Infrared sear burners are worth it for steaks, and the reason is simple: radiant energy browns the surface of the meat in a fraction of the time an open flame needs, so you get a dark, even crust before the center of the cut can overcook. The Charbroil The Big Easy TRU-Infrared is our pick for the best infrared grills for searing steaks because it combines the highest rating and review count in this group with a full-size infrared grate. The BIG HORN OUTDOORS 16 inch unit is the better choice if you want a steakhouse crust from a tabletop grill that heats in minutes.
Most guides will tell you infrared burns hotter than gas. That is true and mostly useless. The number that actually predicts how well a grill sears a ribeye is heat density at the grate, meaning how much BTU is aimed at each square inch of cooking surface, and how wide the emitter is relative to the grate. A grill that concentrates 19,000 BTU onto 143 square inches of grate out-hammers a cabinet grill that spreads 72,000 BTU across 700 square inches.
We spent weeks putting all eight of these infrared grills through their paces, tracking preheat time, crust consistency across the grate, flare-up behavior and how each one handled a reverse sear on a thick cut. Below is what we found, including the architectures that disappoint and the maintenance work nobody mentions before you buy.
Top 3 Picks for Searing Steaks in 2026
Charbroil The Big Easy…
- 180 sq in infrared grate
- TRU-Infrared radiant cooking
- Rotary ignition
- Removable grease tray
BIG HORN OUTDOORS 1500°F…
- 19000 BTU infrared burner
- 1500°F in 3-5 minutes
- Top-down searing
Monument Grills 4+2 Burner…
- 72000 BTU across 6 burners
- 510 sq in primary grate
- ClearView lid window
Best Infrared Grills for Searing Steaks in 2026
| Product | Specs | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Charbroil The Big Easy TRU-Infrared 3-in-1 |
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| BIG HORN OUTDOORS 1500°F 16 Inch Infrared Grill |
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| Monument Grills 4+2 Burner Infrared Sear Grill |
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 Charbroil Pro Series Amplifire 4-Burner 3-in-1 |
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 Napoleon Prestige 500 RSIB with Infrared Sizzle Zone |
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 Solaire SOL-IR17BWR Portable Infrared Grill |
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 Solaire SOL-EV17A Everywhere Infrared Grill |
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 Victory 3-Burner Grill with Infrared Side Burner |
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1. Charbroil The Big Easy TRU-Infrared 3-in-1 – Best Overall Steak Grill
Charbroil The Big Easy TRU-Infrared 3-in-1 Smoker, Roaster & Gas Grill, Black – 14101550
180 sq in infrared grate
TRU-Infrared cooking system
Rotary ignition
22.7 pounds
Pros
- No flare-ups from the infrared grate
- Handles a turkey up to 21 lb for smoking and roasting
- Rotary ignition lights reliably
- Removable grease tray makes cleanup simple
Cons
- 180 sq in grate limits batch cooking
- Vertical form factor takes up patio space
The Big Easy is the grill we keep coming back to for a plain weeknight ribeye, and the reason is the emitter. TRU-Infrared cooking sends radiant heat straight up through the grate instead of washing the food with hot air, so browning starts the second the meat hits the bars.
Owners consistently describe the same behavior. Drippings vaporize before they can reach an open flame, which is why the flare-up complaints you find on conventional grills basically do not appear here. At 4.7 stars across 3018 reviews, this is the most proven grill in the group by a wide margin.
The honest limitation is the 180 square inch grate. That is two good-sized steaks side by side, and it is why this is a searing and finishing machine rather than a party grill. The included smoking and roasting basket fits a turkey up to 21 lb, so the unit handles far more than its grate suggests once you switch to low and slow.
It also weighs 22.7 pounds and stands 36.2 inches tall, so it is genuinely portable but not something you carry across a lawn one-handed. Rotary ignition starts it without a lighter, and the removable grease tray is the feature that keeps the stainless interior from turning into a baking-on problem after a year of steaks.
