Best deals on barbecue grills for summer 2023

By Lily Rose

June 1, 2023 / 9:00 AM / Essentials

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Get your backyard ready -- it's BBQ season. To wet your appetite, we've found the best deals on customer-loved grills for your summer barbecue needs.

Not only did we comb through tons of online deals on charcoal smokers, pellet smokers, electric grills and more, we also consulted barbecue expert Aaron Chronister. Chronister is the author of "BBQ Makes Everything Better" and the winner of the 2010 Gourmand World Cookbook Award for best barbecue book. He gave CBS Essentials his recommendations for the best barbecue grills. A great grill doesn't have to mean a great big price tag. Keep reading to shop the best deals on barbecue grills for summer 2023.

Kenmore 4-burner propane grill with searing side burner, $499 (reduced from $599)

Blackstone 2-burner 28-inch griddle with air fryer combo, $447 (reduced from $497)

Gateway Drum Smokers charcoal BBQ smoker, $1,199 (regularly $1,299)

No backyard? No problem. Not only did we find barbecue grills for people with that space to host pool parties and cookouts, we've found on-sale grills perfect for outdoor decks, patios and even electric grills for people who want the taste of barbecue, but have no outdoor space. Although these grills are all discounted, not everyone is working with the same wallet. The CBS Essentials team found a variety of grills that work with a bunch of different budgets.

Shop on-sale barbecue grills from Weber, Gateway, Kenmore, Kamado Joe and more. These grills are expert-recommended and feature at least a four-star rating plus tons of positive customer reviews.

This is a grill that will impress your guests: It's stylish and comes packed with smart features. The Bluetooth-connected grill allows you to monitor meat probe temperatures, check propane levels, set timers and even graph temperature changes from your phone using the Kenmore Smart app. With a spacious cooking surface and powerful burners, you can cook up to 40 burgers with ease, which is enough to feed a huge Memorial Day crowd.

This Kenmore grill is only available at Walmart.

Kenmore 4-burner propane grill with searing side burner, $499 (reduced from $599)

Blackstone 28-inch, 2-burner griddle with air fryer combo

Get ready for outdoor cooking versatility with the Blackstone griddle with air fryer. This all-in-one griddle allows you to bake, sear, roast, sauté and air fry, expanding the options beyond your typical grill. With a spacious cooking surface and dual shelves (with hooks for grilling utensils), it's perfect for feeding large groups. Enjoy the convenience of an air fryer drawer and a warming drawer even more use out of this incredible outdoor griddle grill.

Blackstone 2-burner 28-inch griddle with air fryer combo, $447 (reduced from $497)

Chronister said this Weber grill is best for beginners. Its 726-square inches of cooking area can smoke everything from pork to chicken to a full-sized turkey.

This smoker features two separate cooking areas. It's outfitted with adjustable vents for controlling air flow and temperature and an easy-access aluminum door for adding fuel while cooking.

Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker charcoal smoker, $549 (regularly $649)

This charcoal BBQ smoker features dual adjustable air intakes and adjustable exhaust for temperature control. Its removable fire basket can hold up to 10 pounds of lump charcoal. It can smoke up to 14 hours.

This on-sale smoker's cooking grate can be used in three positions.

Gateway Drum Smokers charcoal BBQ smoker, $1,199 (regularly $1,299)

This 4.5-star-rated large griddle features four independently controlled cooking zones. It includes side shelves that are designed specifically with your griddle tools in mind and features tool hooks and a magnetic toolbar to keep everything in reach. Walmart customers love using this cooking station.

"It was very easy to assemble, I did it on my own," wrote a reviewer. "The griddle is very heavy, so had to have my son help me to put it on. My husband has used this ever since to cook on. The burgers turned out great. Seasoned and cooked to perfection. We have also cooked fried rice, veggies, and a lot of breakfast on it. All the food tastes great, and it's easy to clean the griddle after use."

Blackstone 4-burner griddle cooking station with hard cover, $297 (regularly $327)

This Kenmore smart grill has Bluetooth capabilities and allows you to easily set times, monitor four meat probe temperatures and view the ambient grill temp gauge right from your phone.

