Many people who get into gas grilling are often after the biggest, most expensive, and best gas grill that they can get their hands on. But the reality for many people is that they simply don’t have the space to accommodate such a behemoth. For those with smaller balconies or backyards, it’s still possible to get your hands on one of the best small gas grills available.
Editor’s Pick for Best Small Gas Grill
It’s unsurprising to see a Weber model take first place when it comes to the best small gas grills. With the E-210 of the Spirit series, the company once again proves why they’re one of the best in the game. Power, high performance and a quality construction are just a few of the hallmarks that make this gas grill stand out.
Now these gas grills almost certainly won’t come equipped with all of the bells and whistles found on more expensive models – but this doesn’t mean they’re bad by any stretch. You won’t get a massive grilling surface, endless numbers of burners or intricate rotisserie kits. But what you will get are small, decently powerful grills that can still whip up a great meal for a small party.
And with that in mind, let’s take a look at the best small gas grills currently on the market.
Our 7 Best Small Gas Grills At A Glance
Small BBQ Grill | Pros, Cons, and BBQ Digest Award |
---|---|
Weber Spirit II E-210 Check Latest Price | Editor’s Choice + Comes with GS4 Grilling System + Powered by propane + Feature-heavy especially for such a small grill – Not portable in the sense that you can take it camping with you |
Weber Q1200 Liquid Propane Grill Check Latest Price | Best Portable Grill + Relatively powerful yet portable + Made by a reliable brand + Solid and durable construction – Not ideal for apartments, backyards or large gatherings |
Char-Broil Performance 300 2-Burner Cabinet Gas Grill Check Latest Price | Best Two-Burner Grill + Quite affordable for the quality + Decent performance + Stylish stainless steel finish – Doesn’t come with Infra-red burners like others in the Performance range. |
Giantex Propane Tabletop Gas Grill Check Latest Price | Best Tabletop Grill + Easy to set up + Ignition burners offer quick start-ups + Durable and long lasting + Light-weight and portable – Having precise control over heat is difficult |
Fuego F21C-H Element Hinged Propane Gas Grill Check Latest Price | Most Interesting-Looking Grill + Unique and beautiful design + Direct and indirect heating possible + Very mobile and compact – Doesn’t come with any work surfaces for prep |
Cuisinart CGG-180T Petit Gourmet Portable Tabletop Gas Grill Check Latest Price | Smallest Grill + Extremely compact and portable + Able to cook small meals comfortably + Weighs just 13.5 pounds – Cheap construction and finish |
Cuisinart CGG-306 Chef’s Style Stainless Tabletop Grill Check Latest Price | Best Indoor and Outdoor Grill + Solid, high quality stainless steel construction + Large primary cooking area + Both powerful and portable – Shallow cooking area not ideal for larger cuts of meat |
A Closer Look At The Best Small Gas Grills: Reviews & Features
Weber Spirit II E-210 – Editor’s Choice
If you’re looking for a grill that is light on space but heavy on performance then you can hardly do better than the Weber Spirit II E-210. With two burners pumping out 26,500 BTUs of heat over 360 square inches of primary cooking space, the E-210 is small enough for a balcony but large enough to feed a family. For those looking to get a great sear, the E-210 also comes with porcelain-enameled cast iron cooking grates.
Like all grills in the Spirit series, the E-210 comes standard with Weber’s patented GS4 Grilling System. This includes the Infinity Ignition for instant startups, Burner Tubes for even and consistent cooking, Flavorizer Bars for capturing and infusing that smoky flavor, and the grease management system for even cleaning. This grill is also iGrill3 compatible, which means you can monitor your food from your smartphone while checking the score of the game inside.
For such a small grill, the E-310 is also surprisingly feature-heavy. A folding side table makes it even more compact should you need to store it or squeeze it into a tight space. And the warming rack ensures your food will always be ready at serving temperature.
This grill is also very reasonably priced. So if you don’t want to bore yourself reading manuals and are unsure which grill to get, trust us that the E-210 is the best small gas grill on the market.
Features at a glance:
- 26,500 BTUs
- 360 square inches of primary cooking area
- Porcelain-enameled cast iron cooking grates
- Folding side table
- Side Tables with integrated hooks
- Warming Rack
- GS4 Grilling System with Infinity Ignition, Burner Tubes, Flavorizer Bars and grease management system
- iGrill3 compatible
Weber Q1200 Liquid Propane Grill – Best Portable Grill
For those who are looking for something more portable rather than simply small, you’d be hard-pressed to do better than the Weber Q1200 Liquid Propane Grill. As the mid-range model in Weber’s well-known, portable Q-series of gas grills, the Q1200 delivers an excellent blend of performance and portability.
