Cigar Aficionado

The superheating capability that steakhouses use to sear meat to perfection has been available on patio grills with infrared burners for years—but with one drawback. They heat from below, causing flare-ups when fat drips on them. Now, a new wave of grills cook like your favorite steakhouse, with the heat on top. We test drove a few, and these are our favorites.

The Blazing Bull Portable Infrared Grill ($1,250) weighs 62 pounds, so “portable” means having a friend help you lift it out of the box. But don’t let that put you off. Setup is simple and it’s large enough to grill two large tomahawk steaks with their bones. Attach the hose to a tank of liquid propane and use the battery-operated ignition to get the ceramic tiles up to and beyond 1,500°F—steakhouse hot. 

A lift handle on the right side of the grill regulates how close the steak gets to the burners. For a pair of thick ribeyes we started on slot five and flipped them once the top browned to our liking. After searing, we lowered the grill to finish cooking, monitoring with a thermometer. Eight minutes in, we had a perfect medium-rare. Impressively, the sides of the grill stayed cool, but a lot of heat came out the front. Wear grilling gloves.

At 24.25 pounds, The Beefer ($699), is truly portable, yet sears like a bigger grill, albeit in a narrower, taller infrared chamber. The height allows for easier turning. The grill plate is moved easily to different levels using a detachable handle. It also has battery ignition and the ceramic burners reach 1,500°F as well. 

Any form of protein—it’s particularly good for tuna steaks—can be seared and cooked on these grills. Vegetables also brown nicely. But once you start cooking with infrared heat, your biggest challenge may be controlling your steak intake.