KoreanBBQrestaurants became a big hit in recent years, and just like most of us are with barbecue, we want to be able to replicate the same cooking process at home. If that’s something you want to do, you’ll need aKoreanBBQ grill. How do you choose, though?
Here at AngryBBQ, we will help you along that journey. We’ve taken a long, hard look at what’s available out there to give you our list of our favoriteKoreanBBQ grills. We’ll give you that list and answer some important questions along the way:
- How does Korean BBQ differ from our traditional view ofBBQ?
- What are the different fuel sources for these grills?
- How does a Korean grill handlegrease?
Our vote for thebest Korean BBQ grillis theTECHEFStovetopKoreanBBQNon-Stick GrillPanwith Burner.All you need is a butane cylinder and you’re ready to cookKoreanstylein your own home or on the go. The non-stickpanwith a drain hole is removable if you want to cook on a different fuel source as well.
Read on to learn more about these awesome grills and figure out which of our top rated grills forKoreanBBQwill let you enjoy great food without having to go to a sit-down restaurant!
Our Top Korean BBQ Grills at a Glance……
| IMAGE | MODEL | FEATURES | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Top PickTop PickTECHEF Korean BBQ Grill |
| CHECK PRICE |
 | Runner-UpRunner-UpIwatani Korean BBQ Grill |
| CHECK PRICE |
 | Best ElectricBest ElectricCusimax Electric Korean Grill |
| CHECK PRICE |
 | Best CharcoalBest CharcoalBaffect Charcoal Korean Grill |
| CHECK PRICE |
 | Best ComboBest ComboFood Party Combo Grill and Hot Pot |
| CHECK PRICE |
What IsKoreanBBQ(And How Is It Different From Our View Of TraditionalBBQ?)
For most of us who read AngryBBQ(or write for it,)BBQmeans big cuts of meat smoked low-and-slow with woodsmokeprovidingflavor.KoreanBBQis not that. It is smaller, thinner cuts of typically pork orbeef, but can includechicken, grilled hot and fast. Well-marbled, tender cuts of meat are typically thrown on thenon-stick surfacewithout much seasoning beyondsaltin order to let the meat’sflavorshine through, while tougher cuts likeshort ribssit in a sweet-and-savory marinade based aroundsoy sauceto make them easily enjoyed.
At aKoreanBBQrestaurant, you’ll sit around a table with friends and family with a grill built into the middle of the tabletop. You’ll get to cook your own meats as you prefer. A homeKorean barbecue grillendeavors to replicate that experience on typically a smaller scale. MostKoreanBBQ grillsyou can purchase for home useare tabletopgrillsand can even be taken places, provided you have a way to fuel them.
What Fuel Sources DoKoreanBBQ GrillsUse?
There are three main fuel sources for your homeKoreanBBQ grill. Our vote for thebest Korean BBQ grillfromTECHEFuses a butane gas burner that is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use as long as your house has adequate ventilation. Other gas-fueledKoreanBBQ grillsmight use propane. Other fuel sources include electric or even charcoal.
With the different fuels sources, someKoreanBBQ grillsmight only be considered outdoor options, while others can be used in almost any situation. ElectricKoreanBBQ grillsonly need a power source to go wherever you want, while butane-fueled options just need proper ventilation and a butane bottle.
How DoKoreanBBQ GrillsHandleGrease?
One of the primary concerns of aKoreanBBQ grillis how it handles thegreaseand other liquids that come from grilling. Obviously, you don’t wantgreasedripping down onto a gas burner or electricheating elementand causing a fire. Also,KoreanBBQis based around grilling hot and fast, not frying food in oil. Therefore each grill needs a way to handle drippings.
SomeKoreanBBQ grillshave an includeddrip panwhile others simply have a drain spout that you put a bowl or other receptacle under to catch the drippings. Just be aware of which grill uses which system so you aren’t caught unawares bygreasedripping on your nice table in the middle of dinner.
