The 9 Best Grills of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
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Our favorite grills will fire up your tastebuds whether you like charcoal or gas, grilling at home or on a getaway.
Health / Kristin Kempa
Grilling is a simple, flavor-packed way to enjoy an outdoor meal with friends and family—as long as you have a dependable grill. Whether you’re churning out burgers and brats for a crowd or firing up a three-course meal, a good grill is the key to success.
Not only does cooking with a quality grill create better taste and flavor, but it might also be safer. Although there has been some recent concern over the link between well-done grilled meat and cancer rise, a bigger health risk may be the trend toward enamel-coated grill grates, says Chef Manda Hudak, program director and instructor at The Culinary Institute of Montana at Flathead Valley Community College. Hudak prefers to use unglazed cast iron and stainless steel when cooking and grilling at searing-hot temperatures.
To help you find the right grill, we tested a variety of popular options by grilling fish, steak, corn on the cob, and more. Then we evaluated each grill's performance, ease of use, cleaning, and design to narrow down the list of our top picks. These are our favorites.
Best Overall: Monument Grills 4-Burner Propane Gas Grill
Why We Like It: This grill is simple to use as it offers locking wheels, sturdy working surfaces, and four powerful grill burners with easy-to-clean cooking grates.
It’s Worth Noting: Settling into a consistent low or medium temperature may take practice, and the lid holds in a surprising amount of ambient heat.
With a whopping 723 square inches of cooking space plus a gas side burner, this grill is designed for cooking entire meals for a large family or small party. Its four grilling burners are controlled by responsive, well-marked temperature knobs that heat the porcelain-coated, cast iron cooking grates quickly and efficiently.
The grill also has four large wheels that roll smoothly, so it’s easy to move the grill around even though it's quite large. Once you’ve found the right spot to grill, the wheels and fixed side table all lock securely into place, so everything stays stable while you’re cooking. When testing, we particularly liked the stainless steel side burner for keeping sauces warm. We also appreciated the deep side table, which made it easy to plate and serve straight from the grill. This model also comes with a rotisserie kit, and add-ons include a cover, smoker box, and stainless steel cooking grates.
With four burners to control, it took some practice to settle on a consistent lower temperature, especially with the lid closed. When cooking over low or medium heat, it was helpful to preheat the grill until the temperature matched the settings on the control knobs before opening the lid. We also noticed the grill heated a bit unevenly, with some cooler spots at the front and hotter ones at the back.
Price at time of publication: $429
Product Details:
Dimensions: 54.1 x 45.7 x 19 inches
Type: Gas
Cooking Surface Dimensions: 723 square inches
Special Features: Rotisserie kit, side burner, side shelves with tool hooks
Best Large Gas Grill: Weber Spirit II E-310 3-Burner Propane Gas Grill
Why We Like It: This well-constructed grill is large in all the right areas—grill space, side tables, and movable yet sturdy wheels and legs.
It’s Worth Noting: The side tables can become warm with prolonged cooking, so it’s best to avoid resting cell phones or other heat-sensitive items on them.
Large and well-designed, this grill is easy to ignite and operate, even for first-time grillers. We had no issues with food sticking to the porcelain-enameled cast iron grill grates, even when cooking a delicate snapper fillet.
The grill includes a handy fuel gauge that shows the rough level of gas in the propane tank based on its weight, which is useful for long grilling sessions. With one fixed and one folding side table, this grill offers plenty of prep room. The sturdy side tables also have hooks for all your grilling accessories, and there’s additional storage space under the grill on its cart. Even though this model weighs more than 100 pounds and only has two wheels on one side, the wheels are large enough to roll over uneven surfaces without getting stuck.
But, because this grill is pretty large, the grate slats may be a little wide for food that falls apart easily, such as onions. And it's worth noting that although the burners adjust fluidly and responsively, we found the knobs needed to be dialed down a bit during our testing, mainly when the lid was closed.
Price at time of publication: $639
Product Details:
Dimensions: 57 x 44.5 x 27 inches
Type: Gas
Cooking Surface Dimensions: 529 square inches
Special Features: Folding and fixed side tables, tool hooks, built-in fuel gauge
Best for Camping: Weber Traveler Portable Gas Grill
Why We Like It: The built-in grill stand folds neatly into a compact unit that can be rolled like a small-wheeled suitcase.
It’s Worth Noting: The narrow grill grates take a bit of work to clean, which makes the whole unit shake.
