Best Gas Grills Under $300

Last Update: October, 2023

A big part of grilling is the actual gas grill you're using. Any frequent griller knows that cooking good food requires a good grill. Thankfully, getting a high-quality grill for good food doesn't necessarily mean that you have to spend a ton of money.

There are tons of grill out there under $300 that have some fantastic abilities and features. For under $300, you’ll be able to enjoy spending the weekends grilling for yourself, your family or a crowd.

More About The Char-Broil Stainless Steel Gas Grill

This Char-Broil grill truly does a lot for its relatively low price. The gas grill is capable of 36,000 BTUs of heat and has burners that emit flame from the top, giving your food completely even cooking. It would make the perfect grill for someone who loves to entertain, as it can hold quite a bit on its 425 square inches of cooking space plus warming racks. 

The grill’s stainless steel design makes it extremely attractive and able to withstand a lot of weather and wear. This is a durable pick and an overall perfect grill for the party-grilling fan.

More About The Char-Broil Classic 280

If you’re looking for a smaller grill and don’t want to spend the money on a big, fancy grill, the Classic 280 from Char-Broil is the right option for you. This grill has 280 square inches of cooking space with two stainless steel burners, so it’s perfect for grilling up a small meal for the family. 

It would fit attractively and comfortably into any yard, big or small, and even has two wheels to increase its portability. If you’re just looking for an affordable grill for your family, consider the Classic 280.

More About The Char-Griller E3001

This large grill capable of 40,800 BTU will be the perfect center for your next barbeque party. It has a 438 square inch main grill and a 192-inch warming rack, so it is capable of holding a large amount of food.

But while it is a large grill, it is pretty light at less than 100 lbs and has wheels that make it easy to move around. Its side-shelf is convenient and durable and the grill is extremely easy to use with an electric starter. Like the Char-Broil Stainless Steel Grill, it is perfect for entertaining and will suit being frequently used in the backyard. 

More About The RevoAce Gas Grill

RevoAce boasts about this grill’s ability to cook up to 28 burgers at once. This is a great, large, heavy duty grill that is perfect for outdoor summer parties when you are cooking for a crowd. It is capable of 48,000 BTU of heat, making it the hottest grill on this list.

It also has the largest cooking area of any grill on this list at 480 square inches plus a 180 square inch warming rack. Its 4 stainless steel burners each emit an equal amount of heat to ensure that your food is getting cooked easily. Another great feature of this grill is its ability to be converted to natural gas via a VersiFuel kit.

More About The Blackstone Outdoor Flat Top Gas Grill

Once you use this grill from Blackstone, you’ll easily forget all about your traditional grill. Instead of setting food on grates over burners like a traditional grill, this grill actually has a griddle-style top, similar to grills in restaurants. 

This grill will get you through all 3 meals of the day. The griddle top allows you to cook pancakes and eggs along with burgers and steaks. It also allows you to control the heat on certain areas of the grill its adjustable heat zones. Basically, this Blackstone will completely change the way you grill!

Benefits of Owning a Gas Grill Under $300

You’ll find that there are many benefits that come along with your new gas grill. First of all, a gas grill is extremely easy to use. They usually turn on simply via an ignition button. That means no more lighting the grill; you just have to press a button to turn it on!

Faster Heating

They also heat up much more quickly than other types of grills and have little radiant heat, making them perfect for summer use. Gas grills typically will heat up within minutes, and once they are heated, they’re pretty much guaranteed to have even heating.

Even Cooking and Easy Cleaning

Unlike grills that use coal or other methods of cooking, gas grills cook completely evenly. They are also very easy to clean, as there is no coal or ash to clean up when you are done the cooking. Most gas grills typically require a blast of heat once cooking is done then a quick brush down to become completely clean.

When you make the switch to a gas grill, gone are the days of spending an hour cleaning up nasty soot after use.

Affordability

Gas grills are pretty cheap. Finding a gas grill under $300 dollars isn’t really hard and there are many great options out there. No matter what type of grilling you do, you’re sure to find the perfect gas grill for a decent price. 

Overall, a gas grill is going to make cooking a much easier and simpler process. Cooking with other types of grills can often feel like a long process. By the time you get the grill started, wait for it to heat up, cook, then break down and clean after you probably have a few hours invested. 

If you don't have a gas grill, you probably find that you save grilling for special occasions and parties, and this can be a real bummer for someone who loves to grill. But with a gas grill, you can have food ready in a matter of minutes. And when you start using a gas grill, you may find that you turn to grill more often when it comes time to cook dinner.

Features to Look Out For

Liquid Propane vs. Natural Gas

 Gas grills are powered by either propane or natural gas. The majority of gas grills are designed to work with both, but not all are, so check to be sure. Propane is convenient, although if you have natural gas in your home you can connect your grill directly to your gas line, which means you don't have to run to the store to get a new tank.

Size

Size matters in a couple of ways when it comes to gas grills. First, you want to make sure you look at how many inches of cooking space the grill has. This determines how much food you can cook at any given time, so if you have a lot of cookouts, opt for a larger grill.

The next reason to consider size? Storage. You may not always be able to leave your grill outdoors, so make sure it's easy enough to move and store when needed.

