When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.
Despite some people's reservations, grilling is a relatively safe way of preparing a tasty meal, and it relieves your kitchen of a substantial amount of mess. From low-and-slow cooking to high-heat searing, a good grill can do it all no matter the weather or season and will last for many years with proper use and moderate care.
I've written about kitchen and grilling equipment for nearly a decade, and apart from all of the grills I've tried over the years, I've put seven different models through their paces to find the best gas grill you can buy. I used each one to make a variety of foods: slow-cooked smoked chicken, quick-seared steaks, charred zucchini, burgers, and more. I've also evaluated assembly, ease of use, and durability along the way.
Read more about my methodology below, and learn about how we test kitchen products at Insider Reviews.
Best grill overall: Weber Spirit II E-310 LP Gas Grill, available from Amazon for $569 The Weber Spirit II E-310 LP Gas Grill is designed simply but sturdily and performs as well as grills that cost hundreds of dollars more.
Best upgrade gas grill: Weber Genesis EX-335 Smart Grill, available from Ace for $1,239 The Weber Genesis EX-335 Smart Grill has just about every feature you could want in a grill: a roomy cook surface, powerful burners, a side burner, and smart features.
Best portable gas grill: Weber Traveler, available from Ace for $349 The new Weber Traveler collapses and sets up in seconds and has two sturdy wheels for ultimate portability at campsites, beaches, and parks.
Weber's Spirit II E-310 LP Gas Grill is designed simply but sturdily and performs as well as grills that cost hundreds of dollars more.
Pros: Excellent ignition system, heats quickly and evenly, sturdy and durable construction, folding side tables, storage bench
Cons: Awkward to move with no handles, no side burner
The Weber Spirit II E-310 LP Gas Grill is a straightforward grill to use, but it's deceptively smart in its design with 529 square inches of cooking space, side tables, and built-in storage.
Beyond that, the best (and most important) thing about the grill is its superb heating system, which offers even cooking across the entire grill surface thanks to three burners situated beneath the "Flavorizer Bars," which spread heat evenly and safely above the grease management system that catches and collects drippings, keeping the interior mess to a minimum.
The Spirit II E-310 cooked everything beautifully: Steaks had fully developed char marks and crust while remaining medium-rare, chicken smoked thoroughly and stayed tender, and zucchini-filled planks cooked as evenly as on any grill.
For such a compact grill, this is as able as any. A relatively moderate price and 10-year warranty sweeten the deal.
The Weber Genesis EX-335 Smart Grill has just about every feature you could want in a grill: a roomy cook surface, powerful burners, a side burner, and smart features.
Pros: Beautiful design, built-in probe thermometers, comes with lights for the grill and knobs, even cooking, searing zone for high-temp cooking
Cons: Probe thermometers can be inaccurate and finicky to use, light broke on assembly, takes a long time to assemble, difficult to move
The Weber Genesis EX-335 Smart Grill is a beauty, with a gleaming enameled cast iron lid, steel riveting, and a sturdy but sleek construction. Even after a three-hour assembly, I couldn't help but admire how attractive this grill was.
Performance-wise it cooks quite similar to the Spirit grill when you rely only on its three primary burners. The sear zone burner adds an extra jolt of heat for searing steaks or burgers, but it took some getting used to: I burned steak the first time I used it. Once I got the hang of how to use it (usually as a finishing sear), it added a delicious crust to my burgers and meats.
Some of its standout features include a huge cook surface, a powerful side burner, built-in lights (very useful when grilling in the dark), and the feature that makes it smart: built-in temperature probes and a timer.
The probes are definitely a plus if you're new to grilling, but if you already have a meat thermometer you like, you probably won't get much use out of them. Plus, their temperature reading was regularly off by a few degrees, which could be a problem when cooking temperature-sensitive foods like steak or fish.
The new Weber Traveler collapses and sets up in seconds and has two sturdy wheels for ultimate portability at campsites, beaches, and parks.
Pros: Sets up and breaks down in seconds, sturdy metal construction, side table, fits up to eight burgers, two big wheels for easy portability
Cons: Only one burner, relatively small cooking surface compared to regular-sized grills, heavier than other portable options
If your living space only has a small outdoor area or you're frequently on the go, the Weber Traveler gas grill offers the most flexibility. It has two rugged wheels for easy maneuverability and folds down for easy wheeling and travel, yet still has the solid, all-metal grill basin Weber is known for.
After testing for this guide, I've kept this grill in my apartment's backyard, and I rarely find myself needing anything bigger. It's got a roomy cooktop with space for eight burgers, a small side table, built-in thermometer, and heavy-duty metal handle. As someone who used the Weber Q1000 for many years, I can say that the Traveler is a vast improvement.
Despite having just one burner, this grill can get quite hot, and its smaller size helps disperse heat. However, when we maxed out the grill's capacity while cooking for a crowd, we noticed some inconsistencies in charred level and doneness. However, if you're usually only cooking for a few people, this shouldn't be a problem.
Finally, the most undeniable benefit of this grill is its portability. We had no trouble maneuvering it across sand, gravel, and grass, but it is a bit heavy, so don't expect to take it on long hikes. It also was a bit awkward to pack into a full car.
