With spring in full swing and summer on the horizon, it’s a great time to start looking for the best BBQ for your space.
Whether you’re on the hunt for one of the best charcoal BBQs or you’re looking for one of the best gas BBQs on the market, the Ideal Home team have tried and tested the top models and listed our favourites to help you decide.
Quick list
Best gas BBQ
If, when you think of the best BBQ, you want an easy-in-every-way gas model, then head straight to the Weber Spirit E-310 Gas BBQ, which we found to be flawless in testing. The updated version of the E-310 was released last year, and it’s firmly earned its place as a standout choice for fuss-free grilling. Crafted from high-quality materials, it has all the features that make outdoor cooking feel effortless.
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Best charcoal BBQ
This is the OG charcoal BBQ for a reason. It’s as good as its reputation suggests, and probably the BBQ you’re most likely to see in people’s gardens up and down the country. It aced our tests, impressing our expert reviewer, and we reckon it can give you at least a decade of use. It’s a little small in this iteration for huge outdoor gatherings, but it comes in a variety of sizes if you need more space!
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3. Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill & Smoker
Best electric BBQ
Ninja’s Woodfire BBQ is a revelation. It has an air fryer function, so that you can get your chips done quickly outdoors and uses electric, so it wins the competition of easiest BBQ to set up by a country mile. It includes a smoker element and pellets to add wood-fired flavour artificially if you’re a little unsure about making the change over to electric. It’s not one to be left outside, though.
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4. Char-Broil All Star Gas Barbecue
Best affordable gas BBQ
If you want a gas high-performer on a budget, then this compact Char-Broil number might tick the boxes for you. It is foolproof to operate, and the favourite of our Deputy Print Editor, Ginevra, so you know it comes highly recommended. It’s super easy to clean, too, but assembly is somewhat difficult.
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5. Everdure Cube 360 Charcoal Portable BBQ
Best luxury portable BBQ
If you’re looking for an easy-to-use portable BBQ with a sleek, high-end design, look no further than the Everdure Cube 360 Charcoal Portable BBQ. It’s an upgraded version of the older Cube model and includes a roasting hood and handy temperature gauge. The food we cooked on it tasted delicious.
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6. Everdure by Heston Blumenthal Force 2 Burner Gas BBQ
Best BBQ design
The Everdure Force is the most impressive-looking BBQ on this list, and when we tested it, we found the cooking performance to be just as high-quality. It’s the perfect BBQ for slow cooking thanks to the large ceramic lid and cooking area, and it heats up super fast. It only has 2 burners, which might not be ideal for everyone, and lacks a warming rack.
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7. Masterbuilt AutoIgnite Series 545 Digital Charcoal Grill and Smoker
Best smart BBQ
Welcome to the BBQ of the future, which you can connect to your phone and walk away from after you’ve set it up, allowing the technology to auto-adjust to the best possible cooking settings to improve taste and flavour. The set-up with this BBQ took some serious work, but once our reviewer knew her stuff, the results for this BBQ were excellent. For seriously tasty, tech-y cooking, this is a great choice.
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8. Kamado Joe Konnected Joe Digital charcoal grill and smoker
Best Kamado BBQ
Testing the Kamado Joe Konnected Joe was a real revelation for us in terms of just how far an egg BBQ can go. This is Kamado Joe at its most advanced, combining that iconic ceramic design with smart tech that genuinely changes how you cook outdoors. Having one of these in your arsenal feels like owning the world’s most high-spec outdoor oven — only this one can smoke, sear, roast and slow-cook with impressive precision.
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9. Tower Kamado Maxi Charcoal BBQ
Best budget egg BBQ
We all want a Big Green Egg, but if your budget doesn’t stretch quite that far, this version from Tower might impress you just as much for the pricetag. It really wowed our reviewer with the cooking results it produced (the words succulent and juicy spring to mind!), and it’s super durable too.
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10. Outback Meteor 4-Burner Hybrid Gas & Charcoal BBQ
Best hybrid BBQ
There’s no need to choose between charcoal and gas with this hybrid wonder, which also features a very large cooking area to work with. This model really impressed our reviewer during testing with its almighty power, but it is still on the more affordable side, making it a versatile winner.
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11. Big Green Egg MiniMax
Best luxury egg BBQ
This is the Big Green Egg of our dreams in mini form, and is the brand’s smallest product offering. Our expert reviewer didn’t want to give it back at the end of testing, and praised its perfect design and unbelievable grilling results, as well as its heat retention powers.
