Summer is a time for beach-going and laying by the pool to escape the sweltering heat. It’s also a time for backyard grilling, enjoying the company of friends and family with a cold drink in your hand. No matter what you like to cook on the grill you don’t need to shell out your life savings to make a nice meal. We’re here to bring you the top five grills you can buy on a budget, so you’ll be out making memories in no time.

How to Choose a Gas Grill

Before you begin looking at different models, it’s important to know what factors you should be looking at when making a purchase. This is especially true when making a budget pick, as you have to find quality products at a low price.

You’ll want to consider the special features that different gas grill models have. Some have a warming rack, which is perfect for slow cooking barbeque. If you’re looking to be able to cook side dishes on the grill, consider a model that has side burners for this purpose.

You’ll see that grills will display the “BTUs” they provide. BTUs are British Thermal Units, a measure of heat. This measure is defined as the amount of heat that is required to raise one pound of water by one degree fahrenheit. This is a bit complicated, but, in essence, you’ll want to find a gas grill with a high amount of BTUs per burner.

Shelving is a feature that can be very helpful. For people who don’t have tables near their grills, shelving can make it easy to keep all of your ingredients and utensils handy.

1. Nexgrill 5-Burner Propane Gas Grill

This propane gas grill checks all the boxes. With five burners giving out a combined 55,000 BTUs of cooking power, you have 480 square inches of cooking space to utilize. There is an additional 160 square inch warming rack to keep food or plates warm. This grill weighs in at 75lbs, making it heavy enough to be stable, but light enough to be moved easily when needed.

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

Coming in first on this list, this sizable grill sits comfortably under the $200 mark. This grill boasts 400 square inches of grilling space and an additional 192-inch warming rack. This grill also has a side shelf and hooks to make storing grilling utensils easy. The Char-Griller comes in at about 50 inches tall, so it’s small enough to fit in most backyards or patios, but large enough to feed the family. This a medium grill, though, so it’s probably not suited for larger gatherings.

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

This grill boasts 360 square inches of cooking space, spread across three burners. The 170 square inch warming rack is perfect for keeping the burgers at the right temperature while you’re working on other batches. There are also two metal shelves that give you space to store plates, utensils, or other items so that there handy while you cook.

The lid and firebox are porcelain coated, so this grill is able to stand up to the weather. It should be noted, though, that this grill doesn’t have very pronounced edges, so you’ll have to be careful not to let food roll off the burners!

4. Blackstone 1554 Propane Gas Burner Grill

This gas grill is a bit different from the others on the list. While the other items on this list
only have burners, this grill has a removable griddle top. If you choose to remove it, you
can grill with the four available burners as you would with any other gas grill. The griddle
tops make this item quite versatile, able to cook almost any dish you’re craving.

While versatile, this grill produces relatively low BTUs at 60,000 per burner. You’ll find
that this grill is well equipped to cook sausages, burgers, and similar foods but isn’t quite
capable of cooking steaks or ribs. Still, a cookout with killer wings is still in the picture.

5. Weber Q1200 Liquid Propane Grill, Black

Whether you’re looking for a small grill to save space or a grill that you can take on the road, this model is perfect. This grill has one burner, but don’t let that discourage you. This grill is able to produce 8, 500 BTUs across the 189 square inch cooking surface. The aluminum lid and a glass-reinforced nylon frame make this grill durable and easy to carry, which is perfect for camping trips. You can also buy an adapter hose to hook this up to a 20lb propane tank if desired. Overall, this little grill is more than meets the eye!

Don’t let being on a budget stop you from enjoying all that summer has to offer. With a grill, good food, and the company of loved ones, you can make memories that last a lifetime. Grab one of these gas grills, and you’ll be having backyard barbeques without having to break your budget!