The best grills

It's official: barbecue season is here. If your grill is looking a little sad after a cold winter and months of disuse, it might be time for an upgrade. Whether you're looking for a simple gas grill or a high-tech wood pellet smoker, the best grills are the key to delicious, flame-grilled food.

We've spent years cooking up batches of burgers, racks of ribs, and pounds of veggies to test pellet, gas, and charcoal grills. Below, you'll find our picks for the best grill for every budget and skill level, along with guidance on how to choose a grill that's best for you.

Our top picks of the best grills

Best pellet grill: Traeger Woodridge Pro - $1,149 at Amazon

Best gas grill: Weber Spirit E-435 - $779.99 $729.99 at Ace Hardware

Best charcoal grill: Weber Original Kettle - $159 $149 at Amazon

Best smoker: Weber 18" Smokey Mountain - $289.99 at Ace Hardware

Best portable grill: Weber Traveler - $449 at Weber

Best Kamado grill: Kamado Joe Classic II - $1,499 $1,364.64 at Amazon

Which grill is best for you?

To help you choose the best grill for you, we've broken down types of grills and their pros and cons below:

Best pellet grill

This versatile pellet grill can do it all. The Traeger Woodridge Pro grill has a 970-square-inch cooking space that's versatile enough to cook family meals during the week or invite a large crowd over on the weekends. Best of all, it has solid build quality and heat insulation, which makes it great at holding a steady temperature.

• See more of the best pellet grills.

The Pro is the best Traeger grill we've tested. All of the grills in the Traeger Woodridge series perform well at their main task, but the Woodridge Pro stands out because it gets the bulk of the features at a reasonable, affordable cost. Specifically, we really like its 24-pound hopper capacity, wood pellet sensor, extended prep area, and four wheels for easy transport.

It connects to an app. The WiFi connectivity is handy for monitoring temperatures and timers remotely. The mobile app is sleek and easy to use. For those who need a little inspiration, the app's recipes are easy to browse and can be sent to the grill when you're ready to cook.

It's suitable for beginners and pros alike. As capable as wood pellet smokers are for making lots of different meals, the Woodridge Pro's super smoke mode is a powerful feature for really infusing meat with flavor. It's a perfect first grill, but it's advanced enough for the professionals.

If you're a Traeger loyalist, we also have a guide to the best Traeger grills.

Best gas grill

Gas-powered grills are the easiest to use. Gas grills are convenient since they start and change temperature with the turn of a dial. The Weber Spirit E-435 is the best gas grill we've tested, with a mid-size cooking space, precise controls, and thorough cooking.

• See more of the best gas grills.

Everything we've cooked on this grill tastes delicious. Some dislike gas grills because they don't produce the same depth of flavor as charcoal grills — but that's not the case here. During testing, the Spirit E-435 cooked up delicious burgers, zucchini, and smoked chicken. Compared to other gas grills we've tested, the E-435 gave food a surprisingly smoky flavor. The cook was slightly uneven — the food on the edges of the grill cooked more slowly — but otherwise, it did an excellent job of thoroughly cooking everything in our tests.

It's simple to control. It's easy to hook the Spirit up to a propane tank, allowing for consistent temperature maintenance while still achieving that fire-grilled flavor. While gas grills come in a wide variety of sizes, this medium-sized option from Weber offers enough cooking surface for a variety of meals without taking up too much space.

Read our Weber Spirit E-435 review.

Best charcoal grill

Iconic for a reason. You won't find a better balance of durability and great cooking ability than the Weber Kettle Charcoal Grill — we've had this grill for years, and it still works as well as the day we first tested it. The circular design is simple yet efficient, with a bottom charcoal basin for even heating. The design features vents at the top and bottom, which allow for temperature adjustment.

• See more of the best charcoal grills.

There's plenty of space for cooking. We recommend the 22-inch size, but it's also available in 18 inches if you need something smaller. While the 22-inch isn't a large capacity grill, it still has a generous cooking area to grill multiple steaks or enough burgers for a small group. To clean it, you can use the built-in cleaning system to sweep ashes into the bottom catcher. Once you're ready to cook, stock up on the best charcoal for grilling.

Charcoal grilling is a hands-on experience. It's a great grill for learning, since it's completely manually controlled. Charcoal grilling is more labor intensive than gas grilling, since it takes more effort to start the grill and keep it going. There's no WiFi connectivity or smart controls here — it's up to you to get it started, adjust the temperature, and keep the coals going. It had a bit of a learning curve during testing, but now we're confident in the grilling basics. At the same time, if you're an experienced charcoal griller, you should have no problem using this grill.

A new version of the Kettle features smart controls. If you like the idea of the Weber Kettle but want something with smart controls, check out the Weber Performer Smart Charcoal Grill. It has the same design as the classic Kettle, but with WiFi connectivity for smart controls and a built-in cart. We haven't tested it yet, but it seems like the perfect upgrade for someone who wants charcoal flavor with less work.