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Best BBQs tried and tested
Best gas BBQ
What does it take to be the best BBQ on this list? Value for money, cooking power and ease of use – all of which the Weber Spirit E-310 Gas Barbecue has by the bucket load.
We previously reviewed the Weber Spirit II E-310 Gas Barbecue and ranked it as the best gas BBQ on the market, but Weber has released a new-and-improved version. This latest model delivers more power thanks to boost burners, includes an easy-to-read digital thermometer and boasts a simple Snap-Jet ignition system. The design is also much sleeker, fixing the only hitch we found in the previous version with a front door that neatly hides the gas canister.
From my experience, I thought it was genuinely very good. Gas cooking is incredibly convenient; it heats up fast, and it takes the stress out of getting started. It’s also refreshingly easy to clean, which really matters when you’re cooking regularly in the height of summer.
This entry-level buy is perfect for anyone who wants quality without compromising on power. In our tests, it proved itself a reliable investment from the moment we set it up.
The full review is on its way, but I can safely say it earns five stars. The three-burner BBQ wowed us with its versatility, acing everything from veggies and sausages to burgers and even a whole spatchcock chicken. Crucially, it reached optimal grilling temperatures quickly and held that heat consistently – exactly what you want for stress-free outdoor cooking.
Best charcoal BBQ
Simple, well-made, affordable, and high-performing – what more could you want from a charcoal BBQ? The Weber Original Kettle is a classic by every standard, and it’s the ideal size for 2-4 people. Weber has been around for decades, with a wealth of experience when it comes to making gold-standard BBQs, and this kettle-style one was invented by the brand itself and has spawned many an imitation since.
We think you should invest a little more (the RRP is £250, but you can find it for less) in Weber’s OG version. Why? Well, because the cheaper imitations don’t have the same emphasis on quality, and won’t last you as long. Our Deputy Editor, Rebecca Knight, has had a Weber Original Kettle in her family home for over five years, which means that your initial £250 investment can be thought of as a cost to be spread out across a few years.
Our expert BBQ reviewer Helen, who tried this BBQ describes it as a ‘great buy’ and thinks that ‘it’ll suit just about anyone looking for a good quality charcoal barbecue from a brand with an excellent pedigree’. Highlights from Helen’s review include the various size options available with the Weber Original Kettle, and the excellent, no-faff cleaning system. While this BBQ loses half a star due to the fact that charcoal can be a bit trickier to handle than gas, it sits so high up in this list thanks to the fact it’s a star budget buy.
Our Weber Original Kettle BBQ review has the full details.
Best electric BBQ
We’ve been waxing lyrical about the Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill & Smoker for some time now. Not only is it the most functional and versatile electric BBQ we’ve tried, but it also has an air fryer function, so that you can cook up extras like chips in double quick time outdoors this summer.
The simple fact is every single appliance made by Ninja is user-friendly, from the best Ninja air fryers to the sister product to this BBQ, the Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Oven. After testing it, we think this electric BBQ is the easiest to set up and use that you’ll find. Plug it in and use the control panel, and you’re done.
All in all, the Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill & Smoker has six functions, and after taking them for a spin, our reviewer was impressed by all of them, finding that using this BBQ cut down the time it took to cook meat massively. The smoker element, which allows you to burn pellets which add flavour to whatever is cooking, might sound gimmicky but actually goes a long way to add back in that smokey BBQ flavour we all know and love.
All of that, teamed with the fact that it’s perfect for those who live in cities or have more constricted outdoor space, means it’s a certified Ideal Home favourite.
Our Ninja Woodfire Outdoor BBQ & Smoker review has the full details.
Best affordable gas BBQ
Gas is the most convenient type of barbecue for most people, and this one that we tested from Char-Broil sits at a happy price point, plus it offers plenty of features for fuss-free cooking. For the majority of us, this compact BBQ offers enough cooking space, and it’s ideal for small families. Especially if you (like us) don’t really have a spare £500+ to spend on a barbecue right now. Don’t forget that you can batch cook for when you’ve got guests over, to save on spending a load on a larger barbecue; you only really need a couple of times a year.
Boasting two foldout shelves for storage purposes, the All Star is a great little BBQ to own. It’s ready to cook after 10 minutes, and it has a temperature gauge on the hood. Whilst it does have a keep warm shelf, its rounded cooking area does get hottest in the middle, so you can use the outer space to slowly cook foods without burning them, such as sausages. We managed to cook an entire chicken on this barbecue. It’s safe for us to say that whilst it might take a few uses to get the hang of cooking on this BBQ, it’s worth it once you do get the knack figured out.