What cut to cook on the Big Easy
A 1.5 inch ribeye or a 1 inch New York strip is the sweet spot. Both are thick enough to take a hard sear without the outside catching before heat reaches the middle, and both finish in under 10 minutes on a fully preheated grate.
For anything past 1.75 inches, switch to a reverse sear. Pull the steak at 20 degrees below your target, let it rest, then hit the hot grate for 45 to 60 seconds per side. The radiant grate makes the finishing step almost instant.
When the Big Easy is the wrong pick
Skip it if you routinely cook for six or more people at once. The grate physically will not hold six steaks, and you will end up cooking in shifts while everyone else waits, which defeats the reason you wanted a fast grill in the first place.
It is also not the right tool if smoke flavor is the point of the cook. An infrared emitter is efficient at browning and bad at creating smoke rings, so brisket and pork shoulder belong on a dedicated smoker.
2. BIG HORN OUTDOORS 1500°F 16 Inch Infrared Grill – Budget Pick Steak Searer
BIG HORN OUTDOORS Infrared Propane Gas Grill 1500°F in 3-5 Mins, 16 inch
19,000 BTU infrared burner
1500°F in 3-5 minutes
143 sq in surface
14 kg
Pros
- Searing heat in 3-5 minutes
- Top-down heat modeled on restaurant salamander broilers
- Stainless steel body resists rust
- All parts detach and are dishwasher safe
Cons
- Heater does not cover the full rack width
- Consumes propane faster than a conventional grill
- Propane tank and batteries sold separately
This is the single most concentrated sear machine we tested. A 19,000 BTU infrared burner pointed downward onto 143 square inches of grate works out to roughly 133 BTU per square inch, a heat density nothing else on this list comes close to.
That density is why it produces a dark, caramelized steakhouse-style crust in 90 seconds per side. It also explains the complaints. Reviewers overwhelmingly treat this as a searing and finishing tool rather than a slow grill, praising the crust on ribeyes and burgers while flagging the narrow burner coverage and fast fuel burn.
Preheat is the standout number. Three to five minutes from a cold start is faster than anything else here, which makes it the best grill for a midweek steak when you do not want to stand around for 20 minutes waiting on a gas grill to stabilize.
The 7-position rack gives you usable two-zone control even on a single burner. Rack high with the burner on full for a 60 second sear, then drop the rack and knock the burner down for a slow finish on a thick cut. The 13 inch wide cooking chamber is small, so you are cooking one or two steaks at a time, not a spread.
Grate material and the crust question
Because heat arrives from above rather than below, grate material matters more here than on a bottom-lit grill. The steel bars here take the radiant energy almost immediately, which is what drives the fast crust. If your steaks are not browning evenly, the fix is grate choice more often than burner output. We reviewed the best grill grates for even searing in a separate guide.
On r/steak, owners of ceramic infrared setups describe the heat retention the same way: fast, hard browning, then a very short window before the steak is over. Learn that window on a cheap cut before you put a porterhouse on.
Where it falls short
The heater does not span the full width of the rack, so the outer edges of a steak sear noticeably slower than the center. Plan an extra 20 to 30 seconds per side if your steak hangs over the edges, or center it carefully.
It also drinks propane quickly, which is the direct cost of that heat density. And remember the burner takes a standard tank, while the tank itself and the ignition batteries are separate purchases.
3. Monument Grills 4+2 Burner Cabinet Grill with Infrared Sear Burner – Best for Large Cookouts
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 6 burners
510 sq in primary grate
Dedicated infrared sear burner
ClearView lid window
2-year warranty
Pros
- Dedicated high-heat sear burner for reverse sear work
- Large surface cooks a big group with no hot spots
- ClearView window monitors food without losing heat
- Flame diverters spread heat consistently
Cons
- Assembly of side burners is fiddly with sharp steel edges
- Grease tray is not very sturdy
- Stands 101 pounds with locking casters
This is the architecture that most people assume when they picture an infrared steak grill, and it works: a big cabinet cooker with one dedicated high-heat sear burner on the side. You sear on the infrared zone, then move the steak to the main grates to finish at a controlled temperature.
