We tested these two barbecues in the city apartment, on the balcony, the loggia and on the garden terrace to test their possible uses in different locations. Both appliances had to grill not only the obligatory sausage, but also vegetables.
Barbecuing on the balcony without the hassle
Electric barbecues save space and fuel and are therefore particularly suitable for barbecuing on the balcony, but also on the road at the campsite or in an outdoor park. Thanks to the low smoke emission compared to charcoal barbecues, they are also ideal for sensitive neighbors.
In summer, even simple models allow us to barbecue outdoors in the city without much effort. The tested appliances also make this possible even in apartment buildings without trouble from neighbors, landlords or the police. Both heat up quickly and require little space.
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Weber Lumin
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Ninja Woodfire
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Price
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$400,99
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$369,99
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Power
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2200 watts
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2400 watts
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Temperature Range
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140-600°F / 60-315°C
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140-500°F / 60-260°C
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Weight
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36,6lbs / 16,6kg
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26,5lbs / 12,0kg
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Dimensions
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11,0" x 23,00" x 16,50" / 27,9cm x 58,4cm x 41,9cm
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13,4" x 18,1" x 18,1" / 34,0cm x 46,0cm x 46,0cm
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Lid
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Yes
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Yes
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Heating Element
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Porcelain-enameled cast iron grate above a heating loop
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Installed under ceramic-coated plate
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Extras
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Smoker, App, Thermometer
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Air Fryer, Dehydrator, Smoker
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Grilling Surface
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19,4" x 13,1" / 49,2cm x 33,3cm
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11,0" x 15,0" / 28,0cm x 38,0cm
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Cable Length
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70,9" / 1,8m
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78,7" / 2,0m
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Overall Rating
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★★★★★
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★★★★☆
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The Weber Lumin Electric Barbecue Grill – $400,99
The Weber Lumin brings five programs to your balcony, saving you a trip to the kitchen. The large temperature range is suitable for a wide range of grilled food and can be controlled via the thermometer that is integrated in the lid.
This electric grill was specifically developed for the city. The lid prevents a lot of steam from escaping – a plus for neighbors who are quick to grumble. It not only masters high temperatures, but also low ones, which is particularly beneficial for tender vegetables. We found that vegan food from the Lumin came out even tastier.
The cast iron grill grate is coated with porcelain enamel. As a result, it retains a lot of heat and food does not stick when it is preheated. The grid consists of two separate halves, so you can replace one side with the steaming and smoking insert.
We used the stainless steel basket on the right-hand side and steamed vegetables, while roasting buns and mushrooms on the other side. We tried out the steaming, smoking, and keep warm programs during our review of the Weber Lumin.
Within five minutes, the appliance heats up to over 300 °F / 150 °C which is a very impressive time. The maximum temperature is reached shortly afterwards. The highlight is the cast-iron grid, which retains a lot of heat and thus perfectly marks the grill stripes of chorizo, merguez, peppers and king oyster mushrooms. We also found that the grilling surface was absolutely sufficient.
We were able to remove the power supply unit on the right-hand side like a laptop. We found this particularly practical for transportation. Only this and the cast-iron grate should not go in the dishwasher, all the other individual parts cleaned up well in the dishwasher.
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We Like:
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We Don't Like:
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Grilled vegetables very well
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Very heavy
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Can also steam food
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Does not have handles
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The Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill & Smoker – $369,99
The Ninja Woodfire does several jobs in a very small space: an electric outdoor grill, smoker, and air fryer all under one lid. All of this in a very nicely compact machine, that does however weigh quite a bit. The outdoor grill heats up after 10 minutes of preheating, which is the same time it takes a charcoal grill to glow through.
In contrast to many electric barbecues, the Ninja does not have an open heating element with a grid above it, it has a continuous plate. The air circulation fan in the lid circulates the air during grilling so that burning is virtually impossible.
During our review, we grilled fresh sausages in the Ninja Woodfire evenly on all sides and with the timer one can adjust their liking from brown to crispy depending on taste.
One can buy the additional crisper basket, a small pan or bowl and plancha plate separately, and these accessories are necessary if one wants to make use of all of the Ninja’s features.
But a smoker on the balcony? Unthinkable because of the heavy smoke produced by charcoal and the long smoking time of 6 to 12 hours. The Ninja Woodfire does not use wood as fuel, but only as a flavoring agent. The pellets supplied, which are placed in a small insert on the side of the grill, intensively flavored our salmon trout within 25 minutes. Most of the smoke remained under the lid, but a little escaped through the vent.
If you want to do a real BBQ, we still suggest you take the Ninja to an outdoor space. The pellets burn slowly, which results in a certain amount of smoke. This means that they can still be hot when the program is finished! We found that even without the smoker function, it is one of the best electric barbecues.
The Ninja Woodfire is a real outdoor kitchen that invites you to try it out. We can particularly recommend it for a quick barbecue during the week after work. Whenever you want to smoke your food, it’s better you look for some more spacious and aired areas. It’s ideal for a two-person household, but one can feed up to five people when visitors come over.
Thanks to the weatherproof finish and the lid, one can also use and leave it outside – not forgetting to cover it, though!
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We Like:
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We Don't Like:
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Easy to use
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Requires additional accessories for full use
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Many functionalities (e.g. smoking, air frying)
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Has no thermometer
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