We Tested 90+ Grills—Here Are the 8 We Recommend

Weber introduced its iconic kettle in 1956, and it has withstood the test of time. It has a porcelain-enameled lid and body that gives it a premium shine and feel, and it’s proven to be rust-resistant over the years. Overall, this grill is lightweight and rolls easily.

The handles stay cool to the touch during cooking, and a shield on the lid top helps protect your fingers from accidentally touching a hot surface. The lid can be hung on the side of the grill when not in use.

In our tests, the grill heated evenly and cooked a delicious smoky steak and four chicken thighs. The coals can be arranged to create two cooking areas (one for direct cooking and one for indirect, cooler heat). The ash collector on this model is enclosed to prevent a mess, but there's limited storage for accessories and no side tables.

We were impressed by how well this Monument grill performed in our heat distribution tests and how nicely it seared our chicken and steak. Note that this grill is very powerful; we only ran our heat distribution test (grilled white bread) for half the usual time to avoid burning, and we cooked the chicken on medium-low. Overall, there were some flare-ups, but no burning.

This large grill has six burners plus a powerful side burner for searing. It also comes with a rotisserie attachment and an infrared burner. While we haven’t tested these features yet, they’re great inclusions in a grill at this price point. The digital control panel that connects to your phone is another elevated touch.

The ample storage space under the grill and the included wastebasket are also great features. One thing to note: It took a professional more than four hours to assemble, and he recommended working with two people.

Pellet grills are electric smokers powered by pellets (compressed wood pieces that resemble rabbit food). They can maintain low temperatures for hours without requiring attention.

One of our GH analysts has been using the Traeger Woodridge at home for over a year, and it's one of her favorite pellet grills because it's easy to operate, has more cooking space than other similar options, and produces juicy, flavorful meats and poultry. Though it's harder to assemble than other grills we've tested (it took almost twice Traeger's estimated time), it is sturdy once built.

For smoke lovers, this grill has a Super Smoke mode that imparts a more intense flavor to your food. It has ample cooking space, and we love that the handy side tables fold in for storage. It also has plenty of hooks to store your cooking tools.

Our favorite feature is the grill's temperature probe, which connects to a display on the hood and to the Traeger smartphone app so you can monitor your cooking progress and adjust the temperature from afar and without opening the lid.

During testing, this grill produced intensely smoky ribs with a well-defined smoke ring. While it didn't produce the most impressive grill marks on seared steak (this is expected for pellet grills, since they don’t get as hot as gas models), we still liked the smoky flavor and medium-rare cook, and chicken thighs came out nicely golden brown and juicy.

Kamado grills are known for their ability to reach very high heat and maintain it well. That means these grills can smoke food for hours at a steady 200ºF as well as reach 750ºF for a satisfying sear. However, using them isn't as straightforward as lighting up a gas grill. It takes a few cooks to master the learning curve.

Like other kamado grills, this one is egg-shaped with thick ceramic walls. It stands out thanks to the brand's attention to design details. The durable plastic handle and side shelves won't wear over time like competitors' handles and shelves do. The rim of the base allows for a soft close and a good seal, and the vent on the top of the grill is labeled to take some of the guesswork out of smoking.

It also comes with a two-tiered grilling grate for added temperature control (add or move coals as needed), a grate-removal tool, an ash-removal tool, and a pull-out ashtray. The wheeled stand is essential to reposition the grill, as it's very heavy.

Electric grills are a good option if you can't use gas or charcoal where you live (like on a balcony in an apartment building). Most don't get hot enough to produce a smoky outdoor grill flavor, but this one from Weber offers a good stand-in. It reaches over 600ºF.

This grill comes with two half-sized grates comparable to Weber's signature porcelain-enameled grates. You can swap them out for the included grill basket or steam tray, which can also hold pellets for smoking.

In our tests, the steak got deep grill marks, and our chicken came out crisp on the outside with a juicy interior. We even gave this grill a GH Kitchen Gear Award for its top-tier performance, ease of use, innovation, and versatility. As a nice bonus, it comes in five colors (something we can't say about most grills).

This has been our top-tested portable grill for years. The large cooking surface provided even heat distribution during testing and produced beautifully seared steaks without overcooking. The domed lid helps trap moisture, keeping more delicate proteins tender when cooked at lower temps.

The single-button ignition and two large storage shelves that fold away for transport make this model stand out from other portable grills. One drawback is that the propane tank is positioned above the temperature knob, making it harder to access the controls.