With a long, oval shape and collapsible stand that also serves as a wheeled cart, this grill is made for tailgating and lakeshore cookouts. Traveling well doesn’t mean skimping on size, though: This grill fits up to 15 burgers on its porcelain-enameled cast iron cooking grates. For portability purposes, the grill is fueled by a disposable 1-pound propane cylinder, but an adapter hose is included to connect to a 20-pound tank at home.
When we first set up the grill, it took a couple of tries to thread the propane cylinder on correctly. Once it’s in place, a locking mechanism prevents the grill from collapsing. When you’re ready to pack up, just pull the lever slowly to fold down the grill.
The single temperature knob was accurate and easy to adjust, taking the guesswork out of heat control, and the shallow dome of the lid also made the built-in external thermometer more accurate than other models. However, the heat dissipated quickly each time the lid was opened, so it’s best to preheat the grill and avoid opening the lid.
Price at time of publication: $449
Product Details:
Dimensions: 43.6 x 37.2 x 23 inches
Type: Gas
Cooking Surface Dimensions: 320 square inches
Special Features: Folding legs with wheels, side table, lid lock, color options
Best for Small Spaces: Weber Q 1200 Gas Grill
Why We Like It: The oval burner brings the grill up to high temperatures that sears steak or fish with classic grill marks and an evenly cooked interior.
It’s Worth Noting: The shape and design make this grill easy to pack up but awkward to carry long distances.
A tabletop grill like Weber’s Q 1200 model can be the perfect solution for a balcony or a fishing expedition. Weighing 31 pounds, this grill is light enough to lift in and out of a car or even carry a short distance to set up for a sunset view. To keep the grill light, the grates are made of porcelain-enameled cast iron, but the housing is hard anodized plastic that can withstand heat. Bowed legs give the grill extra stability, and the side tables fold into the firebox for compact storage.
An oval stainless steel burner fills the fire box to help distribute heat evenly. During testing, fish didn’t stick when it was time to flip, and the second, fleshy side had deep tan grill marks. Steak also grilled up beautifully, with defined grill marks and minimal charring on the fat.
The grill is fueled by a disposable 1-pound propane cylinder. The placement of the propane inlet made attaching the propane cylinder a bit difficult, so for home use it may be best to purchase an adapter hose for a full-size, 20-pound tank. Add-ons include a grill cart and cover.
Price at time of publication: $287
Product Details:
Dimensions: 40.9 x 16.5 x 15.5 inches
Type: Gas
Cooking Surface Dimensions: 189 square inches
Special Features: Folding and stowable side tables, color options
Easiest to Use: Coleman RoadTrip X-Cursion 2 Burner Propane Gas Portable Grill
Why We Like It: The temperature set by the control knobs is spot on, and the grill can handle anything you throw on it.
It’s Worth Noting: The lid lock releases with light pressure, and the base can tilt with too much weight on the side table.
Coleman has a long history of making portable grills, and the RoadTrip line adds popup designs to its collection. With a plastic exterior and porcelain-coated, cast iron interior and grates, this grill weighs about 50 pounds. It takes some maneuvering to collapse, but rolls well over rough surfaces once it’s in travel mode.
The grates are more grill pan than traditional open-slat format, creating an even sear on meat rather than distinguishable grill marks. In our testing, fish and steak had a lovely golden exterior and were incredibly moist. When we tested the grill’s temperature with an independent thermometer, it was right on point with the setting indicated on the control knobs.
The grill grate design practically eliminates flareups and minimizes mess in the firebox. The entire firebox lifts out so that it can be sprayed with a hose or wiped out for easy cleaning. A disposable, 1-pound propane cylinder attaches easily under the burner controls, but you could also connect a full-size 20-pound tank via an adaptor hose. Coleman sells interchangeable cooktops for this grill, including a griddle and a stove grate.
Price at time of publication: $220
Product Details:
Dimensions: 32 x 19 x 12 inches
Type: Gas
Cooking Surface Dimensions: 285 square inches
Special Features: Folding legs with wheels, side table, color options
Best with Smoker: Masterbuilt Portable Charcoal Grill and Smoker with Cart
Why We Like It: The charcoal hopper holds 1.5 pounds of briquettes, reduces charcoal use, and speeds up cleaning time after a grilling session.
It’s Worth Noting: The charcoal hopper top grows hot while in use, requiring heatproof gloves for a midsession refill.
