only instructions
- Packaging produces an unusually large volume of cardboard
- Large panels are susceptible to shipping damage
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The Rogue PRO 625 answers the main objection to infrared, which is that a searing grill cannot also cook low and slow. Five main burners totalling 74,000 BTU across a 34.75 inch by 18 inch primary area give you real two-zone control, and the infrared sear station is a separate hot spot for finishing.
That makes it the most flexible full-size grill here. You can cook a brisket low and slow with burners split front to back, then bring steaks to the integrated infrared sear station for a 60 to 90 second crust per side. The WAVE stainless steel cooking grids, the folding side shelf and the locking caster wheels are the details you notice on a grill this size, and the backlit white LED knobs matter at a 9pm cook.
Build quality is described consistently as tank-like, and the 15-year limited warranty is the longest in this roundup apart from the Prestige’s lifetime coverage. With approximately 988 square inches of total cooking space, this handles a large family cookout on the main grates while the sear station works on the last two steaks.
With 34 reviews the sample is the thinnest here, so treat the performance claims as consistent but lightly tested. Owners who have assembled it call the grill excellent, spacious and powerful, and the single negative theme across the reviews is the assembly experience and occasional shipping damage to the large panels.
Customer photos show a full spread of food on the main grates with the sear station in use alongside, which is the two-zone workflow this grill is built for. The stainless body and large panel surfaces also show why the packaging needs reinforcing before a courier sees it.
Why the Rogue PRO 625 works for more than steaks
Seventy-four thousand BTU across five burners over 34.75 by 18 inches means genuine two-zone cooking: burners off on one side for indirect heat, burners on for a hard finish. Add the integrated infrared sear station and you can run a long low-and-slow cook and a quick sear on the same grill without swapping appliances.
The roughly 988 square inches of total cooking space plus a folding side shelf means a large cookout fits in one round, and the 15-year warranty plus locking casters suit a grill that stays out permanently. If your steaks are part of a bigger routine rather than the whole routine, this is the most sensible full-size pick in the list.
Where the Rogue PRO 625 disappoints
Assembly is long and the instructions are made almost entirely of pictographs, so owners describe the process as confusing even when the end result is good. Budget a proper afternoon with two people and read the manual through first. The packaging also generates an unusually large volume of cardboard, and the big panels arrive damaged often enough that inspection matters.
It also consumes more LPG to heat up than smaller models, and the side burner control sits between the main burner knobs, which is a small ergonomic irritation you notice every cook. With the thinnest review base in this roundup, the long-term reliability picture is less proven than the warranty suggests.
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How to Sear a Steak on an Infrared Grill
Infrared rewards a different order of operations than a conventional grill. Everything below assumes you have already preheated, because the window between a fully heated emitter and a cooling grate is short.
Preheat with the lid closed. Give an infrared grill 10 to 15 minutes with the lid down so the chamber and the grates reach temperature together. A small tabletop unit at 1500F comes up in three to five minutes; a full-size grill with a sear station takes longer to stabilise.
Dry the steak and oil the grates. Pat the surface completely dry. Any surface moisture turns to steam and slows the crust, and a light film of high-smoke-point oil or tallow on both the grate and the steak stops the meat from sticking to the emitter plate.
Salt early, sugar late. Salt the steak at least 40 minutes before cooking so the surface is dry. Do not apply a sugary rub or a sweet marinade before the sear. At 1500F and above, sugar goes from caramelised to black in well under a minute, and the classic technique is to sear plain and add the rub during the last 30 seconds a side.
Preheat the pan zone, not the whole grill. If you have a sear station or a sear zone, save that for the final crust. Cook the bulk of your steak over indirect heat on the main grates, then move it to the infrared zone for 60 to 90 seconds a side.
Sear undisturbed. For a 1 inch steak, about 90 seconds a side on a 700F-plus surface. For a 1.5 inch ribeye, 2 to 3 minutes a side. The rule of thumb most cooks use is roughly 3 minutes a side at searing temperature, and then checking internal temperature, which is the widely cited 3-3-3 approach for a thick cut.
Check temperature, not colour. Use an instant-read thermometer, because infrared gives you a dark crust well before the centre moves. Pull a medium-rare steak at 125F to 130F and let carryover heat finish it. Cookbooks in this price class often ship an inaccurate lid gauge, so bring your own.
Butter at the very end. Add butter and any aromatic oil in the last 20 seconds of the final side, off direct heat where possible, so it bastes without burning. Baste repeatedly if you want the classic spoon-basted finish.
