In spite of the fact that modern people live in comfortable, climate controlled homes and have cooking appliances that are marvels of technology, there is a visceral satisfaction that many people get from cooking outside. The secret to getting the most out of this experience is choosing a quality barbecue grill.
After investing 42 hours into researching and comparing 80 different barbecue grills, we eventually narrowed the field down to just the top ten units. Please note that, since comparing a gas grill to an electric grill would be like comparing apples to oranges, we separated the units into 3 different categories: Gas Grills, Charcoal Grills & Electric Grills. Also, be sure to check out our buyer’s guide and comparison chart.
Best Gas Grills
Best Overall: Weber 46510001 Spirit E310 Propane Gas BBQ Grill
The Weber Spirit E310 is, in our opinion, the best gas barbecue grill on the market today. There are essentially two approaches that modern gas grill manufacturers use to attract buyers. With the first approach, the manufacturer throws every possible option and feature at the buyer in the hopes that the unit’s versatility will be its biggest attraction. With the second approach, the manufacturer creates a gas grill that has fewer features, but each feature is painstakingly engineered to perform perfectly. With the Spirit E310, Weber has chosen the basic and perfect approach.
One of the best features of the Weber Spirit E310 is its built-in Flavorizer bars. These bars are strategically placed where drippings are likely to land on them. When this happens, they vaporize the drippings, turning them into flavored smoke that then flows up and around the food being cooked. This essentially coats the food in another layer of its own flavor.
In addition, the Weber Spirit E310 uses a battery-powered electric ignition, making it more reliable than grills that create a spark from the action of the ignition button. In addition, its sturdy side tables which provide counter space fold down to reduce the footprint of the grill, allowing for easier storage.
Although this is a world class grill, there are a couple minor drawbacks that potential buyers should be aware of. First, as a two or three burner grill, it is not particularly large. Anyone planning to simultaneously grill food for a very large group could find the cooking space inadequate for that, particularly if several varieties of meat are being cooked with vegetables on the side. For anyone cooking for the average family or for those only cooking meat of a single type, this is a non-factor.
The second potential drawback is its fuel gauge. The Weber 46510001 Spirit E310 is designed to function with 20 pound propane tanks and the fuel gauge operates by weighing the tank. If a larger or smaller tank is used, the grill will still work fine (assuming the correct connections are present), but the fuel gauge will be useless.
Best Value: Char-Broil 475 4-Burner Propane Gas Barbecue Grill
If you’re looking to get the best value for your money, look no further than the Char-Broil 475. This four burner, propane gas-powered grill has a large 475 square inch primary cooking surface that measures 26″ x 19″, and also comes with a foldable side burner that is perfect for heating up stews and sauces. This ample cooking space will allow you to prepare very large meals for your family and guests.
In addition, the Char-Broil 475 can deliver up to 36,000 BTU’s of searing heat across its porcelain coated, cast iron grates, which are built to be both durable and resistant to rusting. Other nice features of this grill include a removable, easy-to-clean grease pan, a lid-mounted temperature gauge and its electronic ignition, which will allow you to start the grill easily and quickly with the simple press of a button.
One common complaint you’ll often find about BBQ grills is the hassle involved in assembling them. With the Char-Broil 475, however, assembly is fairly simple and straightforward, and the vast majority of the people who’ve bought this grill say that they didn’t have too much trouble putting it together. But, of course, if you’re very mechanically uninclined, you can always pay an additional fee to have it assembled for you by an expert.
Overall, the Char-Broil 475 is a terrific grill, and is perfect for people who want to get a quality outdoor grill that will not only last you a long time, but won’t break the bank either.
Best Budget Model: Char-Broil 463620415 Classic 280 2-Burner Barbecue Gas Grill
The Char-Broil Classic 280 is a fairly inexpensive 2-burner propane grill that everyone agrees on. There are two points that users of this grill typically discuss. The first is that it’s a solid grill that produces good cooking results. Aside from the very few people who envisioned getting a gas grill with the type of flame control and heating consistency found in top of the line grills for under a hundred bucks, most of the people who’ve bought and used this grill have been mostly satisfied with it, if not impressed by it.
