Most beginners are happiest with a three-burner gas grill for easy weeknight cooking, or a pellet grill if smoking is the goal. A 22-inch charcoal kettle is the lowest-cost way to learn live-fire cooking.
Independent grill & smoker reviews · Updated
Honest Grill Reviews From Real Backyard Testing
We buy every grill with our own money, cook on it for weeks and rank it against everything else we’ve tested, so you can see which one fits your patio, budget and cooking, and which to skip.
Tested by Marcus Reilly and Tom Bricker. No ghostwriters, no free samples.
- 39
- grills bought & tested
- 7
- grill types ranked
- 6
- scored tests each
- 25
- years cooking, combined
Find your grill in 10 seconds
Pick oneStart with a grill type
Every model ranked, by grill type
Pick the fuel that fits how you cook. Each page ranks every grill we’ve tested in that category, with scores and award picks.
018 testedGas GrillsFor weeknight family cooks who want push-button heat, even grates edge to edge and a grill that won’t rust out in five years.See the ranking 
027 testedPellet GrillsFor low-and-slow fans who want real wood smoke without tending a fire: set the temperature, walk away, come back to brisket.See the ranking 
036 testedCharcoal GrillsFor flavor-first cooks on a budget: the hottest sear for the money, from classic kettles to set-and-forget charcoal smokers.See the ranking 
044 testedFlat Top GrillsFor crowd breakfasts and smash-burger nights: one big, evenly heated steel plate that cooks the whole meal at once.See the ranking 
056 testedPortable GrillsFor campsites, tailgates and picnic tables: grills light enough to carry that still put out real searing heat.See the ranking 
065 testedKamado GrillsFor cooks who want one cooker for everything: thick ceramic that sears hot, smokes overnight on one load and bakes pizza.See the ranking 
075 testedElectric GrillsFor balconies and kitchens where flame is banned: plug-in grills that actually brown, with indoor models ranked separately.See the ranking - Not sure yet?Gas, charcoal or pellet: which fuel suits youSpeed, sear, smoke flavor, effort and running cost compared, with a clear pick for each kind of cook.Compare the fuels
Top rated in 2026
The highest-scoring grill in each category
Our top scorer in every grill type, chosen from the same tests on every model.
Best gasWeber Genesis E-325
4.6#1 of 8 tested
Weber's mid-range 3-burner with a dedicated sear burner and the most even heat we've measured on a gas grill. Built for groups of 6+.
Best pelletPit Boss Navigator 850 Pellet Grill
4.5#1 of 7 tested
A big Wi-Fi pellet grill that smokes overnight and sears over open flame, for less than comparable Traegers.
Best charcoalWeber Original Kettle 22"
4.7#1 of 6 tested
The classic 22-inch charcoal kettle: cheap, durable and versatile enough to grill, sear and smoke ribs.
Best flat topBlackstone Original 36" Griddle
4.5#1 of 4 tested
Four burner zones and 768 sq in of steel make it the flat top to pick if you regularly feed six or more.
Best portableNapoleon TravelQ PRO285X
4.5#1 of 6 tested
Two burners and cast-iron grates on a scissor cart that stands on its own. Pricey, but built to travel.
Best kamadoKamado Joe Classic Joe II 18"
4.6#1 of 5 tested
The 18-inch ceramic kamado that sears hot and smokes all night on one load of lump, if you can pay for it and park it for good.
Best electricNinja Woodfire ProConnect Premium XL (OG951)
4.4#1 of 5 tested
An electric grill-smoker with app control that gives balcony cooks real wood flavor in a compact footprint.
- Side by sideEvery category winner comparedThe top scorer in each grill type next to its runner-up, with the scores that separate them.Compare the winners
Want one answer across every fuel? Read our best grills overall.
Fix it now
Got a grill problem?
Standing next to the grill? The likely cause and the fix are in the first screen of each guide.
