Best Charcoal Grills Under 300

There are many kinds of grills that you can find in the market. Charcoal grills are very traditional and give that extra smoky flavor to your food that can not come from anything else. We love a good charcoal grill but some of them are not that good on the market. People get a bad experience when they buy those grills. We are here today to let you know about the best charcoal grills for under 300 dollars that you can buy. Take a look. 

Weber Performer Charcoal Grill

Weber Performer Charcoal Grill

The Weber Performer Charcoal Grill is a trusted grill that comes with a trusted brand. This grill has a cooking area of 363 square inches. The grill grates are 22 inches and chrome plated. It is a very powerful grill that can cook a lot of food pretty readily. The grill comes with a lid that can be held with bare hands without burning yourself. 

There is also a lid holder by the side that helps you keep the lid there instead of awkwardly holding it or placing it on the dirty ground. It is very convenient to clean too. You can just wipe off the ash and debris into the removable catcher. 

The grill features a built-in thermometer that tells you the accurate temperature of the grill. This Weber Performer Charcoal Grill also has a side table that can be used for prep work or storing condiments. If you do not need that then you can fold it down. The grill has wheels so you can move them around. The body of the grill is made of durable material and porcelain-enameled so that it stays strong and works for a long time. This also helps in heat retention and even distribution of heat while cooking on the grill. 

You do not need to move the grate completely when you are going to put more charcoal in. You can do it from the middle of the grate. You do need to move the food to the sides when you are doing so. It can prove to be a little bit challenging for people who are not used to grilling. This grill is perfect in a lot of ways. If you want a charcoal grill that will last you for a long time and provide good service then this is the one for you. It also comes from a veteran brand of making grills, so you know it's good.

Pros
  • It is very convenient to use.
  • There built-in tells the actual temperature of the grill.
  • It is easy to move around because of the wheels.
  • You can both grill and smoke on this grill.
  • The grill is durable and is built to last for a long time.
  • It is easy to clean.
Cons
  • Adding coals from the center of the grate is kind of difficult.

Dyna-Glo DGN486DNC-D Heavy-Duty Charcoal Grill

Dyna-Glo DGN486DNC-D Heavy-Duty Charcoal Grill

The Dyna-Glo DGN486DNC-D Heavy-Duty Charcoal Grill will make you feel like a proper backyard griller. It is a heavy set that comes with a lot of good features. This grill has a total cooking area of 686 square inches. There are two cooking areas. The primary cooking area is mainly for grilling and it comprises 486 square inches. 

There is also a warming rack that has an area of 200 square inches. There is a lot of space on the grill too. There are two fairly good side tables along with a basket at the bottom.

The grill has a charcoal tray that you can move. You can bring it up and down and adjust the height because of the feature to help you control the temperature of the grill and the cooking method. You can get the perfect sear marks using this feature. On the top of the lid, there is a vent that helps you control the airflow in the grill which ultimately determines the temperature of the grill. You can also smoke food on this grill. The Dyna-Glo DGN486DNC-D Heavy-Duty Charcoal Grill also makes it easy to clean up with the ash pan and grease tray. 

Unlike most charcoal grills, you can refill the grill without doing too much work. You do not even have to remove the grill grates to put in the charcoal. You can add more charcoal to the grill through the front door if necessary. This makes the cooking process very convenient and easy. There is a built-in temperature gauge in the grill too. There are some problems that you can find in this grill. The quality of the grill needs some improvement. The grill is also prone to rust. You need to have a grill cover if you want to use it in the long run.

Pros
  • There is a lot of storage space on this grill.
  • It has a big cooking area.
  • The temperature control is great.
  • The grill is easy to clean.
  • This is a heavy-duty grill.
Cons
  • The quality is not that good.

  • It is prone to rust.

Char-Griller AKORN Jr Kamado Grill

Char-Griller AKORN Jr Kamado Grill

Char-Griller AKORN Jr Kamado Grill has earned its spot on this list with the excellent service and features that it provides the customers. It is a kamado grill that is built with high-quality materials and that gives an impressively satisfactory performance to the users. The grill is travel friendly so you can take it anywhere you want. It has a cooking area of 153 square inches. The grill grates are made out of cast iron. There is a hole in the middle to add more charcoal.


The Char-Griller AKORN Jr Kamado Grill is meant to be durable and last a long time. The body is made out of 22 gauge steel. The inside is porcelain-coated and the outside is powder-coated. All this coating helps in heat retention of the grill. This means that you will get fuel efficiency and you can cook for long hours with a small amount of charcoal. The kamado grill can reach a high range of temperature from 200 degrees to 700 degrees Fahrenheit. The dampers on this grill help in controlling the temperature of the grill. The in-built thermometer helps to read the temperature.