I've tested kitchen equipment, including grills, for more than a decade. Relying on that experience, I used the following tests to objectively determine the best gas grills you can buy.
Assembly: Assembly is (ideally) something you do only once, but it can lend insight to a grill's design, durability, and safety. Following manufacturer instructions, I timed myself while I assembled each grill on my own, noting any design flaws or unclear instructions.
Capacity: Apart from taking internal and external measurements, I also tested and recorded how many burgers each grill could (reasonably) fit.
Evenness of heating: A grill worth its salt heats evenly across its entire cooking surface. To test this, I turned all burners to "High," covered each grill grate with zucchini-filled planks, and mapped out the char across the surface.
Fast cooking, high heat: In order to get a solid char, a grill has to get hot enough to leave prominent grill marks before overcooking the meat inside. I cooked two steaks on each grill, slicing them open afterward to look for deep color and even cooking.
Slow cooking, low heat: Just as a gas grill should get hot enough to sufficiently sear, it should also work well for "low-and-slow" cooking. I tested this by making barbecue chicken legs, which require low, steady heat over a long period of time. This method of cooking also favors grills that can accommodate a packet of wood chips or a smoking tube beneath the cooking grates.
Side burners: If a grill came with a side burner, I prepared baked beans in a saucepan atop it.
Cleaning: I cleaned each grill after cooking to evaluate the ease of the process.
What else we recommend and why:
Weber Spirit E-310 ($619): The predecessor to our top pick, this Weber grill features the same cast-iron grates, three burners, and ease of use. This version has a "storage cabinet" in place of the Spirit II's bottom rack, but it's not good for storing much other than the propane tank. It's usually a bit pricier than the Spirit II these days, but it's still a solid grill and a great option if the Spirit II isn't in stock.
Weber Genesis II SE-335 ($1,049): This grill is nearly identical to our top upgrade pick but doesn't feature the built-in temperature probes. It's a great option if that technology isn't important to you and you want to save a couple hundred dollars.
Schwank Portable Infrared Grill (formerly Blazing Bull) ($1,250): This grill is designed like a commercial salamander grill. A movable plate lets you get the meat incredibly close to the heat source for intense char. While this grill was fun to use, it offers less versatility than traditional grill models because of its smaller cooking surface. You can really only cook a max of two steaks at a time, and you can't do slow barbecue-style cooking. It's also quite expensive for a product with less versatility.
What we don't recommend and why:
Charbroil Commercial Stainless Steel 3-Burner Gas Grill ($529): This grill has a side burner and built-in lights and cooks quite evenly. However, its grate system (which is meant to prevent flare-ups) traps grease and food and is a pain to clean. This was also the hardest grill to assemble, and I shocked myself on the electronics while putting it together.
A gas grill can be a major purchase, and there are many factors to consider. Here's what we look for in the best gas grills:
Generally speaking, natural gas is best for static grills or outdoor kitchens, while propane is best for grills with wheels. A natural gas grill hooks into your home gas line, which means you never have to worry about running out. However, you can't move your grill around, which may not be ideal, depending on your setup.
A gas grill is best for casual grillers and beginners because it lights easily and maintains steady heat. For pros or barbecue enthusiasts, a charcoal grill is better. However, if you're really serious about grilling, you'll likely want both.
A gas grill is great for everyday grilling, fast meals, and cookouts. However, a charcoal grill is the gold standard for barbecue since charcoal and wood chips provide a deeper flavor than you get from a gas grill. You'll also likely burn through a lot of propane if you attempt to make a low and slow dish like barbecue brisket or pulled pork on a gas grill.
A Btu, or British thermal unit, is the precise amount of heat required to bring 1 pound (about a pint) of water up to 1 degree Fahrenheit at sea level.
This is a useful measurement for many heat-producing appliances but perhaps not as useful as you might think when it comes to deciding on a gas grill. Almost all gas grills reach a maximum temperature of 500 to 550 degrees, no matter how many Btu they have or what they cost.
A Btu measurement will give you some idea of how hot a grill will get, but it shouldn't necessarily be a deciding factor in your purchasing decision. Since grills are designed to retain heat, you're rarely at risk of buying an underpowered grill.
The easiest way to clean a gas grill is with a grill brush, but there are other options, too.
Most people choose to clean their grill before and after cooking on it when the surface is either preheated or still warm from cooking. The heat helps sterilize the surface and loosen grime. Once the grill is hot, you can simply swipe the grill brush across the surface until the grates are noticeably clean.
Gas grills are pretty hardy and can be left out in the elements, but you'll want to buy a cover for your grill to protect it, predominantly from collecting water. Cast iron elements in particular (like grill grates) are prone to rust if exposed to rain or snow.
If you live somewhere with regular inclement weather, you may want to move your grill into a basement or shed for the winter. Just remember that propane tanks should always be stored outside.
Mastering a gas grill takes time and practice like any cooking technique. Here are some general tips to get you started:
With proper care, cooking on a gas grill can be just as safe as cooking on your stovetop. Here are some precautions you'll want to take to have the safest grilling experience:
Sign up for Insider Reviews' weekly newsletter for more buying advice and great deals. You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here. Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.