Assembly is very frustrating, and instructions are a pain (just use the app), but once it’s done initially, it’s done forever. The BBQ offers plenty of storage, including hooks for tools and two foldable shelves for your drinks or whatever else to sit. It also has onboard storage for your gas canister to hide it away. It sits on wheels for easy moving, too. Cleaning couldn’t be any easier, as you need only fire up the heat for 10 minutes with the lid closed, then you can use the tool included to scrape food residue off the BBQ, ready for next use.
Our Char-Broil All-Star gas barbecue review has the full details.
Best luxury portable BBQ
We recently tested the Everdure Cube 360 Charcoal Portable BBQ, after ranking the previous Everdure Cube model as our best portable BBQ in the luxury category, and it’s safe to say we were impressed by the results.
The design is even sleeker than the older model, and it looks and feels like a high-quality luxury item. Plus, the new version comes with a roasting hood for even more cooking possibilities, and a really useful temperature gauge which indicates whether the food is cooking ‘low and slow’, ‘baking’, ‘grilling’ or ‘searing.
The food it cooked was delicious, and setup was fast – the BBQ arrived pre-assembled, and we just had to put the grills inside to get going. The only hitch was that it was difficult to control the temperature at times, and to achieve a high enough temperature in the first place – but we tested it on a chilly March day, so we’re excited to compare the results with a summer BBQ later in the year.
We’ve got a review coming soon with all the details.
Best BBQ for design
The Everdure by Heston Blumenthal Force 2 Burner Gas BBQ has Heston’s approval, as well as ours, with a stunning performance and unbeatable design, earning an easy five-star rating in our review.
It’s got lots of home chef-approved elements, such as the ultra-powerful independent burners and the extra high hood for convection cooking that worked like a dream during our spatchcock chicken test. And when it comes to design, it’s safe to say that it was a case of love at first sight thanks to that signature orange (or blue) hood.
Design points that we absolutely love include the fact that the BBQ can be removed from the stand, making it portable for tabletop use, and all of the perfect finishing details, from the swish metal taps to the fold-down side table. The enamel-coated grates and rust-proof build materials also earned our favour, leaving us feeling that this was really an investment BBQ built to last.
It narrowly lost out on the top spot and the title of best BBQ due to the fact that it’s only powered by two burners, which made some of our tests a little more restricted, despite an RRP of £749.00. But the benefits of the Everdure Force far outweigh any setbacks, with an unbelievably fast heat-up time (we managed to get it hot enough in around 4 minutes) and the ability to tackle pretty much any job. It offers super-precise heat control thanks to its built-in temperature gauge. You could easily fit two medium chickens on there at one time, and the chicken we did cook, compared with a range of other gas BBQs, was the crispiest by far.
We can’t go without saying that this BBQ is a total breeze to build too, taking just one hour and five minutes to do in its entirety. Cleaning isn’t a drag either, meaning that you can more easily look after your outdoor investment. In short, if you’re looking for an uber-stylish, extremely competent BBQ, and you’ve got the money to spend, the Everdure Force is absolutely your best bet.
Our Everdure Force Gas BBQ review has the full details.
Best smart BBQ
Automation is everywhere, but did you know you can apply it to your BBQ now, too? The Masterbuilt Autoignite Series 545 earned an easy 4.5 stars during our review process for making automation seem so seamless. Our reviewer found it was so simple to use (once she got the hang of the process and past the slightly arduous set-up), and that the wide range of cooking settings would be hugely appealing for any foodie.
Smart BBQs are on the rise, and the Masterbuilt is part of this new generation. The idea is that you can connect your phone to your BBQ and receive detailed instructions on which vent to open or close and which fuel to add where and when. For smoking or for long cooking sessions, our reviewer found the technology with this BBQ to be so impressive. She set tailored programs for cooking ribs, brisket, and pork shoulder, and then walked away from the BBQ, safe in the knowledge that the temperature would auto-adjust, adjusting the airflow if needed.
This is a charcoal BBQ, so you’ll get all the beautiful flavours of that type of cooking. Our reviewer also found it to be an efficient buy, with a few kilograms of charcoal lasting for a four to five-hour smoke. The downside is, as this has those smart elements, you’ll also need outdoor mains (or a long extension cable) to use this BBQ, as well as an enthusiastic and patient outlook when it comes to working with new tech.
Our Masterbuilt AutoIgnite Series 545 BBQ review has the full details.
