“One of the immediate benefits of a propane grill is that they can be quickly lit and brought to temperature,” says Eudel Watts IV, pitmaster and co-founder of Old Arthur’s Barbecue Products. Unlike cooking with charcoal, which requires a generous, concentrated layer of lit coals that can take 20 minutes to reach an optimal temperature, propane grills can get going with the quick turn of a dial. To find out which is the best propane grill for your home, we researched a variety of picks, including portable, budget-friendly, and combination picks, and looked at each grill’s BTUs, cooking surface space, weight, and features. We also consulted Eudel Watts IV, pitmaster and co-founder of Old Arthur’s Barbecue Products and Shawn Hill, founder of The Grilling Dad. Overall, we recommend the Weber Spirit II E-310 Three-Burner Liquid Propane Grill. This sleek, compact grill was designed with ease of use in mind, featuring a large grilling area, convenient open cart design and superior heating. Here are the best propane grills. Keep in Mind: With only two wheels, it’s not the easiest grill to move around. Sleek and compact, the Weber Spirit II E-310 Three-Burner Liquid Propane Grill was designed with convenience in mind, making it our overall choice for the best propane grill. It features an expansive, three-burner cooking area, allowing you to sear steaks or burgers on one side while grilling veggies, poultry, or seafood on the other side. Outfitted with a comprehensive grilling system, this gas grill has excellent ignition and heats up very fast. The grill also features porcelain-enameled, cast-iron cooking grates, which are durable and easy to clean, and a convenient removable tray that picks up all the remnants. With this propane grill, the open-cart design not only lets you easily store all your grilling tools, but the slatted lower shelf also prevents water from building up. Cable management clips also keep this grill’s wires out of harm’s way. Keep in mind, though, that you’ll have to tip this grill slightly in order to move it since it only has two wheels. Price at time of publish: $639 Product Details: BTUs: 30,000 | Cooking Space: 529 square inches | Weight: 114 pounds Keep in Mind: You have to assemble this grill yourself. If you’re on a budget or you just want to give a propane grill a try, Hill recommends the Char-Boil Performance Four-Burner Gas Grill. The grill offers a large cooking space, as well as additional prep tables to make entertaining easy. This expansive four-burner grill delivers 36,000 BTU per hour input across a 425 square inch cooking surface, allowing you to feed a crowd with minimal effort—for reference, there’s room for about 20 burgers. A swing-out warming rack gives you a secondary cooking space, perfect for toasting buns or preparing sauces. The grill is also outfitted with rust-resistant porcelain-coated cast-iron grates and offers a wide temperature range with precise control. Other features to love about this grill are the lid-mounted thermometer for easy temperature monitoring, two 7-inch wheels to easily move your grill, and a removable grease tray that makes cleanup fast and efficient. Before you fire it up, you’ll want to set aside some time to assemble this grill since it does not ship fully assembled. Price at time of publish: $334 Product Details: BTUs: 36,000 | Cooking Space: 425 square inches | Weight: 85 pounds Keep in Mind: The grill is on the larger side, so it’s not ideal for smaller spaces or if you want to store it between seasons. If you’re looking for a propane grill with all the bells and whistles, Hill suggests the Weber Summit S-470 Propane Grill. According to Hill, the propane grill has everything you’ll need to cook a great meal outdoors. “Weber grills are synonymous with quality,” Hill says. “Their grills will last a lifetime.” The propane grill includes four burners, a rotisserie attachment, a searing section, a side burner, and even an LED fuel gauge for your propane tanks so you know how much fuel is remaining before you fire up the grill. You also get 580 square inches of cooking surface and 48,800 BTU per hour input—more than any other option on our list—as well as stainless steel grates that are great for searing meats and easy cleanup. Plus, flavorizer bars vaporize drippings to add flavor to your grilled items. Do keep in mind that this is a large grill, weighing 245 pounds with a width of 66 inches, so it may not be the best choice if you have a small deck or patio. Price at time of publish: $2,722 Product Details: BTUs per-hour input: 48,800 | Cooking Space: 580 square inches | Weight: 245 pounds Keep in Mind: It doesn’t feature any additional prep tables, which you may need if you don’t have room for other furniture in your small space. If city living or apartment dwelling has you short on space, look no further than Char-Broil’s Tru-Infrared Patio Gas Grill. Our choice for the best small propane grill, this little grill gives you a comfortable 240-square-inch cooking area as well as an 80-square-inch warming rack. You also get a sleek porcelain-coated steel cooking grate, which makes this grill easy to clean; a simple, one-knob control with electronic ignition; and a convenient towel bar to hold tools and accessories. Plus, it features the brand’s Tru-Infrared technology, which, according to Char-Boil, results in juicier meats, prevents hot and cold spots, and cooks food evenly. The two-wheel design also makes this 43-pound grill a breeze to move around. The small design does come with some sacrifices, however. The closed grill grates limit how well you can sear meat on this grill. And with just one burner and no prep space, this isn’t the best option for cooking for a crowd. Price at time of publish: $249 Product Details: BTUs: 13,000 | Cooking Space: 320 square inches | Weight: 43 pounds Keep in Mind: For a portable grill, it’s on the heavier side. It does have wheels, but if you like to grill on the beach, you may want to grab a buddy to help you carry it through the sand. If you’re a camping enthusiast or like to grill with friends at the park, we recommend the Cuisinart CGG-240 All Foods Roll Away Grill as the best propane grill for portability. Its wheeled style can be easily folded and moved from your backyard to a campsite. One thing to love about this model is the built-in stand, which makes it easy to take anywhere—no need to crouch on the ground or to find a picnic table to prop it on. With 15,000 BTU per hour input, it’s comparable to other small grills on the market, giving you enough heat to grill any food, including fresh veggies, meats, and even pizza. You get 240 square inches of porcelain-enamel-coated cast iron grilling surface, an easy-to-use electronic ignition, and heat distribution panels that cook food evenly and help reduce flare-ups caused by fattier cuts of meat. A built-in thermometer ensures accurate temperature readings, while fold-out side shelves can hold plates, tools, and spices. When it’s not in use, you can simply fold it up and store it with ease. Keep in mind that it does weigh 45 pounds, so you may need assistance lifting it in and out of your vehicle. Its wheels should help you move it easily from there. Price at time of publish: $262 Product Details: BTUs: 15,000 | Cooking Space: 240 square inches | Weight: 45 pounds Keep in Mind: There are plenty of useful accessories available for this little grill, but they’re sold separately. Avid campers and tailgaters will love this compact, lightweight option from Coleman, which offers plenty of room to cook for a crowd and can be set up on just about any flat surface. The propane grill has 225 square inches of cooking surface, so you can comfortably grill burgers, hot dogs, veggies, and more. With this propane grill, you get two completely independent adjustable temperature zones with a wide BTU range (2,500–11,000) to ensure all your food cooks thoroughly and evenly. The grill also features cast-iron grates that are interchangeable with griddles and stove grates, but keep in mind they’re sold separately, so it’ll be an additional cost. Price at time of publish: $210 Product Details: BTUs: Up to 11,000 | Cooking Space: 225 square inches | Weight: 25.59 pounds Keep in Mind: The detachable cooking timer only goes up to 99 minutes of cook time, making it less desirable for those who like to cook “low and slow.” The Weber Performer Deluxe solves the problems of having to choose between propane and charcoal by giving you the ease of a gas ignition and the smoky flavor of charcoal. The charcoal is ready for grilling in 20 minutes. This grill is quite good-looking, too, made of stainless steel accented by sleek knobs and trims. The 22-inch bowl is porcelain-enameled for great heat retention while the grates are cast iron. And, you get 363 square inches of cooking surface, giving you space to grill up to 13 burgers at a time. The gas ignition works at the push of a button, while a hinged grate lets you easily add and replenish charcoal. You also get two charcoal baskets that can be conveniently moved to create direct and indirect heating zones, giving you more control over your cooking temperatures. The two-part grate system has a removable center that you can replace with a wide range of add-ons, including a wok and a pizza stone, but you’ll have to buy those accessories separately. You also get a side shelf for easy food prep, two storage drawers, tool hooks, and a detachable LCD timer for keeping track of how long items have been on the grill, even if you’re in the house. Keep in mind that the timer only goes up to 99 minutes, so it may not be a great choice for meats you’re cooking on low heat for long periods of time. Price at time of publish: $599 Product Details: BTUs: N/A | Cooking Space: 363 square inches | Weight: 91 pounds

