This is Part 5 of GrillSpot’s Ultimate Gas Grill Buying Guide, where we’ll cover everything you need to know about how to buy a gas grill, from what factors you need to consider to detailed guides dedicated to everything from budget to grill size to BTUs.
If you are in the market for a gas grill, you may already have a budget in mind for how much you want to spend, but you may also be wondering what you can expect from a grill at your price range when it comes to features, materials and durability, size, and firepower.
The cost of gas grills can range from as low as $100 to more than $6,000, depending on the size, materials, and features. In this section of the Ultimate Gas Grill Buying Guide, we’ll take a closer look at what features you can expect from different grills at different price points. Keep reading to learn more about:
- Factors to consider
- Gas grill price points
- Budget or entry-level gas grills
- Mid-range gas grills
- High-end gas grills
Let’s get cooking.
Gas Grill Budget: Factors to Consider
A gas grill price is affected by many different factors, all of which you’ll need to consider when building your BBQ budget and selecting your grill. These factors include:
- Your current yard setup: The size of the space where the grill will be going dictates how large the grill can be, which ultimately affects the price. Smaller grills with fewer burners or less cooking space typically cost less.
- How often you grill: Serious grillers, such as those who grill daily or year-round, should consider investing more money in a durable grill that will hold up for years with heavy use.
- How many people you grill for: If you routinely host cookouts with more than 4 guests, you will want to consider a grill with a larger cooking surface, which can cost more.
- Your preferred grilling method(s): If you like to use indirect grilling—which you probably should for anything that takes longer than 20 minutes to cook—you will want to look at grills that have at least three burners so you can ensure even cooking. The number of burners can impact price.
Gas Grill Price Points
Once you know what factors to consider when setting your budget, you can start to consider which price point works best for you. There are roughly three different price tiers for gas grills:
- Budget or entry-level grills: These grills are often smaller, use cheaper parts, and have fewer add-ons.
- Mid-range grills: Mid-range grills include a wider range of sizes, better quality materials, and more add-ons. They also typically offer improved but variable performance, depending on the grill.
- High-end grills: High-end grills are available in the widest range of sizes, are of the highest quality, offer the most add-ons and features, and typically provide the best performance.
If your budget is small, don’t worry—you can find good quality, durable grills within each price range. Let’s take a closer look at what each of these tiers has to offer:
Budget and Entry-level Gas Grills
Price range: Under $100-$300
Budget grills are the most inexpensive gas grills to purchase, have a good selection to choose from, and offer the greatest variability in quality across models.
Entry-level grills have a lower price for a variety of reasons:
- They’re often smaller, which means they have fewer burners and less cooking space
- They may be made with lower-quality, less durable materials
- They may come with shorter warranties
- They may offer fewer bells and whistles
The best gas grills under $300 will typically be practical, functional propane grills that are easy to use with pared-down but useful features, such as shelves, hooks for your tools, and cart storage under the grill. If you want extra features like rotisserie grills or smoker boxes, you’re not out of luck—many of these options can be purchased separately and added to a budget or entry-level grill with minimal effort.
If you need to cut back on something to fit a grill into your budget, you should consider passing on additional features and opt for a smaller size instead. Manufacturers often have to make sacrifices to quality in order to sell grills at such a low price, so by skipping on add-ons and cooking space, and sticking to trusted name brands, you will likely find the best gas grills under $200. At these prices, they may not have the highest quality metal body or best grill grates, but they will be usable, and—if you take care of them by performing regular maintenance—they will last several years. Plus, you can always invest in add-ons later.
Budget grills are ideal for:
- People who prefer propane gas grills—it is unlikely you will find a natural gas grill for under $300
- New grillers or people buying their first grill
- Sporadic or occasional grillers
- Those not interested in add-ons and fancy features
- Those who don’t need a large grill or don’t have the space for one
- Those who want a portable or freestanding gas grill
Mid-range Gas Grills
Price Range: $300-$750
Grills at mid-range prices are a step up from entry-level or budget grills. Because of their higher price point, they are typically more well-rounded than budget grills and you are less likely to purchase a lemon, but there is still some variability in quality.
At this price range, you will still predominantly find portable or freestanding propane gas grills made of folded sheet metal featuring paint, powder, or enamel coatings and plastic components. There will also be some better quality grills in the mix, with longer warranties, natural gas options, more reliable heating components, and features like view windows. If your budget is over $500, you will also have more luck finding a stainless steel grill body with higher quality grates.
Mid-range grills are ideal for:
- Most grillers who have the money to spend a little bit more for a gas grill
- Occasional and regular grillers looking to upgrade from an entry-level model
- Those looking for more add-ons and fancy features
High-end Gas Grills
Price Range: $750-$6,000+
High-end grills start at $750, but can exceed prices of $6,000. Anything in this price range is usually made with the highest quality components and materials, boasts the most impressive features, and comes with the best warranties. They also have better temperature ranges (including searing highs and comfortable lows safe enough to use with a smoker), as well as the evenest heating, better resistance to flare-ups, and more consistent, dependable performance. In this price range, you will also find a better mixture of propane and natural gas grills, as well as more built-in grills.
High-end grills can be broken into two categories:
- Premium grills: These typically top out around $3,000 and include features and accessories that are difficult to find in budget or mid-range grills, like integrated rotisseries, smoker boxes, griddles, steamer trays, infrared burners, heat zone separators, and backup igniters.
GRILL SPOT TIP: If you’re looking for premium features on a smaller budget, many of these add-ons can be purchased separately, including rotisserie kits, smoker boxes, griddles, and steamer trays.
- Luxury grills: Luxury grills typically start at $3,000 and can reach much higher price points. They are often made of the highest-quality, commercial-grade materials, have the best construction, and have the longest life expectancy of all of the grills, typically including a lifetime warranty. Like premium grills, they include a wide range of features and accessories. Luxury grills also include some additional features such as view windows, hood lights, built-in grease management systems, and more.
High-end grills are ideal for:
- People looking to make an investment in a grill
- Dedicated, all-season grillers looking for their dream grill
- Grillers who host large parties and cook often
- People with the space for a large grill
- People planning to stay in their current homes for a long time
- People who want an outdoor kitchen and a built-in grill
- Competition grillers
Wrapping Up
Your budget is often the more important factor to consider when buying a gas grill. To figure out what price point works best for you, look at your space, grilling habits, and aspirations, and set your expectations accordingly. If you have to save money somewhere, remember to skip on add-ons and extra features. It’s easy to be distracted by shiny extras but look for a grill with a well-made body and good grates, a suitable number of burners for its size, and a cooking area that suits your needs. It is possible to find a grill like this in every price range, but stick to the tier that works best for you:
- Budget or entry-level grills: Smaller sizes, cheaper parts, and fewer add-ons. Ideal for occasional and new grillers.
- Mid-range grills: Wider range of sizes, better quality of materials, and more add-ons. Improved but variable performance, depending on the grill. Ideal for occasional to regular grillers looking to upgrade their grill. This tier will satisfy the average griller’s needs.
- High-end grills: Wide range of sizes, highest quality materials, most add-ons and features, and the best performance. Ideal for dedicated grillers looking for their dream grill.
