Philips HD6371/94 Smoke-less Indoor BBQ Grill Review
For many people, grilled meats and vegetables can be comfort food as well as an occasional guilty pleasure. People living in apartments and other multi-family dwellings are often forbidden by rules, laws, and complaining fellow tenants from grilling on their deck. Of course, high-quality cooking appliance manufacturers like Phillips are aware of this itch that needs scratching. Which has prompted them to develop and sell the Philips Smoke-less Indoor BBQ Grill, Avance.
It uses infrared heat generated by a standard 120V electric outlet. This allows you to replicate specialty grilled dishes like Japanese yakitori and Korean barbecue. At the same time, the Philips Smoke-less Indoor BBQ Grill, Avance is just as comfortable grilling steaks, hamburgers, and bratwursts on a tabletop or kitchen counter.
The Philips Smoke-less Indoor BBQ Grill, Avance doesn’t have any heat controls. At first glance, this is as much of a benefit as it is a drawback. Infrared heat from an electrical source needs consistency to provide efficient high heat while also minimizing the smoke produced. Instead, Phillips calibrates the grill to 446 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the ideal temperature for the design of the grill. Hotter or cooler could potentially produce much more smoke.
Unlike other smokeless indoor grills, the Philips Smoke-less Indoor BBQ Grill, Avance doesn’t use any special internal fans of vacuums, which have the potential to create a significant amount of white noise. Instead, it has been designed with special deflectors that reduce the amount of smoke produced. At the same time, infrared heat also tends to produce less smoke than other heat sources like charcoal and gas grills.
Construction & Ease of Assembly
There is virtually no assembly required for the Philips Smoke-less Indoor BBQ Grill, Avance. You carefully remove it from the package and set it in place with the grate overtop of the heating chamber.
The entire grill is made from lightweight, yet durable materials. The grill grate is made from specially coated aluminum.
Grilling Performance
The Philips Smoke-less Indoor BBQ Grill, Avance is designed to heat to a consistent 446 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the ideal temperature for producing a nice sear on meat and vegetables. The grill is also designed with special internal deflectors to maximize heat while also minimizing the smoke it produces. The exterior shape and characteristics of the Philips Smoke-less Indoor BBQ Grill, Avance also help minimize grease and spatter on the tabletop or kitchen counter.
The instructions claim that you should turn it on and then wait six minutes to allow the grill to fully come up to the intended 446 degrees. The high heat the unit creates does have the potential to burn the exterior of a thick cut of meat, like a filet mignon Steak. In a situation like this you may want to set the steak out on the counter, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes to “Bench Rest” it. This will allow the internal temperature to come up enough that you can have a perfect medium rare interior with a nice, flavorful exterior crust.
It’s important to note that the word Smoke-less may be misleading with this grill. While it certainly does produce far less smoke than a gas or propane grill, it is still on par with conventional electric grills that use a nichrome heating element. Certain fatty cuts of pork, lamb, and skin on chicken can still produce enough smoke to set off a smoke detector. With this in mind, it’s best to operate the Philips Smoke-less Indoor BBQ Grill, Avance.
Grilling Areas
The aluminum nonstick coated grill grate provides 112 square inches of grilling space.
Special Features
The Philips Smoke-less Indoor BBQ Grill, Avance was designed with special internal heat deflectors to maximize the heat of the infrared element, as well as minimize the smoke. The contours of the exterior are also designed to reduce spatter.
Ease to Clean
There are a few cleaning considerations to take into account with the Philips Smoke-less Indoor BBQ Grill, Avance. If you are simply grilling some hotdogs or a lean cut of beef, it is relatively easy to clean. You merely need to remove the grill grate and wipe it clean. If something is trapped on the non-stick surface, you can soak it in warm soapy water and gently wipe it clean. Just make sure to take great care not to use an abrasive brush or steel wool as this could damage the non-stick coating.
If you grill something like a fattier piece of meat, or excess marinade drips down into the internal chamber the Philips Smoke-less Indoor BBQ Grill, Avance can be a bit more challenging to clean. You will need to wait a full half hour to allow it to fully cool, before wiping it out. You may need to use a non-abrasive sponge soaked with a little warm soapy water to fully remove fat and grease. A cotton swap may also come in handy if you need to clean grease or debris from some of the tighter contours around the lip and edges.
Warranty
The Philips Smoke-less Indoor BBQ Grill, Avance comes with a 12-month warranty, assuming normal use.
Conclusion
If you live in an apartment or other multi-family dwelling and you are prohibited from traditional grilling on your deck, you are likely looking for ways to scratch the itch for grilled food. The Philips Smoke-less Indoor BBQ Grill, Avance can help you scratch the itch for standard grilled fare like hamburgers, steaks, and brats, while also giving you the opportunity to prepare more exotic dishes like yakitori.
Just keep in mind that it is not as smokeless as it claims to be and may require additional ventilation. In most cases, it qualifies as an electric grill, when it comes to apartment rules.
