6 Best Gas Grills Under $200 in 2023 (Tested & Reviewed)

Looking for a quality gas grill without breaking the bank?

Yes, it’s possible to get a good gas grill for under $200. However, don’t expect to find a large rig with all the bells and whistles for that low.

After testing several products I chose the six best ones to be reviewed in this guide. I have included both full-sized freestanding grills and more portable tabletop models — just pick the one that best suits your needs!

NOTE: While there are many good options here, you might also want to check out our guide with the best gas grills under 300 dollars.

Top 6 Best Gas Grills Under 200 Dollars Reviewed

Best Overall: MASTER COOK 3-Burner Propane Gas Grill

This classic style grill from Master Cook is a good middle-sized grill with all the necessary functions. It has three burners and a large grilling area.

I was surprised by how well this grill cooks considering its low price tag. So if you are looking for an affordable standalone grill that can handle enough food for the whole family, this is the perfect option!

The Master Cook Classic produces 30,000 BTUs, which ensures it gets hot fast. The lid is quite high and offers enough room to cook larger items such as turkeys or roasts.

The size of the primary cooking area is 339 square inches and the grates are made of porcelain-coated wire.

With the wheels on the bottom, you can relocate the grill to the appropriate backyard zone and back into the garage as the need arises.

It comes with two side shelves for setting platters and simple meal preparation. The side tables can be folded down to save space in storage. And with one or both side tables down, you can fit this grill even on a small balcony or the corner of your patio.

Assembling it only takes about an hour if you know what you’re doing. However, the instructions could be more clear.

The Master Cook offers a great user experience from start to finish. The push-button starter and piezo ignition system ensure there will be no difficulties starting up the grill and the grease management system makes cleanup easy.

The construction of this grill feels a bit cheap but you can’t expect anything more for a large grill that costs under 200 bucks.

Overall, this 3-burner beast is a great option for cooking on your patio, balcony, or backyard.

The Runner-Up: Mega Master 3-Burner Propane Gas Grill

The Mega Master 3-Burner grill is a compact and powerful unit very similar to our top pick, the Master Cook. Compared to the Master Cook, this grill is a bit cheaper and the overall quality is not as good.

The Mega Master offers over 400 square inches of total cooking space, equipped with three independently controlled stainless-steel burners. Its 30,000 BTUs are enough to get the grill hot in no time and it’ll give a nice sear to your steaks.

The grill boasts a porcelain enamel firebox and a built-in temperature gauge, enhancing both durability and usability. The grease management on this grill could be designed better as the drippings don’t always go into the metal cup but can easily fall under the grill.

It features foldable side shelves, making it a good fit for smaller outdoor spaces like balconies. Other than that, the Megas Master is a very basic grill with no special features.

Most Portable: Cuisinart CGG-180 Petit Gourmet Gas Grill with VersaStand

Cuisinart CGG-180 is a super lightweight and compact gas grill. The grill itself is only 23 x 18 x 10 inches when folded and weighs 17 pounds.

Not only is this grill simple to move around in your backyard, but it’s extremely portable and useful for camping and travel.

This small grill has one 5,500 BTU burner and a 160-square-inch cooktop. Although it has an adequate grilling surface that fits about 6 burgers, it might not be large enough for some meals. It’s ideal for making food for a small group, and not your annual Memorial Day blowout.

The CGG-180 can be used as a freestanding or a tabletop grill. The legs are easily removable. If you want to save some money, you can also choose the tabletop version without the stand.

This is the smallest and most portable option we have included here. It gets the job done, and if you mostly cook for a few people only, it’s a great option.

Best Tabletop Gas Grill Under $200: MARTIN Portable Propane Gas Grill

This little beast is definitely one of my favorites in the lineup. The Martin portable gas grill feels sturdy, looks nice, and cooks great. In addition, it only weighs about 20 pounds so it’s easy to take long and set up anywhere you want!

This grill has everything you need from a portable camping grill. The cooking area is big enough and the U-shaped burner provides plenty of heat that is consistent across the grilling surface.

The Martin grill is well-designed all over. The grease management system works and cleanup is fast and easy. Also, the support legs can be folded so it fits in a small space.

