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Cheap Grills to Wow at Your Next Barbecue
You don’t need to spend a fortune on a grill to produce a high-quality meal. You really just need two basic elements – heat and a grill grate.
Those who want to barbecue on a budget have plenty of options. Going with a cheaper grill may mean sacrificing the high-end features, but a good griller should be able to overcome those challenges following proper cooking time and heat distribution.
We reviewed ratings from grill masters on Amazon to compile this list of the top grills available on the site for under $300.
What to Consider When Buying a Grill
In addition to price, other factors to consider when buying a grill include:
- Type: There are about half a dozen different types of grills to choose from, but gas grills, charcoal grills and some smokers will generally be the top options available for under $300.
- Controls: Charcoal grills require more manual control for heat distribution, but often include dampers to assist. Temperature on propane grills is controlled by burners and the BTU rating will indicate how much heat they can produce.
- Size: If you are planning to cook big meals for a large group and have the space, you may want to purchase a grill with extra burners and a large cooking area. If you are limited in space or plan to take the grill on camping trips, go smaller.
More features to chew over include storage space, how easy it is to clean the grill, and accessories like a warming rack and side burners.
Related: Grill Coupons and Promo Codes
Best Charcoal Grill Under $100
Weber 441001 Original Kettle 18 in Charcoal Grill
This 18-inch Weber Charcoal Grill can hold up to nine burgers, according to the manufacturer. It is constructed with a porcelain-enameled lid and bowl that will maintain the proper temperatures while grilling those burgers. It also boasts a convenient one-touch cleaning system to catch the ashes and a lid hook that allows you to avoid placing the hot lid on the ground.
Why We Love It: If you are willing to forego some of the premium features in the high-end Weber model below, this grill will get the job done for about $75 less.
Things to Consider: But if you do want those features, you are going to have to spend a little more. (We recommend the next grill on the list.)
Promising Review: “This is the first grill I’ve ever owned myself. And for a first time griller, this was easy to assemble, easy to use and worked wonderfully for our first Memorial Day in our new home.” – Amazon customer Rachael
$99 at Amazon.com
Best Charcoal Grill Over $100
Weber 14402001 Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill
This premium Weber Kettle Charcoal Grill features a 363-square-inch cooking area on a steel-plated, hinged cooking grate. This impressive, yet economical grill includes a removable ash catcher that collects the debris with a One-Touch cleaning system. The cooking temperature can be easily adjusted via the steel damper on the lid. The lid also features a heat shield for the handles and useful hooks for grilling tools.
Why We Love It: This charcoal grill offers some extra features and still comes with a lower price tag than most propane grills.
Things to Consider: A comparable model (see above) with a few less features is lighter on your wallet.
Promising Review: “This grill is amazing. Took a little learning curve but after a few times I had it figured out. Meat is 10 times more moist and tender than a gas grill. Easy clean up with the vent system and catch canister underneath.” – Amazon customer Josh Robbins
$175 at Amazon.com
Best Propane Grill Under $200
Char-Broil Classic 360 3-Burner Liquid Propane Gas Grill with Side Burner
The three burners on this Char-Broil Classic 360 grill produce 30,000 BTUs of heat that also provides 360 square inches of cooking space. A handy supplemental swing away rack can be used to keep your food warm. A fourth burner on the side of the grill is designed for cooking sides or sauces. The other side of the grill features a staging area for your condiments and utensils.
Why We Love It: For under $200, this grill gives you plenty of space to grill for the whole family.
Things to Consider: Assembly can take some time, but most reviews say instructions are easy to follow. You can purchase the grill with assembly for an extra $94.
Promising Review: “Bought this grill for my husband for Father’s Day. He loves it! My favorite is the side burner. So convenient and the price is right. Great purchase.” – Amazon customer Jaime M. DePaola
$189.99 at Amazon.com
Best Propane Grill Under $300
Monument Grills 13478 4-Burner Propane Gas Grill
The Monument Grills 13478 four-burner, 60,000 BTU gas grill boasts 473 square inches of primary cooking space, 210 square inches for warming, plus a lidded side burner. Added features include an electronic-ignition, convenient removable grease drip pan, stylish LED control knobs for cooking at night, and a porcelain-enameled cast iron cooking grid. The grill also includes a useful storage cabinet and nifty hooks for your grilling tools.
Why We Love It: This grill checks all the boxes while coming in at a fraction of the cost compared with some comparable models.
Things to Consider: It’s a big grill that requires assembly, and some customers expressed frustration with the process. Note: You can get the grill assembled for an extra $94.