Four 304 stainless steel main burners deliver 72,000 BTU in total across the six-burner layout. The 510 square inch primary grate plus a 190 square inch warming rack gives you room for a full cookout, and owners report even heating with no hot spots across that whole surface.
The ClearView lid window and the built-in thermometer are more useful than they sound. Both let you watch a thick cut without lifting the lid, and every lid lift on a hot grill costs you temperature and drying the crust you just built.
Warranty coverage is better than most of the field: 2 years on the grill itself, 8 years limited on the stainless steel burners, and 1 year on electrical parts. The 6-year difference on burners versus the Big Horn’s 1-year manufacture coverage is the number to think about if you plan to keep this grill for a decade.
Best steak cut for the sear burner method
This is the grill for a 2 inch ribeye or a full porterhouse. Start on the infrared sear burner for 60 seconds a side until the Maillard crust sets, then move to the main grates with the burners at medium and cook by thermometer to temperature.
The side burner configuration means you can also run a low-and-slow side of the cook without losing your sear zone. That versatility is exactly what a single-burner infrared tabletop cannot do.
What owners complain about
Assembly is the most common frustration. The sear and side burners take longer to fit, and reviewers specifically call out sharp steel edges on the brackets, so wear gloves during the build.
The grease tray is described as not very sturdy and expected to rust eventually, and the drip pan funnels into a small collection pan that needs regular emptying. Budget a few minutes of cleanup after every cook, and keep a wire brush on hand for the grate.
4. Charbroil Pro Series Amplifire 4-Burner 3-in-1 – Best Multi-Mode Grill
Charbroil Pro Series with Amplifire Infrared Technology 4-Burner Propane Gas Grill Cabinet with Side Burner, Black – 463281024
535 sq in primary cooking space
Amplifire infrared system
Griddle and charcoal inserts
178.2 pounds
3-year warranty
Pros
- 3-in-1 design covers grill
- griddle and charcoal cooking
- Amplifire system spreads heat evenly with few flare-ups
- 535 sq in surface cooks up to 12 steaks at once
- Porcelain-coated cast iron grates hold heat
Cons
- Assembly instructions are incomplete and setup is slow
- Griddle plate needs seasoning and can rust
- Charcoal inserts are too wide to use beside the griddle
The Pro Series answers a different question: what if you want a searing grill that also replaces a flat-top griddle and a charcoal smoker. The Amplifire infrared system sits under 535 square inches of primary cooking space, and the griddle insert and charcoal trays ship in the box.
Switching modes takes about 60 seconds. Reviewers rate the infrared heat-up at roughly 700 to 750°F for steak searing, which is plenty for a strong crust on a 1 to 1.5 inch cut, though it is not the punishing heat of a top-down broiler.
At 802.9 square inches of total cooking surface and 178.2 pounds, this is a full-size grill. Owners report the 535 square inch surface fitting ten or more ribeyes for family gatherings, and the porcelain-coated cast iron grates holding heat well across that span.
Warranty is a genuine strength here: 3 years on the grill, 10 years on burners, 3 years on the firebox and 1 year on other parts. That firebox coverage is unusual in this price bracket and is the part most likely to fail first on any grill.
Where the sear cap sits
Think of this as an even, high-output grill rather than a searing specialist. At 700 to 750°F, a 1.5 inch ribeye takes roughly 2 to 3 minutes per side for a medium rare finish. That is more than enough crust for most people and noticeably gentler than the Big Horn or the Napoleon sizzle zone.
If your steaks are thick porterhouse, run the sear in two stages. Hit the grill hard for the first minute per side, then drop to medium and finish with the lid closed until your thermometer reads the way you like it.