Whether you’re looking for a small beach grill for burgers or a portable option that lets you grill and smoke all sorts of food, this Masterbuilt unit fits the bill. The combination of a quick-load charcoal hopper to feed the fire and a dial to manage the forced air heating gives it the temperature control of a gas model. During testing, there was never more than a 10-degree difference between the lid thermometer and an independent probe.
The porcelain-coated steel grates sit flush against the grill sides, which maximizes the grilling surface—although it also requires careful turning for food like corn cobs. The broiler’s pan-like surface nicely seared burgers and brats during our testing and left a slight char on corn, more like sear marks than classic grill marks.
The grill’s oversized wheels make it easy to move over variable terrain, and everything fits snugly thanks to a locking lid. The wide base makes it stable when fully unfolded. You can use a cord to power the forced air if you’re grilling at home or opt for AA batteries when off-grid.
Price at time of publication: $324
Product Details:
Dimensions: 45 x 36 x 19 inches
Type: Charcoal
Cooking Surface Dimensions: 200 square inches
Special Features: Charcoal hopper, foldable legs with wheels, locking lid, side shelves
Best Charcoal: Everdure CUBE Portable Charcoal Grill
Why We Like It: No larger than a drink cooler and just as easy to move, this compact grill uses minimal fuel for a small meal.
It’s Worth Noting: A plastic food tray and bamboo cutting board form the “lid” when transporting the grill, but all cooking is done on an open surface.
This little portable charcoal grill comes fully assembled and ready to grab and go. At just 15 pounds, it’s easy to carry to a beach picnic or outdoor potluck. Its flat bottom and rubber feet let it sit securely on a table or bench.
We didn’t need much charcoal to heat the grill, just a single layer of briquettes. The small size also makes unlidded cooking possible. The lid doubles as a plastic food tray and bamboo cutting board, neither of which should be heated. This limits you to foil packets if you want to steam on this grill and gives few options for heat control if you overload the firebox.
During testing, we cooked burgers, corn on the cob, and brats for two and it didn't crowd the grill’s cooking area, which allowed enough airflow for even cooking. The chrome grate leaves grill marks on brats and char on both burgers and corn. To top it off, grate cleaning requires little effort, especially if you oil the slats before you cook.
Price at time of publication: $199
Product Details:
Dimensions: 16.7 x 13.7 x 9.1 inches
Type: Charcoal
Cooking Surface Dimensions: 104 square inches
Special Features: Storage tray, serving board, removable firebox, color options
Best Tabletop: Oklahoma Joe's Rambler Tabletop Charcoal Grill
Why We Like It: The adjustable charcoal grate and top and bottom dampers provide full temperature control.
It’s Worth Noting: Treat this solidly built grill like your favorite cast iron pans to prevent rust and allow quick cleanup.
Instead of using plastics and collapsible features to increase portability, Oklahoma Joe’s Rambler grill goes to the other extreme: it’s all cast iron and steel, making it the most stable tabletop grill we tested. You won’t want to move this grill far, but you also don’t have to set it up each time you use it or worry about it tipping over. The grilling surface has ample room and the cast iron grates brown food exceedingly well.
With two dampers and four height settings for the charcoal grate, this grill has superb temperature control. The two-piece grill grates are balanced enough to pick up with grill tongs before adjusting the coals. During testing, all handles remained cool to the touch or warmed just slightly, even the damper handles. Although it’s designed as a grill, the heavy-duty construction retains enough steady heat to double as a tabletop smoker.
Price at time of publication: $199
Product Details:
Dimensions: 26.8 x 21.8 x 19.5 inches
Type: Charcoal
Cooking Surface Dimensions: 218 square inches
Special Features: Steel exterior, height-adjustable charcoal tray, full-size removable ash pan
Best Smart: Weber Genesis EX-325S Propane Gas Smart Grill
Why We Like It: Smart monitoring technology and a solid design make temperature control foolproof, whether using the sear zone to flash a steak or indirect heat for beer can chicken.
It’s Worth Noting: You should expect to spend some time assembling the grill.
Weber’s smart grill combines a top-of-the line grill with built-in monitoring technology. We found temperature control easier on this grill than most of the others we tested. A sear knob can even ignite an additional burner, increasing heat output under the porcelain-enameled, cast iron grates.
Beyond its overall performance, what makes this grill stand out are the smart features that alert you when the grill reaches the desired temperature. The features allow you to monitor internal food temperatures, and even let you start the grill using its app. This is particularly helpful if you tend to wander while grilling (the Bluetooth stayed connected from about 30 yards away during our testing) or do a lot of indirect cooking or smoking.