How we test
The same tests on every grill, so scores compare
- Test 01
We buy it
Every grill is bought at retail with our own money. No free samples, no loaners.
- Test 02
We measure it
Preheat time, grate temperature spread and fuel use, logged with probes.
- Test 03
We cook on it for weeks
Steaks, chicken and long cooks, then a score in six categories.
- Test 04
A second tester checks it
78 articles fact-checked by the other tester before they go live.
Why that matters: why you can trust our scores.
Learn
Popular how-to guides
Exact temperatures and times from our own cooks.
How-to13 minHow to Smoke a BrisketThis beginner-proof plan walks you through buying, trimming, smoking, wrapping, resting and slicing a brisket, with a dinner timeline and fixes.
How-to13 minHow to Smoke RibsThis step-by-step plan covers times by cut, when to wrap and glaze, the bend test for doneness and how to fix tough or mushy ribs.
How-to11 minHow to Grill a SteakGrill a steak with a dark crust and a pink center using minutes per side by thickness, pull temperatures, a two-zone fire and fixes for gray or charred steak.
How-to10 minMeat Temperature ChartThis chart gives safe, done and pull temperatures for every common cut, plus where to put the thermometer and how long to rest meat.
How-to11 minHow to Use a Charcoal GrillLearn to light a chimney without lighter fluid, build the right fire for your food, steer heat with the vents and shut a charcoal grill down safely.
How-to10 minHow Long to Preheat a GrillPreheat times for gas, charcoal, pellet and electric grills, how to tell the grates are ready, target temperatures by food and fixes for a slow heat-up.
How-to10 minReverse Sear SteakCook a thick steak slowly at 225–275°F, pull it 10–15°F early, then sear it hard for an even pink center and a dark crust on any grill or oven.
How-to13 minSmoked Pork ShoulderThis guide takes pulled pork from shopping to shredding, covering the cut, rub, stall, wrap, rest, a cook-day timeline and fixes for dry pork.
Who cooks on the grills
Meet the two people behind every score
No ghostwriters. The person named on a review is the person who cooked on the grill.
Marcus Reilly
Head Pitmaster & Lead Tester
KCBS Certified Judge · 15 years competition BBQ
Marcus Reilly is a KCBS Certified Judge with 15 years of competition barbecue. He leads SmokyHQ’s smoker, pellet, charcoal and kamado testing, so if you’re choosing a cooker for brisket, ribs or overnight smokes, his reviews tell you which ones hold temperature and which ones fall short.
- 18
- reviews
- 15+
- years cooking
- 3
- categories led
Tom Bricker
Consumer Research Analyst & Lead Tester
10+ years grilling across every fuel type
Tom Bricker has 10+ years of grilling on every fuel type and a consumer-research background. He leads SmokyHQ’s gas, portable, electric and flat-top testing, so if you’re weighing price against how long a grill will last, his reviews show which ones are worth the money.
- 21
- reviews
- 10+
- years cooking
- 4
- categories led
Quick answers
Grill buying questions
Short answers to what most people ask before they buy.
01What type of grill should a beginner buy?
02Gas, charcoal or pellet: which tastes best?
Charcoal and pellet grills add the most smoke flavor; gas is the cleanest and fastest. Our gas vs charcoal vs pellet comparison breaks down flavor, effort and running cost side by side.
03How much cooking area do I need?
Around 400–500 square inches of primary grate area feeds a family of four. Go for 600+ square inches if you regularly cook for groups, and ignore totals that include the warming rack.
04How do you test the grills you review?
We buy every grill with our own money, time the assembly, map grate temperatures with probes and cook on it for weeks, including cold and windy days, then score it in six categories. A second tester fact-checks every review.
05Do brands pay for reviews or rankings?
No. Brands cannot buy a review, a ranking or a score, and we never accept free or loaned grills. We earn a commission on some retailer links, which is disclosed on every page and never affects ratings.