Top 10 Gas Grills under $250

There are a lot of low cost grills on the market these days. Unfortunately most of these grills are very low in quality as well. This Broil-Mate grill may not be fancy or high quality but for the price (as low as $155USD in some places) it is a well built grill with a cast aluminum body and a dual control burner (dual zone cooking). This grill certainly won't last forever but it will outlast most any comparably priced unit. If you don't have a lot to spend then you owe it to yourself to seek this grill out.

This is one of the bottom of the line for the Char-Broil gas grills. This particular version sells exclusively at Sears Stores. What you get is a single burner, dual zone gas grill. While the heat output of is okay the evenness isn't. On the other hand this grill sells for $119USD, which is a price that is hard to beat. These days this is the bottom end of gas grills so if this is the most you can afford you may consider it, but don't expect much. The thin body won't hold in the heat so you can't get a lot of versatility. As a basic burger burner it is an okay grill, but watch out for the flare-ups.

This is about as basic a gas grill as you are going to get. For about $100 you get two burners in a metal box. That's it. Of course the advantage is that this grill has few parts to fail. Of course this grill lacks quality as much as it does feature. The burners are lightweight, poor grade metal and will probably only last a year or two. On the other hand, for the price you can get a grill for the season that will do a decent job of grilling burgers and hot dogs. Don't expect it to cook well. The heat is low and uneven, but you can't beat the price.

All in all this isn't a bad gas grill. The high BTU output is great for the size and for around $190 you get a functional grill and side burner. I would have rather seen the few low quality stainless steel parts eliminated in favor of better quality components, but if you are not expecting a lot from this grill in the way of durability and long term appearance you might want to look at it. The burners are low quality and lightweight so they may not last. Hopefully though, Lowe's will support it.

This is a basic Char-Broil (under the Kenmore name) with a few features added on to step up the appeal and the price. Selling for around $190 (but get it on sale at K-Mart for around $170) you get a dual zone, single burner gas grill with a low powered side burner. One of the selling features is a drop down front panel for holding tools. Cute, but not terribly practical. In fact, there isn't much to this grill that makes it any better than less expensive versions. What really limits this grill is the low heat output of the main burner and side burner. While you will get heat, you won't get a lot.

What this grill has going for it is its price. Typically selling at Wal-Mart for around $125 this is a bottom of the line two burner gas grill with side burner. What you get is a grill that will typically last for 2 to 3 years. All in all not a bad investment, but what you won't get is a grill with a lot of power, even cooking, or a good grilling experience. Of course as a basic burger burner this isn't a complete loss.

If you are serious about grilling and want a grill that delivers both high and even heat and gives you a lot of control, but don't want to spend a lot of money then this is a great grill for you. It might not look modern but Broil-Mate has been making great grills for years. This model will give you plenty of space at 400 square inches or primary cooking area and a total of 700 square inches. And plenty of power with its 50,000 BTU main burner output.

This is one of the bottom of the line for the Char-Broil gas grills. This is a single burner, dual zone gas grill with a basic side burner. While the heat output of is okay the evenness isn't. On the other hand this grill lists for $160USD but typically sells for $130USD. These days this is the bottom end of gas grills so if this is the most you can afford you may consider it, but don't expect much. The thin body won't hold in the heat so you can't get a lot of versatility out of this unit. As a basic burger burner it is an okay grill, but watch out for the flare-ups.

This basic unit offers you a full feature gas grill at a discount price (around $170USD). The four burner design gives you lots of versatility in your cooking. With the addition of a side burner you can do virtually anything but rotisserie. This grill is, however, limited in durability thanks to is reliance on low quality materials and lightweight construction. All stainless steel parts, including the tubular burners at 400 series stainless. The knobs and handles are plastic. Aside from this, the grill is a basic unit with little else which is actually an advantage, less to go wrong.

This grill is one of the last of Lowes' BBQ Grillware brand of grill. It is a basic 3-burner gas grill with side burner and sells for under $200USD. As a basic burger burner this isn't a bad grill, but with lightweight components and weak burners it isn't built to last. Of course for the investment you should expect too much. My suggestion is that you consider an even less expensive grill since grills costing around $100 are probably going to last about as long as this one. The only features this grill offers above those is 3 burners and a side burner. If you need these then consider this grill.