Best Barbecue Grills for the Money – Buyers Guide

Are you looking to take your BBQ to the next level? Then you are going to need a grill. Though don’t be fooled – you don’t need to break the bank to get something that will barbeque your foods to perfection.

I have used a selection of different grills with the aim to find affordable grills and grills that offer the best value for money. Below my top 3 options.

Best Barbecue Grills for the Money – Top 3

Great All Rounder

#1 Fuego Element F21C

Fuego Element F21C

I feel this grill is one of the best options out there. It offers a very high overall quality and standard while maintaining a reasonable price point. Let me explain why.

The first thing that you will notice with this grill is its unique design and build. The design keeps the overall footprint of the grill very small and it is easily one of the most compact grills. This makes for cooking in smaller spaces more practical and when storing less space is used.

Don’t be fooled by the size of the grill though it can heat up all the way to 600F and the heat is spread evenly across the whole cooking surface for the most part, there does seem to be a little extra heat at the edges but still a nice evenness throughout when cooking. It’s also worth noting that this grill makes great sear makes though you will need to move the food to a new spot every time you want more sear marks added.  

While the cooking surface isn’t the biggest out there it will be more than sufficient for cooking for an average sized family (3-5 people). The build quality has a nice and premium feel and the grill is very compact and easy to move around making it very practical.

Advantages
  • Small footprint
  • Easy to move around and store
  • Heats up all the way to 600F
  • Nice build quality and design
Disadvantages
  • Cooking surface not ideal for bigger families

Bargain Option

#2 Char-Griller 3001 Grillin’ Pro

Char-Griller 3001 Grillin' Pro

There are a lot of inexpensive grills out there but the problem with a lot of them it that they are poor quality and simply don’t last. With this Char-Griller it is totally different from most of the other cheap grills out there. Let me explain.

First of the design and build -this grill is made from steel and feels very strong and durable. It has wheels that allow it to be moved around as you need. It has the main grill and the grill area above with is ideal if you are cooking things are different speeds. I tend to throw the meat up onto the upper grill once it is almost done, this keeps it cooking but at a slower rate. It really helps with getting all your food reading to eat at the same time. You also have the 2 side shelves one of which can be used as a side burner and is handy to have if you are heating sauces or whatever else.

In terms of the actual heating and cooking. It has 40,800 BTU of heat which in lemans terms means it gets really hot, over 500F even on the lowest setting! The heat is also well distrusted and cooks very evenly in my own experience.

It’s also worth mentioning it has a grease tray for grabbing any grease. Its big and relatively easy to clean.

This grill has all the elements that make a grill great and all at such a bargain price. If you are looking for a cheap grill this is probably the best choice for you!

Advantages
  • Great features
  • Nice design
  • Side burner included
  • Hot and even cooking
  • Bargain price
Disadvantages
  • Should be keep inside during winter to prevent rusting

Quality Option

#3 Weber Spirit E310

Weber Spirit E310

Having been on the market for a grill you have undoubtedly heard of Weber. If you haven’t they are easily one of the best manufacturers of grills out there.

In my list of the best barbecue grills for the money I wanted to include one grill that is a pricier option but I still feels it offer great value for money even at this higher cost of entry.

This Weber grill is tremendous in terms of overall build quality and design. Not only does it look amazing but it functions incredibly well. It could even be used realistically in a commercial setting. It has side panels that can be used to prepare food or can be used to place food after cooking which is handy. These side panels can also fold down which makes for moving the grill around on its wheels easier, it also makes for storing it more practical due to its smaller footprint.

There are a lot of small features that make the cooking experience that more seamless with this Weber grill. To name a few things – there are plastic hooks along both sides of the trays which can be used to hang utensils. An 2nd example would be the grill cooking bars are made from cast iron. When comparing cast iron with the typical bars you get in most cookers – cast iron holds the heat much better and allows you to sear your meat more effectively.

In terms of cooking power, this grill has 32,000BTU of power which means heating to over 600F(celcius) is no problem at all! You have the main grilling area and an area raised slightly above with is ideal for slower cooking or keeping food warm.

This is one of my favorite grills I have used, and that is quite the statement as I have used grills at $1,000+ and I would still prefer this over them. So even though this isn’t cheap it still is great value for money for what you get!
Advantages
  • Beautiful grill
  • Countless features
  • Amazing quality
  • Great for searing
  • Good value
Disadvantages
  • Bigger footprint

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