The only real improvement that this grill needs is a lid latch — this would allow you to lock the lid and carry it with one hand.

I love taking this along for camping and road trips, and sure you’ll love it too!

Grill & Griddle Combo: Royal Gourmet GD4002T Tailgater

The Royal Gourmet Tailgater is a great option if you are looking for versatility and a large cooking area. With this grill and griddle combo, you can cook both breakfast and lunch for a bunch of people.

The Royal Gourmet has a total cooking area of over 400 square inches and puts out 40,000 BTUs of heat. It also features a convenient grease management system with a full-sized draw-out grease tray and a large removable grease cup for easy cleaning.

The grill comes with a long 4-foot hose with a regulator for safe gas flow and ease of use. The convenient side handles make transportation easy.

Just note that you need a large table or other surface to conveniently cook with the Royal Gourmet. It’s also quite heavy at almost 50 pounds so you don’t want to carry it around for too long.

Good Basic Grill: Char-Broil Classic 360 3-Burner Propane Gas Grill

Char-Broil Classic 360 is a good basic grill with no extra gimmicks. It comes with porcelain-coated grill grates that are easy to clean. The lid is made of steel and is also porcelain-coated, which makes it durable and weather-resistant.

This grill has a surprisingly large 360 square inch grilling space and a 170 square inch warming rack. Its 3 stainless steel burners have plenty of heating power. They can be controlled separately to create multiple temperature zones.

The electronic ignition is handy for getting things started fast and easy. It also has two large side shelves usable for food preparation, tool storage, and setting hot items after cooking.

Despite having a sturdy lid and stainless steel burners, most of the other parts are just of average quality. Some users have complained that it only lasted for a few years before starting to break up.

Char-Broil Classic 360 is an affordable gas grill with all the basic features that you need. It’s a simple unit that is easy to use and has enough cooking space for most people.

What’s Great About Gas Grills

One of the main questions right out of the gate is: Why spend your money on a gas grill?

Well, below are a few good reasons to get one:

• Easy to Use: Gas grills have a ton of flexibility and are super user-friendly. That’s why they are suitable for beginners as well as more advanced grill masters. With the simple turn of a dial or two, you can be on the way to making dinner.
• A Proper Sear: A good gas grill will get hot enough to create the Maillard Effect and give you a delicious browned exterior. Just turn the grill to the full heat, close the lid, and wait for about 10 to 15 minutes before starting to grill.
• Affordable Fuel: When it comes to fuel, a tank of propane gas is quite cheap. And one tank can last for months even if you grill frequently.

Next, let’s compare gas grills to charcoal, electric, and wood pellet grills.

Gas vs. Charcoal

According to some grilling purists, charcoal is the only way to go. They might also say things like the flavor of food made on a charcoal grill has an extra special taste. 

While it’s true that charcoal emits smoke that adds to the flavor of the wood, you can also cook very tasty food with a gas grill. It’s also possible to smoke food with a gas grill. Later in this article, I will show you how to do it.

Charcoal grills offer temperature regulation options achieved by moving the coals around. But you can also do this with a gas grill. And if the grill has 2 burners or more, creating heat zones is even easier than with a charcoal grill.

Grilling with charcoal is harder and more time-consuming than using a gas grill. Lighting up the charcoal takes time and effort. And you have to do it every time you grill. In addition, the cleanup requires you to dispose of the ashes, and it can be a little messy.

Another common argument in favor of charcoal grills is that they are cheap. Well, you can also find inexpensive gas grills that are very good.  And that’s exactly why I wrote this article. To give you options for affordable gas grills.

Gas vs. Electric

Electric grills might seem like a slick and convenient option, but they are very limited in terms of features and versatility. 

First, you can’t get that classic grill flavor because there is no actual combustion occurring. Second, they usually do not get hot enough to have a nice charred, brown exterior without overcooking the inside of the meat. 

Gas vs. Wood Pellet

Wood pellet grills can be incredibly advanced. They might even have digital temperature controls to take some of the guesswork out of grilling. But often the good ones are very expensive as well.

Since you are burning the pellets, you can get a delightful smoked flavor every time. However, there is no “smokeless” option, so everything you cook will have this taste whether it’s desired or not.