It took nearly an hour to put the grill together, but clear, precise assembly and operating instructions made the project frustration free. Large side tables and tool hooks keep accessories organized and within reach. The grill comes ready to hook up to propane or natural gas and can be further upgraded to four grilling burners, a side burner, and other features.
Price at time of publication: $1,279
Product Details:
Dimensions: 62 x 48.5 x 27 inches
Type: Gas
Cooking Surface Dimensions: 787 square inches
Special Features: Side table, expandable grate, available for liquid propane or natural gas
Our Testing Process
To find the best grills, we spoke with experts to determine which setups and features to look for in grills, particularly with an eye toward healthy cooking. Experts we spoke to include:
Chef Manda Hudak, BS, CIA, Program Director and Instructor, The Culinary Institute of Montana at Flathead Valley Community College, Kalispell, MT
Mike Davis, Owner and Executive Chef at Terra in Charleston, SC
To find our top picks, we tried out numerous gas and charcoal grills in varied settings. We tested each gas grill’s nonstick ability and performance using both indirect heat and high, searing heat by cooking a delicate protein like snapper and a marbled meat like strip steak. For charcoal grills, we fired up briquettes under unhusked corn, burgers, and sausages to test each grill’s capacity and performance.
We then recorded our impressions of ease of use and cleaning and design. We also noted how effortless or difficult it was to lift, move, and set up the tested portable grills.
What to Know About the Best Grills
Price
Most of the grills we recommend range from $200 to $600, with a smart-technology model coming in above $1,000. We also tested more affordable models but found them more prone to issues like temperature swings, significant hotspots, and design concerns. Among those we recommend, expect to pay more for a larger grilling area, greater number of burners, and special features like a side burner. You’re also likely to spend additional money on add-ons like a cover.
Fuel Type
Grills typically use liquid propane gas or charcoal for fuel. Full-format gas grills usually connect to a refillable 20-pound tank, although a house propane line connection may be possible with the proper equipment. If you want to convert your grill to natural gas, you’ll need to hire a licensed professional.
Most portable gas grills are fueled by a disposable 1-pound propane cylinder, but some models accept adapters that let you hook up a larger refillable tank. Charcoal grills can be fueled by briquettes or lump charcoal, which are usually piled into a chimney starter that makes the fuel easy to light. Grills that double as smokers sometimes use wood pellets as fuel.
Size
Consider where you want to cook and how many people you need to feed when choosing a grill size. Large, bulky grills can be ideal for backyard parties, but even ones with wheels aren’t designed to be moved farther than a garage for winter storage. Grills with a smaller cooking area may be all you need for intimate dinners. They may also fit better on a balcony or in a small yard and will use less fuel.
Still, even small families may want to consider a large-format grill. “I like to have a grill that’s large enough to have two different temperatures,” says Chef Hudak, “When I’m cooking a burger, I place it down on the high side, and then after it releases with those nice marks, I pick it up and move it 90 degrees to get the cross marks. Then I turn it over and move it to the low side. On a tiny hibachi, it’s hard to do that.”
Portable grills are best for car camping or beach parties, but you’ll need to think about squeezing them into the car and how far you can wheel or carry them. Whichever size you choose, you always need extra space around the grill, including overhead. Weber recommends using all of its grills at least 2 feet from any combustible materials, and Masterbuilt specifies a 10-foot clearance around its portable charcoal grill and smoker.
Special Features
Most special features extend from the grill body, including side tables and burners, tool hooks, and carts. Where and how you grill will determine whether a feature is useful or simply in your way. Inside the grill body, burner number and shape or charcoal grate height and size can affect whether food cools evenly or tends to burn.
It’s also worth looking at the grill grate material and the size and spacing of the slats. “I’m hesitant about anything that’s been glazed because of the high temperature you’re cooking at, so I want a grill with unglazed surfaces,” says Chef Hudak. She recommends unglazed cast iron grates, which take time to heat but then hold that heat well. Besides, she and her students rarely use glazed grill surfaces or pans in the culinary arts kitchen. “Take a nod from the pro world and avoid glazing,” she advises.
Accessories
Grilling accessories like grill mitts, long heatproof tongs, heatproof spatulas, and a grill brush are essentials, both for your safety and for ease of cooking. A cover is worth adding to your setup to protect the grill from weather. Variations on standard cooking grates, including stainless steel slats, cast iron cooking plates, or grill pans that rest on a grate can be useful if you plan to grill more than burgers and steaks.
