The Best Grill Deals to Shop Ahead of Amazon Prime Day, Starting at $30

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There’s a Blackstone and a Weber involved.

My dad used to tell this story about how he held an umbrella for my grandpa so he could grill in the rain. I never did that, not because I’m a bad son, but because I grew up in Los Angeles, and it doesn’t rain there. This is all to say: My dad passed on his love of grilling to me, and I spend most of my workdays testing, writing, and looking for great deals on them.

And Amazon is full of them right now. It’s not Prime Day yet, but the prices are reflective of it. With Weber propane grills, Blackstone griddles, and Coleman portable cookers all on sale, it’s practically Black Friday in July. To help you parse through the plethora of grill deals, I rounded up the eight best. Here it goes.

8 Best Early Prime Day Grill Deals at Amazon:

• Weber Genesis E-325S Propane Grill, $899 (originally $1049)

• Blackstone Tabletop Griddle, $132 (originally $200)

• Weber Original Kettle Charcoal Grill, $119 (originally $131)

• Char-Broil Standard Portable Liquid Propane Grill, $34 (originally $50)

• Cuisinart CGG-240 Gas Grill, $200 (originally $270)

• Royal Gourmet 30-Inch BBQ Charcoal Grill, $120 (originally $160)

• Cuisinart Portable Charcoal Grill, $30 (originally $40)

• Coleman RoadTrip 285 Gas Grill, $250 (originally $320)

Weber Genesis E-325S Propane Grill

To buy: $899 (originally $1,049) at amazon.com

So this is the grill I just picked out for my dad, and I’m pretty sure he’s going to love it. He hasn’t upgraded his grill in 20 years, but he uses it every day. This grill isn’t smart, but it is efficient, classic, and does the job. In fact, it’s a Food & Wine Favorite, thanks to how intuitive and user-friendly it is. Not to mention, there’s an expansive 994-square-inch cooking surface ideal for grilling for a crowd.

Blackstone Tabletop Griddle

To buy: $132 (originally $200) at amazon.com

I’ve been hearing a lot of talk about how the outdoor griddle is the secret to juicy burgers and steaks. It’s booming in popularity, and there’s one brand synonymous with the cooker: Blackstone. This is a somewhat small Blackstone, providing 339 square inches of cooking surface, but it's plenty of room since there are no grates to avoid. It can cook 12 burgers, 30 hotdogs, or 16 eggs at once. It fits on a tabletop and can be placed away for easy storage, too.

Weber Original Kettle Charcoal Grill

To buy: $119 (originally $131) at amazon.com

There is nothing like a classic, and this is perhaps the most classic grill. If you’re a charcoal griller, and let’s be real, some things do taste better when cooked over briquettes, and you’re not cooking over this, what are you doing? It has an 18-inch diameter, a porcelain-enameled lid to retain heat, and a steel cooking grate that’s easy to clean. Add it to your backyard for a little more than $100 — it’ll likely last a lifetime.

Char-Broil Standard Portable Liquid Propane Grill

To buy: $34 (originally $50) at amazon.com

Unlike my father, I don’t have a big backyard, and so I’m looking for a small grill with a lot of power. This Char-Broil fits the bill perfectly, and it’s at its lowest price in 30 days — lucky me. It has a 187-square-inch cooking capacity, but the grate is dishwasher-safe, so charred chicken skin and pork fat will come off with ease. It also has legs that fold over the top of the grill to lock the lid in place and make storage easy. I’ll send pictures of myself using it, I promise.

Cuisinart CGG-240 Gas Grill

To buy: $200 (originally $270) at amazon.com

There are a lot of smaller grills out there that you can easily take from Point A to Point B, but this one might reign supreme in my mind. It’s portable, complete with a foldable stand and wheels, but it still boasts a 240 square-inch cooking surface. And the surface isn’t steel, it’s cast iron, which provides excellent heat retention and will help you get the perfect sear every time. It’s ideal for smaller-space grillers (like myself), or grillers who like to tailgate or cook in more adventurous places than their backyard.

Royal Gourmet 30-Inch BBQ Charcoal Grill

To buy: $120 (originally $160) at amazon.com

OK, so the Weber classic didn’t catch your eye. That’s fine. What about this Royal Gourmet wonder? It’s a charcoal workhorse with 443 square inches of cooking space, plus a chrome-plated warming rack and offset smoker to keep things interesting. There’s plenty of room to store your tools or keep a tray of meat within an arm's reach, too. It’s bound to become your new favorite (unless I scoop it up first).

Cuisinart Portable Charcoal Grill

To buy: $30 (originally $40) at amazon.com

People: For just $30, you can have a little grill of your very own. This Cuisinart model measures 14 inches in diameter, making it perfect for grilling just a few burgers or a big New York strip. It’s a bestseller in charcoal grills at Amazon, thanks to how easy it is to clean, use, and store. Just pop it on your table, light it up, and you’re set for summer.

Coleman RoadTrip 285 Gas Grill

To buy: $250 (originally $320) at amazon.com

Last but not least, there’s this excellent Coleman pick. It’s powered by gas, but it’s extremely portable thanks to foldable legs and wheels. It has a 285-square-inch cooking surface, three adjustable burners, and a push-button ignition. But the portability is its real perk: It folds up and rolls away like a suitcase. I mean, how cool is that?

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