KoreanBBQSide Dishes
If you’re looking for an authentic as possibleKoreanBBQexperience at home, you’ll need to learn about and get your hands on someside dishes(and possibly someKoreanbeersif you’re into that.) Theseside dishesare known asbanchanand can be prepared in any number of ways.
One of the most iconic examples ofbanchaniskimchi, usually made with fermented cabbage. You can also findcucumberinkimchior otherbanchan.Onions, chilipepper, andgarlicare also commoningredients, usually to addflavorand not as the main part ofbanchan. You’ll also findsesame oilused to addflavor.
WhileKoreanbeeris a common sight when eatingKoreanBBQ, don’t forget thesojuif you’re into alcohol. Traditionally it’s made from whiterice, but there are versions made from tapioca and sweet potatoes among other starches. It typically carries an alcohol-by-volume of 20-50% and is consumed out of a shot glass by itself, especially at the higher volume.
Our Top Rated Korean BBQ Grills
1. Best Korean BBQ Grill -TECHEFStovetopKoreanBBQGrillreview
TECHEF’spanand burner combination offers a fantastic combination of even heating, nonstick performance, andgreasedrainage that earns our nomination for thebest Korean BBQ grill. TheKorean BBQ grill panis coated with multiple layers of Teflon to create anon-stick surfaceso not evengalbiorbulgogi’s sweet marinade will stick.
As forgreasedrainage, a key part ofKoreanBBQ grills, thepanis designed with channels swirling away from the center to a larger channel running along the outer bottom edge of thepan. It all focuses on a single drain spout where you place a heat-safe bowl ortrayto collect the drippings for disposal. This combined with the nonstick surface helps make for easier cleanup as well as a healthier cooking experience. The pan is evendishwasher-safe, so if you have room in your dishwasher,cleanupis that easy!
Thegreasedrainage system also helps with a largelysmoke-free experience while cooking. No one wants to be surrounded by a constant cloud ofsmokewhile cooking (unless it’s woodsmokefrom a smoker) so this is a big deal, especially for when you’re cooking indoors..
The largepan, just under 12” in diameter, can accommodate plenty of food and you don’t have to use it just forKoreanBBQstaples. Just be aware that thepanis slightly domed to help withgreaseflow, so food that easily rolls might require a little more attention than food that just lies flat. Thepan’s heavy-gaugealuminumconstruction conducts heat evenly so you don’t have to worry about food not cooking properly in different areas of thepan.
The gas burner is capable of putting out 11,500 BTUs per hour which is capable of giving your meat that perfect sear. It uses butane bottles which are safe for indoor use provided you aren’t cooking in a room with no ventilation. You can take it outside as well without worries. It’s also perfect for areas that do not have electricity available.
At just under eight pounds of total weight and included heat sources,TECHEFhas a great portable grill forKoreanBBQ. Also, if you love the sound of theKorean grill panbut don’t need thebutane stove, you canpurchase thepanby itself.
What We Like…
- Designed withgreasedrainage in mind
- Non-stick coatingmakes cleanup a breezer
- Largepancan hold plenty of food at one time
What Makes Us Angry…
- Don’t purchase this with the intent to use thepanon your gas stove unless you have a wok ring or some other attachment to keep thepanabove the burner sogreasecan drain properly
- Some customers complained about theirpanscoming scratched out of the box
2. Runner-up –Iwatani KoreanBBQ Grill Review
Iwatani checked a lot of boxes with this smokeless grill. The grillpanhas anon-stick coatingso your food won’t stick regardless of marinade or sauce. It comes with a built-ingreasemanagement system that doesn’t require you to supply a bowl orpanyourself. Thepanis slightly domed so anygreaseor excess liquid runs to the outer edge. There, the drippings will drop through slits in thepandown into the waterpan. The water not only helps to preventsmokeby catching the drippings but can also help add some steam for cookingvegetables.
