Do you like to have the option for on-the-go grilling? Do you have a small apartment or patio that doesn’t offer enough space for a large grill? If you answered yes to either of those questions, then continue reading this article. We are going to dive into the best small gas grills you can buy for the money.
Top 10 Best Small Gas Grills Reviews by Consumer Reports
Although smaller gas grills often take longer to heat up and cook than larger counterparts, they are extremely convenient and portable. If you want on-the-go grilling options, a small gas grill is the best option. Here are reviews of our top picks for the best small gas grills available.
1. Cuisinart CGG-888 Grill Griddle Cooking Center
This innovative griddle cooking center from Cuisinart features two heat zones which deliver consistent and even cooking results. It has an oversized 360-degree grease pan with an easy access grease cup for cleanup.
This grill features a cold-rolled steel cooking surface and has a stainless steel lid with vents which allows you to roast, steam, warm or smoke foods. It even includes a fold away prep table with a paper towel holder underneath!
Cooking on a griddle surface helps keep juices in the food rather than having it drip away resulting in fabulous tasting food! This grill is a great deal for under $300. It’s easy to assemble and can be put together in 30-minutes or less!
Pros:
- Cold-rolled steel cooking surface
- Integrated fold away prep table
- Includes a paper towel holder
- 360-degree grease pan with easy access grease cup
Cons:
- Difficult to reach and maintain a very low temperature setting
2. Weber 51210001 Q1200 Fuchsia Liquid Propane Grill
This fuchsia grill from Weber features a single stainless steel burner which produces 8500-BTUs (British thermal units) per hour. It has a 189-square inch cooking area with porcelain-enameled cast iron cooking grates.
This grill has an easy-start electronic ignition and includes infinite control burner valve settings. It uses the disposable 14.1 or 16.4-ounce LP cylinders for fuel. The grill features two small side trays for food prep and an integrated thermometer on the lid.
The Weber Q1200 grill comes fully assembled and is ready to use directly out of the box. This grill can be used as a tabletop grill or it can be mounted on a stand.
Pros:
- 189-square inches of cooking surface
- Easy-start electronic ignition
- Comes fully assembled and ready to use out of the box
Cons:
- Temperature is very difficult to control
3. Cuisinart CGG-180T Red Petit Gourmet Portable Tabletop Gas Grill
The Petit Gourmet portable grill is large enough to cook 8 steaks or up to 4-pounds of fish. With 145-square inches of grilling area, you can cook enough food for a small picnic or tailgating party. The grill features legs that can fold up underneath it making it compact for storage and portability. You can set up the aluminum legs in literally seconds allowing you to get busy grilling quickly.
The Cuisinart grill has an integrated lid lock which keeps the lid secure while you are not using the grill. It features a pronounced briefcase-style carrying handle. This is a lightweight and compact grill for perfect on-the-go grilling.
Pros:
- 145-square inches of cooking space
- Even-heating cooking grate
- Folding legs for portability and compact storage
- 5500-BTU stainless steel burner
Cons:
- Lid lock and handle are plastic and can break easily
4. Smoke Hollow VT280B1 Portable Tabletop Gas Grill
This compact grill features 367-square inches of cooking surface. It has folding legs and a locking lid for easy transportation and storage. The grill has porcelain-coated cooking grids and a chrome-plated warming rack so you can prepare plenty of food for your party!
The grill features a push-button ignition system which allows you to heat up the 10,000-BTU stainless steel burner easily. It also has a heat tent for burner protection and for even heat distribution.
If you are looking for a compact and portable grill for the summer, don’t look any further. This Smoke Hollow Vector series grill is just the product you need!
Pros:
- 367-square inches of cooking space
- Folding legs for easy storage
- 10,000-BTU stainless steel burner
- Heat tent provides burner protection
Cons:
- Difficult to reach high temperatures consistently
5. Char-Broil Classic 280 2-Burner Gas Grill with Side Burner
This small gas grill by Char-Broil features 280-square inches of cooking space. The separately controlled 8000-BTU side burner is ideal for sauteing veggies or other side dishes.
The main grill has two stainless steel in-line burners with individual temperature controls. This allows you to cook food at a high temperature on one side of the grill and a lower temperature on the other side of the grill.
The porcelain-coated steel lid and firebox stands up to the weather and allows you to keep the grill stored outside on a small patio or balcony. This grill also has a metal side shelf which measures about 12-inches by 13-inches for extra space while you are grilling. If you are looking for a small grill that you can keep in place at home, this Char-Broil Classic grill is the perfect option.
Pros:
- 280-square inches of cooking surface
- Features a side burner
- Has wheels for portability
- Side shelf for food prep
Cons:
- Ignition system does not work reliably
6. Flame King RV Or Trailer Mounted Gas Grill
This Flame King grill comes with a special bracket which allows you to mount it directly onto the side of your motorhome, RV or trailer. There is also a hanging rack which can be used as legs to make the grill free-standing. This allows you to have a cookout whenever and wherever you want!
The grill includes an adjustable flame controller and features 214-square inches of grilling surface. This grill is designed to be used only with the self-contained LP system on your RV or Motorhome. This grill is the perfect solution for anyone who travels with a camper or trailer. It will be a great addition to your camping adventures!
