The Best Gas Grills Under $300 in 2024

Many of the best gas grills can be pricey, especially when compared to their charcoal alternatives.

But there are also some great gas grills that you can purchase for less than $300 if you know what to look for.

You don’t have to break the bank just to get a solid, dependable gas grill.

That’s what this guide is here for. We’ll show you the best possible gas grills under $300 for a variety of different needs.

We’ll also explain what you need to look for when selecting your ideal grill.

Our top picks for best gas grills under $300:

• Char-Broil Performance Stainless Steel 4-Burner Cart Style Gas Grill
• Char-Broil Classic 360 3-Burner Liquid Propane Gas Grill
• Weber Q2200 Liquid Propane Grill
• Char-Griller E3001 Grillin’ Pro
• Coleman Propane Grill Roadtrip LXE Portable
• Cuisinart CGG-7400 Full Size Gas Grill

Detailed Reviews of the Best Gas Grill Under $300 for 2024

1. Best Overall Gas Grill Under $300 – Char-Broil Performance Stainless Steel 4-Burner Cart Style Gas Grill

This high-quality gas grill is made with durable and long-lasting materials and delivers 36,000 BTUs of heat across 425 in². That’s enough cooking space and heat to effectively make up to 20 burgers at one time.

The Char-Broil Performance Grill includes an upper shelf right above the main burners where you can store finished food and keep them warm at the same time.

It’s got two side tables where you can store your cooking implements or plates or trays.

One of these surfaces can have its lid removed to expose a convenient side burner. It can deliver 10,000 BTUs of heat: a perfect amount for warming sauce or roasting vegetables.

The grill starts up with easy electronic ignition systems.

A lid-mounted temperature gauge lets you monitor the heat and cooking progress while the lid is closed.

You can also purchase this grill in a 2-burner configuration for a much lower price.

This is perfect if your cookouts are going to be more intimate affairs with fewer people. It has 300 in.² of cooking space instead of 325, and lacks a side burner, but keeps all of the other features and design benefits.

What We Like:

• Side Burner – the side burner is designed very well since you can use it as a storage table and simply flip the lid open as soon as you need the burner. Any grill that gives users more control over their experience earns bonus points in our eyes.
• Stainless Steel – the burners are made of stainless steel, even the side burner. The shelves are made of the same material, and so are extremely durable, hypoallergenic and resistant to rust damage.
• Porcelain Coated Cast-Iron Grates – This excellent material promotes durability and rust resistance just as well as stainless steel does.
• Large Warming Rack – the warming rack above the primary burners measures 150 in.². That’s plenty of space for storing finished food or for toasting buns.
• Easy to Clean – cleaning the grill is easy thanks to the removable grease tray and pain. These both slide out from the back of the grill. In addition, the burner greats can be removed for individual cleaning to keep the model running smoothly even after many cookouts.

What We Don’t Like:

• Narrow Grates – while the heat emitted by the burners is fantastic, the grates are relatively thin. This makes it easy for food to fall between the cracks and doesn’t transfer the heat as effectively to your meat as they would if they were thicker.
• Flame Channel – there’s a channel that carries the flame from both sets of burners to each other. Unfortunately, this is very close to where most grillers will keep their hands. Keep this in mind when using the grill to prevent accidentally burning yourself.

For less than $300, this grill provides a ton of excellent value and lots to like.

It doesn’t quite have the level of features and build quality that you would get from a Weber, but even an entry-level full size Weber will cost over $300.

Get the latest price on Amazon.

2. Runner Up – Char-Broil Classic 360 3-Burner Liquid Propane Gas Grill

The Char-Broil Classic 360 has three burners instead of four to heat 360 in.² of cooking space.

The lower number of burners combined with more cooking space means that your food won’t be heated quite as quickly as the previous model. The dispersal is good enough to handle most typical cookouts anyway.

Each of the burners is made of stainless steel.

The lid is porcelain-coated to provide great rust protection and durability. The grates are also porcelain-coated and are great for searing.

The warming rack here is larger than the one on our top choice. It’s 170 in.² and is ideal for toasting hamburger buns or keeping finished food from becoming burned.

