June 11, 2025, 3:37 am | Read time: 3 minutes
An electric grill is generally more sustainable than a charcoal grill. But how can you keep energy consumption low? An expert offers tips.
Electric grills are considered a more environmentally friendly alternative to charcoal. However, to fully leverage their advantage, a conscious approach is worthwhile. “Stiftung Warentest” reveals how to save energy with an electric grill, which ultimately also pays off financially. How can electricity consumption be reduced?
Electric Grill More Sustainable Than Charcoal
For many grill enthusiasts, the typical smoky flavor from a charcoal grill is simply essential—the experience seems inseparable from glowing coals. However, this grilling method is usually not environmentally friendly, especially if the origin of the charcoal is questionable. Tropical woods in the charcoal mix can significantly worsen the climate balance.
“It’s better to use gas or, even better, electric grills,” advises Anke Scheiber from “Stiftung Warentest.” Those who opt for green electricity can further enhance the environmental benefit. In tests, various electric grills performed well—they can also deliver a successful barbecue.
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Save Energy with the Electric Grill
Once the decision for an electric grill is made, energy consumption can be further reduced with a few targeted actions. Anke Scheiber explains how:
1. The Lid as an Efficiency Factor
The grill consumes the most energy during heating. To speed up this process, the lid should remain closed during this phase. Even during subsequent grilling, it helps to open the lid as little as possible to maintain the temperature efficiently. This can save electricity.
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2. Prepare Food Instead of Cooling
Another tip: Meat, fish, or vegetables should not go directly from the fridge to the grill. “To maintain the grill temperature without much energy, the food should not be too cold when placed on the rack or plate,” says Scheiber. It’s best to bring animal products to room temperature beforehand. Vegetables can even be briefly blanched—this reduces cooking time.
3. Grill Everything in One Go
With smart planning, you can grill everything at once. Once the electric grill is properly hot, it’s best to use the entire grill surface and cook all the food in one go, advises the expert. Multiple grilling sessions cause unnecessarily high electricity costs due to repeated heating.
4. Sustainability Starts with the Food
Anke Scheiber emphasizes: The sustainability aspect doesn’t end with the grill model—the choice of food also plays a crucial role. “Depending on what you grill, you end up with a better or worse balance.”
Vegetarian dishes generally have a better climate balance than meat. But even meat lovers can grill more sustainably by choosing regional products from organic farming.
My Experiences with Electric Grills
“A few years ago, I also bought a small electric grill for the balcony. The advantage is that you don’t need gas or charcoal—just an outdoor outlet or an extension cord. The devices heat up quickly, but the result was unfortunately disappointing: The food was still raw inside, already black outside. And eventually, the device from a well-known manufacturer broke down. Nowadays, I grill exclusively with gas.”
With material from dpa