Best Overall
SNS Grills Slow 'N Sear Original Kettle Grill
- It both grills and smokes very well, and has features such as a removable insert for coals and a side shelf that make cooking easier and more effective.
It both grills and smokes very well, and has features such as a removable insert for coals and a side shelf that make cooking easier and more effective.
- We found the ash bucket and charcoal grate difficult to remove for cleaning.
We found the ash bucket and charcoal grate difficult to remove for cleaning.
There are many reasons why the Slow 'N Sear Grill is our favorite. To put it simply, it’s a relatively affordable grill that works well, is easy to use, and produces great charcoal grilling and smoking results. Whether you’re a beginner looking to upgrade your cooking or you’re experienced and looking for a straightforward model, this grill delivers.
During testing, the grill’s temperature remained consistent, meaning the dampers didn’t need to be adjusted very often—though it’s easy to do so. The top vent on the lid is a rotating vent, and the bottom damper is controlled with a similar rotating vent that you open and close by moving left to right instead of around in a circle. A surprisingly useful detail: The grill has two X's on the far right sides and again on the far left side, indicating the vent is closed, and an O in the middle which means the vent is fully open.
There’s a side shelf that can hold up to 20 pounds and a lid cradle that keeps your lid tucked away when not in use. The cooking grate has a portion (around a third of the rack) that hinges back, so the coals can be easily adjusted and added. In addition to the built-in thermometer, there’s a 1/2 inch port (that can be covered) for a probe thermometer if you need a more accurate reading.
This grill performed very well as a smoker during testing. It comes with a removable insert that holds the coals for the indirect cooking method and still gives plenty of space to have a 9 x 13-inch pan of water, opposite the coals. (There’s also a larger, porcelain coated grate when the insert isn’t being used.) The ribs appeared glossy, deep red, and well caramelized; the BBQ sauce was sticky and the meat was tender and moist.
Cleaning is simple and self-explanatory, and the manual walks through the process in a clear and effective way. That said, the manual does not give specific instructions on how to remove the ash bucket, which we found tricky to figure out.
We also found that the charcoal grate was difficult to remove with coals still on it, so we dumped them into the basin of the grill and scraped the remaining bits of coal and ashes through the vent/damper at the base of the inside of the grill.
Product Details: Dimensions: 41.75x41.66x31.5 inches | Material: Stainless steel | Cooking Surface Capacity: 380 square inches | Grill Grate Capacity: Not listed
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RUSSELL KILGORE
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RUSSELL KILGORE
Best Splurge
Weber Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill
- There are plenty of features that make cooking easier with this grill, such as the automatic starter, work table, and charcoal container.
There are plenty of features that make cooking easier with this grill, such as the automatic starter, work table, and charcoal container.
- The charcoal and wood burn very quickly, so you have to keep an eye on them to know when a refill is needed.
The charcoal and wood burn very quickly, so you have to keep an eye on them to know when a refill is needed.
Features like the automatic starter, briquette trays, lid holder, and charcoal container make this porcelain-enameled grill very beginner-friendly. They also add to the experience for avid grillers and professionals, making this Weber grill worth the splurge. With a capacity of 363 square inches, or 13 burgers, it’s the perfect size for a medium-sized family.
When it came to smoking, we found it to be incredibly versatile. You’re able to rotate the lid, putting the damper wherever you need it to be for optimal airflow when smoking. The charcoal grate is large enough to fit the pan of water plus the two charcoal bins that come with the grill.
The grill produces a good amount of smoke off just one wood chunk and funnels that smoke quickly over the meat and out the damper.
We noticed that the charcoal and wood burn very quickly, so monitoring is necessary. The resulting ribs had a dark sheen and tacky caramelization of the BBQ sauce. The insides were juicy with a penetrating smokey flavor, though we thought they were a touch tougher than preferred.
There’s a removable middle to the grill grate and it’s also hinged on each side. This makes it a breeze to add briquets whenever you need to, but in order to really move them around, you need to remove the grate so you don’t risk getting burned.
The cleaning instructions were fairly thorough, covering everything from removing the ashes (simple, thanks to the ash catcher) to wiping the inside with a paper towel to prevent grease buildup. The interior overall was very easy to take care of, and it was just as easy to pull pieces out to clean them.