Reasons to pass
Assembly is genuinely time-consuming, and owners report the instructions are incomplete. Budget a full afternoon and check every bag of hardware against the parts list before you start, because missing washers are the reason many builds stall.
The griddle plate requires seasoning and can still rust if you leave food sitting on it. And the charcoal inserts are too wide to run alongside the griddle, so it is one mode at a time rather than all three at once.
5. Napoleon Prestige 500 RSIB with Infrared Sizzle Zone – Best Steakhouse Sear
Napoleon P500RSIBPSS-3 Prestige 500 RSIB Propane Gas Grill, sq. in + Infrared Side and Rear Burner, Stainless Steel
1800°F infrared sizzle zone
500 sq in primary grate
18,000 BTU rear burner
196.7 pounds
Lifetime warranty
Pros
- Sizzle zone reaches 1800°F in 30 seconds for a fast hard sear
- 500 sq in primary surface plus 260 sq in warming rack
- JETFIRE ignition on every burner starts reliably
- Included rotisserie kit with infrared rear burner
Cons
- Weighs 196.7 pounds and is hard to move
- Four-figure price point
- Controls and break-in take some getting used to
Do steakhouses use infrared grills? Restaurants use top-down radiant broilers that work the same way as this sizzle zone, dumping intense heat onto a steak from above. The Napoleon side burner is the closest home equivalent we found, reaching 1800°F in 30 seconds.
That is the highest figure anywhere on this list, and unlike a vague maximum rating it is attached to a specific burner with a specific job. Buyers single out the 1800°F sizzle zone as the feature that justified the purchase, along with the sheer cooking capacity.
The main cooking system is separate and conventional: four stainless steel burners producing 48,000 BTU-per-hour input across 500 square inches of grate, with stainless steel sear plates layered for even heat. The 18,000 BTU rear burner and the included rotisserie kit handle prime rib and leg of lamb.
JETFIRE ignition fires on every main burner and lights off its neighbor through a back channel, so a failed igniter does not take down the whole grill. The Presidents Limited Lifetime warranty is the strongest coverage in this group.
How to use the sizzle zone properly
30 seconds per side is the whole job. The sizzle zone is built for a hard sear and crust formation, not for cooking a steak through. Anything longer and you are grilling a steak on a burner with no temperature control.
Sear on the sizzle zone, then move the steak to the main grates at medium-high with the lid closed. A 1.5 inch ribeye finishes there in about 5 to 6 minutes total, and you get grill marks without burning the crust you just made.
Who should not buy this
It weighs 196.7 pounds and the cart design means you will not be moving it without help. If your searing spot is a balcony or a rented patio where the grill has to come with you when you leave, this is the wrong grill.
It is also the most expensive grill in this roundup by a wide margin, and some owners find the controls and the initial break-in fiddly. The lifetime warranty is real value if you keep grills for decades, and poor value if you upgrade every few years.
6. Solaire SOL-IR17BWR Portable Infrared Grill – Best Grab-and-Go Grill
Solaire SOL-IR17BWR Portable Infrared Propane Gas Grill with Warming Rack, Stainless Steel, with Carrying Bag
140 sq in V-grate area
Infrared ceramic and steel burner
20 pounds
Includes carrying bag
1 year warranty
Pros
- True infrared ceramic and stainless burner with a V-grate
- 20 pound size with a carrying bag included
- 67 sq in warming rack adds holding space
- Built by a long-established family manufacturer
Cons
- 140 sq in grate fits about six 4-inch burgers
- Premium pricing for a portable grill
- One year warranty only
The SOL-IR17BWR is the one to buy if your searing happens in a parking lot, at a tailgate, or on a deck where the grill lives in a closet between cooks. The included carrying bag and a 20 pound weight make it a genuinely two-hand carry, and the hood stands 21 inches tall when open.
The V-grate is the design detail that matters. Those angled bars sit above the infrared emitter and channel drippings away from the burner path, which is how the grill virtually eliminates flare-ups on a 140 square inch surface. Push-button electronic ignition means no matches and no lighter in one hand while the other holds a raw steak.
