It depends on the kind. On our scores, a grill near the top of its kind costs about $150 for a charcoal grill, $500 for a cart gas grill, $850 for a pellet grill and $1,400 for a kamado. Built-in gas grills start in the thousands. In 7 of 8 kinds, that grill costs no more than the typical price.
What each kind of grill costs
Here are the prices of the 126 grills we have scored that have a current price. The bar is the middle half of the prices in each kind, the orange dot the typical price, and the ring the cheapest grill that scores within 0.2 points of the best of its kind.
Typical priceNear the top score, for the leastMiddle half of prices
The scale climbs in steps that grow, so the gap between $100 and $1,000 looks the same as between $1,000 and $10,000. Prices are the current ones on our records and change with sales.
The least you can pay for a top grill
Paying more rarely buys the top score. In each kind, here is the grill we score highest and the cheapest one that comes within 0.2 points of it.
| Kind | Typical price | Near the top, for the least | Our best scored |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric grill | $130 | George Foreman 5-Serving Submersible Grill 8.17, $62 | Fire Magic EL500i-4Z1E-W Built-In Electric Grill 8.34, $7,088 |
| Charcoal grill | $137 | Weber Original Kettle Charcoal Grill 22 8.44, $149 | The same grill |
| Portable gas grill | $225 | Coleman Fold N Go + Propane Grill 8.14, $90 | Cuisinart Chef's Style Stainless Tabletop Grill 8.30, $225 |
| Gas griddle | $400 | Char-Broil Performance Series 22 Portable Tabletop Griddle 8.27, $108 | Nexgrill Daytona 4-Burner Flat Top Griddle 8.38, $400 |
| Cart gas grill | $749 | Weber Spirit E-325 Gas Grill 8.57, $499 | Weber Summit Smart FS38X S Gas Grill 8.66, $5,299 |
| Pellet grill | $826 | Broil King Regal Pellet 400 8.80, $826 | The same grill |
| Kamado | $1,399 | Weber Summit Kamado E6 Charcoal Grill 8.90, $1,399 | Kamado Joe Classic II 8.95, $1,499 |
| Built-in gas grill | $5,730 | Fire Magic Choice C430i Built-In Grill 8.71, $3,738 | The same grill |
Cart gas grills show it best: the Weber Spirit E-325 Gas Grill scores 8.57 at about $499, and our top scorer, the Weber Summit Smart FS38X S Gas Grill, scores 8.66 at about $5,299. Our study of whether price matters shows where paying more does buy something.
What paying more buys
- Thicker metal and better parts: cast or heavy stainless burners, a thicker cookbox and heavy grates. These are what make a grill last.
- A longer warranty: the maker's own bet on how long it holds up. See how long grills last.
- Size and extras: more burners, side burners, lights, rotisseries and app control. Nice to have, but none of them cooks a better steak.
- Better steel: 304 stainless rather than 430 or painted steel. Our guide to grill materials explains the difference.
What a built-in really costs
A built-in grill head typically costs $5,730 on our records, and that is only the start. The counter or island, a gas line run by a licensed fitter, and an insulated jacket if the counter can burn are all extra.
Price the whole project before choosing the grill. A good cart grill parked beside a patio cooks just as well for far less.
Budget for more than the grill
- Fuel: a propane tank and refills, bags of charcoal, or pellets. Pellets and charcoal cost more per cook than gas.
- A cover: the cheapest way to make any grill last longer.
- A meat thermometer and tools: a good instant read thermometer does more for your cooking than any upgrade to the grill. Our meat temperature chart shows the targets.
- Delivery and assembly: heavy grills ship freight, and some stores charge to assemble.
Near the top, for the least
Questions people ask
- What is a good price for a gas grill?
- For a cart gas grill, the typical price on our records is $749, and the cheapest one near our top score is about $499. Portable gas grills cost far less, typically $225.
- Are expensive grills worth it?
- For build and long life, often yes. For how well the food turns out, much less. A well built mid priced grill cooks as well as most dear ones.
- When is the best time to buy a grill?
- Late summer into fall, when stores clear stock, and around holiday sales. Our Black Friday grill deals page tracks prices on the grills we have scored.
- Is a cheap grill a waste of money?
- Not always. 8 grills we have scored cost under $200 and score 8 or more, mostly kettles, portables and small electrics. The cheapest ones cut corners on thin metal that rusts through sooner.