Alex Temblador
Whether you're a first-time grill owner or you're hoping to upgrade, our list of the best grills ought to help sway this all-important decision. Our team of reviewers has been busy this summer cooking on a load of barbecues, from the likes of Weber, Everdure by Heston Blumenthal, Char-Broil, and many more big brands, to help you pick with ease.
Because a grill isn't something you can try before you buy, we've done the job for you. Whether you're searching for a portable grill for use on your balcony or to take on vacation, or maybe it's a do-it-all smart model that you want to invest in, keep scrolling for our verdict. Our guide features a grill for every budget and all backyard sizes, plus we've included some of the gas, charcoal, and hybrid models below, too. As well as a pellet smoker if you're getting super serious with your outdoor cooking.
Now's the best time of year to get your hands on a new grill, ready for next year. Get grilling with our top recommendations. Check out our best pizza oven guide so you can feast on homemade pizza in the backyard, too.
The best grills
Our favorite gas grill is the Weber Genesis II EX-335 GBS. It's designed to last and is both durable and easy to clean. Not only that, but it's super convenient and simple to use. Its smart features make it the perfect pick for serious outdoor cooks, so if you're just looking to cook up a few burgers, this isn't really for you. We rate it five out of five stars.
Cooking ability
This grill is great for cooking for groups of people, with plenty of space including three burners and a keep cool rack. You sync it with your smartphone and hook your food up to the temperature gauge for up-to-date alerts on when your food is done. We used it to cook everything from sausages to spatchcock chicken, potatoes, peppers, corn, steaks, and more. Our one complaint is that it only comes with one probe to check the temperature.
Design
This barbecue certainly comes with space demands, so it's definitely a better option for people with sizeable yards. It is easy enough to store though, with four wheels (two of them lockable) for easy moving.
Good to know
Offering a sturdy design, this grill features a porcelain enameled lid two stainless steel side tables, and painted steel doors. Assembly takes a while and is a bit fiddly. You need a total of 10 batteries to use this grill.
We can highly recommend buying the Green Egg; it's everybody’s favorite (including ours) in terms of style and substance and it’s perfect for small spaces, terraces, and patios. We tested it in our yard and rated it five out of five stars. It's extremely high quality and really it's a lifelong grill. It can cook all foods to an incredibly high standard, but just bear in mind its hefty price tag.
Cooking ability
This charcoal grill requires lump charcoal to cook your food, and it has a handy fill line so that you know how much to use (this should last for three uses). Thanks to patented air-flow technology, once the Big Green Egg is up to temperature (which doesn’t take long at all), it maintains it nice and steady so there’s no worry about over or undercooking food. Having a predictable barbecue gives peace of mind, especially when you’re having people over. You can also control the temperature to within a few degrees for precise cooking. It retains heat incredibly well since it's ceramic, plus you can buy a special ceramic attachment, a convEGGtor, to indirectly cook your food. Otherwise, bear in mind it doesn't have a keep warm rack.
Design
If you buy the Big Green Egg on its own, it will arrive without a stand to pop it inside. And it will crack if not properly supported. It might be a good idea to get a 'Nest' with your grill as this features wooden shelves on either side, so you can keep meat and fish separate, or use one shelf for the cooked food and another for the rolls and salads. This kamado grill does come in other sizes, too.
Good to know
No need to worry about children dashing about, as this design has superior insulation so the outside of the egg is never too hot to touch. It’s also self-cleaning as the oil and fat left over after cooking are both burnt down by the Egg’s residual heat leaving a fine ash that can easily be brushed away. The only this holding this grill back are its higher price tag and heavy weight.
Should you be searching for a charcoal grill, then this one from Char-Griller is your best bet. We tested it and gave it 4.5 stars out of 5. Not only is it great for cooking your classic barbecue food, like burgers and sausages, but it can also smoke, roast, and bake food. Plus, it's great for larger families with a decent size cooking area on offer, with a removable warming rack too.
Cooking ability
This charcoal grill is easy to ignite thanks to its integrated fan. Even though it's fuelled by charcoal, it offers total temperature control and once it's ready to cook, you'll get an alert on your phone. Yes, it connects to your smartphone and also has an LCD digital display for those who aren't as tech-savvy. Otherwise, bear in mind that you need to season the cooking plates before use. You can set timers for your food and thanks to its built-in temperature probes, you can check that your meat is cooked with ease (and peace of mind). It offers heaps of space for cooking various foods at one time, plus it has a warming rack to help you with timings.
