It can be challenging to find just the right type of grill for your backyard. Even though I’ve been a backyard grill master for many years and I’ve had a lot of experience with many types of grills, I still like to do my research and find the grill that has the features I like.
There’s nothing worse than spending money on something that doesn’t work for you. When putting together this list, I used products that I have personally used over the years to ensure the reviews were based on the actual use of the grill.
Even though I have several years of experience working with many of these products, I still took the time to work with each individual to see how quickly they lit up, how well they seared steaks and burgers, and how long the cleanup took.
It’s important to look at the grills under the $1000 category as this is still an affordable price point for most people, but you aren’t getting the mediocre run-of-the-mill grill that can just crank off burgers.
We are talking about a higher-performance grill that gives you those restaurant-quality steaks and burgers that you dream about during the workday when you are thinking about the weekend.
Let’s get started with a few reviews of my personal favorites when it comes to grills under $1000.
Best Grills under $1000
1. Camp Chef 24 in. WIFI Woodwind Pellet Grill & Smoker
Giving you a lot of value for the money, the Camp Chef Woodwind Classic gives you a lot more features compared to other grills in the same class.
With a cooking area of 811 square inches, this grill also comes with a second rack measuring 141 square inches as well as a patented ash cleanout cup.
One of the handiest grills in the industry, it is considered one of the pellet grills under $1000 and outshines its competitors with features that include cooking temps up to 500 degrees as well as an internal meat temperature probe.
You also get a built-in “shutdown mode”, a side shelf, and a hopper cleanout system.
The Camp Chef Woodwind Classic is considered one of the pellet grills under $1000 with its great flavor profile, ease of assembly, and high temperatures.
Features
- Featuring a grease management system, a patented ash cleanout cup, and a pellet purge, you won’t have to spend hours cleaning up after you use the grill.
- With 25,000 BTU and 500-degree cooking, you get a lot hotter temperatures and cooking speeds than other grills on the market.
- The 811 square inch cooking area provides a large cooking area in comparison to its competitors allowing you to cook more.
- Other features like the EZ Hopper Release, Meat Temperature Probe, and Auto-Ignite just increase the ease of use with this grill.
Pros
- This grill gives you high temperatures and higher cooking speeds than other grills
- It gives you food great flavor
- It works well and is easy to assemble
Cons
- It does not give you a lot of smoking flavor
- When you turn the heat down, you have to start the heat process all over again
2. Weber Genesis II E-315 3-Burner Liquid Propane Grill
Featuring an exclusive grilling engine, the world-class Weber Genesis II E-315 features three powerful burners guaranteed to start each time.
Using the I Grill 3 smart technology, you can easily keep an eye on your food to ensure perfectly cooked food. And, it uses Weber’s GS4 grilling system that provides an unequaled experience in backyard grilling
Reviewers gave the Weber Genesis II E-315 4.7 thanks to how hot this grill can get and its Igrill 3 compatibility.
Features
- Featuring a ten-year warrant and the 100% Weber guarantee, not only do you get peace of mind, but you are ensured a long-lasting grill.
- It is equipped with a GS4 grilling system ensuring ease of use and reliability.
- Superior heat retention is provided through the cast-iron cooking grates.
- It is Igrill 3 compatible helping to ensure perfectly grilled food.
- With the included fuel gauge, you can easily see how much fuel you have left in the tank
Pros
- The grill gets crazy hot
- It is very easy to use and gives consistent heat
- It always starts and gives you great-tasting food
Cons
- Assembly is a bit challenging
- Customer service is not very helpful with issues
3. Char-Broil Performance Stainless Steel 4-Burner Cabinet Style Liquid Propane Gas Grill
Featuring four burners, the Char-Broil Signature TRU-Infrared 425 comes with the Char-Broil’s TRU-Infrared cooking system.
Providing better performance, the TRU-Infrared technology has great temperature control and range. You also get style and durability with the stainless-steel side shelves, doors, fascia, control panel, and steel lid.
Including 425 square inches of cooking surface, the Char-Broil Signature TRU-Infrared 425 gives you lots of versatility featuring cast-iron grates along with a stainless-steel emitter and a 10,000 BTU side burner with a cast iron griddle.
The included cabinet and stainless-steel doors help to conceal the propane tank while also giving you added storage.
This is a dual-fuel compatible grill allowing you to easily convert from natural gas to propane, and you also get four casters for better mobility when you need it.
