Best Grills for 2024

When I first moved out to the High Desert in California, I knew I wanted a grill that could handle enough food for a party. I also knew that moving is expensive, so it had to be affordable. I picked up this heavy-duty grill at Walmart and was instantly impressed with how well it was constructed. After putting it all together, there was a heft to all the materials that made me think it would stand the test of time, and it did.

The easily removable ashtray made keeping the grill clean a breeze, and the thermometer on the top is helpful for smoking meats, especially if you don't want to keep lifting the lid and losing the smoke. Little touches like the bottle opener and the hooks under the shelf were also helpful. I used this grill for nearly six years before I moved again. Even when I left, the new owners took it to use with their families.

I have used a lot of really expensive grills, but this budget-friendly, sturdy workhorse is still one of my favorites.

The Ninja Woodfire has all the convenience of an indoor electric grill and air fryer with the addition of a small smoking hopper that lets you burn pellets. These pellets add a distinctive smoky taste to anything you are cooking without the need for an entire smoker to do it.

I've cooked chicken, salmon and beef on the grill setting using just a cup of pellets, saving a lot of time and money compared with a full-size smoker. It even works with the air fryer, so making crispy wings with an applewood smoke taste is easy. 

While the Flatrock is pricey for a flat-top griddle, its quality and usefulness can't be overstated. Some foods just can't be cooked on a standard grill, including tacos and smash burgers, but a flat-top griddle makes them a breeze. (By the way, if you've never had a smash burger, you need one in your life. They're amazing.)

The Flatrock uses Traeger's Pop and Lock system for accessories, so if you already have one of the brand's grills, you can mix and match what you need. You will need to cure the Flatrock's surface, but I enjoyed creating just the right surface for my needs. I use the Flatrock more than any other grill right now, and it is my go-to for burgers and tacos.

While the Traeger is a fantastic flat-top grill, it is big and heavy, and sometimes you don't need to cook tacos for 10 people. The Nexgrill griddle is much smaller, perfect for a small family of four, and is collapsable so it can be easily stored under your deck, or even thrown in the back of your truck to take camping. 

I did find the instructions a little hard to follow, so make sure you have some time to put it together right.  

Like the Ninja Woodsmoke grill above, this outdoor oven uses a small pellet smoker on the side to infuse the food with a smoky flavor. The difference with this oven is that it can cook at very high temperatures to turn out pizzas or make burnt ends, or you can drop the temp and slow cook meat to perfection. If you have a built-in outdoor kitchen, this will look fantastic in that setting.

When space is limited, finding the right grill to give you the taste you want can be hard. This gas grill from Monument is compact on the outside but surprisingly large on the inside. It's big enough to cook a spatchcocked turkey or several large steaks and, because it's a gas grill, it's ready as soon as you want to use it. 
If you only have a small outdoor space or a little balcony, this would be a great addition to make your grilling dreams come true.

Kamado grilling cookers are distinctively egg-shaped wood-burning grills. They impart a delicious smoky flavor to everything, and this is the best grill in the bunch. They can run low and slow for hours at smoker temperatures and sear at high heat levels that go well beyond the capabilities of gas grills. That's hot enough to create true steakhouse steaks and real wood-fired pizza like a pro griller.

The Kamado Joe Classic III may have a steep price tag, but this high-end grill delivers plenty of cooking power for the money. That means lots of grilling accessories that don't come standard with other grills, including the Big Green Egg. It performs well, too. On our slow-and-low barbecue grill test, we adjust grills to 225 degrees Fahrenheit (107 degrees Celsius) and let go of the controls to see what happens. In this trial, the Joe Classic IIIdemonstrated excellent temperature stability.