Most gas grills have a thermometer set into their lids, but in our testing, the built-in thermometer temperatures varied widely on nearly all models when compared with an independent thermometer. This was true for both internal ambient and food temperature. We recommend adding an infrared or probe thermometer to your grilling accessories for accurate readings.
For charcoal grills, a chimney starter makes it easy to light all-natural briquettes without lighter fluid. You can also purchase “match light” briquettes, which are precoated with lighter fluid, or sprinkle fire starter on briquettes yourself, but this can lead to flareups and leave a bitter, chemical flavor on food.
More Grills to Consider
We also tested these grills, and although they didn’t live up to our expectations, they may interest you:
Cuisinart CGG-750 Venture Gas Grill: This grill’s compact design caught our attention. Everything fits neatly inside a box that can be carried like a picnic basket. In testing, it performed like a portable cast iron pan, since it lacks a heatproof lid. A small stainless steel dome can be purchased separately, but it won’t fit in the tidy box.
Weber Genesis E-325s 3-Burner Gas Grill: This version of Weber’s Genesis grill lacks the smart technology of our Best Smart Grill pick, shaving close to $200 off the cost. Even then, this grill is such an investment we’d rather have the smart features than the discount.
PK Grills PKGO Camp and Tailgate Grilling System: We liked the idea of this system, with a top that can be used as a lid or converted to a second hibachi-style grill for doubled cooking area. Made entirely of cast iron, this grill retained heat and performed well in testing, but it is incredibly heavy and becomes quite hot inside and out.
Your Questions, Answered
How do you know when it’s time to replace a grill?
Caring properly for a grill can help it to last for a decade or more, but any issues related to grill safety will require a replacement. Gas leaks or a broken regulator are top concerns. If you notice either, immediately shut off the grill and have it repaired or replaced.
A rusty firebox can develop holes or crack with continued use, and corrosion can spread with lack of care or weather exposure, eventually causing a grill body, frame, or supports to fail. Heavy grease buildup may be impossible to clean, presenting a severe fire risk and even eating away interior surfaces. To make replacement less likely, Chef Hudak recommends always starting with a clean grill and keeping it clean by bringing up the heat until anything on the grates chars and can be scraped off.
Is a gas grill better than a charcoal grill?
Gas grills light and heat up quickly, and you adjust the temperature like you would on a kitchen stovetop. On the downside, you might have little recourse if a gas grill heats unevenly, and failure of key features can mean an expensive repair or replacement. Charcoal grills take longer to reach cooking temperature, but they typically have fewer parts that can fail.
Flavorwise, quick cooking versus smoky flavor comes down to personal taste. Ultimately, the choice of gas or charcoal comes down to your lifestyle and grilling habits.
Is grilling food healthy for you?
When it comes to health, what you choose to put on the grill has the greatest influence on its nutritional value. Foods best eaten in moderation, like fatty and processed meats, can be healthier when grilled than deep fried, but that doesn’t mean you should eat them daily. In contrast, the health benefits of leaner meats high in vitamin B12, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids, like trout and salmon, can be maximized when grilled with minimal oil and salt. Fresh vegetables that tend to be overcooked until unappealing, such as eggplant and okra, can keep their texture, flavor, and nutrients when lightly cooked on a grill.
Chef Hudak stresses that healthy grilling starts with avoiding bottled marinades and barbecue sauces, particularly those with high-fructose corn syrup and other processed sweeteners. Instead, she advocates making your own marinades with natural sweeteners like honey and maple syrup—and then using them with a light hand. “Everybody thinks you have to marinate, marinate, marinate, marinate. People put meat on the grill, it starts to stick, and they think they need more oil. But that’s not it,” she says. “You need to leave it on the grill until it releases itself.”
Are carcinogens a concern when grilling?
Cooking over an open flame can cause carcinogens to develop in well-done meat. These substances, which include heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and other carcinogens, may cause DNA changes that increase cancer risk.These findings are not specific to grilling: meat cooked until well done under a broiler or using another high-heat method has also been found to develop HCAs and related carcinogens.
Other studies have come to contradictory conclusions. There are still a lot of questions to be answered about the risk to humans, including who is most at risk and what level of prevention is necessary.
Who We Are
Julie Laing has been a writer and editor for 25-plus years and enjoys exploring how health, movement, and food intersect. She is a cookbook author, food columnist, recipe developer, and product tester. Some of her favorite grilled foods are corn in its husk, asparagus, pineapple, shrimp, and salmon, and she regularly cold-smokes cheese, cherries, and chilies on an old kettle grill.
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