Inside Consumer Reports Test Labs: Outdoor electric grills

For apartment and condo dwellers or those who live in communities where gas or charcoal grills are banned, electric grills offer sizzle without a lot of fuss. No big bags of charcoal or heavy propane tanks to lug home, no gas leaks to repair. Just plug in the grill, let it heat up for about 15 minutes, and cook away.

To see how well the Weber Q-140 (left in photo) and the Dimplex PowerChef (right in photo) electric grills can cook, we grilled chicken breasts, salmon steaks, burgers and rib-eye steaks on them.

The Weber Q-140 ($195; a rolling stand is sold separately) is a basic portable grill—it lacks shelves and a warming rack—that fits nine to 12 hamburgers. The single control knob has no settings, so you won't be able to load the grill and cook foods at different temperatures.

This no-frills grill delivered very good cooking performance and was easy to use and clean. It served up chicken and salmon that was juicy and lightly browned and burgers that were evenly cooked. Flare-ups weren't a problem when we cooked steaks on high, a common occurrence when cooking fatty foods on many gas and charcoal grills, but the searing on this Weber wasn't as good as gas models we've tested. (See our latest report on gas grills, available to subscribers.)

Grills typically require preheating, about 15 minutes according to Weber, but the Q-140 needed some extra time to cook steaks, and chicken took about 10 to 20 minutes longer compared with most of the gas grills we tested earlier this year. That added time could be a problem, since Weber warns not to cook longer than 60 minutes at a time. That means the Q-140 isn't designed for cooking whole chickens or meats you want to slow-roast or grilling in batches.

The Dimplex PowerChef, $800, also fits about nine to 12 hamburgers and has a cart, storage, shelves, warming rack, one control, and optional rotisserie kit. You can use its preset programs to eliminate some grilling guesswork.

The chicken breasts we cooked with one of the programs was only fair; they had some charring and were not particularly juicy inside. The salmon was excellent, lightly browned and seared outside, moist inside. And steaks didn't flare up. The burgers were very evenly cooked and had some searing.

Cleaning the Dimplex was similar to cleaning a gas grill, except the cooking grid on the Dimplex can't be removed so you have to clean it in place. The Dimplex doesn't offer as much cooking space and versatility as lower-priced CR Best Buy gas grills (ratings and recommended models available to subscribers), but if a gas model isn't an option and you need more than the Weber can offer, consider the Dimplex.—Kimberly Janeway | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Check out our free buying guide to gas grills, try our easy, delicious grilling recipes, and learn how to keep your outdoor cooker in peak condition.