Design
This grill comes in a range of sizes, but we tested the large size. With this in mind, its design is suitable for all spaces, large and small, balconies and back yards. It offers plenty of storage space while cooking, from two side shelves to three hooks for your utensils. Moreover, it has a storage shelf underneath for holding your plates or your buns while you cook. It comes in your choice of black, red, blue, or grey.
Good to know
It needs to be covered if kept outside to avoid rusting. We found that it burned through charcoal fast while testing and that its probe was sometimes a little inaccurate.
Whether one member of your family prefers gas and the other prefers coal or you’re really looking to maximize every available opportunity to cook outside this summer, we can recommend this barbecue which leaves you with plenty of scope for creating amazing food.
Cooking ability
This design offers great gas temperature control with two, three, or four individual burners that allow you to get the temperature just right when cooking on the gas setting. There’s an off-heat cooking option for that smoky, slow-cooked flavor while the ability to cook without the heat on in the charcoal mode is great. The results, flavor-wise, are stunning. We cooked steaks, chicken, asparagus, skewers, scallops, and sausages on this grill.
Design
There is a little space with a side shelf and warming rack, which is also handy for keeping food warm. Otherwise, if you're not using the side burner you can use this as extra food prep space. Underneath the BBQ you'll find more storage space for tools and more. It also sits on wheels for easy transportation. Its side shelves don't fold, but you can use them to help move the BBQ into place if need be.
Good to know
It comes in several sizes so you can choose the best for your family size and budget. Assembly also took a while, so don't expect to unbox it and be cooking within half an hour.
We're currently testing this gas grill from Weber, however, we can say so far that we love it. It's app-compatible meaning you can check on its temperature from indoors, whilst you can use it for roasting, baking, steaming, or even stir-frying. It even has a side burner for extra cooking space. It comes in your choice of four burners or three, and it can be fuelled by natural gas. It offers heaps of storage including two side shelves and a cabinet underneath the grill itself. It sits on lockable wheels to make it easier to move around your yard, and is definitely better suited for large families or those who use their grill often. We'll update this when our review goes live.
We're currently testing this Cuisinart grill in a large family backyard. At the moment, we're enjoying cooking on it, and with five burners plus a side burner on offer, it's the ideal pick for larger spaces. If you often have yard parties or you have a larger family, this is the grill for you as it offers total control over several zones, so that you can cook everything from wings to burgers, sausages, and corn all at one time. It has a sizeable keep-warm rack plus lots of storage on board, to keep your sauces, your buns, and your plates nearby. Even better? It's surprisingly affordable considering its large size. We'll update this once our review is live.
If you're searching for something that can do everything a full-size model can, then the Weber Go-Anywhere is your best bet. We've given this grill five out of five stars, and we really wish we could give it more. Its brilliant design paired with its sizable cooking area make grilling up a storm easy, while it sits at a happy-go-lucky price point, too. What's not to love?
Cooking ability
We used it to cook everything from chicken wings to burgers, sausages, corn, and a joint of beef. It took around 25–30 minutes to get hot each time we tested it. You can fit six to eight burgers on there at one time, so we used it for batch cooking for a large group as well as just for the two of us. It can tackle pretty much any task, big or small.
Design
The unique design of the Go Anywhere is what initially caught our eye. It has foldable feet that unhook to cuddle the grill and its lid, to ensure it's secure when you're taking it on the go. It's super sturdy and has a comfortable handle that never gets hot, and it has plenty of vents to allow airflow.
Good to know
This grill comes with a briquette bowl to help you measure the charcoal you need. It's easy to clean after use and we put the grates in the dishwasher for ease. It has a hinged lid to protect it from the wind while cooking. Our only dislike is that it doesn't come in more colors. You can leave it outside if you like, but we'd suggest covering it or placing it somewhere the rain can't reach. Though it is fuelled by charcoal, we don't rate it as our best overall charcoal grill because of its smaller size.
A very convenient grill that's fit for big families and large yards alike, the Weber Smokefire is brilliant. It makes cooking anything and everything super easy, and you can check on your food while you're in the kitchen rustling up a salad to accompany your food. The app compatibility is second to none and is undeniably handy when it comes to getting the perfect temperature. It's definitely one for barbecue enthusiasts.