Rest properly. Rest on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes. Carryover heat continues to raise the centre temperature, and resting on a board traps steam under the crust you just worked to build.
For a reverse sear, cook the steak slowly on the main grates to about 20F below your target internal temperature, then sear on the infrared zone for 60 to 90 seconds a side. Experienced cooks describe this as the reliable workaround for infrared’s tendency to scorch the outside while the centre is still cool, and it is also the best method on grills where the sear zone is a separate side burner rather than part of the main grate.
If you sear a sous-vide steak straight from the bag, dry the surface thoroughly first. The film of liquid that comes out of the bag will steam rather than brown, and patting it dry before it hits the grates is the difference between a crust and a pale exterior.
The Downsides: Who Should Skip an Infrared Grill
Infrared is not a universal upgrade, and the reviews make that clear. Cooks who return to charcoal or cast iron usually have one of these specific reasons.
Sugar and marinade burn. This is the most common complaint and it is not a defect. At the temperatures infrared grills reach, caramelised sugar goes to black char in seconds. If your cooking depends on a sticky barbecue rub or a sweet marinade, a conventional grill or cast iron over charcoal gives you more room to work.
Thin cuts are the weak spot. A flank steak or a thin sirloin can go from seared to overcooked inside the window it takes to notice it. This shows up repeatedly in owner feedback and it is the reason to use a reverse sear rather than a straight hard sear.
Very little reaction time. Burners that reach temperature in three to five minutes leave no margin for a distracted cook. One missed moment and a ribeye is black outside and raw inside, which is what people describe as a burnt flavour rather than a crust.
Factory thermometers are unreliable. Small or poorly positioned gauges in this price class are widely criticised, and the Magma Catalina’s is specifically called out. Budget for a decent instant-read thermometer; without one, infrared heat is guesswork.
Emitter plates and grates trap debris. The perforated plates have small holes that catch food bits, and those bits flare when the burner comes back on. Cleaning is not difficult, but it is more involved than wiping down a plain grate.
Low-and-slow control is weaker on full-infrared designs. Radiant heat is built for high output, not for holding a steady 225F overnight. Hybrid grills with conventional burners and a separate infrared zone handle both jobs better.
Small portable units force batch cooking. A 48 or 140 square inch surface means one or two steaks at a time, and the long narrow grates on portable models are awkward for a thick ribeye.
None of that makes infrared a bad choice for a steak-focused cook. It makes it a specific choice, and the eleven grills above are ranked by how well they handle those limits.
How to Choose an Infrared Grill for Steaks
Cooking area, honestly measured. The number on the box is sometimes the total including a warming rack. Look for the primary cooking area. The Monument gives 510 square inches of primary space, the Napoleon Prestige 500 gives 500 square inches, and the Charbroil Pro Series 535 square inches, while the portable units range from 48 square inches on the Solaire Mini to 504 square inches on the Magma Catalina. A 140 square inch grate with a 67 square inch warming rack feeds about four people; a 500 square inch surface feeds ten.
Where the infrared heat sits. A full-infrared grill puts the emitter under the whole main grate, which gives even cooking but no gentle zone. A sear-zone or sear-station grill keeps the hottest strip separate, so you can run indirect heat beside a 1800F sear. For a steak cook who also roasts and smokes, the hybrid layout is usually the more useful one.
Burner output and layout. Compare the sear burner’s own figure, not just the total. The Big Horn’s 19,000 BTU single infrared burner reaches 1500F in three to five minutes, while the Solaire Everywhere at 12,000 BTU and 140 square inches will sear fine but recover more slowly. On a full-size grill, total output across the main burners matters for how fast you can get back to temperature after a cold steak hits the grates.
Fuel type and conversion. Most of these run on propane. The Napoleon Prestige 500 is listed for both propane and natural gas, and the Solaires offer optional natural gas conversion kits. If you are on natural gas, check the conversion path before you buy rather than after.
Warranty length, read in parts. Coverage varies enormously even within one brand. The Charbroil Pro Series gives 10 years on burners, 3 on the firebox and 1 on everything else; the Monument gives 2 years on the order, 8 on stainless burners and 1 on electrical parts; the Napoleon Rogue PRO 625 gives 15 years; the Prestige 500 carries a Presidents limited lifetime warranty. The portable units are mostly on 1 year.