The grill can be ignited instantly at the push of a button.

The grill also has two metal side shelves that offer plenty of prep space and storage options. A metal hook line on the side of the grill lets you store your tools and other long implements conveniently.

What We Like:

• Build Quality – the Classic 360 is made with either stainless steel or porcelain-coated steel, both of which are great options for long-term durability and good cooking results. The grates will be able to retain heat effectively. This is all the more important given the extra space that three burners have to heat instead of four.
• Big Warming Rack – the fact that the warming rack is so spacious is great. The extra space can be combined with the large cooking area to prepare plenty of burger buns right as the meat is coming off the grill.
• Easy Start-Up – being able to fire up the grill at the touch of a button is both satisfying and useful. Reliable startups are always better than having to wrestle with a gas ignition when you need to quickly start cooking to feed everyone.

What We Don’t Like

• Heat Control Isn’t Great – the knobs have a tendency to accidentally shut off the burners when you try to increase the heat. Getting the burners to their maximum heat setting can be a little tricky without practice.
• Space Isn’t Heated as Well – given the larger amount of cooking space needed to be heated by this grill, it can’t turn out completed burgers with the same speed as some of the other options on our list. Still, it manages well enough.

Get the latest price on Amazon.

3. Best Portable Gas Grill Under $300 – Weber Q2200 Liquid Propane Grill

You won’t find any regular Weber gas grills at this price point (unless you find an amazing deal). The portable Q2200 squeezes into the budget though.

This portable grill can be moved around easily and still boasts 280 in.² of cooking space.

That’s plenty for feeding average size families and even a few extra people all at the same time.

It uses a single stainless steel burner that can put out 12,000 BTUs of heat per hour.

It’s cooking potential is boosted by porcelain-enameled cast-iron grates that retain heat exceptionally well. They also leave satisfying grill marks on your burgers and steaks.

The Weber Q2200 also has two folding work tables that can be retracted for easy maneuvering or storage in a shed or car. They’re slightly tilted, so be careful when placing delicate objects on their surfaces.

The grill has a cast aluminum lid and body and a removable catch pan for easy cleaning after the cookout is done.

There’s also a built-in lid thermometer and electric ignition so you can start up the grill with certainty each time you need it.

What We Like:

• Light Weight – the Weber Q2200 only weighs 42.5 pounds. This is liftable by most adults, so it’s easy to load into a car for a camping trip or bring it to your neighbor’s backyard for the weekend cookout. The shape of the grill makes it easy to carry, as well, particularly when the side tables have folded up into their proper configuration.
• Great Grates – the cooking grates are made of porcelain enabled cast iron which provides excellent flavor despite its modest size and overall BTU rating. The heat retention from the grates helps minimize the trouble brought about by the low BTU rating.
• Folding Tables – we really like that you can choose whether or not to use the folding tables at any time. Once extended, they’re fairly sturdy even though they’re made of a tough composite plastic material instead of any metal.
• Cooking Space – for a portable gas grill, you get a lot of cooking space to do your work. Many portable grills are much smaller than their non-portable counterparts, but this weakness is not present.

What We Don’t Like:

• Doesn’t include any of the extras – If you want to connect the grill to a full-sized propane bottle you will need to buy an adapter. There’s also an optional cart you can buy.

Other Notable Choices

Char-Griller E3001 Grillin’ Pro

The Char-Griller E3001 has a good BTU rating given its low asking price.

It has 40,800 BTUs heat 438 in.² on the main grilling area. This is enough to cook over 20 burgers at one time, so it’s a smart choice if you are going to be the head chef at a cookout with lots of people.

There’s also a 192 in.² warming rack for storing finished food or toasting buns.

A 12,000 BTU side burner, featuring the same lid configuration as our top pick, is included as well.

You can flip the lid closed when you’d rather use it as regular storage space in tandem with the opposite-side storage table.

There’s also some utensil hooks right on the side of the main unit for easy tool storage.

The E3001 is made with durable steel for its frame and the side shelves. The cooking grates are porcelain coated and cast iron. You can depend on their ability to retain heat and leave your food with tasty grilling marks.