Reviews consider this grill to be the infrared grill under $1000 thanks to the temperature it can reach, its heat control, and how well it cooks the meat.
Features
- Giving you 425 square inches of the cooking area along with a 175 square inch warming rack, this grill gives you a large amount of cooking area that is comprised of porcelain-coated cast-iron grates.
- With the four top-ported 443 stainless steel tube burners, you get accurate temperature control along with lasting performance.
- The Surefire Electronic ignition gives you a reliable start with each burner.
- You can easily convert the liquid propane to natural gas with the kit that is sold separately in the event you want to keep your grill in one area for convenience.
Pros
- It does a great job of preserving juices and cooking the meat
- This grill can get super-hot if you want it to
- There is a lot of cooking surface on this grill and good control of the heat
Cons
- Assembly takes a while
- It is hard to clean the searing trays under the grill grate
4. Napoleon LEX 485 BBQ Grill
Made of durable stainless steel, the Napoleon LEX 485 Propane Gas Grill features both an Infrared Rear and Side Burner.
This grill is made to withstand even the harshest weather while giving you everything you need to make a delicious meal for your family.
When you consider the stainless-steel grill for under $1000, this affordable grill gives you plenty of storage as well as the best place to store all your favorite grilling accessories.
On the side are nice-sized shelves that help you when working on your meal while the four main burners give you incredible heat and searing control for roasting, smoking, and baking.
With the infrared SIZZLE ZONE™ side burner, you can get to the perfect searing temperature in just a few seconds and heat restaurant-quality steaks on the cast iron cooking grid.
And, after it gets dark, you’ll see the brilliant blue of the i-Glow™ backlit control knobs making this a fun addition to your patio.
Users were very happy with how reliable the ignition starts were and how much space they had to cook so they gave the LEX a rating of 3.9.
Features
- With the LEX 485RSIBPSS Gas Grill, you get six burners, 74,000 BTUs, and 815 square inches of the cooking area providing more than enough space to cook for your family and friends.
- The cooking grids feature a unique wave shape that gives you even and consistent heat, incredible sear marks, and stops food from falling through.
- Generous side shelves give you staging and prep space, which is handy when making side dishes and sauces, it protects the infrared sear station. There is also an integrated ice bucket hidden on the right-side shelf as well as a cutting board that gives you even more prep space and keeps everyone cool and hydrated.
- When you ignite the LEX, it turns on instantly thanks to the battery-free ignition, which has a failsafe ignition system so that the burners are lit immediately with a jet-blue flame.
- The sear station uses a cast iron cooking grid to give you the perfect, steakhouse-style, sear on your steaks while the infrared heat station gives you impressively high temperatures.
Pros
- Ignition always starts, and it gives great sears
- Tons of space to cook food
- Side shelves are pretty handy to hold food while you cook
Cons
- The instructions aren’t very clear on how to work the lighting system
- Assembly is time-consuming
5. Kamado Joe KJ23RH Classic I Charcoal Grill
Imparting a smoky and rich flavor to vegetables, meats, and foods, the Asian-style kamado grill has been used for centuries.
With a thick wall, this cooker allows air to flow through its ceramic body and out a vented dome. Allowing chunk charcoal to come to life through heat and smoke, the Kamado Joe is a modernized version of this classic grill.
Drawing on a proud tradition, the Kamado Joe uses unmatched craftsmanship, a range of cooking surfaces, and innovative accessories. With a thick, heat-resistant shell, this is one of the Kamado grills for under 1000 bucks when it comes to locking in moisture and smoking food at any temperature.
You can smoke meat at 225 Fahrenheit using the precise temperature Kontrol and the Tower Top Vent to increase the fire up to 750 Fahrenheit.
This allows you to sear in flavor with direct charcoal-flavored heat using the two-tier Divide & Conquer grill system.
Compatible with a range of grilling surfaces and accessories, the Kamado Joe gives you incredible results for any type of smoking or grilling you plan to do.
Reviewers please by the Kamado Joe thanks to its consistency, how well it smokes, and how it is easy to clean the ash drawer.
Features
- Divide & Conquer Flexible Cooking System transforms the humble grill grate into the most powerful cooking tool in your arsenal. The revolutionary multi-level, half-moon design frees you to cook different foods in different styles at different temperatures.
- Control Tower Top Vent lets you control airflow for precise temperature control. Perfect for smoking from 225F to searing at 750F.
