We’re racing towards summer, and if you’re hoping to embrace outdoor cooking, it’s worth looking into the best gas BBQs on the market.
Many of the best BBQs out there are gas models, and for good reason: they’re convenient, simple to use and reliable. That’s why we’ve put the best models, from leading brands like Weber, Everdure and Char-Broil, through their paces to help you make sure you’re buying a quality product.
If you’re stuck between those and the best charcoal BBQs, we’ve even included a guide at the bottom of the page to help you decide if a gas barbecue is right for you.
Best gas BBQ – the quick list
1. Weber Spirit E310 Gas Barbecue
Best gas BBQ overall
+ Performed incredibly in our at home cook tests
+ Affordable for a 3 burner gas model
+ Easy to use, and assemble too
– Quite heavy
Read more below
2. Cadac Citi Chef 40 FS BBQ
Best budget gas BBQ
+ Stylish design with a chance to turn it into a multi-functional BBQ
+ Easy to move around your garden
+ Fast heat-up
– Slightly fiddly set-up process
– Suited to a small crowd
Read more below
3. Everdure by Heston Blumenthal Force 2 Burner Gas BBQ
Best 2 burner gas BBQ
+ The winner of all style competitions
+ A breeze to set up
+ Wonderful cooking ability
– Seriously expensive
Read more below
4. Weber Q3200 Gas Barbecue
Best gas BBQ for beginners
+ Fuss-free grilling
+ Compact for small-garden suitability
+ We built it in under an hour
– It’s not the prettiest BBQ ever, but it gets the job done
Read more below
5. Napoleon Phantom TravelQ Pro285X
Best portable gas BBQ
+ Really easy to store and move around
+ Family-sized grill surface
+ Straightforward to use
– A little more food prep space would be ideal
Read more below
6. Ninja FlexFlame gas BBQ
Best gas BBQ with griddle plate
+ Five cooking functions in one appliance
+ Fast heat up times and temperatures of up to 315oc
+ Digital controls make it easy to use
– Large footprint won’t suit every garden
– Premium price tag
Read more below
Best gas BBQ overall
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 E310 Gas Barbecue has by the bucket load.
We previously reviewed the Weber Spirit II E310 gas barbecue and ranked it as the best BBQ on the market, but Weber has now released a new and improved version. The latest model delivers more power thanks to its Boost Burners, features an easy-to-read digital thermometer and includes a snap-jet ignition system, which is a built-in lighting system that’s integrated into every control knob.
Having tested it myself, I was seriously impressed. The entry-level model is ideal for anyone looking for a high-quality BBQ without sacrificing power or performance. From the moment my husband and I assembled it, it felt like a reliable investment. The design also has a sleek makeover, addressing the only real drawback we found with its predecessor by adding a front cabinet door that neatly conceals the gas canister.
My full review is coming soon, but I can already say it deserves a five-star rating. The three-burner BBQ impressed me with its versatility, effortlessly handling everything from veggies to sausages and burgers, and its space-saving design is a win for small gardens. Most importantly, it reached optimal grilling temperatures quickly and maintained them consistently throughout cooking, so it’s exactly what’s needed for stress-free outdoor entertaining.
Tested by Jenny McFarlane.
Best budget gas BBQ
If, like us, you’re not looking to totally break the bank on your next gas BBQ, then the Cadac Citi Chef 40 is a wonderfully affordable option. In our at-home tests, our reviewer Helen (who has exceptionally high BBQ standards), thought it was the perfect alternative to oversized models, with enough space and power to cater to smaller outdoor cooking occasions.
Its simplicity (with just one burner) is part of what makes it so great, and it’s suitable for patios and terraces too. The design is stylish enough to rival much more expensive options, and there’s an incredibly good range of accessories if you’re a budding outdoor chef – we’re talking paella pans and a stone to turn it into one of the best pizza ovens too.
Using this BBQ couldn’t be easier (even if the assembly is a little tiresome), with the automatic ignition making cooking as simple as using a gas hob. It took just five minutes for the Cadac Citi to be ready for Helen to use, which means you can BBQ in enough time before a Great British downpour begins. The meat Helen cooked on this BBQ was succulent and well-done, with not a hint of dryness.
We think the Cadac Citi Chef 40 FS BBQ is a perfect compromise between budget-friendliness and quality, with so much to offer to smaller to medium-sized homes.
Our Cadac Citi Chef 40 FS BBQ review has the full details.
Tested by Helen McCue.
