Chefman Electric Smokeless Indoor Grill Review
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Water-tray smokeless technology, a 150 sq. in. non-stick grill plate, and a Warm-to-Sear temperature knob—all in a compact, dishwasher-safe package that brings real grilled flavor indoors year-round.
The Chefman Electric Smokeless Indoor Grill (RJ23-SG) is one of the most widely adopted entry-level indoor grills on Amazon—a no-frills, practical countertop grill that solves one problem exceptionally well: letting apartment dwellers and cold-weather cooks enjoy genuinely grilled food indoors without turning their kitchen into a smoke chamber. Its approach to smoke reduction is elegantly simple: a water-filled drip tray sits beneath the non-stick grill grate and instantly cools any rendered fat before it can hit a hot surface and smoke. The result is a significantly cleaner indoor grilling experience than open-grate electric grills that let grease drip freely onto heating elements. Over 3,000 Amazon reviews later, the Chefman RJ23-SG has maintained strong ratings precisely because its smoke management works reliably under real-world conditions—including cooking chicken thighs with skin on, burgers, and Italian sausages without triggering even sensitive apartment smoke detectors.
The grill itself is straightforward by design. A single analog temperature knob adjusts from Warm through to Sear across a continuous range, giving you control over gentle warming, mid-heat chicken cooking, and full searing for steaks without digital displays or presets to navigate. The 150 sq. in. non-stick grill plate with raised ridges delivers authentic char marks and easy food release, and the entire cooking surface is removable for top-rack dishwasher cleaning in under a minute. At 20.5 × 10.5 × 3.5 inches and just over 3 lbs., the Chefman stows in a cabinet between sessions and travels easily. Built-in overheat auto shut-off and cool-touch handles round out the safety package. For budget-conscious buyers who want a trustworthy, fuss-free indoor grill backed by a 1-year Chefman warranty and cETL safety certification, the RJ23-SG consistently delivers more than its price point suggests.
Product Specifications
| Model | RJ23-SG (Black) |
| Brand | Chefman |
| Power | 1,120 Watts / 120V |
| Cooking Surface | 150 sq. in. (approx. 15″ × 10″) |
| Temperature Range | Warm to Sear (continuous analog knob) |
| Smoke Reduction Method | Water-filled drip tray cools falling grease |
| Grill Plate | Non-stick with raised ridges for char marks |
| Dishwasher Safe | Yes — grill grate & water tray (top rack) |
| Unit Dimensions | 20.5″ L × 10.5″ W × 3.5″ H |
| Unit Weight | ~3.15 lbs. |
| Safety Features | Overheat auto shut-off, cool-touch handles |
| Certification | cETL approved |
| Warranty | 1-year assurance from Chefman |
| Color | Black |
Key Features
- Water-Tray Smokeless Technology: Removable drip tray fills with water and sits beneath the grill grate—falling grease is instantly cooled before it can smoke, keeping your kitchen air clean throughout the cook
- Warm-to-Sear Temperature Knob: Continuous analog control covers the full cooking range—gentle warming, medium-heat chicken and fish, and high-heat searing for steaks and burgers—with no digital interface to navigate
- 150 sq. in. Non-Stick Grill Plate: Raised ridge pattern delivers authentic char marks and prevents food from sticking; large enough for a family-sized grill session in one pass
- Fully Dishwasher-Safe Components: Grill grate and water tray both lift off and go straight to the top rack of the dishwasher—cleanup is genuinely effortless
- Compact & Portable Form Factor: At just 3.15 lbs. and under 3.5 inches tall, it stores in a kitchen cabinet, travels to potlucks, and fits in dorm rooms and RV kitchens with no trouble
- Built-In Overheat Auto Shut-Off: Automatic safety cutoff triggers if the internal temperature exceeds safe operating limits—no manual monitoring required
- Cool-Touch Handles: Exterior handles stay cool during operation for safe repositioning and food loading without oven mitts
- cETL Safety Certification: Meets or exceeds North American electrical safety standards for household appliances
- Year-Round Indoor Grilling: No charcoal, no propane, no outdoor access required—grill steaks, burgers, chicken, fish, vegetables, and Korean BBQ regardless of weather
- 1-Year Chefman Warranty: Full 1-year assurance covers manufacturing defects with Chefman customer support reachable by phone and email
What We Like
- Water-tray smoke reduction genuinely works—users with sensitive smoke detectors report zero false alarms even cooking chicken thighs with skin on
- Simple analog Warm-to-Sear knob—zero learning curve, no digital controls to navigate
- Raised-ridge non-stick plate delivers authentic char marks and clean food release with minimal oil
- Extremely fast cleanup—grate and water tray come off in seconds and are fully dishwasher safe
- Lightest and most compact dedicated indoor grill in this roundup at ~3.15 lbs. and 3.5″ height
- Most budget-friendly price point for a purpose-built smokeless indoor grill
- cETL certified with overheat auto shut-off and cool-touch handles for confident safe use