- With a slide-out drawer, cleanup is easy. Unlike other Kamado-style grills, you no longer must remove the inside components from the grill to clean out the ashes. Simply remove the Patented Ash Drawer, dump your ashes, and keep on grilling!
- Stainless Steel Cooking Grates
- Built-in Thermometer
Pros
- It works well and is consistent with frequent use
- This grill smokes food well
- The ash drawer makes clean-up a lot easier than other models
Cons
- The cooking area is a little cramped at times
- The manual is not at all useful
6. Pit Boss 71220 Kamado Ceramic Grill Cooker
Making it super easy to grill a great-tasting BBQ, the Pit Boss Kamado charcoal ceramic cooker offers versatility, quality, and attractiveness in a modern-day version of an ancient Asian cooker.
Built and designed to last for years, the Pit Boss 71220 is affordably priced and versatile enough to cook just about anything. Charcoal creates heat that is captured inside the grill’s thick walls which then radiates straight into your food to enhance flavor and lock in moisture.
Using thermal efficiencies, the Pit Boss can maximize the burn efficiencies of the individual lumps of charcoal while utilizing the calibrated cooking vents to create incredible temperature control allowing you to slow-cook vegetables, turkey, pizza, and ribs.
Giving you two-tier cooking and a total of 567 square inches, the Pit Boss uses a cooking grid more od of solid stainless steel that is more than enough room to cook for your family and friends.
With a wood handle, heavy-duty hardware, and spring, you can easily lift the heavy lid and hold it into position.
One of the outdoor grills under $1000, the Pit Boss also has a shock absorber and fireproof felt edge that guides and protects the lid.
With two folding wooden shelves, you have plenty of space to hold food or your cooking utensil, plus it can easily fold up for storage.
Features
- The Pit Boss features a cast iron top tamper that provides total control over the airflow, so you can set just the right cooking temperature.
- You also get solid bamboo side shelves that are sturdy for holding plates, tongs, and food waiting to be cooked, plus they fold down making storage easy.
- With dual-tier cooking grates, you get more area to cook on and take advantage of the encapsulated heat
Pros
- The grill works well with a Dutch oven
- It is pretty easy to smoke food with this grill
- This is easy to use a grill that is perfect for hot dogs and burgers
Cons
- The felt liner on the edge tends to fall off
- It’s hard to keep a low temperature
7. Napoleon Grills Built-in Prestige 500
Featuring durability and style, the stainless-steel built-in Prestige 500 by Napoleon features cast iron cooking grids that are revisable to give you even heat and precise sear marks each time you cook.
Similar to an old-fashioned cast-iron pan, these grids are durable and long-lasting. It also comes with a Jetfire ignition system that ensures it will light each time.
With multiple burners, you get lots of versatility and you use either indirect or direct cooking. With the included infrared rear burner, you can make rotisserie meals or change things up by using charcoal for smoking and grilling.
Considered one of the built-in gas grills with a rotisserie burner, the Prestige 500 gives you lots of freedom to cook the way you want.
Users are very pleased by this Napoleon Prestige 500 thanks to its even heat and great infrared feature.
Features
- 66,000 BTUs gives you tons of heat across all the cooking grids.
- Four main stainless steel burners give you lots of options and the ability to cook multiple foods at once.
- 760 square inches in the total cooking area allows you to cook for all your family and friends
- Stainless Steel wave cooking grids add durability and easy maintenance to your grill.
- An infrared rotisserie burner allows you to make chicken on it.
- Night lights on control knobs make your grilling at night more comfortable.
Pros
- It comes with a great infrared feature
- You get a spit and rotisserie motor with a grill
- It is durable and gives you a good sear
Cons
- The manual is very hard to follow
- The included bolts didn’t fit during assembly
- The price is under 1300 bucks but you can get it on sale for a pretty affordable price.
8. Weber Genesis II E-410 NG Grill
With a large grilling area and a high-performance system, the Weber Genesis II E-410 gives you a lot of features to make tons of food for family and friends.
With a convenient side table, you can easily prep food, make side dishes, or work on sauces. Featuring Weber’s GS4 grilling system, you not only get the ease of use but an unrivaled grilling experience.
When considering the natural gas grills under $1000, the Weber Genesis II E-410 provides great heat retention with its porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grates.