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Best small gas BBQ
Gas BBQs are known for their convenience, but that doesn’t mean that they have to be drab. The Everdure Force is the most stunning gas BBQ out there in our opinion (with Heston Blumenthal’s stamp of approval on it too), and it produced showstopping results in our tests for equal measure.
Our main takeaway after testing was that this BBQ was packed with serious power. It took just 3 minutes and 14 seconds to get up to 250ºC, and it retained heat beautifully, meaning that it mastered our rotisserie chicken test like no other BBQ. You get two burners for your money here, with ample space for hosting a large garden party affair. There’s space for 24 small burgers at a time if you’re so inclined, we checked.
The design of the Everdure Force captivated the entire Ideal Home team on our BBQ testing day, with the striking pop of colour on the lid matching perfectly with the clean lines look of the rest of the BBQ (our favourite colourways are blue and orange). The small details are picture-perfect too, including the flush taps and a built-in thermometer.
You might be able to tell that we love this BBQ, but we don’t feel the same way about the price, which is steep at £749.00 (RRP). It’s a real investment buy, with the quality that we’re certain would last, but it misses out on the top spot here due to a lack of affordability.
Our Everdure Force Gas BBQ review has the full details.
Tested by Molly Cleary.
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Best gas BBQ for beginners
Get high-quality grilling results without the laborious build process with the Weber Q3200, which was by far the easiest gas BBQ to set up during our BBQ testing day. The process was so straightforward and should take you less than an hour. That means that your journey to flipping burgers will be nice and short so that you can have more time in the sunshine.
We know it’s not the prettiest of the bunch or the most powerful, but it’s quietly capable and has next to nothing complicated about it, so it’s perfect for beginners. To us, that’s worth plenty. Lighting the BBQ was as easy as pressing a button, and the cooking results we got were all of a high standard. There was a slight delay with heat-up time, which is definitely something to bear in mind if you’re a little impatient, but for the price, it’s a great two-burner BBQ.
For the price, we know that whoever invests in this BBQ is going to be serious about their outdoor cooking, which is why it’s a great choice if you love to entertain. It’s the BBQ with the largest grilling area from the Weber Q collection, and can serve up 14 good-sized burgers at a time, a fact we can attest to after our testing process.
Our Weber Q3200 Gas BBQ review has the full details.
Tested by Amy Lockwood.
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Best 3 burner gas BBQ
This is a truly kitted-out gas BBQ, with ample space for your burger buns, salad and condiments, and the grilling power to cater to a garden full of people. It’s probably not the most accessible BBQ for the casual user, with a long build time and a big price tag, but all of the foods we cooked on this Char-Broil came out well.
Space-wise, on the grill itself, this BBQ has three burners, which makes it perfect for indirect cooking. Add to that a side shelf and an infrared side burner too, and you have a world of choice when it comes to your next grilling session. It’s got a warming rack too, so that your burger buns are optimally warm for serving up.
If you’re keen to invest in a CharBroil, then we’d recommend the Professional 3400 S if you’re a seasoned pro looking to take on a new challenge. It has a seriously tricky build process, and getting a handle on the controls was a bit of a learning curve for us, but if it’s an all-American grill with the capacity to cater to a huge crowd, you can’t go wrong.
Our Char-Broil Professional 3400 S BBQ review has the full details.
Tested by Molly Cleary.
Best portable gas BBQ
It’s got a somewhat intimidating name, but in simpler terms, the Napoleon TravelQ Phantom PRO285X is one of the most convenient gas BBQs we’ve tried. The design (that of a folding scissor stand with sturdy wheels) means carting it around your garden or hiding it away for the winter couldn’t be easier. Despite its relatively compact footprint, it still offers a generous family-sized cooking area, making it well-suited to everything from weeknight grilling to larger summer get-togethers.
Better still, the components inside the barbecue – including the cast iron cooking grids – are unusually convenient to handle and clean. The actual cooking performance impressed us too. The two-burner system heats up quickly, reaching grilling temperatures in around five to ten minutes, while the integrated rack makes it easy to manage multiple foods at once. During testing, our reviewer even managed to fit 2kg of chicken wings on the grill in one go, proving that this portable model can comfortably cater for a family feast.
Our Napoleon TravelQ Phantom PRO285X review has the full details.
Tested by Pete Wise.
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Best gas BBQ with griddle plate
While we haven’t yet put the Ninja FlexFlame through our full Ideal Home testing process, it’s one of the most exciting BBQ launches on our radar, and a review is already in the works. On paper, it ticks a lot of boxes, combining gas grilling, griddling, smoking, roasting and pizza making in a single outdoor cooking system. Its digital temperature controls, high-heat performance and pellet-powered smoking function set it apart from traditional gas BBQs, while Ninja claims it can preheat to 315 oC in just 10 minutes, which should take a lot of faff out of outdoor cooking.