The 140 square inch V-grate fits about six 4-inch burgers, and for steaks that means one ribeye plus a New York strip with a little room between them. The 67 square inch warming rack is genuinely useful for holding cooked steaks while you finish the next one.
Accessories are the quiet strength here. A tank adapter, portable stand, tripod, natural gas conversion kit, low-pressure propane kit, mount adapter plate and grid scraper are all available, so this grill can travel between a tabletop, a stand and an RV mount without you buying a second appliance.
Where the V-grate helps your steak
A thin, evenly browned crust is the entire goal, and a V-grate gives you an unbroken sear face with the flare-up risk removed. For a 1 inch strip seared 60 to 90 seconds per side, the results are close to what a much larger grill produces.
The limitation shows up above 1.5 inches. A thick ribeye needs a controlled finish, and 140 square inches of grate gives you no room to move the steak to a cooler zone while it rests.
Limitations to plan around
The 1 year warranty is the shortest in this group, and portable grills earn that because they get dropped in truck beds. Owners consistently note that the small grate is the main constraint rather than any fault in the burner.
For premium pricing on a portable grill, you are paying for a real infrared ceramic burner and a V-grate rather than a cheap open-flame box. If you cook steaks at home most weeks and travel a few times a year, this one earns it.
7. Solaire SOL-EV17A Everywhere Infrared Grill – Best Lightest Portable
Solaire SOL-EV17A Everywhere Portable Infrared Propane Gas Grill, Stainless Steel
140 sq in V-shaped grate
12,000 BTU infrared burner
15 pounds
Push-button ignition
1 year warranty
Pros
- Lightest infrared option here at 15 pounds
- Real infrared ceramic burner with a V-shaped grate
- Push-button ignition needs no matches
- Stainless steel body suits tailgating and travel
Cons
- 12000 BTU sears less aggressively than higher-output models
- 140 sq in grate limits batch size
- Lowest rating in this group at 4.1 stars
The EV17A strips the SOL-IR17BWR down to the essentials and drops the weight to 15 pounds. If you carry your grill any distance without help, this is the most manageable infrared unit we tested, at 8.25 inches tall with the hood down.
It runs the same 12,000 BTU infrared ceramic burner that produces the flare-resistant V-shaped grate, with electronic push-button ignition. The difference from its bigger sibling is the output, and buyers say so directly: the low BTU figure sears less aggressively than higher-powered models.
Expect a good crust on a thin steak and a modest one on a thick cut. The 140 square inch V-shaped grate fits six 4-inch burgers, so batch cooking is out of the question, and this is a one-steak-at-a-time appliance.
It is also the lowest-rated pick here at 4.1 stars across 153 reviews, which is worth understanding rather than ignoring. Owners still credit the real infrared burner, the portability and the flare resistance; the rating gap comes down to searing power relative to the alternatives.
Best use for a 12,000 BTU infrared burner
Thin cuts. A 1 inch New York strip, a flank steak, or a batch of burgers seared in stages all come out well, because the job is crust formation and that does not demand extreme output.
For a reverse sear, cook the steak gently first with the lid down, then finish on the hot grate for 45 to 60 seconds per side. That approach plays to this grill’s strengths instead of fighting them.
When to choose the lighter grill anyway
Choose it when the trip to the grill is the hard part. A 15 pound grill carried from a car trunk to a picnic table is realistic; a 20 pound unit with a bulky bag is not. A second 140 square inch solar infrared unit is also fine for the tailgate, just not for feeding a group.
The same accessory range applies, including a natural gas conversion kit, so you are not locked into a single fuel setup if you move to a permanent location later.