Product Details: Dimensions: 30x48x44.1 inches | Material: Steel | Cooking Surface Capacity: 363 square inches | Grill Grate Capacity: 13 burgers
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RUSSELL KILGORE
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RUSSELL KILGORE
Best with Smoker
PK Grills Original PK300 Grill and Smoker
- Four dampers, one mini damper, and a cast aluminum body allow for excellent heat control.
Four dampers, one mini damper, and a cast aluminum body allow for excellent heat control.
- This grill is too complex for beginners, and there are minimal operating and care instructions.
This grill is too complex for beginners, and there are minimal operating and care instructions.
PK Grill's Original PK300 beats the competition in heat retention. There are four dampers (two on the top and two on the bottom), plus a mini damper on the back for the ultimate temperature control. This makes it incredibly versatile whether you want to cook low and slow or hot and fast. Managing all of these dampers can be complex, so we think this grill is best for someone who does this kind of cooking regularly and knows how to control heat with them. The proprietary shape is fantastic for two-zone cooking. There’s a temperature probe access door, or you can install a Tel-Tru thermometer for indirect monitoring.
Assembly requires hex keys, which are included, and a Phillips head screwdriver, which is not. While it did take us 28 minutes and 19 seconds, it wasn’t actually difficult to put together. The instructions are not only picture based but explain what tools and pieces you'll need to make assembly as hassle-free as possible. There are a few very particular pieces, so pay attention to the instructions or you’ll have to take pieces apart as you’re putting the grill together.
Made of heavy duty cast aluminum, which helps promote even heat, this cart grill is a bit heavier than others. It’s a little cumbersome to pull, but that didn’t detract from easily rolling over various surfaces with two wheels on the non-table side of the grill. There are rubberized legs on the table side that keep the grill from rolling when resting. According to our tests, the grill is back heavy and a little unbalanced when pulling, but it was still pretty even across the ground with no pull to either direction.
The best thing about this grill is that it can hinge open but you can also pull the entire lid off if necessary without any hardware changes. The lid hinges back a little more than 90º and, when closed, has a tight seal to it. The grates are made of steel, with the charcoal grate four inches below the grill. The grill grate is hinged, which makes adding coals very easy. It’s also completely removable so you can move and arrange the coals as needed.
We struggled with cooking the steak, realizing too late that we shouldn’t have closed the lid to sear with this particular grill (no instructions were included). The result was a dry, over-charred steak. There were also minimal cleaning instructions—just a note to make sure the coals are completely cool before cleaning out the ash.
Product Details: Dimensions: 16.21x42.75x37.35 inches | Material: Aluminum and steel | Cooking Surface Capacity: 360 square inches | Grill Grate Capacity: Not listed
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RUSSELL KILGORE
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RUSSELL KILGORE
Best for Beginners
Char-Griller Classic Charcoal Grill
- This grill has useful features that make cooking with it easy like side and bottom shelves, a thermometer, and a smokestack.
This grill has useful features that make cooking with it easy like side and bottom shelves, a thermometer, and a smokestack.
- The large size may be too big for your space or needs.
The large size may be too big for your space or needs.
The Char-Griller Classic Charcoal Grill has 810 square inches of capacity across two levels and can cook up to 40 burgers at a time, making it a good option for large families and beginner grillers. There are plenty of useful features as well, including perforated side shelves, a perforated bottom shelf, a built-in thermometer, and a smokestack for temperature control.
It took 28 minutes and 17 seconds to put together the grill. All you need is a Phillips head screwdriver, which isn’t included. The barrel grill is relatively light with two large wheels and two lockable casters, making it easy to move with a stable base. It has a large handle and a hinged lid that creates a solid seal on the grill when closed.
The two sturdy grill grates are made of porcelain coated cast iron. They sit as close to the edges of the grill as possible, with only a void on one side that’s the size of the void between grates. There’s one more grate for coals, with a safety handle that can be turned to adjust it up and down between 3.5 and 8 inches distance from the others. None of the grates are hinged, but there is an access door in the front so you can easily add more charcoal and wood.
Now, for the results: we noticed definitive grill lines on both sides (one darker, the other more faint) with slight charring on the fat of the steak. There was no acrid flavor and the middle was a perfect medium throughout the steak. We did think the front damper in the door could be a little smaller to really force air into the flame.
Though it takes a minute to get used to the height of the charcoal and where you need it to be in order for the temperature to be correct, the ease of use and solid construction make it great for beginners. Plus, as you become a more avid griller, we think you’ll come to truly appreciate the quality and efficiency as well.