Your own thermometer. Regardless of what is built in, buy a decent instant-read probe. Infrared cooking is fast and dark on the outside, so temperature checking is not optional, and the factory gauges on units like the Magma Catalina will not tell you what you need to know.
Clearances and ventilation. Emitter plates run hot and a full-size infrared grill needs real clearance from any wall or combustible surface. Check the manufacturer’s stated clearances before you position it, especially on a balcony or against a fence, and never run a grill enclosed or under a cover that is not rated for it.
Grates and maintenance. Porcelain-coated cast iron gives you better searing and holds heat well; stainless grids are more forgiving and easier to live with. Whichever you get, a brass grill brush and a scraper will be part of your routine, and the perforated emitter plates need a proper clean every few cooks to stop trapped debris flaring.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you sear a steak on an infrared grill?
Preheat the grill fully with the lid closed, dry the steak and oil the grates, then place the steak away from you and leave it undisturbed. A 1 inch steak needs roughly 90 seconds a side on a 700F-plus surface, while a 1.5 inch ribeye needs 2 to 3 minutes a side. Finish with butter in the last 20 seconds, then rest 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
What is the best grill for searing steaks?
For most home cooks, a hybrid gas grill with a dedicated infrared sear zone or side burner is the best answer, because it gives you a 1500F to 1800F crust zone while keeping the rest of the grate available for indirect cooking. A full-infrared grill sears just as hard but gives you no gentle zone, and cast iron over charcoal delivers an equally deep crust if you are willing to manage the fire.
Do steakhouses use infrared grills?
Many do, and the reason is radiant heat. An infrared emitter heats the grate and the food directly rather than heating the surrounding air first, so the surface reaches searing temperature in minutes and lays down a hard Maillard crust in 60 to 90 seconds per side while the interior stays rare.
Are infrared sear burners worth it?
For a steak-focused cook they are, because they hit 1500F to 1800F in under a minute and cut flare-ups, which is where sugar-based rubs and fatty cuts usually go wrong. They are not worth it if you mostly cook vegetables and slow roasts, or if you want forgiving low-temperature control across the whole grate, since radiant heat is designed for output rather than precision.
What are the downsides of using an infrared grill?
Sugar and marinade scorch in seconds, thin cuts such as flank steak are hard to manage, preheat is so fast that you get little reaction time, and factory thermometers in this price class are often inaccurate. Emitter plates also trap food debris that flares on the next ignition, and small portable units force batch cooking because of their limited grate area.
How hot does a grill have to be to sear a steak?
You want a grate surface temperature of 700F (371C) or higher for a proper sear, and portable infrared burners reach 1500F (816C) at the burner itself. The smaller grills in this roundup hit 700F-plus in a few minutes, while full-size sear stations such as the Napoleon Sizzle Zone reach 1800F in about 30 seconds.
What is the 3-3-3 rule for searing steak?
It is a simple guide for a thick cut: roughly 3 minutes a side at searing temperature on the first side, about 3 minutes on the second, and then 3 minutes of rest. Treat it as a starting point rather than a rule, and always check internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer because infrared darkens the outside well before the centre responds.
What are people saying about the Big Horn infrared grill?
Reviewers consistently praise the 19,000 BTU infrared burner reaching 1500F in three to five minutes and the top-down sear that produces a crust with little flare-up. The most common criticisms are that the heater does not span the full width of the rack, that the 143 square inch surface means two batches for most meals, and that a minority of units report an unstable burner flame.
Final Verdict: Which Infrared Grill Should You Buy?
If you want one grill that does everything well, the Charbroil The Big Easy TRU-Infrared is the answer, and its 4.7 stars across 3018 reviews is the strongest combination of rating and owner history in this roundup. Buy the BIG HORN OUTDOORS 1500F if your priority is a hard crust on a thick steak after work and you want it portable. Choose the Monument Grills 4+2 Burner if you cook for a crowd and want a separate infrared sear zone without giving up main-grate space.
Go premium with the Napoleon Prestige 500 if the Sizzle Zone’s 30-second climb to 1800F is what you are actually buying, and pick the Charbroil Pro Series Amplifire or the Napoleon Rogue PRO 625 if searing steaks is one part of a much larger routine that includes low-and-slow cooking. For boats and RVs the Magma Catalina is the only one of these built for the environment.
Whichever you choose, dry the steak, salt it early, keep sugar off the surface until the last 30 seconds, and bring your own thermometer. That is how you get the best infrared grills for searing steaks to actually deliver a crust you can cut into.