The best grills, tested and reviewed

Grilling is the best way to make delicious, flame-grilled food — and to spend a little time outside. Whether you're on the hunt for a pitmaster-worthy barbecue smoker or a foldable traveling grill for tailgates, we've sifted through all the options to help find the best grill for you.

After testing pellet, gas, and charcoal models, we found the best grills for every skill level. Our favorite pellet grill is the Traeger Woodridge Pro, a versatile model with plenty of cooking space and WiFi connectivity. If you prefer a simple option, we recommend the Weber Original Kettle Charcoal Grill. This long-time Reviews team favorite is durable, effective, and produces tasty results.

Our top picks for the best grills

Best pellet grill: Traeger Woodridge Pro - See at Amazon

Best BBQ smoker: Weber 18" Smokey Mountain - See at Amazon

Best gas grill: Weber Spirit E-325 - See at Amazon

Best charcoal grill: Weber Original Kettle - See at Amazon

Best portable grill: Weber Traveler - See at Amazon

Best Kamado grill: Kamado Joe Classic II - See at Amazon

Best pellet grill

This is a true do-it-all pellet grill. 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. It can hold a remarkable number of racks of ribs. Best of all, it has solid build quality and heat insulation, which makes it great at holding a steady temperature.

The Pro is our favorite model in the Woodridge series. 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 features WiFi connectivity. 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.

For more pellet options, check out our guide to the best pellet grills. If you're a Traeger loyalist, we also have a guide to the best Traeger grills.

Best BBQ smoker

Learning to smoke meats is tricky, but this smoker makes it easy. 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 has a smart, durable design. 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 made from heavy-duty steel. 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.

Read about more of our favorites in our guide best barbecue smokers.

Best gas grill

Gas grills are the simplest grills to use. Weber is the gold standard in gas grills and earned four of the five top spots in our guide to the best gas grills. The Spirit E-325 has a midsize cooktop and two folding side tables, making it great for families and small groups.

It has handy cooking and cleaning features. The grill has three powerful burners under "Flavorizer Bars" that give you perfectly even char. Inside is a warming rack to keep food warm while the rest of your meal cooks, or toast buns for burgers and hot dogs. This grill also has a grease management system for easy clean-up, with a removable tray that catches drippings to avoid grill flare-ups.

This is a good mid-size, propane-powered option. It's easy to hook the Spirit up to a propane tank, allowing for consistent temperature maintenance while still achieving that fired 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 in your yard.

Check out more of our picks for the best gas grills.

Best charcoal grill

This classic grill is a long-time Reviews favorite. 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 design of Weber's original kettle grill has held strong for 70 years, making it one of the best grills year after year and the top pick in our guide to charcoal grills. The circular grill 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. Pair it with one of the best charcoal chimney starters, and you're all set.

There's plenty of space for cooking. We recommend the 22-inch Original Kettle Grill from Weber, but 18-inch and 26-inch models are also available. 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. When it comes time to clean, 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.

Our guide to the best charcoal grills has options for upgrades, barrel-style, and more.

Best portable grill

This folding model 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.

There's plenty of space, and it's 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 are thousands of years old. 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 grills over Big Green Egg grills. 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 BGE. 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.

Using a Kamado grill for the first time can be a challenge. 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.

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. We've broken down the pros and cons of each type in the table below:

• 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 procedures

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 speciality 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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