Plus, read our best charcoal and best charcoal chimney starters guides.

Best smoker

Smoking meats takes patience. Cooking with hardwood and charcoal requires a lot of time and attention. Smokers require a learning curve, but the Smokey Mountain from Weber has a simple, effective design that even beginners can use with ease. It's just like Weber's original kettle, but with a taller design that's better suited for smoking meat.

• See more of the best barbecue smokers.

The durable design keeps heat in. A smoker constructed from thick steel is imperative to keep heat in and withstand elements when left outside. The Weber Smokey Mountain is a pill-shaped smoker, which provides more vertical space for smoking meats. It's available in three different sizes, but we think the 18-inch model is best for most people.

I appreciate the manual controls. This smoker is fueled by charcoal, and it takes some practice to find the perfect balance of fuel, wood-smoking chips, and water. Since it has a simple design, you'll have to keep up with the temperature to ensure your meat or veggies are getting the perfect cook. Still, I appreciate the manual design, since it helps beginners learn how to smoke and provides a superior level of control for experts.

Best portable grill

This folding option is the best grill for tailgating, camping, and more. The Weber Traveler gas grill makes it easy to grill on the go. This portable grill has a folding design with two wheels that can maneuver through sand, gravel, and grass. It takes less than 10 minutes to break it down and set it up, allowing you to store it for backyard use, take it camping, or use it at a tailgating party.

It's surprisingly roomy and easy to use. Although it only has one burner, it features a decent-sized cooking area and reaches high enough temperatures for roasting meat and veggies. The grill is designed to use small propane tanks for fuel, but you can switch to standard-sized propane tanks with an adapter. This is one of the best grills for beginners because of the low investment and easy learning curve.

Best kamado

Kamado grills have a long history. Ceramic Kamado grills originated about 3,000 years ago, and the design is still used today. We tested the best Kamado grills alongside other charcoal grills, and our top pick is the Kamado Joe Classic II.

We prefer Kamado Joe over Big Green Egg. Big Green Egg and Kamado Joe are the top brands we've tested in the category, with the Kamado Joe Classic II just edging out the Big Green Egg. The quality of the build is essential on any grill, and an exceptional level of craftsmanship goes into the Kamado Joe. It has a sturdy frame, multiple grate levels, an ash catchment system, and more.

Expect a learning curve. Beginners may find the Kamado grill easy to overheat — even experienced grillers should expect some trial and error to figure out the right amount of charcoal. That challenge is part of what makes this grill so special: once it gets hot, it stays hot longer than other types of grills. You can cook between 225 and 750 degrees Fahrenheit while maintaining consistent heat.

Our top picks compared

What to look for

When you're shopping for a grill, you'll need to consider the following. The best grill for you depends on your skill level, cooking frequency, and flavor preferences.

• Type: Arguably the most important part of finding a new grill is choosing the best grill type for you. Charcoal, kamado, and wood pellet grills can double as smokers, and gas grills are easy to use and start. For more information, check out our comparison table above.

• Size: If cooking for an individual or couple, you can opt for a smaller grill with one to two burners. On average, most small families should look for a grill with three burners. For large families or frequent entertainers, a grill with four to six burners is the most convenient.
• Features: Grills range from simple, no-frills models to high-tech options with smart controls. Consider whether you need features like WiFi connectivity, auto-feeding fuel, or built-in thermometers or if you prefer a simple, manual model.

How we test the best grills

Our testing methodology

This guide to the best grills is made up of our top recommendations from our individual grill guides. For more details on our tests with each grill, check out our full guides and read the "how we tested" section.

Meet the experts behind this guide

Molly Allen, freelance contributor: After years of owning my own bakery, I transitioned to covering food and beverage content. I've tested a number of grills for this guide, and I love cooking in my backyard.

Tyler Hayes, freelance contributor: I'm an expert on all things grills, with a specialty in Traeger models. I keep up with the newest product releases to test potential additions to this guide.

The best grill FAQs

How do you clean your grill?

Cleaning your grill is essential for grilling safety and keeping your grill in great shape for years of use. One of the simplest ways to clean your grill is to use a grill brush that will do all of the hard work for you. Using the best grill brush constructed with quality bristles and an easy-to-hold handle will make quick work of cleaning your grill grates. For harder, stuck-on food, you can also use a grill scraper.

What grill is best for beginners?

Gas grills are generally the best grills for beginners, since they're easy to start, control, and use.

How do you remove rust from a grill?

Despite efforts to avoid it, rusting can happen on even the best grills. To clean it, start with a cool grill. Use a good-quality grill brush or a grill brick to scrub off rust. If you're trying to clean stubborn rust, you can make a paste by mixing water and baking soda. Apply the paste to your grill grates, allow it to sit for 10 minutes, and then scrub.

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