Best Kamado BBQ
Make no mistake, I know that the Kamado Joe Konnected Joe is a huge investment – it’s not a purchase even the most dedicated BBQ enthusiast would make lightly. But for your money, you’re getting a seriously impressive outdoor centrepiece that will steal the show at any garden gathering for years to come.
Building on everything we love about the Kamado Joe Classic Joe Series II, this model has the same standout quality and craftsmanship, just with added smart features and controls that take the effort out of cooking. Thanks to its digital Kontrol Board and automatic temperature regulation, you don’t need to constantly monitor or adjust it – it maintains heat for you, making low-and-slow cooking or high-heat grilling far more hands-off.
As well as being one of the most well-equipped charcoal BBQs out there, the Konnected Joe can grill, smoke and even function as an outdoor oven, covering everything from burgers and sausages to pizzas and slow-cooked joints. Performance-wise, I was blown away. The smoky flavour it creates is second to none, delivering that authentic BBQ taste you simply can’t replicate on gas. It does take a little more effort to get going compared to a gas model, but the results are absolutely worth it – especially if you love the ritual of BBQing.
Design-wise, it’s just as striking as you’d expect, which is easily the favourite to rival the other super stylish choice on this list, the Everdure Force. The signature red ceramic body not only looks incredible, but it’s also exceptional at retaining and regulating heat. It’s undeniably heavy at around 115kg, but features like the Air Lift hinge make the lid far easier to handle than you’d expect for its size. It’s a serious piece of kit, but one that feels built to last a lifetime. Can you tell I’m a big fan?
Best budget egg BBQ
If you’re hoping to invest in a Kamado BBQ, then we can’t recommend the one from Tower anymore. We tested it and rated it 4.5-stars out of 5, and we think it’s a great buy for small to medium-size families, or if you want a BBQ that’s not going to take up too much of your patio space. This one is compact in size, yet anything but in features. It’s ideal for all-size gardens, from balconies to large spaces and even a terrace.
Use this high-quality Kamado-style BBQ to sear, grill or bake anything from meat to fish and veggies. We think it’s great for anyone looking for a sturdy barbecue that will last a lifetime. Its heavy construction screams durability, whilst it sits on a table to use up less floor space. Though its cooking space isn’t the largest, you can use it to batch cook food as it retains heat incredibly well. It also boasts a built-in temperature gauge to make cooking easy. It can fit around 6 burgers and 6 sausages, cooking at the same time.
You can leave this BBQ outside year-round, and you might have to because it’s so heavy. It comes with a cloth cover, though, and it has handles. There’s also no denying that it doesn’t look great, and it comes in your choice of black or green. Cleaning it couldn’t be easier, thanks to its compact-sized grates.
Our Tower Kamado Maxi Charcoal BBQ review has the full details.
Best hybrid BBQ
If you’re hoping to spend your money on a hybrid BBQ for family cooking, but are on a strict(er) budget, then this one from Outback is your best bet. It’s definitely not one for small spaces, though, with a sizeable cooking area plus 2 side shelves and oodles of storage on offer. For less than £300 on most websites, this BBQ is a steal.
Cooking with charcoal or gas is easy on this barbecue. It has a keep-warm rack to perfectly time your food, too, and on its hood sits a temperature gauge. We found that it took around 8 minutes to heat up when using the gas function. Charcoal was slightly trickier but still took only 15 minutes. Overall, we found that cooking was fast and fuss-free on this BBQ.
Assembly time took around 3 hours, but once up, it’s a breeze to use. It sits on two wheels to make it easy to move and comes in two colours to spruce up your space. Ideally, it needs to be placed in a well-sheltered location when in use and after use, it has to be moved away from the elements; otherwise, you can invest in a cover for it. Cleaning this BBQ is easy, depending on what you’ve been cooking on it.
Our Outback Meteor 4-Burner Hybrid Gas & Charcoal BBQ review has the full details.
Best luxury BBQ
Just like the larger, more expensive version, the Big Green Egg MiniMax is an unbelievably stylish yet practical BBQ. Our very-hard-to-please reviewer, Helen McCue, awarded this BBQ five stars thanks to its ability to maintain a steady heat and for its stellar cooking results.
It was pretty much impossible to fault this BBQ during at-home tests. The only reason it doesn’t top our list of the best BBQs is that its hefty price tag isn’t for everyone. This is why, instead, it’s our best luxury option for those who can spend a little more.