"The smart device is super easy to use. Connect with the Kenmore app and pick your meat type, temperature and doneness. It also notifies you when the meat reaches your set temperature. [It's] perfect for those who like to multi-task," shared one reviewer.

Kenmore smart charcoal grill, $298 (reduced from $350)

Green Mountain's Davy Crockett portable, Wi-Fi-enabled wood-pellet grill is billed as perfect for tailgating, and Amazon reviewers agree -- it's rated 4.5 stars. This stainless steel smart grill runs on 12 V or 120 AC power. Download the Green Mountain Grills app to control the Wi-Fi-enabled grill via your smartphone or device.

Green Mountain Davy Crockett portable wood pellet grill, $379 (regularly $399)

This three-tier charcoal grill allows you to cook multiple things at different temperatures, all at once. This barbecue appliance is outfitted with Kamado Joe's SlōRoller Hyperbolic Smoke Chamber. The feature is designed to perfect the taste and texture of food on low-and-slow cooks up to 500 degrees. It can be swapped out for heat deflector plates when searing or grilling at higher temperatures.

It's on sale now at Amazon.

Kamado Joe Big Joe III 24-inch charcoal grill, $2,599 (regularly $2,999)

This Weber grill has a porcelain-enameled lid and a rust- and peel-resistant bowl. Just pop the Weber Original Kettle charcoal grill in your truck bed or trunk and bring it to the tailgate.

According to Weber, this retro grill can be used to grill up to 13 burger patties at a time. This makes it an ideal grill if you're cooking for a large group. The grill includes a built-in thermometer in the lid.

Weber Original Kettle Premium charcoal grill, $219 (reduced from $233)

If you want the taste of barbecue but lack the space for a traditional grill, this 27-inch electric model is a great option. Finding an outlet is no hassle, thanks to a six-foot-long power cord. The compact grill features porcelain-enameled, cast-iron cooking grates and a removable catch pan.

"This is the best electric grill made...The larger ones have the same wattage but can't reach the same heat," a verified buyer of the grill says. "Smaller is better in this case. This unit is easy to use. No gas, no charcoal, no mess."

Weber Q1400 electric grill, $329 (regularly $359)

This affordable, electric countertop grill is easy to take anywhere. It has a nonstick cooking surface that is dishwasher-safe and smokeless -- another smart option for cooking under a tailgating tent.

Bella Pro Series countertop indoor smokeless 12-inch x 16-inch electric grill, $50 (regularly $60)

Shop even more barbecue grills. These grills come highly recommended by barbecue expert Aaron Chronister. While they're not on sale, these are the grills to get if you want to BBQ like a pro.

This 100% wood burning, pellet-fired smoker's 1,564-square-inches of cooking area can allow up to 100 pounds of food to be smoked at once. Its electronically controlled thermostat allows you to preset cook time and temperature, as well as maintain temperature when cooking is finished.

Includes four 23 x 17-inch nickel plated steel racks that are removable and can be power washed for quick clean up.

Fast Eddys By Cookshack pellet smoker oven, $5,880

Chronister told CBS Essentials that this device has the best built-in smoker. Its internal damper allows control of how much smoke enters the chamber. The Good-One Open Range Gen III's twist-style air intakes provide precise internal temperature control.

Plus, it features a dedicated firebox below and in-front of the smoke chamber that can be affixed with a grill grate for direct, high-temp grilling.

The Good-One Open Range Gen III 36-inch built-in charcoal smoker, $1,585

According to Chronister, this is the best direct heat vertical cooker. This barrel cooker's versatile design lets you smoke, grill and sear. It features the brand's 360-degree all-round Heat Dynamics technology for consistent, flawlessly cooked food.

Pit Barrel Cooker 22.5-Inch PBX Cooker, $500

Lily Rose is a senior writer for CBS Essentials and the site's expert in home appliances such as washers, dryers, refrigerators and ranges. When she's not writing about how you can upgrade your laundry room, she's writing about home and kitchen essentials that will transform your space. Her favorite appliance is her air fryer. She firmly believes that it can make the crispiest sweet potato fries.

First published on June 1, 2023 / 9:00 AM