It is also compatible with the Igrill 3 which allows you to keep an eye on your food remotely so that you can make perfectly grilled food.
Consumers have given the Weber Genesis II E-410 a 4.6 average since they loved the ease of use, the sear they got on their steaks, and the good price.
Features
- A ten-year warranty along with a 100% Weber guarantee gives you peace of mind and a long-lasting product.
- It is equipped with a GS4 grilling system that makes the grill easy to use as well as provides an incredible grilling experience.
- The porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grates give you great heat retention for perfectly cooked food.
- It comes equipped with a fuel gauge allowing you to easily see how much fuel is left in the tank.
- It is also Igrill 3 compatible allowing you to easily keep an eye on your food for perfectly grilled food.
Pros
- It doesn’t have flare-ups, and it comes with a lot of space
- It is very easy to get nice seared steaks and burgers
- Great price, is easy to clean, and cooks well
Cons
- The bottom is not enclosed, which can be a problem if you have animals underfoot
- Some users can’t get a good sear
9. KitchenAid 740-0780 Propane Gas Grill
The KitchenAid 740-0780 is an attractive built-in propane gas grill made with premium corrosion-resistant materials.
Durable and easy to maintain, the grill comes with 775 square inches of cooking space and includes thrusts up to 61,000 BTUs. Considered one of the gas barbecues under $1000, this grill gives you tons of energy through four stainless steel burners as well as a ceramic rotisserie burner.
Placed right over the main burners you will find angled flame tamers deflecting heat and preventing flare-ups.
These flame tamers also help to infuse flavor into your food by vaporizing the drippings and giving everything a distinctive smoky taste.
With the Even-Heat System, you get an evenly distributed heat that is consistent, so you don’t have to worry about hot spots.
And, the electronic ignition lets the burners instantly fire up while the built-in thermometer provides accurate temperature regulation.
Users gave the KitchenAid Propane Grill 3.7 thanks to its easy assembly, attractiveness, ease of use, and how well it works.
Features
- Full Stainless-Steel construction provides durability and easy maintenance.
- A natural gas conversion kit is included for those who prefer to have a stationary grill and use the convenience of natural gas.
- A 10-year main burner Warranty provides peace of mind.
- No assembly is required making it usable right out of the box.
Pros
- This is an attractive grill for your patio
- It is very easy to use and works well
- It is very easy to clean
Cons
- The “welded” grill grates tend to break
- Assembly is a bit of a pain
10. Weber Genesis II LX E-240
Another choice for the propane gas grills under $1000 is the two-burner Weber Genesis II which features the GS4 grilling system, which sets the standard for grilling.
With an innovative grilling system, this grill provides ease of use and incredible satisfaction for those who like to grill in their backyard. Promising that their burners will ignite each time and food will grill consistently and evenly no matter where you put it on the cooking grate.
The GS4 grilling system uses four important components that include the grease management system, Flavorizer bars, high-performance burners, and the Infinity ignition.
Guaranteeing that your experience will be reliable and easy, the Weber Genesis II has created a strong grilling engine within this grill and uses the grease management system and Flavorizer bars to lessen the risk of flare-ups and to also make grease removal easy.
With a 3.9 user rating, the Weber Genesis II LX E-240 is appreciated for its durability, appearance, and even heating.
Features
- The 7-mm stainless steel cooking grates give you a total of 380 square inches of the cooking area along with 114 square inches from the overhead warming rack.
- Ensuring the gas will ignite and each burner will start easily, the Infinity Ignition comes with a generous warranty
- The Flush-mounted side burner is ideal when preparing sauces and side dishes
- The Weber Genesis II comes with a 10-year, 100% Weber Guarantee giving you peace of mind over your purchase.
Pros
- Provides even heat and quick preheating
- This is a nice durable grill that will last a long time
- Great looks like an addition to your backyard
Cons
- It uses some plastic parts
Conclusion
The winner of the grill under $1000 is the Weber Genesis II E-315 3-Burner Liquid Propane Grill. Not only does it feature the GS4 grilling system, but it also gives you ease of use and an incredible grilling experience.
Ensuring that the burners will ignite every time, you also get food that is grilled consistently and evenly no matter where it is placed on the cooking grate.
And, it uses a grease management system and Flavorizer bars that lessen the risk of flare-ups and makes grease removal easy. Make sure to check out the Weber Genesis II E-315 3-Burner Liquid Propane Grill when you are out shopping for your next grill