The second thing about the Char-Broil Classic 280 that most users agree on, however, isn’t a positive aspect of the grill but a negative one, and it’s that assembling the grill is about as easy as going to the local hardware store, buying all the components and fabricating a grill out of them. While most grills require some level of assembly to make shipping more reasonable, the Char-Broil Classic 280 requires quite a bit more, as the entire grill requires assembly – not just bolting on the wheels and door, the entire thing, down to putting the burners together from parts.
On the other hand, if you are someone who does not mind investing the assembly time, then the Char-Broil Classic 280 is a good choice if you’re shopping for a grill on a budget.
4 Best Barbecue Griddle: Blackstone 1554
How often does someone buy a portable propane grill for cookouts only to then find themselves using it more often than their indoor stove? Pretty often if they bought the Blackstone 1554.
Rarely does a product garner such universally rave reviews. One of the features that people love about the Blackstone 1554 is its very large griddle cooking surface. There is a reason that most restaurants have a griddle top cooker. While such a cooking surface loses any flavor that might be imparted by gas, the ability to cook huge quantities of food without creating a stack of dirty pots and pans can’t be understated.
The griddle cook top is also more versatile than the open grill found on most gas grills. Try cooking scrambled eggs, pancakes, hamburgers and shrimp at the same time on the same grill and, if it is even possible, you will find yourself juggling pans and making constant adjustments to the flame. When cooking with the Blackstone 1554, most of the time you won’t have any dirty pans to clean.
If the lack of sear lines is not a deal breaker, then you may want to consider getting a versatile outdoor griddle like the Blackstone 1554. But be warned: you could just end up cooking all your meals on the back porch after trying it.
Best Charcoal Grills
Best Overall: Weber 15501001 Performer Deluxe Barbecue Charcoal Grill
Among charcoal BBQ grills, the Weber 15501001 Performer Deluxe is, in our opinion, the best out there. Given a choice between a gas and charcoal grill, many people prefer charcoal because it gives the food a slightly different flavor than gas. Plus, if a specific wood flavoring is desired, wood chips can be added to the charcoal without having to use an additional smoker device.
The main downside of charcoal grills, however, is that getting the charcoals lit and burned down to coals can be a frustrating and time consuming endeavor. So, generally speaking, most people will find that charcoal grilled food tastes better, but that gas is more convenient. The Weber 15501001 Performer Deluxe strikes a happy medium by using charcoal as its cooking fuel and small propane canisters to conveniently light and reduce the charcoal to coals.
Beyond this revolutionary lighting system, the Weber 15501001 Performer Deluxe also features the kind of conveniences that high end gas grills usually have and charcoal grills usually do not, like a work surface surrounding the actual grill. The ability to have somewhere to prepare and set food before barbecuing transforms the Performer Deluxe from a grill to a complete food preparation station.
With the flavor of charcoal barbecue and convenience approaching that of a gas grill, the Weber 15501001 Performer Deluxe is the perfect marriage of both worlds.
Best Value: Char-Griller 16620 Akorn Kamado Kooker Charcoal BBQ Grill and Smoker
The Char-Griller 16620 Akorn Kamado offers the best value of any charcoal grill out there. Virtually everyone who buys a grill of any kind will eventually use it to sear a few steaks, burgers or hot dogs. While this sort of backyard cuisine is a part of Americana, how many people really barbecue? By barbecue, we are not talking about searing some meat and slathering it with barbecue sauce. No, we’re talking about that slow cook for hours on low heat that allows the meat to become saturated with the smoky flavor of the charcoal and wood.
How many people who own a grill have cooked a pizza in it? OK, how about lasagna? With a Kamado style cooker like the Char-Griller 16620, you can cook just about any food or meal to perfection. The secret of Kamado cooking is the excellent insulation of the grill walls and the precise airflow control provided by the venting system.
By using the vents properly, the Char-Griller 16620 can generate a 600 degree high heat, which is required for that fast sear that seals in flavor, or a low 200 degree all day burn that smokes and flavors meat. It can also handle any temperature in between.
Best Budget Model: Weber 741001 Original Kettle Charcoal Barbecue Grill
The Weber 741001 Kettle is an American icon. Hearing grizzled barbecue veterans talking about their Weber kettles, it is not unusual to overhear something like, “I had the old Weber for 19 years. Lost it in the divorce. She still uses it.” Or, “I just had to buy a new Weber. The one I’ve had for 23 years got stolen last week.”