Pros:
- Mountable on the side of an RV or trailer
- Adjustable flame controller
- 214-square inches of cooking space
- Includes a warming grate
Cons:
- Difficult to ignite
7. Weber Spirit II E-210 2-Burner Liquid Propane Grill
This compact grill provides 460-square inches of cooking surface and has porcelain-enameled, cast-iron cooking grates. It has 2 burners which provide a total output of 26,500-BTUs per hour.
The cart that comes with the grill has an open design which includes 6 tool hooks to hang all of your cooking utensils. It even has two wheels on one end so you can literally wheel the grill easily around your backyard to various locations.
The grill features an ignition system that is guaranteed to ignite every time! This is so much more convenient than trying to light charcoal briquettes! The easy-to-read fuel gauge lets you see how much fuel is left in your tank. This gives you ample warning so you never have to let your tank go empty again!
Pros:
- Two burners with a total output of 26,500-BTUs
- Includes Weber’s GS4 Grilling System
- Infinity Ignition is guaranteed to ignite
- Under $500
Cons:
- Grease deflectors do not keep grease off the burners
8. Weber Gray Liquid Propane Grill
This propane grill from Weber has a total cooking area of 280-square inches! The stainless steel burner can output up to 12,000-BTUs per hour. This grill features porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grates and has a built-in thermometer so you can easily monitor the internal temperature of the grill.
The grill also has an electronic ignition so that you can heat up the grill easily. Two folding work tables on each side of the grill provide ample space for food prep, spices and grilling utensils.
The lid and body of this grill are made of rust-resistant cast aluminum to ensure this grill will last you for a long time. If you are looking for a compact on-the-go grill, the Weber Q 2200 gas grill is the best solution for your camping trips and tailgating parties!
Pros:
- 280-square inches of grilling space
- 12,000-BTU stainless steel burner
- Compact and lightweight
- Electronic ignition system
- Built-in thermometer
Cons:
- Difficult to get the grill temperature above 300-degrees consistently
9. Weber 50060001 Q1000 Liquid Propane Grill
This Weber grill allows you to cook about 6 average-size burgers on the porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grates. It features 189-square inches of total grilling surface and comes completely assembled straight out of the box.
The compact design includes a removable grease drip pan so you can clean up the grill easily after each use. It has a push-button ignition, so it is easy to heat up the grill every time and has a durable cast aluminum lid and body for long lasting performance.
This grill uses disposable 14.1-ounce of 16.4-ounce liquid propane cylinders. It is recommended that you preheat the grill for about 15-minutes prior to trying to cook on it. This is an ideal compact solution for quick on-the-go grilling anywhere you need to go!
Pros:
- 189-square inches of cooking space
- Porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grates
- Fully assembled and ready to use
- Uses disposable liquid propane cylinders
Cons:
- Gas regulator does not work consistently
10. Royal Gourmet 22-Inch Tabletop Portable Grill
This compact tabletop grill features two separately controlled burners with a total output of 17,000-BTUs. The porcelain-enamel coated griddle surface has 238-square inches of total cooking space.
This Royal Gourmet grill features a durable stainless steel control panel which includes a Piezo ignition system. This allows you to start the burners easily and then individually control the temperature of each burner.
There is a removable grease cup on the side of the grill that captures the fat and oil from your food. This makes cleanup of the grill quite simple and effortless. The grill includes a regulator for a 1-pound tank and is perfect for camping, hiking and other outdoor activities.
Pros:
- 238-square inches of cooking surface
- 2 individually controllable burners
- Total output of 17,000-BTUs
- Stainless steel control panel
- Includes a Piezo ignition system
- Features a removable grease cup
Cons:
- The coated surface scratches easily
What To Look For In A Small Gas Grill
There are so many small gas grills available that it can be overwhelming picking one that will best suit your needs. Here are some key features that you should consider when you want to buy a small gas grill.
Cooking Space
If you are looking for a grill that you can take with you camping or tailgating, then consider how many people you want to feed at any one time. As a general rule you should allow roughly 80-square inches of cooking space per person. This means that if you are grilling for a group of 4 people, you will want to have a grill with about 320-square inches of cooking surface.
Portability
Most small gas grills are very compact which also makes them fairly portable. Some grills are designed to be more permanently placed, however. If you need something that you can transport in the trunk of your car, then be sure your small gas grill folds up easily and can be carried without much effort.
Temperature Control
If you need to be able to grill foods at different temperatures, then there are a couple of ways to achieve this goal.
- A warming grate allows you to place veggies or other small food items on a small grate that sits higher above the grill burner. This means that the temperature will not be as hot for the food on the warming grate as it is directly on the main cooking surface.
- Independently controlled burners let you turn the heat up high on one side of the grill and lower on the other side of the grill. This allows you to place food on one side and cook at higher temperatures while allowing the other side to remain at a lower temperature.
Conclusion
If you have a small outdoor space, it doesn’t mean you cannot enjoy the flavorful taste of grilled food! There are many options for small gas grills that can accommodate small spaces as well as portability for camping trips and tailgating parties. Be sure you consider the total cooking surface, portability and temperature control before you commit to buying your grill.