Best charcoal grills under $500, ranked by cooking area per dollar
Ranking criterion: listed cooking area divided by current price, shown as square inches per $100. It is computed from manufacturer specifications and the manufacturer's current price. BBQEquip has not physically tested these grills.
14 modelsPrices last updated 2026-09-26
What the data shows
- 14 charcoal grills from 3 brands (Masterbuilt, Pit Boss, Weber) currently list a price under $500.
- Prices run from $64.99 to $499, with a median of $214.
- Listed cooking area runs from 147 sq in to 730 sq in across the 14 models that state it.
- Masterbuilt 30-inch Dual Fuel Propane and Charcoal Smoker gives the most listed cooking area per dollar: 292 sq in per $100 at $249.99.
- The lowest current price is Weber Smokey Joe® 14” Charcoal Grill at $64.99.
| Rank | Model | Current price | Cooking area | Sq in per $100 | Max temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Masterbuilt 30-inch Dual Fuel Propane and Charcoal Smoker | $249.99 | 730 sq in | 292 | 732 F |
| 2 | Weber 18” Jumbo Joe® Charcoal Grill | $89.99 | 240 sq in | 267 | Not listed by the manufacturer. |
| 3 | Weber Original Kettle Charcoal Grill 22" | $149 | 363 sq in | 244 | Not listed by the manufacturer. |
| 4 | Weber Smokey Joe® 14” Charcoal Grill | $64.99 | 147 sq in | 226 | Not listed by the manufacturer. |
| 5 | Weber 18” Original Kettle® Charcoal Grill | $129 | 240 sq in | 186 | Not listed by the manufacturer. |
| 6 | Weber 22” Original Kettle® Stealth® Edition Charcoal Grill | $199 | 363 sq in | 182 | Not listed by the manufacturer. |
| 7 | Weber 22” Salute to Service Kettle | $199 | 363 sq in | 182 | Not listed by the manufacturer. |
| 8 | Weber 22” Original Kettle® Premium Charcoal Grill | $229 | 363 sq in | 159 | Not listed by the manufacturer. |
| 9 | Weber Master-Touch Charcoal Grill 22" | $359 | 443 sq in | 123 | Not listed by the manufacturer. |
| 10 | Weber 26” Master-Touch™ Charcoal Grill | $499 | 588 sq in | 118 | Not listed by the manufacturer. |
| 11 | Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker 18" | $419 | 481 sq in | 115 | Not listed by the manufacturer. |
| 12 | Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker 14" | $289 | 286 sq in | 99 | Not listed by the manufacturer. |
| 13 | Pit Boss Pit Stop Portable Charcoal Grill - PBCSL200 | $179.99 | 175 sq in | 97 | 451 F |
| 14 | Weber 22” Performer™ Charcoal Grill | $449 | 363 sq in | 81 | Not listed by the manufacturer. |
Models without a listed cooking area cannot be ranked and are marked Not ranked. Prices are the lowest available manufacturer price on the last collection date. Methodology