Cooking ability
The Weber Smokefire can be controlled by the Weber Connect app for ease of cooking. You set the temperature of the smoker on this app and using the probe, you can use it to check the cooking status of your food. It also has a control panel on the grill. We used this smoker to cook a lamb shoulder joint, ribs, steak, and kebabs. We found the keep-warm rack super helpful and everything we cooked came out with a true smoky taste. Cooking made easy.
Design
It's not the prettiest to have in your yard, but admittedly it could look worse and does rock that pitmaster vibe. It sits on wheels and is easy to transport considering its size. The only thing is that it requires power to work, which means it needs to be positioned close to a power outlet.
Good to know
This grill requires two people for assembly, and it arrives in a very large box. It's easy to clean although for the first three uses it advises you not to clean the grates to season them. It also boasts a night light if you're ever cooking in the dark, and handily enough it alerts you when you need to add more pellets.
Offering outstanding control and good looks, the Everdure by Heston Blumenthal Force 2 Burner Gas grill is a great investment. When it comes to ease of use it's right up there too.
Cooking abilities
Any cooking gadget or appliance with the name Heston Blumenthal attached to it is going to be great quality and well thought out, and this Everdure by Heston Blumenthal Force 2 Burner Gas BBQ is no different. A beautiful piece of design, we think it's well worth the investment. It comes with independently controlled gas burners for cooking on and off the heat with variable heat control so you can ensure that ingredients are cooking at the perfect temperature. Cook with the hood up or down, with it being high enough for convection cooking if you fancy a large joint of meat. We used it to cook burgers and sausages, as well as a whole chicken, a shoulder of lamb plus veggies.
Design
Side shelves and extra storage space below provide all the space you need for sauces and salads. The die-cast aluminum body is rust-proof and feels extremely sturdy and durable. Choose from a range of colors including blue, orange, or graphite.
Good to know
Bear in mind that the plates are enamel coated, which means you'll need to clean them more carefully without the use of conventional scourers. Try a nylon brush instead. It's also a bit tricky to clean inside.
If you're searching for a compact grill, perhaps because you have a small yard or maybe because you rarely cook outside? The Weber Smokey Joe is the best option for you. This brilliant little grill might lack a little when it comes to size, but it certainly makes up for it when it comes to features. You can use this small yet mighty grill to cook everything from burgers to a Tomahawk steak.
Cooking features
For a portable model, it’s packed full of features such as a steel cooking grate, a tuck-n-carry lid, a steel charcoal grate for aeration, and a briquette measuring cup so you don’t overdo it on the heat production. It's pretty simple to use and it's more than easy to get good results. We tested this grill with everything from burgers to a Tomahawk, kebabs, and lots of smaller cuts of meat. It's safe for us to say we were more than impressed. In fact, one of the times we tested this grill we cooked for around 20 people, making burgers in batches, and it performed brilliantly.
Storage space
There’s no storage space with this grill, but you wouldn’t expect it for such a small model or such a low price. It sits atop a table when in use. Though not technically storage, it does have a hinged lid that can be used for shielding the weather whilst in use.
Added benefits
At just 7.7lbs, this is lightweight enough to take with you to the beach, park, festival, or camping site. When we tested this BBQ, we noticed that though it does have a tuck-n-carry lid, it's not the most secure. Bearing this in mind, we wouldn't suggest putting it in a car filled with ash or charcoal in case of spillage. You can also use this BBQ to indirectly cook food by rearranging the coals once they've burned. This is great when it comes to cooking joints and delicate pieces of fish.
If you're savvy with your money, we can recommend buying the George Foreman Indoor and Outdoor Grill which can double up as a tabletop cooker and grill. Whether you’re taking on the cooking responsibilities at a summer cookout or cooking a healthy mid-week dinner for the family, this grill should enable you to do it with ease, whatever the weather.
Cooking features
Perfect for meat or fish, this portable appliance can easily cook 15 portions of food. There’s also an outside temperature gauge so you can keep an eye on the temperature inside of it, too.
Design
There’s no storage with the unit but when it comes to storing it yourself, simply remove the stand and the grill will sit neatly on the table or worktop.