- 1-year warranty backed by responsive Chefman customer support (phone + email)
- Handles the full range of grill foods—steak, chicken, fish, sausages, burgers, shrimp, vegetables, Korean BBQ
- Praised by apartment and condo dwellers as the indoor grill that finally makes year-round grilling practical
What Could Be Better
- At 1,120W it runs cooler than 1,500W competitors—thick cuts (bone-in chicken, thick pork chops) take noticeably longer to cook through
- No digital temperature display or preset settings—exact heat level requires experimentation on first use
- Water tray must be filled before every session—forgetting produces more smoke; filling after insertion can be messy
- Temperature knob design receives occasional criticism for being flush and slippery, making it hard to grip precisely
- No glass lid included—no option to cover food for faster, moisture-retaining cooking
- Underside of the base (bare aluminum with grooves) can accumulate grease and requires a brush to clean thoroughly
- No air frying, baking, or multi-function cooking—strictly a flat-top contact grill
Why This Product Is Popular
The Chefman RJ23-SG has quietly become one of the top-selling indoor electric grills on Amazon for reasons that are easy to understand once you look at who buys it: renters, apartment dwellers, and anyone who wants to grill indoors without the complexity, bulk, or price of a premium platform like the Ninja Foodi. Its water-tray smoke system is the lowest-friction implementation of smokeless grilling available—no fan to maintain, no batteries, no technology to fail. You fill the tray with water, plug in the grill, set the knob, and cook. That simplicity, combined with genuinely effective smoke control, is exactly what first-time indoor grillers are looking for.
The dishwasher-safe design is an outsized factor in repeat satisfaction. Indoor grilling's biggest barrier to everyday use has historically been cleanup—greasy grates with embedded char that require soaking and scrubbing. Chefman eliminates this entirely by making the grate and water tray lift-off and dishwasher safe, which translates directly to users cooking on it nightly rather than weekly. Multiple long-term reviewers specifically describe using it daily for months, which is an unusually high usage frequency for a countertop appliance in this category.
The price point also makes this a natural impulse and gift purchase—accessible enough that buyers aren't anxious about trying it, proven enough (3,000+ reviews) that they're not taking a risk. For Korean BBQ enthusiasts in particular, the large flat grill surface and tabletop-friendly form factor recreate the communal cooking experience without the ventilation requirements of actual tabletop gas burners. The combination of low cost, zero learning curve, real smoke reduction, and effortless cleanup has produced a loyal and vocal buyer base that drives continued strong sales.
Final Verdict
The Chefman Electric Smokeless Indoor Grill is not the most powerful, the most feature-rich, or the most technologically sophisticated indoor grill in this roundup. What it is—and what it does better than most of its competitors at its price—is accessible, reliable, and genuinely practical for everyday indoor grilling in real apartment kitchens. The water-tray smoke reduction system works. The non-stick grill plate delivers char marks and clean release. The dishwasher-safe components make post-cook cleanup fast enough that you'll actually use it regularly rather than relegating it to a cabinet. And the simple analog knob means literally anyone can start grilling on their first use without reading a manual.
Its limitations are real and worth being clear about. The 1,120W heating element runs cooler than 1,500W competitors, which means you'll notice longer cook times on thick bone-in cuts compared to the Techwood or Ninja Foodi models. The water tray needs to be filled before every session—skip it and you lose most of the smoke benefit. There's no glass lid for moisture retention, no digital display, and no multi-function versatility. If those features matter to you, step up to the Techwood 1500W or the Ninja Foodi EG201.
But if your goal is a simple, compact, proven indoor grill that controls smoke reliably, cleans up in under a minute, and costs less than a dinner out—the Chefman RJ23-SG is the honest best choice at this price point. Its track record across thousands of verified buyers in real apartments and kitchens speaks clearly: it does what it promises, consistently, without fuss.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the water tray reduce smoke?
The water tray sits directly beneath the non-stick grill grate. As fat and juices render out of your food during cooking, they drip down through the grate openings and land in the water-filled tray below. The water instantly cools the falling grease before it can hit a hot surface and vaporize into smoke. This is the Chefman's core smoke-reduction mechanism—simple, effective, and requiring no fans or active technology. The key is keeping the tray filled to the marked minimum line throughout the cook; running it dry significantly increases smoke output.