With such a long and consistent track record of durability alone, the Weber 741001 Original Kettle would hold a place as a great budget model, but it’s also renowned for being one of the most versatile options out there for those to whom money matters.
The air control and heat holding capability of the Weber Kettle is quite legendary. The three vents on the bottom and the on top of the unit combine to allow a grill master to tune cooking temperatures for any need, from smoking to searing.
Budget products generally offer a person a reduced price for reduced consistency and quality. The Weber 741001 Kettle, however, is one of the few exceptions to this rule, and anyone who wants an ultra-solid yet relatively inexpensive charcoal BBQ grill that will last for years should look no farther.
Best Electric Grills
Best Overall: Weber Q 2400 (55020001) Electric Barbecue Grill
The Weber Q 2400 is, in our opinion, the best electric BBQ grill that money can buy. Combining the legendary Weber quality with electric convenience in a very attractive package, the Q 2400 is perfect for grilling up a meal in situations where it may not be feasible to use a gas or charcoal barbecue.
One unique feature of this grill is that it has the heating element in the top half of the grill. Although this may take some people a bit of time to get accustomed to, as the vast majority of grills cook/heat foods from the bottom, a pleasant side effect of the top down heating is that the heating element will remain cleaner since no food drippings will fall into it.
One slight downside of the Weber Q 2400, however, is that it can take some time for it to reach a searing temperature. If steaks or other foods that require high heat are on the menu, you may need to warm the unit up for about 10 minutes before it it’ll be hot enough to put those attractive sear lines on the meat. All in all, though, this is a top-notch electric grill that is great to have around and will save the day when you’re craving barbecue, but charcoal and gas are out of the question.
Best Value: Char-Broil Patio Bistro 180 (15601711) TRU Infrared BBQ Electric Grill
Out of all the electric BBQ grills that we looked at, the Char-Broil Patio Bistro 180 seemed to offer the most value. One feature that users of this grill will like is that the bottom mounted heating element of this grill will provide an extra boost of flavor to your food, as you’ll find that when the drippings hit the heating element it creates a flavored smoke that saturates the food being cooked.
This extra flavor comes at a cost, though. Cleanup with a bottom heated electric barbecue grill is going to be a bit more intensive than with a top heated model, and it will also create more smoke. For those who prefer a less smokey grilling experience, this can be a definite drawback.
The infrared part of the The Char-Broil Patio Bistro 180 TRU Infrared is a bit of a mystery to most people. There is a plate in the grill that supposedly radiates heat in this form, but most see very little difference between this and a straight heating element.
With its combination of price, extra flavorful grilling and relatively quick heating time, the Char-Broil Patio Bistro 180 offers terrific value for your money.
Best Budget Model: George Foreman GG50B Indoor/Outdoor Electric Barbecue Grill
The George Foreman GG50B gets a lot of hate from barbecue purists, who often claim that it isn’t really a barbecue grill, but just a hot plate with ridges to make sear lines. Although they’re not completely wrong, most of the people who’ve actually used this grill seem to love it.
One of the things that the nay sayers point out when talking about the George Foreman GG50B is the fact that food cooked on it gets no added flavor from the heat source. Many of those who love this grill find this to actually be a positive because they don’t like the added flavor that traditional grilling methods add to food.
Another great aspect of this unit is the fact that its closed construction creates very little smoke. And since it produces no more smoke than cooking on a stove top, the grill can even be used inside. This is a big benefit for those who may want to grill a meal but don’t want to do it outdoors, be it due to the weather or any other reason.
With its convenience, solid cooking performance and its ability to be used both indoors and out, the George Foreman GG50B is a superb budget electric grill.
Buying Guide: How To Select The Best Barbecue Grill
Types of BBQ Grills
There are three general types of grills:
- Gas Grills
- Charcoal Grills
- Electric Grills
Gas Grills
Gas Barbecues are the kings of convenience and perfect for high heat searing and grilling. Anyone who envisions cooking mostly steaks, burgers, sausages and grilled vegetables and who wants to do so with as little hassle as possible may be best off with a gas barbecue.
Among those who dislike the traditional charcoal method of back yard grilling, the most common complaint is the amount of time and effort involved in getting charcoal lit, waiting for it to burn down to cooking embers and cleaning up afterwards.
