Best Gas Grill under $200 Reviews by Consumer Reports

One of my favorite meals is grilled food, and probably yours, too, since you are reading this post. Besides being delicious, grilling with friends and family can be a fun activity. However, owning a grill does not have to eat deep into your budget.

You can get a decent gas grill below $200 without compromising the performance and ease of use. Sadly, there are a plethora of options in the price range, which makes it tricky to make the right choice.

Nevertheless, here’s a list of the best gas grill under $200 with compact, portable, and easy to transport design. Also, we included a detailed buying guide to make sure you make an informed decision.

What to Consider Before Purchasing a Gas Grill Under $200

Choosing the right grill in this price range requires you to put a lot of factors into consideration to ensure you make the right choice. In general, the price varies and usually between $150 to $200, which is reasonable considering the features you expect from these low priced equipment.

Fuel: Propane or Natural Gas

Before picking a grill to ensure you know the type of fuel, it runs on. Grill running on natural gas needs a gas line, which means you have to place the unit close to fuel source or make a quick connection at the preferred grill location. Unlike propane, natural gas is less expensive and hassle-free, which makes them highly sought after.

These equipment are available in either configuration. Sadly, you won’t be able to run a natural gas grill on a propane and vice versa. But to do this, you would have to purchase a natural gas conversion kit costing about 50 to 100 bucks.

Material Used

Most gas grills in this price range are usually built using stainless steel, which is an excellent material when it comes to professional cooking equipment. More importantly, you need to make sure that the body and the frame of the grill are not made of flimsy materials like cast aluminum, but stainless steel.

Size of the Grill

Despite the affordable price tag, there are models offering a decent amount of cooking space. Nevertheless, your choice should be based on the number of people you are planning to feed.

If you intend to cook just for you and your small-sized family, then you should consider purchasing a small gas grill. But if that’s not the case, then you should lean more towards a larger grill.

Also, you should consider your available space, where you would keep the equipment. Purchasing a large grill that doesn’t squeeze into your space can really be frustrating.

Ease of Use

While gas grill offers a couple of incredible advantages such as extreme convenience over charcoal grills, it’s essential that the unit provides impressive control over the cooking temperature and flame. Not just that, it should be easy and quick to clean.

The best part of using a gas grill regardless of the price is a quick clean up since there are no ashes produced. All you have to do turn the grill off and clean with a metal brush or just toss the grates in the dishwasher after you are done. Therefore, the right gas grill should be not only cost-effective but also convenient.

Best Gas Grill Under $200 – Reviews by Consumer Reports

Char-Broil Classic 360 3-Burner Liquid Propane Gas Grill

Next up is Char-Broil Classic 360 3-Burner Liquid Propane Gas Grill with impressive durability with a price tag under $200. This stylish, yet solid built-in stainless steel and comes with porcelain-enameled burners and grates, which them rust-resistant and require less cleaning.

The model comes with a primary cooking surface offering a lot of space. It comes with a swing-away rack, which allows you to keep warming your food while grilling on the main surface. Further, the metallic side shelves offering additional space to prep your food items. Not just that, you can also make use of it to hold your essential cooking utensils.

This inexpensive unit offers excellent value for the money. It also equipped with a side burner to cook other things while grilling at the same time. Although Char-Broil Classic 360 3-Burner Liquid Propane Gas Grill is not a portable unit, it’s still light enough to carry and squeeze into the back of your vehicle.

Pros

• Easy to assemble
• Excellent flame control
• Quality build and stylish design
• 360 square inches of cooking space

Cons:

• No thermometer included

Char-Griller E3001 Grillin’ Pro 40,800-BTU Gas Grill

The Char-Griller E3001 Grillin’ Pro 40,800-BTU Gas Grill comes with a unique feel and look. This model features a barrel style, which still doesn’t exceed our price point. This unit has a large cooking surface area and a warming rack to ensure cooking versatility.

Also, there’s a side shelf to allow you to prep your food items. Also, you can take advantage of the utensil hooks to hold your necessary tools, which also free up more space. When it comes to durable construction, Char-Griller E3001 Grillin’ Pro 40,800-BTU Gas Grill is no exception.

At a fraction of the cost, the model features porcelain-coated cast-iron cooking grates and steel body construction to ensure durable long-time outdoor use. It’s designed to withstand the test of time and weather.

Pros

• 192 square inch warming rack
• 40,800 BTU of cooking power
• Electronic ignition
• Durable steel construction

Cons:

• Complicated assemble

MASTER COOK Classic Liquid Propane Gas Grill

Our top pick for the best $200 gas grill is MASTER COOK Classic Liquid Propane Gas Grill. This interesting unit is also an excellent choice for people looking to own an outdoor gas grill without breaking the bank.

This model comes with 473 square inches of cooking space, which should be enough to accommodate large meals. While this grill is priced under $200, it comes with a sturdy construction featuring wire cooking grates with porcelain coating to ensure impressive durability.