Is it truly smokeless for use in apartments?
For the overwhelming majority of standard grilling situations—burgers, chicken breasts, fish fillets, sausages, steaks, and vegetables—the water-tray system keeps smoke below the level that triggers standard and even sensitive apartment smoke detectors. Multiple buyers with sensitive detectors specifically confirm this. The system does have limits: if you cook high-fat items like thick-cut bacon at maximum heat without enough water in the tray, some smoke will form. Keeping the water tray properly filled and starting at a moderate heat level before increasing handles most scenarios effectively.
How do I clean it and are all parts dishwasher safe?
The grill grate (cooking surface) and water tray are both fully dishwasher safe and should go on the top rack. After the unit cools, lift the grill grate straight up off the base and slide out the water tray, then load both into the dishwasher. The base unit wipes clean with a damp cloth—do not submerge it in water. The aluminum underside of the base has small raised grooves that can collect grease over time; a soft brush with warm soapy water cleans these efficiently. For the non-stick grill plate surface, avoid abrasive scrubbers and metal tools to preserve the coating.
What temperature does "Sear" correspond to?
The Chefman RJ23-SG uses an analog Warm-to-Sear knob without a digital readout, so there is no specific °F number displayed. Based on its 1,120W element and user reports, the Sear position reaches temperatures sufficient for grill marks and browning on steaks and burgers—in the range of approximately 400–420°F at the grate surface. This is slightly lower than the 450°F maximum of 1,500W competitors. For the best searing results, preheat the grill at the Sear setting for 5 minutes before placing food on the surface.
How does it compare to the Techwood 1500W smokeless grill?
The two grills use different smoke-reduction approaches. The Chefman uses a passive water tray—no fan, no moving parts, lower cost, simpler operation. The Techwood uses an active built-in fan that extracts smoke at the source across a wider temperature range (220°F–450°F, 6 digital levels) with more power (1,500W). The Techwood heats faster, reaches higher temperatures, and handles fatty proteins more effectively with its active fan. The Chefman wins on price, simplicity, portability (lighter), and the fact that there's nothing mechanical that can wear out. For basic everyday grilling needs, both work well; for high-heat searing or very fatty proteins, the Techwood has the edge.
Is it good for Korean BBQ?
Yes—the Chefman is a popular choice for home Korean BBQ sessions. The flat 150 sq. in. grill surface handles thin-sliced galbi, bulgogi, samgyeopsal (pork belly), mushrooms, and vegetables in the communal tabletop style. The water tray is particularly valuable for Korean BBQ, where the volume and frequency of items cooked in succession would otherwise produce significant smoke. The lightweight, portable design means it sits comfortably on a dining table. Plan to refill the water tray between rounds when cooking multiple batches, as pork belly and other fatty meats reduce water levels faster than leaner proteins.
Does it come with a lid?
No—the base RJ23-SG model does not include a lid. Cooking is done open-face, which means heat rises freely rather than being trapped for faster cook times or moisture retention. For thicker cuts that benefit from covered cooking, you can loosely tent aluminum foil over the food as a workaround, though this is not a purpose-designed solution. Chefman does offer other models (such as the RJ23-SG-PL ExacTemp) that include glass lids and probe thermometers if covered cooking is important to your use case.
What warranty and support does Chefman provide?
The RJ23-SG includes a 1-year limited warranty from Chefman covering manufacturing defects in materials and workmanship from the date of purchase. The warranty is valid for original US and Canada retail purchasers and requires proof of purchase. Chefman customer support is available by phone at 1-888-315-6553 and by email at customersupport@chefman.com, Monday through Friday. If a product proves defective within the warranty period, Chefman will repair or replace it. Registering your product on Chefman's website extends warranty coverage by an additional 3 months.
What foods can I cook on it?
The Chefman handles the full range of standard grill proteins and vegetables: steaks, burgers, chicken breasts and thighs, fish fillets, shrimp, pork chops, sausages, hot dogs, and bacon. It also works well for vegetables (corn, zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, asparagus, tomatoes) and for Korean BBQ-style thin-sliced meats. It is not designed for baking, air frying, or any closed-cooking method. For best results on thicker proteins (bone-in chicken thighs, thick pork chops), use medium-high heat and allow extra cook time compared to a 1,500W grill, and check internal temperature with a separate meat thermometer.