Weighing just 29.2 pounds, the Q1200 is ideal for simply scooping up, tossing in the back of your car and heading on an adventure. It comes equipped with two side tables for convenient preparation that can also be folded away during transportation.
For its tiny size, the Q1200 still delivers some decent performance. It’s single burner pushes out 8500 BTUs of heat over 189 square inches of primary cooking space. If you need something to cook a couple of hamburgers or hotdogs for everyone in your campsite, then this model is ideal.
It also comes with porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grates to both help retain heat and provide even heat distribution. Thanks to the material as well as the integrated grease management system, cleaning the Q1200 couldn’t be easy.
Constructed from cast aluminum, the Q1200 is hardy, efficient, requires minimal maintenance, and can grill to any number of temperatures. You can easily know how hot your food is thanks to the built-in lid thermometer, and the infinite control valve burner gives you precise control over the cooking process.
Of course this grill isn’t the ideal candidate for a big backyard barbeque. But if you’re looking for something decent to take on the road, you could certainly do worse.
Features at a glance:
- Weighs 29.2 pounds
- 8500 BTUs
- 189 square inches of cooking space
- Porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grates
- Cast aluminum lid and body
- Powered by liquid propane
- Easy-start electronic ignition
- Built-in lid thermometer
- Infinite control burner valve
Char-Broil Performance 300 2-Burner Cabinet Gas Grill – Best Two-Burner Grill
The Char-Broil Performance 300 is a 2-burner cabinet gas grill that delivers 24,000 BTUs of heat across 300 square inches of primary cooking surface. It comes equipped with porcelain-coated cast iron grates that prevent food from sticking and for simple clean ups. It also features a 100 square inch swing-away rack with porcelain-coated grates to keep food warm and ready to serve.
The Performance 300 is a great balcony grill that features a number of useful features found on grills of this price range. A lid-mounted thermometer gives you greater and more exact control over the cooking process while the electronic ignition ensures rapid startups every time. The side shelves are ideal for preparation but fold-away when not in use for convenient storage.
If you’d like to move this grill, you can easily thanks to the four metal casters that it sits on. Two of these lock once the grill is stationary for added stability. Below the grill sits the storage cabinet which offers easy access to the propane tank as well as the ability to store grilling accessories.
If you want one of the best small gas grills that won’t break the bank, then the Performance 300 is the way to go. Coming from a trusted brand like Char-Broil, you can rest assured that it will deliver a quality grilling experience for years. It’s worth noting that unlike other grills in the Performance series, the Performance 300 doesn’t come with an infra-red burner.
Features at a glance:
- Two burners
- 24,000-BTUs
- 300 square inches of primary cooking
- Porcelain-coated cast iron grates
- 100 square inch swing-away rack with porcelain-coated grates
- Stainless steel lid
- Lid-mounted temperature gauge
- Electronic ignition for fast and reliable startups
- Foldable metal side shelves
- Convenient access storage cabinet to store propane tank and accessories
- Grill sits on four casters, two of which lock for mobility and stability
Giantex Propane Tabletop Gas Grill – Best Tabletop Grill
If you’re looking for power, performance and true versatility, then then Propane Tabletop Gas Grill from Giantex is for you. It’s not the cheapest portable grill on this list but for the quality and performance, it’s totally worth it.
Constructed from 430 stainless steel, this grill is not only wonderful to look at, but easy to wipe down and clean as well. It features two push-and-turn ignition burners that can push out an impressive total of 20,000 BTUs, and is light enough to take camping or tailgating.
A cool feature worth pointing out has to do with the burners. They are independently adjustable, which means you can cook a number of different foods simultaneously. Or you could choose only to use one burner at any given time, saving propane in the process.
This grill is ideal not just for camping and park grills, but also for small balconies and patios. Designed specifically for tabletops and other surfaces, the Giantex works wonderfully in all different settings.
Features at a glance:
- Constructed of 430 stainless steel
- Two push-and-turn ignition burners for quick and easy start-ups
- 20,000 total BTUs
- Built-in thermometer
- Independently-adjustable burners
- Foldable legs and lockable lid for portable transport and storage
- Light-weight and with locking hood for transport and storage
Fuego F21C-H Element Hinged Propane Gas Grill – Most Interesting- Looking Grill
Purchasing the Feugo F21C-H is not just an opportunity to own a capable gas grill, it’s also a chance to impress your friends with a truly unique design. Looking like a spaceship on wheels, the F21C-H is a tall, sleek and compact grill that will fit in even the smallest balcony corner.
Pushing out a total output of 22,000 BTUs and with a dual burner system that offers direct and indirect grilling, this grill offers decent performance with a very small footprint. It also manages to hide the propane tank within its base for added style and neatness.