It’s also getting plenty of love online, with early reviewers praising how versatile and easy to use it is, particularly for families who don’t want to invest in several separate outdoor cooking appliances. Many highlighted its fast preheating and even cooking its fast preheating and even cooking results, saying it could be a real game-changer for anyone who wants the convenience of gas cooking with the bonus of smoking and pizza-making capabilities. Of course, we’re reserving our opinion until we’ve tested it ourselves, but based on positive reviews and all the features, the Ninja FlexFlame definitely looks like a clever bit of kit.
How we tested these BBQs
As per our testing protocol at Ideal Home, we’re serious about trying the products that we recommend to you hands-on so that you know you can trust our guidance. For that reason, we’ve tested every single BBQ you can find in this guide, with more reviews on the way to add even more options to your search.
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.
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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 within this guide 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.
It’s worth us noting that some of the BBQs in this guide were also 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.
FAQs
How to buy the best gas BBQ for you
Prioritise build quality: If you’re investing in a gas BBQ that you want to last for many summers, Dan Cooper, Head Grill Master at Weber, recommends starting with the cook box. ‘This houses the important inner workings of any gas barbecue, such as the burner tubes,’ so it’s a good indicator of build quality
Choose good materials: Dan says that choosing a gas BBQ with cast iron cooking grates is worth considering as they create excellent residual heat. This helps achieve that sought-after colour and char on everything from juicy steaks to vegetable dishes.
Check heat-up times: A BBQ that takes ages to reach temperature can make outdoor cooking feel more like a chore. Look for models with straightforward ignition systems and quick heat-up times for a smoother cooking experience.
Consider the number of burners: If money and size are no object, then ‘buying bigger is usually better’, says Dan. More burners give you greater flexibility for multi-zone cooking, allowing you to roast, steam and sear at the same time. If you’re shopping on a budget, make sure the cooking area is still large enough to cater for family meals and gatherings.
Check the cooking capacity: Before buying, it’s worth researching how many burgers, sausages or steaks a grill can cook at once. This will give you a better idea of whether it’s suited to your needs.
A lid is a must-have: Dan also recommends choosing a gas BBQ with a lid, as it allows you to cook both directly over the heat and indirectly. Indirect cooking creates an oven-like atmosphere, making it possible to roast, bake or even smoke food on your barbecue.
Are gas BBQs worth it?
If you’re wondering whether gas BBQs are worth the investment, the answer depends on your alfresco cooking needs. If you’re a fan of outdoor cooking or want a convenient option with easy setup, they’re a great choice.
‘Gas BBQs are like a reliable friend – always there and always ready,’ says Eran Tibi, executive chef at Kapara and Bala Baya, and contestant in this year’s Great British Menu competition. ‘They’re fantastic for quick and delicious weeknight meals.
The gadgets that also come with gas make it a creative tool where you can get seriously creative with food – think side burners, rotisseries, the lot!’
Is a gas BBQ cheaper to run?
As with many investments, like one of the best air fryers, a gas barbecue can be a hefty purchase to make in the run-up to summer, they can save you money in the long term.
Dan Cooper, head grill master at Weber, says that ‘While a gas barbecue tends to be a larger initial investment than other barbecues, running costs are cheaper than alternatives such as charcoal or wood pellets’. He adds that ‘this is mainly because gas canisters last longer and fuel more barbecues, especially for those who use their barbecue sparingly’.
A standard 5kg patio propane bottle can last for dozens of hours of cooking on a typical gas BBQ, with a typical three-burner gas BBQ using around 25,000-35,000 BTUs per hour. While a bag of charcoal costing £10-£20 may only stretch to a few barbecues, depending on how long you’re cooking. That can make gas a more economical option over the course of a summer for keen grillers.
It’s not surprising then, especially given just how user-friendly they are, that this efficiency means gas BBQs are a favourite of outdoor chefs.
What is the lifespan of a gas BBQ?
It’s good to be thinking about exactly how long you can expect to hold onto your gas BBQ so that you can work out your cost per summer. Dan Cooper from Weber says that ‘Lifespan completely depends on how you use the barbecue, but most gas barbecues are built to last come rain or shine, so with the right care, your barbecue should last years.’
One way that you can make sure that your BBQ stays strong even if you run into issues? ‘Seek out a product with a long warranty’ says Dan, ‘for added reassurance and quality guarantee.’
If you’re looking to really up your outdoor cooking game, take at our list of the best pizza ovens.
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