Budget Grills

Basic $200 to $400 gas grills can work as well as fancy models

While gas grills costing $500 to $1,000 earn the most critical praise, many people spend only around $250 on a new grill. You won't get the most durable components at that price, but if cost matters more to you than durability, a less expensive grill can meet your needs. Experts say grills in this price range can be expected to hold up for at least three or four years without major repairs. It will help if you take care to use a cover with your grill, store it in a sheltered area and follow manufacturers' instructions for maintenance. The lower-quality stainless steel and other metal parts on these grills can rust easily, and many warranties do not cover damage from rust.

According to reviewers, one of the least expensive full-sized grills, the Brinkmann 810-2410-SB (*Est. $200), cooks as well as some gas grills that cost much more. The Brinkmann grill is sold only by HomeDepot.com, although a similar model, the Brinkmann 810-2415-W (*Est. $200), is available at Walmart.com. According to the Home Depot website, the 810-2410-SB comes with a five-year warranty on the stainless-steel burners, three years on other stainless-steel parts and one year on everything else. Walmart's website says only that the Brinkmann grill it sells has a two-year limited manufacturer's warranty.

The size and features of these Brinkmann gas grills are very attractive for the price. The Home Depot version, the 810-2410-SB, has four burners with a rated output of 48,000 British thermal units (Btu) and a total cooking area of 638 square inches. A 12,000-Btu side burner is a convenience for nonbarbecue cooking. The version of this Brinkmann gas grill sold by Wal-Mart, the 810-2415-W, is slightly larger, with a 651-square-inch cooking surface and a 13,000-Btu side burner. Testers say shelf space is ample, and the grills have a warming rack, which can be used to defrost hamburger or hot dog buns or hold cooked food while you continue cooking other items. The two Brinkmann gas grills even have a bottle opener and a beverage holder. A thermometer, however, is not included.

A couple of smaller gas grills in this price range also get high marks from several reviewers: the Ducane Affinity 3100 (*Est. $375) and the Char-Broil Red Infrared Urban 463250211 (*Est. $270). Ducane grills are made by the Weber-Stephens Products Company, which also makes Weber grills. They're made using less expensive materials to keep down the cost, but feature Weber designs and are backed by Weber's 24/7 customer support. About.com's Derrick Riches writes of the Ducane Affinity 3100, "If quality is a serious issue with you, but you can't afford to spend more, then this is a grill you should take a serious look at." The Affinity 3100 has three 12,000-Btu stainless-steel burners, stainless-steel cooking grates, a 418-square-inch cooking area and a 132-square-inch warming rack. This is a basic grill with no extra features, but testers say it offers good cooking performance, and reviewers like the fact that you can hook up the propane tank from the front or the rear, which makes it easier.

The two-burner Char-Broil Red Infrared Urban 463250211 gas grill is designed for smaller spaces like patios or balconies. It's sold only at Home Depot, and is one of the smallest grills to incorporate infrared technology, which concentrates the heat and cooks food indirectly rather than right over a flame. This grill's total output is rated at 24,000 Btu, with a 300-square-inch cooking grate made of porcelain-coated cast iron. The Char-Broil Red Urban grill has a warming rack and two fold-up side shelves. Like the Ducane Affinity 3100, it comes with few extra features, but users like the way it cooks, particularly the "sear" setting that lets you sear foods to seal in the juices and flavor. A predecessor to this model performed well in comparison tests, and this grill should perform similarly.