Summer’s off and running, and that means your grill should be, too!
But if your grill has grilled its last burger, don’t sweat it.
We’re taking a look at great grills for under $300!
You can easily spend thousands on a new grill but Consumer Reports’ Paul Hope says you don’t need to.
“You really don’t need to spend a lot of money on a fancy grill. It’s not going to make your food taste any better. For that, you really just want to practice, practice, practice.”
CR has a specially designed lab just to test grills.
The good news: you can get a good grill for under $300.
Want a grill that heats up fast and evenly cooks food?
CR says an Even Embers model is a great option if you tend to cook a lot of the same foods at the same time.
If you want to cook up a variety of foods at the same time, you want a grill that offers a decent temperature range.
CR tests for that, too.
“Temperature range is important because a grill that can cook at a broad range of temps can cook way more food and it can do it easier,” Hope said. “So you can sear a steak on one side of the grill and slow cook a piece of chicken without burning the skin on the other.”
CR says this RevoAce from Walmart delivers.
It’s also sturdy and well-made.
If you prefer charcoal grilling, this Weber kettle grill consistently earns very good scores from CR for evenness.
Ready to take your grilling beyond the grates? CR also checked out several flat-top grills.
“A flat top grill fills in the gaps left behind by a regular grill. So instead of having grates, it’s got a smooth surface a lot like a griddle which makes it ideal for anything you’d order from a diner. Things like pancakes, bacon, eggs, and grilled cheese are all great on a flat top.”
This loco earned top scores from Consumer Reports.
It has special burners that cycle on and off to maintain the temperature across its very large cooking surface.
Paul still managed to cook for a crowd on this budget-friendly flat top from Blackstone which starts at about $260.