For the price (£795.00), this BBQ can roast, bake, slow (and low) cook, grill, smoke, and even pan cook food. In our tests, we found that by using the Big Green Egg air-flow tech, this BBQ got up to heat in just 12 minutes. It certainly retains heat well once lit (for up to 10 hours apparently!), and aced recipes including a whole chicken, steaks and veggies.
It comes with a dome temperature gauge, and Helen found it easy to keep it within a few degrees of the desired heat throughout cooking. It’s definitely one for barbecue enthusiasts, and if you only use your BBQ for cooking burgers and sausages a few times a year, then you’re not going to get the most use out of it. The idea is that you buy it once and it lasts forever, hence the price tag, and it can be used at all times of the year as it offers enough space to cook your entire Christmas turkey.
Once finished, the leftover fats and oils are cooked down by the heat of the egg, meaning all that’s left is an easily swept away ash, leaving you ready to cook again the next time. It’s deep, though, so you may want to roll your sleeves up before diving into the ash pile.
Our Big Green Egg MiniMax BBQ review has the full details.
How we tested these barbecues
As per our testing protocol, we think that the best way to rate our products is to try them hands-on, which is why we have reviewed all of the BBQs in our guide, and we’re working on reviewing more.
When we test a BBQ, we take into account the assembly process, how well it cooks both large and small cuts of meat and veggies, and the user experience from quality of build to durability. Also, we never forget the price tags of BBQs, as we know value for money is more important now than ever.
As part of our commitment to evaluating different BBQs to establish which one really is the best, we also tried out a range of grills during a testing excursion in the Somerset countryside. There, we could compare first-hand the quality, build-time, and grilling capabilities of each BBQ, and rate them when it came to design elements too. Other BBQs in this list have been tested by our team in their homes to get the experience that you would have if you purchased one of these grills for yourself.
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It’s worth noting that some of the BBQs in this guide were tested in the last few years, meaning they’ve received years of use and have proven themselves to be very rust-resistant and long-lasting. Below, you can find more information on who put this guide together.
FAQs
How can I choose the right BBQ?
Before you choose a barbecue, you’ll need to consider the space you have.
‘We always suggest measuring your outdoor space to ensure the grill fits comfortably without crowding the area,’ says Dan Cooper, head grill master at Weber. ‘Look for models with foldable side tables, and think about how frequently you’ll use the grill and the typical group size you’ll be catering for. If you think you’ll have to reposition your grill before use due to either having a smaller space or uneven surfaces, opt for one with sturdy wheels.
The other priority is price, so start out with a rough idea of what you want to spend. Once you know this, it’s easier to narrow down the rest and fit in what you need with what you can afford. Next up is fuel.
This subject is an area of debate. Some claim that charcoals offer the very best flavour, while others claim gas gives the same result. Then, to make it more complicated, there are gas barbecues that use gas flames to heat charcoals.
Essentially it boils down to this – if you’re cooking meat, it’s the juices hitting the coals which create a smoke which adds flavour to the meat. Lose the coals, and you lose this extra flavour.
So, if you want authentic flavour, coals can be the best way to cook. Then there are the smokers, which take this idea to the next level and offer slow cooking which not only packs in the smoky flavour but also allows you to give the perfect tenderness to joints of meat.
The problem with gas and charcoal is that you need to buy the fuels, which can be a hassle. That’s where electric barbecues come in. They’re a great way ta grill without worrying about anything aside from plugging in the barbecue. Of course, many will argue this is akin to cooking indoors. But with a lid for trapping in flavour you’re still going to get a great experience.
Is it cheaper to cook on a gas BBQ?
The gas vs charcoal BBQ debate is a strong one, but it’s important to think long-term if you’re hoping to get your money’s worth. You’ll need to think about what kind of flavour you’re after, though.
‘Gas can be easier on the wallet in the long run as propane is pretty well priced, but flavour does have a price,’ says Eran Tibi, executive chef at Kapara and Bala Baya, and contestant in this year’s Great British Menu competition. ‘If you’re after that incredible smoky rich flavour, it’s worth spending out on good charcoal.’
How much should I spend on a BBQ?
This is the question that’s a tough one to nail down since the range of prices is so broad. You can spend very little on a portable barbecue, or you can stretch to a professional-level beast with multiple functions and heat sources priced in the thousands.
Most people find somewhere in the middle suits. So, spending just over a hundred or a few hundred will generally get you a barbecue fit for most purposes.
Take a look at fuel costs, too, as gas and coal vary. You’ll want to factor this in, especially if you’re planning to use the barbecue a lot.
Invest in one of the best BBQs and reap the benefits all summer long. At least, as much as the Great British summer will allow!
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