With a gas grill, one can simply push a button and be cooking steaks in a couple of minutes. After the grill cools down, hitting the cooking grates with a brush and throwing on the cover is all the cleanup that is usually required. The wood smoke flavor of traditional can even be added to food cooked on a gas barbecue by putting wood chips in a smoker box beneath the cooking food.
One common question that comes up when discussing gas grills is whether they operate only with propane or if natural gas can be substituted. Propane is a more efficient cooking gas than natural gas because it burns at a higher temperature. Because of this, a barbecue would need gas outlets that are larger to allow more flow for natural gas. Unless the manufacturer engineered the grill with natural gas as an option and offers a conversion kit, major surgery will be required to turn a propane barbecue into a natural gas barbecue.
Charcoal Grills
Charcoal barbecues are the traditional method of back yard cooking. A quality charcoal grill can do everything a gas barbecue can do and much more. It is no coincidence that every single contestant at every single barbecue competition on the planet cooks on a charcoal or wood grill.
Not only does the charcoal and wood create a smoke that adds a unique flavor to food which depends on the particular wood used in cooking, but the grill itself can regulate the burn to create that low heat, long cook time that results in barbecue that is saturated with smokey flavor and falls off the bone.
The cost of such versatility is the prep time. There is simply no way to get around the fact that charcoal must be lit and allowed to burn down to cooking embers before they are ready to actually cook food. This is particularly true if one uses commercial charcoal that is treated with some substance to make it burn quickly and evenly. While such charcoal is burning down to the proper cooking level, the accelerant produces chemicals that can be harmful if allowed to get into food.
The bottom line is that cooking on a charcoal barbecue is a more involved process than cooking on a gas grill. For some, this is a comforting ritual that relaxes and builds anticipation for the great meal to come. For others, it is a pain in the neck that makes back yard cooking too much trouble to bother with.
Electric Grills
Electric grills, for the most part, are designed for a niche customer – one who wants to barbecue but is constrained by regulations that prohibit flame based cooking. This sort of situation is usually encountered in multifamily housing, like apartments or condominiums. It can also be found in outdoor areas like campgrounds, where open flame could create a wildfire.
For those working within such regulations, an electric grill may be the only way to barbecue. Such grills tend to have drawbacks in the actual cooking when compared to gas grills or charcoal barbecues. Most models require 15 to 30 minutes to come to cooking temperature and lose heat very quickly when they are opened to add or check on food.
Aside from these drawbacks, though, the electric barbecue is even more convenient than a gas grill because it is an electric appliance that only needs to be plugged in to work.
One of the recurring questions among those who investigate electric barbecues is whether they can cook inside with them. The answer to this query is usually no. Drippings from cooking meat create a sooty smoke that needs a great deal of ventilation to deal with. Now, one might get away with grilling vegetables or some meat that drips very little like shrimp inside, but the instructions that come with most models strongly recommend against indoor use. There are, though, models designed to be used indoors and outdoors. If this is a desired feature, be sure the grill is designed to do so.
After the major decision of what type of barbecue to buy, everything else is just comparing details of different models. There are far too many possible features to list in one place and virtually none have any real impact on the barbecue’s effectiveness as a cooking device, so the final decision as to what features make the perfect barbecue is a matter of personal taste.
Comparison Chart
Best Gas Grill
$$$$$
450 sq. in.
63 x 50 x 32
114 lbs.
Best Charcoal Grill
$$$$$
363 sq. in.
44 x 28 x 30
91 lbs.
Best Electric Grill
$$$$
280 sq. in.
26 x 32 x 25
41 lbs.
Best Value Gas
$$$
475 sq. in.
45 x 53 x 26
96 lbs.
Best Value Charcoal
$$$$
314 sq. in.
29 x 25 x 22
90 lbs.
Best Value Electric
$$
245 sq. in.
18 x 21 x 17
27 lbs.
Best Budget Gas
$$
280 sq. in.
49 x 42 x 19
37 lbs.
Best Budget Charcoal
$
363 sq. in.
39 x 25 x 22
32 lbs.
Best Budget Electric
$
227 sq. in.
30 x 21 x 21
7 lbs.
Best BBQ Griddle
$$$$
720 sq. in.
36 x 63 x 22
120 lbs.
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