What to Know About Propane Grills Before Shopping

Cooking Space

When it comes to choosing the best propane grill, the cooking space is an important deciding factor. To start, Hill recommends you consider things like how many people you’ll likely be cooking for. “I always recommend getting a grill that has at least one more burner than you think you’ll need—it’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it,” Hill says. Watts agrees that extra burners are never a bad idea. “We prefer units that have three or more burners. This allows you better temperature control and [gives you] the ability to more effectively cook indirectly.”

Portability

Depending on how you plan to use your propane grill, portability is worth considering. According to Hill, you should think about how you plan to store your grill as well as if you want to take it on the go when camping or grilling at the park. While many models are large and will stay in one place in your outdoor space, there are plenty of more lightweight options that are designed to either be stored away or are compact enough to take on a camping trip.

BTUs

BTUs (British Thermal Units) are used to measure the amount of heat a propane grill produces. Whether you want to cook up some vegetables or grill burgers and steaks, you’ll need a range of heat to cook each properly. Propane grills have BTU ratings that usually range from 13,000 to 48,000, so consider how you’re planning to use your grill and how much heat you might need.

Your Questions, Answered

Can you use a propane grill in the rain?

Both experts we spoke to agree: Yes, you can use your propane grill in the rain. Though the rain doesn’t present any safety concerns, you’ll want to be mindful of how long the grill lid is open to avoid the rain washing away the seasoning on your food.

How do you start a propane grill?

Starting up a propane grill is fairly simple. First, turn the propane tank counterclockwise to open it. Then, turn one of the burners’ dials to the ignite setting, and push the auto-light button. “It’s safest to follow these steps while the grill lid is open,” Hill says.

Can you use a propane grill inside?

When it comes to propane grills, It is not safe to use one inside your home. In addition to running the risk of a grease fire, it can make your home really smoky and can even cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

What are the advantages of propane grills?

Propane grills are easy to start and generally heat up faster than charcoal grills. Another feature to love about cooking on a propane grill: precise control. This means you can easily raise or lower the heat via a convenient temperature dial. “Charcoal temperature regulation is much tougher and takes a lot of practice,” Hill says. Propane is also cheaper than charcoal. “While a propane grill might be a little more of an investment upfront, you will spend less over time,” Hill says. For example, a 15-pound tank of propane will last about 20 uses while a 15-pound bag of charcoal will only last for two to four grilling sessions. Investing in a propane grill doesn’t have to break the bank either. “There are many great propane grills that can fit a tight budget,” Hill says. “They may not have all the bells and whistles, but they can still grill a great burger.”

Who We Are

This article was written by Adria Greenhauff, who has been writing about food and lifestyle topics for over a decade. To come up with this list of the best propane grills, she looked at each grill’s BTUs, cooking surface space, weight, and features. She also interviewed Eudel Watts IV, a fifth-generation pitmaster and co-founder of Old Arthur’s Barbecue Products, and grilling expert Shawn Hill of The Grilling Dad, who has tested hundreds of propane grills over the last 25 years.