Durability

No matter what you pay for your grill, you want it to last. Nobody wants to buy a grill (in any price range) just to find it's unusable by next summer. Grills made of heavy duty cast iron or steel will last longer, as will grills built with weather and rust protection.

Heat

The heat of the grill is measured in BTUs. This can vary from grill to grill, so check the specs and make sure your grill can produce enough heat. Another important aspect of heat is how evenly heat is distributed across the cooking grates, so try and find information about the grill to guide you.

Gas Grill Techniques

Preheat Your Grill

Preheating your grill ensures that your meat is cooked at the correct temperature, and that your food cooks evenly and thoroughly. You only need to preheat your grill for 15 to 20 minutes, at medium to medium high heat.

Cook Foods Correctly

First, you should always ensure meats are cooked to their proper temperature. This varies greatly, so don't just set the heat assuming one meat cooks the same as another. For example, fish should be grilled at 145 degrees, while chicken needs to be grilled at 165 degrees (most meat falls somewhere within this range). 

Searing isn't a long process. Since it uses high heat, foods brown quickly and can also dry out quickly if they already fairly dry. Thinner cuts of meat can't handle as much searing as thicker cuts, so set your heat and timer accordingly. 

Vegetables should be sprayed or brushed lightly before you grill them. Potatoes need more time to cook, under a lower (indirect is ideal) heat. Thinner veggies like peppers, onions, or asparagus can be grilled over direct heat at medium to medium high temperatures.

Get Food to Cook Evenly

Grills do cook differently, and some definitely cook more evenly than others. That said, even if your grill isn't the best at uniform temperatures there are things you can do to get food to cook more evenly.

When you can, close the grill lid. This keeps the heat contained, and indirectly heating food, even if the food is on direct heat on the primary cooking grate. This is especially helpful for thicker meats and veggies, or even a whole roast.

You can also use a heat tents to contain heat that escapes from the vents. This helps maintain an even temperature inside the grill, which of course, results in more evenly cooked food.

If you plan on using your grill to prepare sauces and sides, a cast iron pot is the tool you need. It helps prevent sauces from burning, while still cooking them evenly.

Get Food to Cook Evenly

Grills do cook differently, and some definitely cook more evenly than others. That said, even if your grill isn't the best at uniform temperatures there are things you can do to get food to cook more evenly.

Start Off Right

One of the best things you can do to have an enjoyable and successful cookout? Be prepared.

If you know you're going to be using a variety of seasonings and marinades, keep them together in one place so they're easy to gather up and move near the grill. The same goes for the tools and accessories you use.

Many grills have utensil hooks on the side. But if yours doesn't, chances are there are holes to fit hooks in. It's a small investment, but a huge convenience and time saver.

One of the most important things to get ready is your food. If you're making your own burgers, get those patties prepped ahead of time. Layout any pieces of meat you plan to grill, and keep them in a separate container from your veggies. 

Not only does a little prep time make grilling more fun and less stress, it also means you don't leave the grill to gather items you forgot. Which means you're not rushing back to burning burgers.

Guide: Cleaning Your Gas Grill

Cleaning gas grills is fairly similar to cleaning charcoal grills, except that you have more parts to deal with (and a few extra steps as a result). 

First, you should always get the gunk off your grill after using it. You can use a special grill brush, or bristle brush. 

What about when you need to give it a deep clean? 

Generally speaking, you'll clean the grill grates about every 2 to 3 months, while you'll deep clean your entire grill once or twice a year.

To clean your grates, first brush them, then burn them off. Once they cool down, soak them in a bucket of warm water with dish soap. After they soak for 20 minutes, remove them and scrub with a grill brush. Dry thoroughly before putting them back on the grill.

To deep clean your grill:
Go through the grate cleaning process above, but don't put the grates back on yet.

Turn off the gas, and disconnect the gas tank. 

If anything covers your burners, remove those pieces and clean them just as you cleaned the grates should be used on easily damaged parts. Then wipe off the burners, and check to ensure there aren't clogs in the holes along the burners. Clogs are easily removed with a toothpick. 

Clean the bottom of the grill, making sure to get rid of any burnt scraps and soot marks. If the bottom comes out it is easier, but you can clean it in place too. You can use a sponge and soapy water. This is one of the most important areas to clean, and doing so will prevent rust and corrosion. 

While everything else is drying, clean the exterior of your grill. You can use the same type of soapy mixture as you did on the rest of the grill. Wipe the outside dry with a soft cloth like a microfiber washcloth or an old but clean t shirt.

Give everything ample time to dry (you don't want a moisture issue that leads to rust). Once it's all thoroughly dried, put everything back together in reverse order that you took it out. Then you can reconnect the gas line, or gas tank, depending on which you use. 

Lightly oil the grill grates, and turn your grill on. It's important to keep your grill on for about 10 to 15 minutes after a thorough cleaning, to burn off any residue left from cleaning.

Conclusion

Gas grills are convenient and efficient. They also give you more options in terms of how you cook food, and they have a huge advantage in that they allow for much more precise heat control. Finding the right gas grill for your needs and budget is the first step. Once you learn to clean and maintain it, all that's left to do is go out and become a grill master.