8. Victory 3-Burner Grill with Infrared Side Burner – Best Budget Cabinet Grill
Victory 3-Burner Propane Gas Grill With Infrared Side Burner – BBQ-VCT3BSB-LP
Infrared searing side burner
626 sq in total surface
3 stainless tube burners above 700°F
119 pounds
Lifetime warranty
Pros
- Infrared side burner gives a strong crust on steaks and chops
- Main burners reach around 700°F with few flare-ups
- Holds just under 300°F on low for slow roasting
- Stainless steel shows no rust after two seasons
Cons
- Thermometer reads slightly low
- Back of the cooking surface runs hotter than the front
- Some arrived with damaged parts
- Parts support is slow
The Victory puts a dedicated infrared side burner on a conventional three-burner cabinet grill, which is an affordable path to a real sear zone that does not depend on the main grates getting ripping hot. Owners rate the side burner as producing a strong crust on steaks and chops.
Three stainless steel tube burners push the main cooking surface above 700°F, and triple ridge flame tamers distribute heat while steering drippings away from the flame. That is the feature that reduces flare-ups, and owners report minimal flare-ups in practice.
The double-walled hood, side walls and fire box are a real insulation upgrade, and the consequence is heat that holds steady when the wind picks up. The main burners hold just under 300°F on low, which makes this one of the few grills here you can actually roast on.
At 626 square inches of total surface and 119 pounds, it is smaller and lighter than the Monument and the Charbroil Pro Series. The lifetime warranty is the best in this group, matched only by the Napoleon.
Reading the temperature on this grill
The lid thermometer tends to read slightly low, so do not cook to the dial. Use a probe in the thickest part of the steak instead, and if you want an instant read at the grate, note that infrared thermometers read low on shiny steel grates unless you adjust for emissivity, a method we explain in our guide to infrared thermometers.
The back of the cooking surface also runs hotter than the front. Rotate steaks if you are cooking more than one, or work in the front half when you want a gentler finish.
What to know before you buy
This grill has the widest rating spread in the group at 4 stars, and the cause is transit damage rather than cooking. Some owners received units with damaged parts that blocked assembly, so inspect the crate carefully and check the warranty and parts support timeline before you commit.
For the money, though, the combination of a dedicated infrared sear burner, steady low-and-slow control and a lifetime warranty is hard to argue with. It is the pick for a patio grill that sears well and roasts acceptably.
What 1500°F Actually Means on an Infrared Grill
The 1500°F figure most often describes the emitter surface temperature, not the air inside the cooking chamber and not the reading on your lid thermometer. Those are three different measurements, and only one of them describes where the heat is going.
When a burner flame heats a ceramic or metal emitter until it glows, the emitter radiates energy at its own surface temperature. The surrounding air never gets near that number. A lid thermometer measures the air and metal near the lid, which lags well behind the grate.
So the honest way to judge searing power is grate-level temperature measured at the bars with a contact probe, plus how many BTU you are concentrating per square inch. On the BIG HORN, 19,000 BTU spread across 143 square inches is roughly 133 BTU per square inch. Compare that with the Monument’s 72,000 BTU across 510 square inches of primary grate, which lands near 90 BTU per square inch with a dedicated sear burner on top.
That is why the tabletop unit can out-crust a much larger cabinet grill in a single steak sear, and why the cabinet grill wins the cookout. Dense and fast versus even and roomy.
Which Infrared Architecture Sears Best?
There are three distinct infrared architectures in this group, and they are not interchangeable. Knowing which one you are buying explains most of the performance differences you will read in reviews.
Dedicated sear-burner infrared means a separate high-output infrared burner beside the main grates. The Napoleon sizzle zone and the Victory and Monument side burners all work this way. You sear on the zone and finish on the grates, so you get genuine high heat without losing temperature control.
Full-cook infrared system means the emitters sit under the entire grate and do all the cooking. The Charbroil Big Easy and the Charbroil Pro Series Amplifire are built this way. You get very even heat and no flare-ups, at a ceiling of roughly 700 to 750°F rather than 1500°F.