The grill is not that suited for beginners. We need to go ahead and say that it is not for beginners but for people who at least have some experience with the grilling process. This is a compact grill so you can take it on a camping trip too. It is a well-rounded grill that is meant to be perfect for outdoor trips as well as backyard grilling. It comes with a lot of features under the price tag of 300 dollars. 

Pros
  • It has a fairly big cooking area.
  • It is compact.
  • It is very fuel-efficient.
  • The grill can heat up extremely fast too.
  • The kamado nature of the grill is unique.
Cons
  • It takes some time to learn to grill properly on this one.

Expert Grill Heavy Duty 24 Inch Charcoal Grill

Expert Grill Heavy Duty 24 Inch Charcoal Grill

The Expert Grill Heavy Duty 24 Inch Charcoal Grill is exactly what it says it is. A heavy-duty charcoal grill that cooks the best food. It is designed for people who are very serious about grilling. This grill has a cooking area of 372 square inches. There is also a warming rack on the grill that takes an area of 201 Square inches. This makes for a total cooking area of 573 square inches. The assembly of this grill is going to be time-consuming because of the many parts that this grill has.


This grill is also easy to load since you can just open the front door and then put in charcoal in the grill. 

The Expert Grill Heavy Duty 24-Inch Charcoal Grill comes with foldable side tables that are a good space for the prep work. The charcoal pan is also very adjustable. You can find the perfect sear marks on your meat if you know how to make use of the adjustable height feature of the charcoal pan. There is a bottle opener and a lid thermometer on the grill that tells you the temperature of the grill properly. The ash tray that slides out is convenient for the clean up. It is a very good grill at such a convenient price. 

Pros
  • This grill is a combo of grilling and smoking.
  • It is easy to clean up after a good meal.
  • The bottle opener is an added bonus.
  • The cast iron grates are very durable.
  • The charcoal pan is easy to use.
  • There is a lot of cooking area on the grill.
Cons
  • The assembly of the grill is time consuming.

Weber Original Kettle Premium Copper Charcoal Grill

Weber Original Kettle Premium Copper Charcoal Grill

The Weber Original Kettle Premium Copper Charcoal Grill deserved a spot on the list. Yes, we are aware that we are adding another Weber grill to the list but we can't help it. Like we have always stated, the grill list is not considered to be complete if there are no Weber grills on that list. It is also a kettle grill but it has a lot of good features that you can not find in other grills under such a price range. The grill has a total cooking area of 363 Square inches. 

The body and lid is made of resistant steel. They are also porcelain-enameled because of added heat retention. The grill grates are made of heavy-gauge plated steel. 

The grill has a good lid with an angled hook that allows you to hand the lid on the grill and you don't have to search for a place to keep the lid. The side tables also have two hooks to hold on to utensils that you need while grilling. The cleaning of the grill is also easy, thanks to the ash pan on the grill. There is a hinge at the side of the Weber Original Kettle Premium Copper Charcoal Grill to make the refueling process easier. The grill is different from the other grills in this list. 

It comes with a shiny copper color. The black on most of the grills has become very common and mainstream. This grill moves away from that and made its mark with this unique grill color. We absolutely love it. The assembly of the grill is also very fast and easy. However, the grill is not without some problems either. The rack at the bottom is very small and it does not look very sturdy. 

Pros
  • It is designed in a simple but elegant way.
  • It is very durable.
  • The shiny copper color is a new thing to be seen in mainstream grills.
  • It is easy to clean.
  • The grilling area is huge.
  • It is very easy to assemble.
  • The surface coatings are good.
Cons
  • The bottom rack is not stable.

Char-Broil TRU-Infrared Kettleman Charcoal Grill

Char-Broil TRU-Infrared Kettleman Charcoal Grill

The Char-Broil TRU-Infrared Kettleman Charcoal Grill is the next one that we decided to add to this list. It works on true infrared grilling technology. The ordinary charcoal grills on the list are different that this one. The infrared technology helps in enhancing the flavor of the food as well as reduce the cooking time. This also helps in helping save fuel. No flare-ups happen because of the feature. The grill has a hinged lid. The latch on the lid of the grill also helps secure it.

The grill becomes tightly closed and and there is no escape of heat from the grill. The juices of the meat gets sealed in this way.