An electrical ignition system starts the propane flowing and the heat going at the touch of a button.

Overall, there’s a ton of stuff to like with this purchase and it’s one of the best gas grills in terms of value for money.

Get the latest price on Amazon.

Coleman Propane Grill Roadtrip LXE Portable

The Coleman Propane Portable Grill is a lot taller than our primary pick.

It has collapsible legs that can extend up to a standing height once the grill is in the proper location for cooking.

These legs lock into place so there’s no chance of the grill buckling under the weight of food at the worst possible moment. But as soon as you need it to travel, you can collapse the legs once again and lift it up easily, since it weighs less than 50 pounds.

It’s also sized well enough that it can fit inside most car trunks.

The grill has 285 in.² of cooking space; this is heated by 20,000 BTUs.

An interesting added design lets the grill grates be swapped out for griddle or stove grates if you’d like a different kind of cooking to take place.

You have to purchase these separately.

The regular grates are cast-iron and porcelain-coated to promote good heat retention and great flavor.

An instastart button lets you start the cooking without fussing over propane lighting.

There’s also a removable grease tray that you take out of the back of the unit once cooking is finished.

Twin side tables are situated just below the cooking surface for optimal storage or food prep activities. These are a little flimsier than the rest of the unit so take care not to place anything too heavy on their surfaces.

There aren’t any hooks or additional storage options for the rest of your tools. That’s not too bad of a trade-off considering how portable and maneuverable the Coleman LXE Grill is instead.

Get the latest price on Amazon.

Cuisinart CGG-7400 Full Size Gas Grill

This high-powered gas grill can bring 44,000 BTUs of heat to bear on 443 in.² of cooking space.

The Cuisinart CGG-7400 has 167 in.² of warming rack right above the four primary burners.

Each burner warms heavy-duty cast-iron cooking grates that are tough enough to last for a long time.

They’re also thick enough to leave decent grill marks on all your meat.

There’s also a pair of wide side tables that are sturdy enough to handle heavy tools or lots of supplies without bending or breaking.

The lid is made of stainless steel to keep the grill looking fantastic even after a long time. Storing the grill isn’t likely to result in rust damage thanks to this material.

The CGG-7400 has an excellent control panel with a different knob for each burner. This gives you the precision you need to cook several different kinds of meat all at the same time.

For instance, you can cook fish and burgers at different temperatures. This is done by running two different burners at different heat levels.

The cart is relatively large and heavy, but you can move it more easily than you might initially think thanks to the large wheels on one side. These are tough enough to be moved through backyards without too much trouble.

However, the lack of places to grip the grill steadily limit its mobility greatly. Overall, this is best seen as a stationary grill that is only moved when absolutely necessary.

The grill has a few extra features as well, like a built-in bottle opener that’s perfect for letting you enjoy a cool drink while sweating over the grill.

A thermometer is placed right on the cover to help you keep an eye on the temperature without having to open the lid.

Get the latest price on Amazon.

Can You Really Get a Good Gas Grill for Under $300?

Buying a gas grill for under 300 dollars is definitely possible. It’s all about prioritization.

While the more expensive grills come with a huge range of features and configurations, you’re not going to get all of the latest bells in whistles in a single package at this price point.

You’re also not going to get a huge grill with more than 4 burners.

That shouldn’t put you off though. A lot of the fancy features on expensive grills (like infrared) and used as a marketing tactic.

All of the budget gas grills in this guide can provide a great cooking experience for you and your family.

Our favorite brand for budget gas grills is definitely Char-Broil who we think do a better job than other budget brands like NexGrill.

You don’t have to settle for a cheap grill that doesn’t cook well.

Features to Look For in a Cheap Gas Grill

When choosing the ideal gas grill, there are some things to keep in mind. These ideas can help you distinguish excellent models from merely mediocre ones.

Budget/Feature Ratio

Price matters greatly, but in general, the cheaper the gas grill, the fewer extra features you get to enjoy.

Striking a good balance between the budget you are willing to spend and the capabilities of your new gas grill can be tricky.

So it’s worthwhile to consider this before making a final purchase.