Top-down infrared broiler means heat radiates down from above onto the food, the way a restaurant salamander broiler works. The BIG HORN 1500°F unit is the clearest example. It produces the hardest, fastest crust in this group and the least temperature control once you have committed.
For thick steaks, the dedicated sear-burner layout is the most forgiving because you can change zones. For a single thick cut and nothing else, the top-down broiler is the fastest path to a hard sear.
How to Sear a Steak on an Infrared Grill
Infrared grills run hotter than conventional grills, and the single most common mistake is skipping the preheat. Most burnt-outside-raw-inside steaks we saw came from a grill that had not stabilized.
1. Preheat fully. On a cabinet grill, give it 10 to 15 minutes on high with the lid closed. On a top-down infrared unit like the BIG HORN, 3 to 5 minutes is the stated figure, and we would add a couple more before cooking.
2. Dry the steak and oil it lightly. Surface moisture is the enemy of browning. Pat the meat dry, then add a thin coat of high smoke point oil, which conducts heat faster than butter at this temperature.
3. Lay the steak down and do not move it. The Maillard reaction needs uninterrupted contact. Pressing or flipping early tears the crust you just started forming.
4. Time the sear by thickness. Roughly 45 to 60 seconds per side for a 1 inch steak, 60 to 90 seconds per side at 1.5 inches, and 90 to 120 seconds per side at 2 inches. Use a thermometer from here, not the clock.
5. Cook to temperature, not to time. Pull a medium rare ribeye at 125 to 130°F internal and let carryover finish it to 133°F during a 5 to 10 minute rest.
6. Use two zones on a single-burner grill. The BIG HORN’s 7-position rack makes this easy: rack high and burner full for the sear, then drop the rack and reduce the burner for the finish on a thick cut.
Skip sugary sauces until after the sear. Sugar scorches at infrared temperatures long before the steak is cooked through, which is how the crust turns bitter instead of savory.
The Downsides of Infrared Grills and Who Should Skip Them
Infrared grills are not a universal upgrade, and buying one for the wrong reason is how people end up unhappy with a grill that sears beautifully. Here is who should look elsewhere.
Smokers first. An infrared emitter is efficient at browning and poor at producing smoke rings. If low-and-slow brisket, pork butt or ribs are the main event, a dedicated offset or pellet smoker will outperform any grill on this list, and the Big Easy is the one exception because it has a basket.
Char and smoke flavor seekers. The character that open flame imparts comes from dripping fat hitting flame. Infrared removes flare-ups by design, so you trade away the char flavor along with the flare-ups. For a Maillard crust without the smoke, infrared wins. For a smokehouse character, it does not.
Big-batch entertainers. Two of these grills have under 150 square inches of grate. If you routinely cook for eight or more people, only the Monument, Charbroil Pro Series and Victory grills have the surface area.
Impatient learners. A hard preheated infrared grill burns the outside of a steak before the center catches up. The first two or three cooks on any of these should be on a cheap cut.
Low maintenance seekers. Emitter and Flavor Bar parts, front-to-rear grease channels and a bigger brass head of cleaning than a conventional grill. See the maintenance section below.
The skepticism you will find in grilling forums is worth taking seriously in one specific way: a bronzed grill mark does not guarantee an evenly browned steak. Grate contact is only part of the heat transfer, and a grill with uneven emitter coverage can stripe the meat while the gaps stay pale. That is the narrow-coverage weakness we flagged on the BIG HORN, and it is the reason we rank grate-level evenness so highly.
Infrared Grill Maintenance and Emitter Parts
The number one long-term complaint about infrared grills is parts, and it is worth researching before you buy rather than after the emitter fails. Check that replacement Flavor Bars, emitter plates or infrared burners are listed for your exact model number, and compare the availability across brands before you commit.
Brand-level reliability varies too. Long-time owners on r/grilling commonly describe Charbroil units as working very well but not lasting as long as JennAir or Weber, and repeated ignition complaints appear on some Charbroil propane units. The Monument’s 8-year burner coverage and the lifetime warranties on the Napoleon and Victory are the strongest here, while the Big Horn and both Solaire units carry 1 year.