The grates of the Char-Broil TRU-Infrared Kettleman Charcoal Grill is different than the normal charcoal grilling. It is densely put together so that no food can fall down the grills to the hot charcoal and cause a flare-up. The grill is also very easy to clean up. The porcelain coating helps in easier heat distribution through the grill. It also has a cooking area of 360 square inches which can cook a lot of food for a lot of people. There are two dampers on this grill. A top and a bottom. The top is a general one but the one at the bottom can rotate 360 degrees. There is also an ash catcher under the grill.

There are a lot of warranties that you are going to get with the grill. You can have a 10-year warranty on the lid and firebox, a 5-year warranty on the ash pan and 2-year warranty on the other parts of the grill. This is some info that you need to keep in mind if you buy the grill. Make use of the warranties if there is any necessity. There can be some problem to clean the nooks and crannies of the grill even though it is easy to clean on the surface.

Pros
  • You get a large warranty on this grill.
  • The construction of the grill is very sturdy and durable.
  • The coal management is easy.
  • The grill grates are easy to clean.
  • It has a good cooking area.
Cons
  • It is difficult to clean the nooks and crannies.

  • There are no side hooks.

Royal Gourmet Charcoal Grill with Offset Smoker

Royal Gourmet Charcoal Grill with Offset Smoker

The Royal Gourmet Charcoal Grill with Offset Smoker is the last one on this list. It is a barrel shaped grill that can work as a grill as well as a smoker. You can perform both the cooking methods on this grill. The grill is very easy to assemble. It is made of cast iron and stainless steel so you can tell that the grill is going to be durable. The grill has a total cooking area of around 800 square inches. These are all divided into separate portions. We will break that down for you. 

The primary cooking area is 438 square inches, the warming rack is 179 square inches and the offset smoker is 183 square inches.

The Royal Gourmet Charcoal Grill with Offset Smoker comes with a lot of prep space too. There is a mesh shelf at the front and bottom of the grill too. You can feed a lot of people at the same time with this grill. The charcoal pan is adjustable so you can go ahead and adjust it according to your needs. There is also a built-in thermometer that tells you the temperature of the grill. The refilling process is also easy because of the side tray. You do not need to remove the racks and hinder the cooking process to fill it up with more charcoal. 

The grill has a disadvantage too. The marketing team advertised this product as a chip free paint but that is not true. The paint is going to chip and melt off the grill after some time. This is what we know as false advertising. But if you can see past that, then it is a very good grill at a very reasonable price. 

Pros
  • The grill is durable.
  • It has some high quality coating.
  • The airflow of the grill is great.
  • The hood is sturdy.
  • A lot of cooking area.
  • It is easy to assemble.
Cons
  • The paint chips off after some time.

Frequently Asked Questions

There are a few questions that people keep asking about charcoal grills. These are common questions so we thought that we would tell you about it. Here are some of the answers to the most frequently asked questions about charcoal grills. Take a look.

Q1) Are charcoal grills easy to use?

A) It is not easy for beginners to handle charcoal grills. It takes a lot of time to understand the ins and outs of the grill that you are using. Charcoal grills need to be precise if you want to taste some good food. In the beginning you might mess things up but that is also part of learning. The more you use it, the better you will get at using charcoal grills. Tutorials and tips also help. Try to get advice from expert grillers if possible. 

Q2) How long will the charcoal grill stay hot?

A) The answer is simple. It will stay hot as long as you keep adding the charcoal to the grill. If you stop adding the charcoal at some point then it should stay hot for an average of one hour. The fire will continue for an hour or so. After the fire goes out, it can be be 15 to 30 minutes for the grill to cool down.

Q3) How to keep a charcoal grill going for hours?

A) You can keep the charcoal grill going for hours if you place the charcoal in the grill in a proper pyramid manner. They should be tightly placed and the fire should be lit immediately. When the charcoal turns gray at the sides you should be stoking them with tongs. Then spread out the charcoal and do that properly. It is a very important step in the process. There are also other factors that affect the time. The quality of the charcoal is a major one. If it is not good enough then it will burn out quickly. A good charcoal burns slow and steady for a long time.

Conclusion

We hope that you understand how broad the grill market is. You can keep on looking for a long time and get confused with so many options. However, it is better to go ahead and pick a grill that suits you the most. You do not have to go for expensive or bigger grills. You should pick one according to the needs. For example, a person who does not cook regularly has no need for a heavy duty grill. We have included a lot of good charcoal grills on this list. They are all unique in their own way. Pick one that suits your preferences the most. Take care and have a good day. Happy grilling!