For most people, a wood pellet grill is a great option for an auxiliary cooking device, not the main grill.

Buying Guide for Gas Grills Under 200 Dollars

Here are the most important things to consider when choosing an inexpensive gas grill:

1. Design and Overall Cooking Experience

The most important thing is to choose a grill that is fun and easy to use.

Features like reliable push-button ignition, high-quality grill grates, and even temperature across the grilling surface will make your outdoor cooking experience a lot more enjoyable.

A well-designed grease management system is also important for preventing flare-ups and making cleaning easy and fast.

2. Burners and Temperature Range

Next, think about what types of foods are you mainly going to be grilling.

If you are only going to be making burgers and hot dogs, you might have different needs than if you are mainly cooking steaks or ribs.

Pretty much every grill can handle the former, while it takes a little finesse to handle the latter food items. If you’re doing steaks at all, you need a grill that hits about 500 degrees without batting an eye.

For ribs or anything that needs to be cooked low and slow, you would want to have at least 2 burners. This allows you to create temperature zones for indirect cooking.

3. Grilling Space

Consider the amount of usable grilling space on your new purchase. This means the actual square inches to grill food on, excluding the space of the warming rack (if there is one).

You can fit about 4 burgers on every 100 square inches of grilling area. Also, if you want to do indirect cooking, you need to have enough space that is not directly over the burner that you use.

4. Portability

And one more thing: are you planning to bring the grill for tailgating or camping, or just going to use it in your backyard?

The smaller grills can easily be transported in a car and the setup only takes a few minutes. Most portable units use 16-ounce propane cylinders that are very easy to carry around.

And you can still use them in the backyard as well. However, you need a stand or a table and might want to get an additional regulator so you can use a bigger propane tank.

Smoking With a Gas Grill

Now, let’s look at the taste aspect more closely. Many people appreciate the ability to use their grill as a smoker when the need arises. For example, you might wanna smoke some ribs or a whole turkey for Thanksgiving.

Can this be done with a gas grill?

Yes, and next I’ll explain what equipment you need for it, and how to do it.

What you need:

• A gas grill with at least 2 burners
• Wood chips of your choice
• Smoke tube/foil

How to smoke with a gas grill:

1. Place the wood chips inside a smoke tube or wrap them in foil. If you use foil, poke some holes in it.
2. Light up one burner and place the wood chips directly above it.
3. Close the lid and let the grill reach the desired smoking temperature. For example, 250 °F is a good temperature for smoking most meats.
4. Open the lid and place your ribs, turkey, or whatever you are smoking, on the opposite side of the wood chips. Close the lid, and keep it closed as much as possible. Now the meat will be cooked slowly with indirect heat.

There is just one more thing to consider. If you are smoking a whole turkey or a large piece of meat, make sure you get a grill that has enough space. The lid ceiling should not touch the meat, and it should have at least 1-inch clearance.

Here is a short video with instructions for smoking with a gas grill:

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a good gas grill for less than 200 dollars?

Yes, you can get a good basic gas grill for less than 200 bucks. However, these grills are not as durable and have fewer extra features compared to more expensive models.

How can I make my gas grill last longer?

You can make your gas grill last longer by maintaining it properly. Clean it after each use and perform more thorough maintenance at least a few times per year. This means removing the grates and cleaning them from top to bottom. You should also clean the burners and the inside surfaces of the grill.

Another important thing is to protect your grill from the elements. You can buy a cover to protect it while it’s outside. If you don’t use your grill during the winter, clean it properly and store it indoors if possible. The propane tank should be stored outdoors.

Do I need to have more than one burner on a gas grill?

You can do just fine with one burner when you are grilling most foods. Steaks, burgers, hot dogs, and many other dishes don’t need more burners.

When cooking steaks, first sear them on high heat and then cook them at a lower temperature by turning the burner down to a smaller flame.

The advantage of having many burners is that you can create different heat zones for indirect cooking. If you want to use the grill for smoking big chunks of meat, like briskets or ribs, having a large unit with 2 or more burners is necessary.

Now you are ready to get that brand-new grill and start cooking. Just take your time and pick the one that really fits your requirements.

Happy grilling!

-Joonas