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Finding the best gas grill under $200 is not an easy task, as this is not a price segment famous for outstanding quality or features. However, in the last few years some exciting grills offering stacks of value has entered this price segment.
There is a good mix of portable and larger grills in this price range. If you are specifically looking for a portable grill, my article on the 5 Best Portable Grills will be of more value to you as it focuses exclusively on portable, tailgating and camping grills.
However, we still have to compare a good balance of sub-$200 grills here.
Contents
Quick Overview: Best Gas Grills Under $200 for 2020
UPDATED FOR 2020
After lots of consideration I narrowed it down to four grills:
Weber Q1200 Gas Grill
Char-Broil Classic 3-Burner
Char-Griller 3001 Grillin’ Pro
Cuisinart CGG-200 All-Foods 12,000 BTU Tabletop Propane Gas Grill
That’s four decent gas grills, all under $200. Let’s find one that’s right for you.
#1: Editor’s Choice: Weber Q1200 Portable Gas Grill
The Weber Q1200 (previously the Q120) offers you 189 square inches of cooking area. This unit is portable, which is a plus as you can take it pretty much anywhere. Firing it up is made easy with an electronic ignition. This is a well constructed grill: the lid and body is cast aluminum, with a glass-reinforced nylon frame.
Quick Features:
– 189 square inch cooking area
– single 8,500 BTU tubular burner
– porcelain enameled cast-iron grates
– uses 14.1-ounce or 16.9-ounce LP cylinder
– electronic ignition
– thermometer
– folding side tables
It is on the expensive side, as you have to purchase a cart separately for about $70. This is optional, but handy if you want to use it for a backyard grill instead of a table top one.
For extra work space, the Q1200 offers you two folding work tables. You also have the option of using split grates, meaning you can have both a grate and a griddle on the same cooking space. The lid is quite tall, so you can stick a moderately sized bird in there as well.
This is the best gas grill in this price range, although it may not meet all your needs with regards to cooking space. It cooks evenly and the heat is more than adequate for the space.
In addition to that, the Q1200 (see my full review) has an outstanding track record, hardly any issues and 94% of people who buy it love it. Weber offers an industry-leading 5 year warranty on most parts. This is the best gas grill under $200 for quality and reliability, and it is now also available in multiple funky colors.
Get pricing and user reviews on Amazon.
#2: Best Value: Char-Broil Classic 360 3-Burner
Trust Char-Broil to deliver big value in this price range. The Classic 3-Burner with side burner is a nice package, offering plenty of cooking space and decent build quality.
Quick Features:
– porcelain coated steel grates and lid
– stainless steel inline burners, 30,000 BTU
– 8,000 BTU side burner
– 360 square inch total cooking area
– warming rack
– piezo ignition
– two 6-inch wheels
Char-Broil offers a good looking grill here (fairly standard layout but with a sleek feel to it). Looking at the assembly, it’s going to take a while (best estimate 2-4 hours, it will vary from person to person). Everything is well organized and labeled though, making it easier to fit the right parts to the right instructions. This is still a challenging assembly though, you have to put just about every part of the thing together yourself.
The side burner is kinda nice, but it’s not all that hot and it’s more of a nice to have than a must have. If you’d rather have some shelf space, choose the model without the side burner.
Once assembled and up and running you get a good solid grill that heats evenly. I am a little worried about the piezo igniter as they can be hit and miss.
From a storage perspective, there’s not much here, no tool hooks either. I guess you can it some yourself in some way if you must.
Overall the Char-Broil 3-burner is a nice budget grill and it does cook well, but little niggles like the igniter, some reported issues with the side burner valve and the challenging assembly steals some of its thunder. Get it if you must have a three burner on a tight budget, otherwise consider some of the smaller options that offer better practical features.
Get discounts and user reviews on Amazon.
#3: Char-Griller 3001 Grillin’ Pro
The Char-Griller 3001 packs plenty of value into a very competitive price.
Quick Features:
– 3 Stainless steel burners
– 438 sq inch main cooking area
– 192 sq inch warming rack
– 40,800 BTU
– 12,000 BTU side burner
– porcelain coated cast-iron grates
– electronic ignition
The assembly instructions leave a lot to be desired, so putting this together is a little more hassle than it should be. It’s a heavy grill and assembly is better handled by two people.
Build quality is decent for the price, but don’t expect high-end construction. The grill heats up very fast and delivers 600 degree temperatures in rapid time. Low heat grilling is a pleasure, but things get a bit uneven when you crank it up. The grill is also perfect for indirect grilling.
This is one of the better rated full form gas grills under $200, with 74% of buyers happy with the product according to online user ratings. It will attract rust, as all cheaply constructed grills do, so lifespan will be limited. Still, with diligent maintenance some users have managed to keep this grill going strong for a good few years.
For years this was our Best Value grill in this price segment, but now I feel that the Char-Broil Classic 4-Burner presents better value in this price segment.
#4: Cuisinart CGG-200 Portable Tabletop Gas Grill
As far as tabletop gas grills go, the Cuisinart CGG-200 is a well constructed unit, with a twist-start ignition, durable porcelain enamel-coated cast-iron cooking grate, temperature gauge and folding side shelves.
The lid handle is heat resistant, which means it is safe to open it to check on your food at any time. It has a decent 240 square inch cooking area, and is portable.
Quick Features:
– stainless steel burner
– 12,000 BTU
– 240 square inch cooking area
– veggie panel for versatility
– folding side shelves
– porcelain-enamel cast-iron grates
– temperature gauge
– uses 14.1- and 16.4-ounce LP canisters
You don’t get a stand with the grill, so that immediately adds $50 to the price if you need one. I’m also concerned about reports of crucial parts rusting out after about two years, most notably the spring clips that hold the burner cover.
It doesn’t perform well in windy conditions and even slight breezes can degrade performance to the point of being unusable.
The Cuisinart is well worth considering and works very well while it works, but it is hard to recommend it over the Weber Q1200 despite the extra space and heat. Lifespan is a concern.
Yes, it is quite affordable, but even so I’d pay the extra and go with the Weber. It’s just a more sensible long term investment.
View the Cuisinart CGG-200 on Amazon.
Best Gas Grill Under $200: The Winner
The winner will depend on your needs. If you need a compact portable gas grill perfect for a small family, the Weber Q1200 is hard to beat. It features the best quality construction and will outlast all other grills in this review. Read customer reviews on Amazon.
If you need a larger outdoor grill for entertaining, or for a family, the Char-Broil Classic 360 (see what they say on Amazon) is the new champion for sheer value. As I mentioned above, I was a long time fan of the Char-Griller Pro, but Char-Broil really have outdone themselves by putting a decent quality 4-burner in the $200 price range.
Finally, where do the Cuisinart CGG-200 fit in? It’s a good tabletop grill, and if the Weber is too small for your family, the slightly larger cooking area of the Cuisinart will be valuable. I do believe the Weber to be better constructed and therefore it should last longer, but you have to keep practical considerations in mind as well.
In the end, these are 4 good gas grills for under $200, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
The overall prize goes to the Weber Q1200 due to its great build quality, features and portability, provided that the compact size isn’t going to be a problem for you.
Looking for more size and power?
Check out my roundup of gas grills in the $300 to $500 price range for some serious grilling action.