Cleaning involves just a few simple steps. Scrape the grates before lightly coating them in vegetable or flaxseed oil, then dump out the ash tray at the bottom. The tray that holds the coals doesn’t come out, so if you want to clean the grill out completely, you have to shovel the coals.
Product Details: Dimensions: 27x57.35x51.7 inches | Material: Steel and cast iron | Cooking Surface Capacity: 810 square inches | Grill Grate Capacity: 40 burgers
Best Kettle
Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill
- This classic is a predictable performer that produces flavorful food and is easy to assemble.
This classic is a predictable performer that produces flavorful food and is easy to assemble.
- The legs and lid were unstable during testing.
The legs and lid were unstable during testing.
Weber is a popular name in the grilling industry, with this classic, porcelain-enameled model specifically known as one of the most reliable grills on the market. The 363 square inch cooking surface fits up to 13 burgers, and we felt that the size and shape of the grill provided consistent temperatures and predictable cook times during testing. The lid has a built-in thermometer and there are aluminum dampers to help fuel the fire with oxygen.
It took us 12 minutes and 30 seconds to assemble the kettle grill, using only the Phillips head screwdriver and bolt tightening tool included. The grill was pretty easy to roll over a variety of surfaces, thanks to the size of the wheels. That said, the lid was not very sturdy and the legs’ button connections made the grill unstable.
Later on, this instability impacted our ability to clean the grates, rendering the one-touch cleaning system with an ash catcher impractical. We also discovered that the lid ended up melting the plastic handle it’s supposed to hang off of when not in use.
The distance between the grill and the coal grates is not adjustable, but there is a crossbar to help hold heavy food. While the coated wire grill grate is technically hinged, we found it to be too small to comfortably pour in more charcoal. We also noticed that the coal grate didn’t sit flush on the prongs, which made it less sturdy.
When cooking, the steak was easy to flip. It came out with solid char and a caramelized color. The grill marks were faint, but this didn’t take away from the appearance of the steak. Though the end of the steak and bone were overcooked, in general it was medium well, tender, and flavorful.
Product Details: Dimensions: 39x22.5x27 inches | Material: Porcelain and aluminum | Cooking Surface Capacity: 363 square inches | Grill Grate Capacity: 13 burgers
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RUSSELL KILGORE
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RUSSELL KILGORE
Best Portable
Everdure Cube Portable Grill
- In addition to having a great performance, this gorgeous portable grill is petite and lightweight.
In addition to having a great performance, this gorgeous portable grill is petite and lightweight.
- There’s only enough space to cook for one or two people, and the heat is hard to control.
There’s only enough space to cook for one or two people, and the heat is hard to control.
Campers, apartment dwellers, and beachgoers: Everdure's Cube Portable Grill is for you. It’s a high performer you can use on any heat-resistant surface that’s portable, feather light, and designed with a balance of function and fashion. The grill is also easy to clean thanks to the removable grate and charcoal tray.
The grill arrives fully assembled, though you do have to take it apart to unwrap the individual pieces and then put them back together. Still, this is quick and easy to do with no tools required. The lightweight construction includes two handles, no wheels, and a sturdy body with rubber feet on each corner for additional stability. When on the go, there are hooks and clips that keep the lid (aka food tray and cutting board) on. This lid is also what keeps the grate held in place.
There is no hinged grate, as the grill is simply too small to dedicate any real estate to the convenience. To add charcoal to the grill, you have to remove the cooking grate. This is easy enough to do, as the space between the grates is large enough to get a set of tongs or smaller BBQ gloves in between. The cool-to-touch handles are far enough away and there is a protective outer heat shield to keep you protected when using or handling this grill.
At 13.7 x 16.7 x 9.1 inches, the capacity is listed as 103.9 square inches, or big enough to fit six small burgers or three medium steaks. When it came to the actual grilling, we were able to fit two burgers, corn cobs, and brats. Though they took up the entire surface area, the food still didn’t touch and there was plenty of space for air to flow.
The final results were well cooked with grill marks and a nice char, though they weren’t exactly even between sides. This is because you can’t close the grill while it’s in use without melting the plastic food tray and cutting board that double as a lid. (Heads up: This is to be expected, but as a result, there is no built-in thermometer or vent.)
Product Details: Dimensions: 13.7x 16.7x9.1 inches | Material: Steel and plastic | Cooking Surface Capacity: 103.9 square inches | Grill Grate Capacity: Six small burgers or three medium steaks