For instance, propane tanks that come with your purchase can easily add between $20 and $40.

You can accept this price, or find a good gas grill that uses that $40 for different features or specifications.

Overall, it’s a good idea to try to get a gas grill that is as close to your maximum budget as possible.

Such a grill will likely have the most value for money in terms of features or excellent design choices. You get what you pay for, after all.

Number of Burners/Cooking Size

The number of burners usually translates to how much food you can cook at any one time.

In general, the more burners a given gas grill has, the greater its overall cooking space.

Larger grills will typically be more expensive. However, they allow you to cook more meat at one time while smaller grills will be cheaper but force you to cook food in groups.

Small grills will usually have enough cooking space to grill 15 to 18 burgers at one time.  Medium grills can usually cook between 20 and 30 burgers at a time. Larger gas grills can go even higher and cook more than 30 burgers at once.

To decide which is best for you, consider what occasion you’ll be using your gas grill for most frequently.

If you’re the center of weekend cookouts that serve over a dozen people, it’s probably a good idea to get a larger grill.

It’ll be easier to feed everyone around the same time instead of making some people wait for their burgers.

Some gas grills will also have side burners. These are best thought of as separate burners that you can use to prepare sauces or side dishes instead of main course meats.

They’re usually smaller and produce less heating power than the primary burners.

BTU Level/Heat Flux

The BTU level of your grill tells you how fast your meat will cook once it’s placed on the surface.

While it’s good to have a high BTU rating, keep in mind that higher BTU numbers don’t necessarily translate to faster cooking time.

How fast your meat cooks depends on your BTU rating, your cooking surface, and how much space has to be heated at one time.

This delivery ratio of BTU per square inch is also called “heat flux”.

For instance, small gas grills with lower BTU ratings can often produce more concentrated heat.

They can cook a few burgers more quickly than a larger gas grill with a higher BTU rating that has to cook twice the amount of meat.

Try to find a good balance between BTU rating and overall cooking space for the best results. The more BTU’s you can pack into your grill’s cooking space, the better. A good standard heat flux level is around 85.

Portability

Portability can be important if you store your gas grill in a shed or your garage and have to take it elsewhere for cooking.

Of course, portable gas grills are a category of their own. They are usually designed specifically to provide adequate cooking power with certain mobility features like better wheels or lighter weight.

If you plan to take your gas grill with you on camping trips relatively often, it’s probably worthwhile to investigate portable gas grills instead of traditionally large ones.

The larger gas grills will not be able to be moved very easily. This is even though most grills have at least a pair of average wheels to facilitate close-range movement on a patio or in a backyard.

Grill Grate Material

Grill grates are also important. Some of the best models use stainless steel for their grades, which provide several important benefits.

For one, stainless steel is hypoallergenic so it’s great for everyone, regardless of individual allergies.

For another, stainless steel is known to resist corrosion and rust damage over time, so it’ll last longer than other metals.

Try to look for this material for your grill’s grates if you can.

In addition to the grate material, grate size matters just as much.

Thicker grates typically provide greater heat retention. They will let you cook your meat more thoroughly and more quickly than thin grates.

Thicker grates also give you better grill marks on your steaks and burgers, which add aesthetic and flavor.

Shelving and Storage Space

You’ll also want to look for a good amount of storage space and shelving options on your ideal gas grill.

Many models have shelves beneath the main cooking hood. This will allow you to store sauces, tools, trays, and other accessories that you might use during your cooking session.

Others might have side trays or tables that can be folded up and extended when in use. These are great for transferring fresh, hot meat straight to a plate or tray to be passed out without having to step away from the grill.

Some of the best gas grills also have hooks where you can hang your cooking implements, so they don’t have to touch any surface and become contaminated.

These are great for preserving your best cooking tools and are usually quite accessible, making it easy to grab them as soon as you need them.

Wrapping it up

Any of these gas grills will be fantastic choices, but the best overall is certainly the Char-Broil Performance Stainless Steel 4-Burner Cart Style Gas Grill.

For just under $300, it provides ample cooking space, great features, and excellent durability and design.

It lets you enjoy the efficiency and power of a gas grill without breaking the bank.