Iwatani’s grill runs on butane canisters which allows for both indoor and outdoor use as long as you have adequate ventilation in your house. Thepanand gas burner together weigh less than five pounds making it one of the best portable grills forKoreanBBQ. You can move it from inside to outside for enjoying the nice weather or even put it in the car and take it to a campground if you want.
The one real drawback about this grill is that the grillpanis on the small size. If you are cooking for a family or want to have friends over, it likely won’t have enough cooking space for everyone to enjoy. However, for one or two people, this is a greatKoreanBBQ grill.
What We Like…
- Super portable at less than five pounds
- Waterpanunderneath the grillpanis perfect for catching drippings without creatingsmoke
- Runs off small butane canisters which are fairly inexpensive and safe for indoor use as long as your house is well-ventilated
What Makes Us Angry…
- It is small which helps for portability but it’s only suited for a couple of people using it
- Instructions come in Japanese, so be warned. However, assembly is easy.
3. Best Electric –CUSIMAX PortableKoreanBBQ Grill Review
If you aren’t comfortable with running a gas grill inside your house, anelectric grillis a great alternative. CUSIMAX’selectric grillis one of our favorite indoorKoreanBBQ grills. The grill features a temperature range of 200°-450°F, giving you plenty of range whether you’re cooking something delicate like seafood or needing to sear steaks.
As discussed above,greasemanagement is key when it comes toKoreanBBQ grillsandindoor grillsas a whole. CUSIMAX looked at how to do so in concert with its approach towardsmokemanagement. The grill has adrip trayunderneath theheating elementthat users are told to put water in. Thegrill plateitself has a series of holes forgreaseto drip down into thetrayfor easy cleanup. The water is part of thesmokemanagement system by preventinggreaseand drippings from burning up in thetraywhich producessmoke. The grill also has a built-in fan to help capture as muchsmokeas possible.
The grill’s different temperature settings will allow users to get the right level of heat for grilling the iconic thin cuts of meat known inKoreanBBQ. However, this grill isn’t confined to just that style of cooking either. The ability to drop down to temperatures as low as 200°F coupled with a glass lid can allow you to cook a number of different foods.
Thegrill platenot only has perforations for allowinggreaseto drip easily into thedrip tray. It also is non-stick which is perfect for meat that has sat in a sweet-and-savory marinade. Thegrill plateis alsodishwashersafe, along with the lid and the heat reflector, so you can simply slide it into yourdishwasherto make cleanup even easier.
This is a bit on the heavier side at almost 15 pounds. Couple that with the need for electricity and it’s not a great portable grill forKoreanBBQ, but you can definitely put it in a car or an RV to go places.
What We Like…
- Easy temperature adjustments and range allows you to cook a variety of foods
- The perforated grillpancan give your food grill marks while allowinggreaseto drip into thetray
- The combination of water in thedrip trayand the fan keepssmokeproduction the absolute minimum
What Makes Us Angry…
- Multiple pieces need to be removed to clean properly
- If you like precision controls, heating in increments of 50 degrees Fahrenheit might drive you a little crazy
4. Best CharcoalKoreanGrill–Baffect Stainless SteelKoreanGrill Review
SomeKoreanBBQrestaurants fuel their table grills with charcoal. If you’re a fan of that style andflavor, you’ll want to look for an option to replicate that at home. Baffect’scharcoal grillis the best charcoal-fueledKoreanBBQ grillthat we found.
One of the coolest features about this grill is the two different types of cooking surface. If you’re cooking meat, any type of marinated food, or anything that needs oil, you can use the thick grillpanthat redirects any drippings to the edges and down into the grill’s reservoir area. If you want something a little more charred that won’t drop a lot ofgreaselikevegetables, you can swap it out for what they call a grill net. It’s a mesh grill grate that will expose the food to the charcoal’s heat directly. This allows you to cook different foods in the best way possible.
