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10 Best Grills & Smokers Under $300
Not everyone has money to burn. But everyone deserves a decent outdoor cooker that can make their BBQ dreams come true. Here are a range of charcoal grills, gas grills, portable grills for tailgating and camping, smokers, and combo cookers that start at only $50. All of them cost less than $300, and they are all winners of our highest honor, the AmazingRibs.com Platinum Medal for Best Value. All of these cookers have been tested, rated, and reviewed by Max Good, our full-time tester of outdoor cooking equipment, so you can be sure that you are getting a quality piece of machinery at a good price. To read the full reviews of these cookers, click the links below.
Char-Broil Grill2Go X200 Review
We reviewed this solid portable gas grill that employs Char-Broil's TRU-Infrared design. It produces searing temps while preventing flare-ups and retaining foods moisture. Grill2Go earns our AmazingRibs.com Best Value Platinum Medal. Heavy cast aluminum lid and firebox will not rust and will retain heat much better than thin steel.
Broil-Mate 165154 LP Gas Grill Review
This Broil-Mate model is a throwback to the very first gas grills. We reviewed this inexpensive grill and awarded our AmazingRibs.com Platinum Medal. It has a cast aluminum cookbox which will last longer and retain and distribute heat way better than all those cheap, flimsy stainless steel gassers that are so popular in the big box stores.
Weber Smokey Joe Portable Charcoal Grills Review
Nothing fancy, just a compact version of one of the greatest inventions in history: the iconic charcoal kettle grill that made Weber famous. We reviewed this popular little tailgater and award our AmazingRibs.com Best Value Platinum Medal. It weighs 18 pounds and has a "Tuck and Carry Lid Holder" for easy transport.
Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco Drum Smoker Review
Oklahoma Joe's Bronco is a low cost barrel smoker with hinged lid, gasket, side shelf, wheels, grilling capabilities, adjustable dampers, and ability to smoke low and slow up to 12 hours on one load of charcoal. What’s not to love? Read our review for the details on why we award this relatively low cost phenom our AmazingRibs.com Platinum Medal!
CanCooker Original Review
Read our review about this upgraded riff on the old practice of slow cooking meat and veggies in a cream can. CanCooker receives our AmazingRibs.com Platinum Medal. The CanCooker Original has a four gallon capacity and is said to feed up to 20. Great for hunters, campers and tailgaters. Just throw it right on an open wood fire and start cooking!
Blackstone 36″ Griddle Cooking Station Reviewed And Rated
The Blackstone 36" Griddle Cooking Station is an interesting, low cost, large capacity, portable cook top. Griddles are different from grills and we love our open flames, but boy oh boy….people who own these are nuts about them! And so are we. Check out our review to find why this fun cooker earns our AmazingRibs.com Platinum Medal.
Pit Barrel 18.5-inch Cooker Review
You'll be flabbergasted as you create one perfectly smoked delicacy after another with little more effort than preparation. This AmazingRibs.com Platinum Medal winner is $399 delivered to your door. Pop it out of the box and start SMOKIN! Pit Barrel Cooker is one of the more impressive products we've tested and reviewed.
Char-Broil Vertical Gas Smoker Review
It is what it is. If you're looking for a cheap gas smoker Char-Broil is as good as it gets in this price range and you can easily find deals on this guy. Even Wal-Mart sells them for way under the manufacturer's suggested retail price. We reviewed this model and gave it our Best Value AmazingRibs.com Platinum Medal.
Weber Original Kettle Premium 22-Inch Charcoal Grill Reviewed
Weber Kettles enjoy evergreen popularity from one generation to the next. They are durable and you can cook just about anything you want on them. Pile up coal on one side to sear steaks or set up 2-zone roasting, We tested and reviewed these iconic grills. You can't go wrong with our Platinum Medal winning Weber kettles.
Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco Drum Smoker Review
Oklahoma Joe's Bronco is a low cost barrel smoker with hinged lid, gasket, side shelf, wheels, grilling capabilities, adjustable dampers, and ability to smoke low and slow up to 12 hours on one load of charcoal. What’s not to love? Read our review for the details on why we award this relatively low cost phenom our AmazingRibs.com Platinum Medal!
How We Test Grills And Smokers
Max Good is the AmazingRibs.com Director of Equipment Reviews and Keeper of the Flame. He is the only person in the world who tests and reviews grills and smoker full time. Click now to discover how he evaluates the hundreds of gas and charcoal grills and smokers crowding the aisles at stores coast to coast.
Broil-Mate 165154 LP Gas Grill Review
This Broil-Mate model is a throwback to the very first gas grills. We reviewed this inexpensive grill and awarded our AmazingRibs.com Platinum Medal. It has a cast aluminum cookbox which will last longer and retain and distribute heat way better than all those cheap, flimsy stainless steel gassers that are so popular in the big box stores.
CanCooker Original Review
Read our review about this upgraded riff on the old practice of slow cooking meat and veggies in a cream can. CanCooker receives our AmazingRibs.com Platinum Medal. The CanCooker Original has a four gallon capacity and is said to feed up to 20. Great for hunters, campers and tailgaters. Just throw it right on an open wood fire and start cooking!
Blackstone 36″ Griddle Cooking Station Reviewed And Rated
The Blackstone 36" Griddle Cooking Station is an interesting, low cost, large capacity, portable cook top. Griddles are different from grills and we love our open flames, but boy oh boy….people who own these are nuts about them! And so are we. Check out our review to find why this fun cooker earns our AmazingRibs.com Platinum Medal.
Char-Broil Grill2Go X200 Review
We reviewed this solid portable gas grill that employs Char-Broil's TRU-Infrared design. It produces searing temps while preventing flare-ups and retaining foods moisture. Grill2Go earns our AmazingRibs.com Best Value Platinum Medal. Heavy cast aluminum lid and firebox will not rust and will retain heat much better than thin steel.
Pit Barrel 18.5-inch Cooker Review
You'll be flabbergasted as you create one perfectly smoked delicacy after another with little more effort than preparation. This AmazingRibs.com Platinum Medal winner is $399 delivered to your door. Pop it out of the box and start SMOKIN! Pit Barrel Cooker is one of the more impressive products we've tested and reviewed.
Char-Broil Vertical Gas Smoker Review
It is what it is. If you're looking for a cheap gas smoker Char-Broil is as good as it gets in this price range and you can easily find deals on this guy. Even Wal-Mart sells them for way under the manufacturer's suggested retail price. We reviewed this model and gave it our Best Value AmazingRibs.com Platinum Medal.
Weber Smokey Joe Portable Charcoal Grills Review
Nothing fancy, just a compact version of one of the greatest inventions in history: the iconic charcoal kettle grill that made Weber famous. We reviewed this popular little tailgater and award our AmazingRibs.com Best Value Platinum Medal. It weighs 18 pounds and has a "Tuck and Carry Lid Holder" for easy transport.
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Published On: 7/1/2019 Last Modified: 4/23/2021
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