Even better, it comes with two foldable side shelves allowing you prep your food items, a stainless steel handle, two heavy-duty 6″ wheel casters for easy maneuverability, and a warming rack for a fraction of the cost.

Surprisingly, this affordable gas grill is equipped with three in-line burners made of stainless steel to offer a whopping 30,000 BTU cooking power. Further, the firebox and lid are also made of porcelain-enameled stainless steel, which ensures this grill stands up to harsh weather.

This durable construction shows that the manufacturer has outdoor purposes in mind. To make use of this grill is convenient to use, it sports a piezo ignition system to offer reliable and fast start-ups by just pushing the button. With all that being said, this model is not one of the easiest to set up on our list.

Pros

• Space efficient
• Easy-to-read thermometer
• Huge cooking power
• Sturdy and durable construction

Cons:

• Starter unit often disappoints

Cuisinart CGG-180TB Petit Gourmet Portable Tabletop Gas Grill

Our runner up is Cuisinart CGG-180TB Petit Gourmet Portable Tabletop Gas Grill coming with 145 sq inches of porcelain-coated grates offering users enough cooking space to accommodate large meals at once.

This small-sized, fully portable grill is designed to offer top-notch performance similar to the full-sized options. This model is from Cuisinart, a universally recognized brand in the grilling industry. The CGG-180TB Petit Gourmet Portable Tabletop Gas Grill is durable and robust, despite its small-size design.

When it comes to grilling on boats, RVs, or small decks, this unit is a go-to for you. That’s not the only benefit of its compact design. This model is able to keep the heat close to the grilling area, which ensures you get much better fuel and energy efficiency than the larger grills.

Even better, it’s equipped with a 5,500 BTU burner allowing you to cook a wide variety of meals. Also, it features a twist-to-start electronic ignition system to offer reliable and quick start-up every time. What’s more? It sports a precision temperature gauge, which allows you to cook at precise temperatures.

Further, setting this unit up is hassle-free and doesn’t take long to pack away. Interestingly, Cuisinart CGG-180TB Petit Gourmet Portable Tabletop Gas Grill comes in a brief-style design and a carrying handle for secure and easy transport.

Pros

• Fast and easy setup
• Compact design
• Twist-to-start electronic ignition
• Durable folding legs
• Heat and cool quickly

Cons:

• No thermometer included

Masterbuilt SH19030819 Smoke Hollow PT300B Propane Grill

Another spot, another perfect outdoor grill. This tabletop grill comes in a portable design, which is an ideal choice for BBQ-grillers looking to have an on-the-go unit. The Masterbuilt SH19030819 Smoke Hollow PT300B Propane Grill features sturdy stainless steel construction, which offers you impressive outdoor cooking experience.

Moving further, this gas grill comes with folding legs for secure storage, locking lid, a large carry handle at the front to make carrying this model convenient. This Smoke Hollow runs on a small, disposable propane cylinder.

It comes with an ample of 205 sq inches of overall grilling space. Another striking thing about this tabletop grill is its chrome- warming rack, which allows you to toast your buns while you cook on the main grill area.

That’s not all: Masterbuilt SH19030819 Smoke Hollow PT300B Propane Grill is equipped with a massive 10,000 BTU cooking power from a stainless steel “U” burner, which should be more than enough to cook just about anything.

To ensure cleaning this model is a breeze, the manufacturer includes a stainless steel drip pan to catch the excess grease and oil. Plus, you get a temperature gauge on the lid, which helps you cook at the right temperature and avoid burning or undercooking your food.

Pros

• Foldable stainless steel legs
• Includes a warming rack
• 205 sq inches of grilling space
• Portable and durable construction

Cons:

• Poor quality control

Cuisinart CGG-059 Grillster 8,000 BTU Portable Gas Grill

Let’s take a look at another portable gas grill from Cuisinart. This model offers a decent 146 square inches of cooking space, which should be plenty enough to feed your family and a couple of extra friends. With enameled steel grates, cleaning them becomes a breeze after use. Besides, they are dishwasher safe, but we recommend that you hand wash with a metal brush.

Also, its compact design ensures that you can make use of this grill on your deck, balconies, patios, tailgating, and camping trips. Aside from that, this unit does not require any assembling, and setting up takes only a couple of minutes.

Again, Cuisinart CGG-059 Grillster Portable Gas Grill features an 8,000 BTU, and it’s compatible with 1 lb. Propane tank offering optimal portability. What’s more? There comes with a push-to-ignite start button to ensure this grill starts up every time.

This unit has a hood lifts up to allow total access to the grates. These grates are made of porcelain enamel cooking grate that offers uniform heat distribution.

Pros

• 8, 000 BTU burner
• 146 square inch cooking space
• Easy for transport
• No assembly required

Cons:

• No customer support

Conclusion

Here you go, the best gas grill under $200 offering high performance and convenience. However, the choice is yours, and you should pick a grill that caters to your needs.