Good to know
Cleaning this grill is easy as it comes with non-stick removable plates, which are also angled so they drain fat and grease away into the integrated drip tray. No need for connecting to a gas canister or messing around with dirty charcoal – just plug in and away you go.
Which is the best grill?
For a recap, the best gas grill is the Weber Genesis II E-310. The best charcoal grill is the Char-Griller Akorn Kamado, the best hybrid grill we think is the Char-Broil Gas2Coal and the best electric grill is the George Foreman Indoor Outdoor Grill.
Which type of grill should you use?
When buying a grill, there is a lot to consider — the price, how much space it takes, its capacity to hold food — but there is one aspect that buyers tend to get hung up on: what's the best power source? Charcoal, liquid propane, electric, and wood pellets are the main power sources for grills and each offers a little something different.
Electric
Electric grills are usually small in size and used inside, though there are a few outdoor electric grills. They can be much easier to clean than other types of grills, however, don't expect to be able to grill a lot on electric grills as they don't tend to have large surface areas.
Charcoal
A lot of barbecuers love charcoal. It offers a smoky, delicious taste to food and they don't tend to take up a lot of space. Though we've included a top-notch charcoal grill in this guide, there are a ton of cheap and affordable options like the Weber 441. Keep in mind that charcoal grills take much longer to heat up and the temperature is much harder to control. Plus, when you're done using a charcoal grill, you have a bit of a mess to clean up.
Gas
Propane grills are convenient. You don't have to wait for anything to heat up and you can begin cooking right away. The drawback is that you never know how much propane is left in a tank and they don't generally offer smoky or woodsy flavoring that's associated with charcoal or wood pellet grills. Some even claim you can taste the propane, but that might be a bit of a stretch. If you're looking for ease and convenience or even the ability to adjust your temperature quickly, then a propane grill is the way to go.
Wood pellets
Most people don't cook over open wood fires anymore because it takes too long for the fire and heat to build. The grilling gods have found a way to create the same effect with wood pellet grills. If you can afford them, wood pellet grills are phenomenal because they grill, roast, sear, smoke, and much more in one grill. Like an oven, you can set your temperature with wood pellet grills and don't have to worry about it getting too hot or burning too low. Many, though not all, wood pellet grills have Wi-Fi connections and apps that can control the grilling features on your phone.
Real Homes review process
Everdure by Heston Blumenthal Force 2 in review in Linda Clayton's garden
Here at Real Homes, we like to have hands-on experience with all the grills we've featured in our guide. We've tested all bar just a couple of grills in this guide, and we are currently working on two grill reviews. Only the grills we've rewarded with four-out-of-five stars or more will make it to this guide, so you know you are getting the best of the best for your money.
The things we look out for in our reviews include; how easy it is to set up, cook meat and veggies, and store and maintain after each use. We also take into consideration the size of the grill because we know that not everyone has a large yard.
We like to test products for a minimum of six weeks so, in the interim, we have considered what other customers think of the product/s and have called upon our barbecuing knowledge thus far to share what we think are the best grills right now.
For more info, see our guide on how we review BBQs. Otherwise, you can read all about Real Homes reviews.
Meet our grill testers:
Millie has tested some of our most popular grills, with the Char-Broil Gas 2Coal and the Weber Smokefire being her favorites. Living in South London with minimal outdoor space to work with, Millie tested these grills in her parents' spacious countryside garden and used them to feed several mouths.
Annie has tested four portable barbecues in total, with her favourite being the Weber Go Anywhere. She also tested the Weber Smokey Joe from this list. Annie lives in an apartment in South East London and has a small amount of outdoor space to use for cooking, so finding a grill that's big in power but small in size was important to her.
Linda has tested plenty of barbecues in her lovely English countryside garden, and so far her favorite has to be the Everdure by Heston Blumenthal Force 2, especially when it comes to looks.
Alex lives in Texas and tests a range of products for Real Homes, including grills. She favors the Big Green Egg and rated it five -stars, with her only complaint being how heavy it is. She says it will last a lifetime. Otherwise, Alex has also tested the Char-Griller Akorn Kamado and couldn't believe how easy it was to use, and how much cooking space it offered considering its compact size. She's currently reviewing the Weber Genesis II SX-335 for us, too.
The rest of the barbecues on our list were tested by writers from our sister brands, including Ideal Home, Homes & Gardens and Gardeningetc.
