Best gas 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.
8 modelsPrices last updated 2026-09-26
What the data shows
- 8 gas grills from 3 brands (Masterbuilt, Pit Boss, Weber) currently list a price under $500.
- Prices run from $159.99 to $499, with a median of $399.50.
- Listed cooking area runs from 288 sq in to 983 sq in across the 8 models that state it.
- Pit Boss 30" Gas Vertical Smoker with Built-In Thermometer gives the most listed cooking area per dollar: 328 sq in per $100 at $299.99.
- The lowest current price is Masterbuilt Stainless Steel 1-Burner Propane Gas Tabletop Grill at $159.99.
| Rank | Model | Current price | Cooking area | Sq in per $100 | Max temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pit Boss 30" Gas Vertical Smoker with Built-In Thermometer | $299.99 | 983 sq in | 328 | 320 F |
| 2 | Masterbuilt 40-Inch ThermoTemp™ XL Propane Smoker | $399.99 | 960 sq in | 240 | 732 F |
| 3 | Masterbuilt Stainless Steel 1-Burner Propane Gas Tabletop Grill | $159.99 | 288 sq in | 180 | 732 F |
| 4 | Weber Spirit® E-210 Gas Grill (Liquid Propane) | $399 | 450 sq in | 113 | Not listed by the manufacturer. |
| 5 | Weber Spirit® E-310 Gas Grill (Liquid Propane) | $449 | 450 sq in | 100 | Not listed by the manufacturer. |
| 6 | Weber Spirit® E-325 Gas Grill (Liquid Propane) | $499 | 450 sq in | 90 | Not listed by the manufacturer. |
| 7 | Weber WEBER TRAVELER® Portable Gas Grill | $399 | 320 sq in | 80 | Not listed by the manufacturer. |
| 8 | Weber Q 2800N+ Gas Grill (Liquid Propane) | $449 | 320 sq in | 71 | 700 F |
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
Head to head
- Pit Boss 30" Gas Vertical Smoker with Built-In Thermometer vs Masterbuilt 40-Inch ThermoTemp™ XL Propane Smoker
- Masterbuilt 40-Inch ThermoTemp™ XL Propane Smoker vs Masterbuilt Stainless Steel 1-Burner Propane Gas Tabletop Grill
- Masterbuilt Stainless Steel 1-Burner Propane Gas Tabletop Grill vs Weber Spirit® E-210 Gas Grill (Liquid Propane)