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When it comes to deciding on the best grill, I have both a charcoal grill and an electric grill sitting in my backyard right now. It's safe to say I am firmly set on keeping the latter, as I'm someone who looks for convenience in any cooking appliance — the electric grill, in my opinion, is the easiest way to cook food outside.Before you ask: the food cooked on the electric grill tastes exactly the same as a charcoal grill, and even the smell is second-to-none. In fact, your neighbors wouldn't even realise that you're cheating and using your electricity rather than coal to cook your dinner.The only issue with it, other than the need for an outdoor socket, is that it can be harder to achieve those perfect grill lines on your food on an electric grill. In the case of my electric grill, the Weber Lumin Compact, its grates are chunky, and the lines on them are thicker than those of the thinner grates that usually come on charcoal grills.But, there is a way to achieve that cartoon-like criss-cross pattern on your patties, still. And after several tries and some embarrassing attempts, I think I've mastered it.Whether you're hosting backyard gatherings or already thinking ahead for the 4th of July, here are my tried-and-tested steps to master cooking your burgers on an electric grill this summer.It's all in the preparationFirst, there are a few things you need to do before you even place your patties onto your grill plates.Your burgers need to be dry. You need to use a paper towel to pat them dry when taking them out of the packet. Let them air dry a little and breathe, and then go in with some oil and give your patties a light coating — this way, you won't risk them sticking to your grill plates. Don't over oil them, though, as too much moisture will prevent browning and ruin the sharp lines that you're hoping to achieve.Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.Onto the grilling1. Pre-heat your grill to high