With such a compact frame, it’s quite surprising that you can still cook fairly large meals across its 346 square inches of primary cooking space. The grill also has circular burners that distributes heat evenly and prevents cold spots. It comes with cast iron grates that allow you to achieve a decent sear as well as aiding with heat distribution.
Other features worth noting on the F21C-H are the electronic ignition for easy startups, built-in thermometer for precision heat control, and grease catch tray for easy residue removal. Unlike other grills, the F21C-H doesn’t come with any work surfaces, collapsible or otherwise. This may be a dealbreaker for some grillers, but we personally like how it adds to the unique and compact design.
Features at a glance:
- 22,000 BTUs
- Dual zone burner system for direct and indirect grilling
- 346 square inches of primary cooking space
- Cast iron grilling grate with optional griddle and pizza stone kit
- Porcelain enamel lid to eliminate any paint peeling or bubbling
- Residue removal system allows for grease removal
- Compact 21″ X 21″ design
- Electronic ignition
Cuisinart CGG-180T Petit Gourmet Portable Tabletop Gas Grill – Smallest Grill
The Cuisinart CGG-180T is a great option if you’re not looking to spend a fortune on a portable grill. For the price, you’re getting a solid, decently-performing grill that’s light enough to simply take with you wherever you decide to travel.
Now, don’t expect miracles, with only 145 square inches of cooking space this is one of the smallest grills on this list. Its stainless steel burner can produce 5500 BTUs of heat and it comes standard with a porcelain-enameled grate for even heat distribution. This means you’ll be able to cook about eight hamburgers or six chicken breasts comfortably.
The construction of this grill leaves something to be desired. While it comes with fold-away, aluminium legs and stabilizing feet for a solid grounding, the body is made from mostly aluminium and plastic. This gives it a somewhat cheap feel, but it does shave off quite a bit of weight, and, at 13.5 pounds, this is the lightest grill on the list.
Features at a glance:
- Portable gas grill with 145-square-inch grilling area
- Foldaway legs
- 5500 BTUs
- Stainless-steel burner
- Porcelain-enameled grate
- Aluminum legs and stabilizing feet
- Integrated lid lock
- Weighs 13.5 pounds
- Piezo ignition
Cuisinart CGG-306 Chef’s Style Stainless Tabletop Grill – Best Tabletop Grill
As far as portable grills go, the Cuisinart CGG-306 is pretty great. Constructed mostly out of stainless steel, it’s a definite step up from the CGG-180T, and outperforms it in many ways too. With two stainless steel burners, this small gas grill produces an impressive combined output of 20,000 BTUs.
Perfect for both indoor and outdoor grilling, the CGG-306 weighs just 22 pounds and features a lid-lock and foldable legs for easy transportation and storage. The grill also comes with a large, slide-out drippings tray, making it ideal for catching and disposing of any excess grease.
In terms of performance, the CGG3-306 is fairly decent for its size. You’ll need to give it five minutes to heat up fully, but once it’s ready you can grill pretty much anything. It uses a stainless steel cooking grate as opposed to a cast iron one, but this can still handle most meats adequately without having them stick.
One thing worth noting is that the grill is quite shallow. This means that you can’t grill huge cuts of meat, and if you wanted to roast a chicken you would have to butterfly it first. That being said, for hamburgers, steaks and chicken breasts, this grill is a solid choice.
Features at a glance:
- Two stainless steel burners
- Combined total output of 20,000 BTUs
- 276 square inches of primary cooking space.
- Twist start ignition
- Integrated thermometer
- Stainless cooking grate
- Lid lock and foldable legs for easy transport
What to Look for in the Best Small Gas Grill – A Buyer’s Guide
Size
Those who say that size doesn’t matter have obviously never tried to fit a grill into a small living space. When it comes to shopping for the best small gas grill, its size and dimensions are going to play a big factor. Measure the space you plan to place your grill and make sure that it will fit; if you ever have any doubts, always leave a few inches on all sides.
Cooking Space
Closely related to size, cooking space is another important factor to consider when buying a small gas grill. Think about how many people you plan to cook for. If it’s just a couple, you can get away with 150 square inches of cooking surface, any bigger and you’ll definitely need more space.
Construction
No one wants to buy a grill twice in one year. This is why it’s important that your grill is constructed from quality materials and is built well. If you plan on leaving your grill in the rain, make sure that the materials it’s made from won’t rust.
Portability
Do you plan on taking your grill with you when you camp, go to a sports game or visit a friend? Then portability is going to be an important factor.
Grills come in all shapes and sizes, some heavier than others. As they get lighter and smaller, however, they usually sacrifice features along the way. Finding a balance between performance, features and portability is therefore also crucial to consider.