Promising Review: “I love this grill! It was real easy to assemble with the easy to read detailed instructions. I love the Blue LED Controls, they look so pretty at night and easy to see!” – Amazon customer Kathy Oestringer
$279 at Amazon.com
Best Smoker
Masterbuilt MB20071117 Digital Electric Smoker
Let the wood chips and digital controls do the work – low and slow – with this Masterbuilt Digital Smoker. The controls include cooking temperature and time, with a max temperature setting of 275 degrees. The wood chips can be loaded via a clever side panel. According to the manufacturer, the smoker can fit two turkeys, four pork butts, four racks of ribs and six chickens.
Why We Love It: If you are a patient cook, smoking your meats is a tasty alternative to a charcoal or propane grill.
Things to Consider: Some customers report that buying extended legs (buy HERE) for the smoker makes for easier access and movement.
Promising Review: “This is an awesome smoker. Easy to use. Does a great job. The digital temp and timer work great. I’ve had this smoker for about a month and everything I have made has tasted better than I ever thought possible. Highly recommend.” – Amazon customer Adam T. Miller
$199 at Amazon.com
Best Portable – Propane
Coleman RoadTrip 285 Portable Stand-Up Propane Grill
The quick-fold legs and wheels on the extremely portable 20,000 BTU Coleman RoadTrip 285 propane grill allow you to take your barbecue on the road with ease. In spite of its compact size, the grill still offers a large cooking area (285 square inches) when the grill is standing up. The grill has a push-button ignitor and three zones to help control the temperature
Why We Love It: You can take this grill on camping trips or store it on your patio or porch if you are short on space.
Things to Consider: We love this grill because of its portability combined with large cooking space, but that may result in a bigger size grill than needed for trips.
Promising Review: “I love how practical this grill is. And extremely easy to clean. Now the important part is the grilling. It’s actually big and fits a lot at the same time and cooks evenly.” – Amazon customer Yelitza Gerdts
$239.99 at Amazon.com
Best Portable – Charcoal
Cuisinart CCG190 Portable Charcoal Grill
This lightweight portable charcoal grill weighs just two pounds, and still offers about 150 square inches of cooking space. The Cuisinart CCG190 Portable Grill features a dual venting system to help control the temperature and an ash catcher for safe grilling even on a tabletop. The grill lid includes three locks to hold it in place.
Why We Love It: This grill is compact enough to fit on a small table but offers enough cooking space to feed a small group.
Things to Consider: The perks of a small grill are that it will heat up more quickly so you can enjoy your food sooner.
Promising Review: “Great little grill for camping/outdoors. Very easy to build. Can hold a decent amount of food. It’s small size makes it easy to take anywhere.” – Amazon customer Christopher Frank
$20.99 at Amazon.com
Best Combo
BLOSSOMZ Dual Fuel Combination Charcoal/Gas Grill
The cooking space on BLOSSOMZ Combination Charoal/Gas Grill is generally evenly distributed between charcoal (262 square inches) and gas (295 square inches), so you won’t have to choose between charcoal and gas. The ingenious grill also features warming space for both the charcoal and gas sides of the grill, as well as a gas-powered side burner for sauces, marinades, dips and sides. The 24,000 BTU propane gas portion of the grill includes three burners, and the charcoal side features a removable ash tray for easy cleanup.
Why We Love It: You can get the best of both grilling worlds for under $300.
Things to Consider: Construction of the grill can be a bit of a challenge, per some Amazon customer reviews.
Promising Review: “This grill was a great value for the cost. The dual fuel combination can’t be beat. I’m very happy with this purchase. Would definitely recommend this product and buy again.” – Amazon customer ALF
$270 at Amazon.com
Best Tabletop Grill
Masterbuilt SH19030819 Propane Tabletop Grill
This Masterbuilt Tabletop Grill has a single burner that showcases 288 square inches of cooking space powered by 10,000 BTUs and features a push-button igniter. A practical warming rack is also mounted within the compact space of the grill. The best part – simply fold the legs and lock the lid when storing or relocating the grill.
Why We Love It: This grill is ideal for those who are short on space but still crave that barbecue flavor.
Things to Consider: The grill still requires propane and is rendered useless if you don’t have enough on hand to fuel the barbecue.
Promising Review: “Powerful little grill that makes grilling a steak easy. I grill with the lid closed and four minutes a side is perfect for medium rare. Heats up quickly and has a small footprint.” – Amazon customer Jimmyford
$99.99 at Amazon.com
Now that you’ve sorted out your grill, complete the ultimate yard party with a cheap fire pit.
The post Cheap Grills to Wow at Your Next Barbecue appeared first on The Real Deal by RetailMeNot.
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