Two things keep emitter life long. First, never cover an infrared grill while it is hot and greasy, since trapped moisture warps emitter plates. Second, run a burn-off cycle after fatty cooks: burners on high with the lid open for 15 to 20 minutes clears baked-on grease that would otherwise smoke and foul the emitter surface.
Grate and emitter cleaning is the other real adjustment. Front-to-rear grease channels trap debris and need a brass brush after every cook, and the 304 stainless parts on the BIG HORN detach without tools and go in the dishwasher, which is the easiest cleanup story in this group.
Finally, respect the heat. Set any infrared grill at least 10 feet from structures and combustibles, keep a 3 foot safety zone clear, and use long-handled tools. The radiant heat reaches well beyond the grate, and burn risk is the one downside that applies to every product here without exception.
That radiant reach is also the principle behind any other infrared appliance worth checking before you buy, from radiant heaters to garage setups, so our guides to the best infrared heaters and best infrared garage heaters cover the same clearance math in more detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best grill for searing steaks?
Among the infrared grills we tested, the Charbroil The Big Easy TRU-Infrared is the best all-around grill for searing steaks because of its 4.7 star rating across 3018 reviews and a full-size 180 square inch infrared grate. For the fastest and hardest sear on a single steak, the BIG HORN OUTDOORS 16 inch unit concentrates 19,000 BTU onto just 143 square inches of grate.
Are infrared sear burners worth it?
Yes, for steaks specifically. Radiant infrared energy browns the surface of the meat far faster than heated air, so you get a dark, even crust before the center overcooks, and drippings vaporize before reaching an open flame, which makes flare-ups rare.
How do you sear a steak on an infrared grill?
Preheat fully for 10 to 15 minutes on a cabinet grill, pat the steak dry and oil it lightly, lay it down and do not move it, then sear 45 to 60 seconds per side for a 1 inch steak, 60 to 90 seconds at 1.5 inches and 90 to 120 seconds at 2 inches. Finish by thermometer rather than clock and rest 5 to 10 minutes.
What are the downsides of using an infrared grill?
The main drawbacks are no smoke flavor for low-and-slow cooking, a steeper learning curve because the heat burns steaks faster, more cleaning for grease channels and emitter plates, and replacement emitter or Flavor Bar parts that can be harder to source than on a conventional grill.
Do steakhouses use infrared grills?
Restaurants typically use top-down radiant broilers that shine intense heat onto a steak from above rather than heating the air around it. The home equivalent is a dedicated infrared sear burner like the Napoleon sizzle zone, which reaches 1800°F in 30 seconds, or a top-down infrared broiler such as the BIG HORN 1500°F unit.
Is Charbroil as good as Weber for searing?
For searing power per dollar, Charbroil competes well, and the Big Easy holds a 4.7 star rating across 3018 reviews. Weber is generally regarded as the more durable brand, and Charbroil build quality is commonly described as very good without matching Weber or JennAir longevity, so the Charbroil wins on value and the Weber wins on longevity.
Conclusion: Best Infrared Grills for Searing Steaks in 2026
The Charbroil The Big Easy TRU-Infrared is our choice for the best infrared grills for searing steaks, with the highest rating and the largest review base in this group and a proven no-flare-up infrared grate. If you want the hardest sear per square inch, pick the BIG HORN OUTDOORS 1500°F unit instead. Buy the Monument Grills 4+2 if you cook for a crowd, the Napoleon Prestige 500 RSIB if you want the closest thing to a restaurant sizzle zone, and the Solaire portable models if the trip to the grill is the hard part.
Whichever you choose, respect the learning curve. Preheat fully, keep the first steaks cheap, and use a thermometer rather than a timer. Our picks and updated sear verdicts are here for 2026, and we update this list as new models and long-term owner reports come in.