The main body of the charcoalKoreanBBQ grillhas two vents for helping regulate airflow to the charcoal just like you would on a regular outdoorcharcoal grill. What makes thischarcoal grilldifferent (other than the size) is that you add water to the base before you insert the actual bowl that holds the charcoal. Then you add water to the tank that also collects the drippings from the grillpan. This helps reduce flareups and makes cleanup easier as well.
If you need to add charcoal while cooking or want to swap out cooking surfaces, the grill comes with a tool that fits both the grillpanand mesh grate to help pick them up while still hot.
What We Like…
- Two different cooking surfaces depending on what you want, a traditional grillpanand a mesh grate
- Charcoal makes everything taste better
- Stainless steel construction will hold up for a long time
What Makes Us Angry…
- This is not going to be a smokeless Korean BBQ grill
- Not necessarily big enough for a party of people to sit around and cook on
5. Best ComboGrillAndHot Pot–Food Party 2 in 1 Electric Smokeless Grill andHot Pot Review
While we all think about thin cuts of meat seared to perfection when it comes toKoreanBBQ, sometimes we like having some fusion elements. You want soup alongside your grilled meats? This combo grill andhot potfrom Food Party will let you accomplish just that. In fact, they’ll even let you have two different liquids going at the same time with the divided chambers in the middle. Thehot potalso heats independently from the grill section, giving your precise control of the liquid’s temperature. In total, it can hold up to two liters of whatever liquid you want to heat.
The grill surface circles thehot potand is 3.5 inches wide. You can’t cook extremely large cuts of meat on it, but you’ll be able to lay out strips ofbeefand pork without issue. The surface is non-stick coated so you don’t need to worry about anything getting stuck and causing cleaning problems. The excess liquid andgreaseruns around the edge to a port with a pull-outtrayfor disposal.
You do need to keep an eye on that oil port if you’re cooking greasy or marinated food. It’s not very large, so it can potentially overflow and make a mess. You also need to make sure you plug this grill into an outlet on a circuit capable of handling a large power draw. Electrical requirements state 1900W of power required to operate, which means you need a 20A receptacle. Either way, make sure your electric is up to the task if you’re running thehot potand grill functions at the same time.
What We Like…
- Independent temperature controls for thehot potsection and the grill section
- Oil runs to a port with a pull-outtrayfor easy cleanup
- Offers a lot of versatility between the grilling surface and thehot potsections in the middle
What Makes Us Angry…
- The oiltrayis small, so you need to keep a close eye on it if you’re cooking a very greasy meal
- Using both the grill and thehot potat the same time pulls a lot of power. If you’ve got an old house or are running it on less than a 20 amp breaker, you’re likely to trip your breaker. The company says it pulls potentially up to 1900W running both sections at the same time
- Neither thehot potnor the grilling surface are removable, so you need to clean it all as one piece which can be frustrating
Wrapping It Up
In our minds, the combination of simplicity, reliability, and quality design of theTECHEFStovetopKoreanBBQNon-Stick GrillPanWith Burnermakes it thebest Korean BBQ grillthat you can get for home use. The best part is that you can use it inside or out and it’s light enough to be easily transported on the go. All you need is a butane canister and a bowl to catchgreaseand you’re ready to enjoyKoreanBBQwithout having to go to a restaurant.
If you don’t want to use a gas burner, we recommend theCUSIMAX Smokeless PortableKoreanBBQ Grill. You trade off the ability to cook just about anywhere but you get a great package that runs on electricity.
What’s your favorite Korean BBQ dish? Got any must-have sides? Let us know in the comments.
| IMAGE | MODEL | FEATURES | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top PickTop PickTECHEF Korean BBQ Grill |
| CHECK PRICE |
| Runner-UpRunner-UpIwatani Korean BBQ Grill |
| CHECK PRICE |
| Best ElectricBest ElectricCusimax Electric Korean Grill |
| CHECK PRICE |
| Best CharcoalBest CharcoalBaffect Charcoal Korean Grill |
| CHECK PRICE |
| Best ComboBest ComboFood Party Combo Grill and Hot Pot |
| CHECK PRICE |
