Nothing says 'summer' quite like the smell of a fully loaded grill. We Brits love our barbecue; it's a fine reason for friends and family to gather and enjoy. But all the brands and types of grills, and all the accessories on the market, make it hard to decide what's right for our grilling needs. This article aims to clear up that confusion by detailing the best BBQs in the UK and what you need to grill successfully.
The Best BBQ Grills for the 2026 Grilling Season
- The Weber Spirit E-310 gas grill features 3 burners and delivers even heat distribution.
- The Everdure Cube charcoal grill is great for balconies and other small cooking spaces.
- The Ninja Woodfire electric barbecue is also compact, with multiple cooking functions.
- The Cadac City Chef is a great portable grill with a large cooking surface.
The Best Gas BBQ UK
Around a month before the barbecue season launches in earnest, lifestyle magazines of all types tout the wonders of grilled foods. Their exposés cover everything from the health benefits to barbecue recipe ideas and how-tos. To a one, they recommend gas grills for beginner grillers1.
They are easy to light, easy to clean and maintain, and offer great cooking versatility.
Gas grills come in all shapes and sizes, from lightweight portable models to regal installations that command the backyard's focus. We discuss the latter type here and cover portable models further in this article.
Weber Spirit E-310
This 3-burner gas BBQ earns rave reviews for its Snap-Jet instant ignition system as well as its porcelain-coated cast iron grates. It offers a generous cooking surface and scratch-resistant side tables, along with side rails to hang accessories from. All that, neatly wrapped in/around a cast-aluminium cookbox.
Charbroil Performance 440
This stainless steel appliance, atop a black cabinet with stainless doors, is an impressive sight. Its exterior hides four burners with TRU-infrared cooking technology. You'll also find a side burner and a porcelain-coated steel cooking surface, the better to clean it with. Though well suited for pro grill chefs, beginners find amenities such as its lid thermometer and easy clean-up especially helpful.
Napoleon Freestyle Pro 365
This compact gas grill is ideal for smaller outdoor spaces, but it delivers all the flexibility you'd expect from higher-priced models. Its stylish black body holds a three-burner design, with a 'side sizzle' burner for steaks as a standard component. For chefs demanding more versatility, an add-on charcoal tray gives your grill sessions that authentic barbecue flavour.
The Best Charcoal BBQ Brands
Barbecue purists insist that it isn't barbecue unless it's grilled over charcoal. Indeed, since the commercial charcoal industry's been around (since ca. the 1950s in the US), manufacturers have refined their processes. Today, charcoal grill enthusiasts may cook over legacy briquettes that add no flavour, or wood coals that imbue your meats with a sublime mesquite flavour2.
When grilling over charcoal, always allow the charcoal lighter fluid to burn off before putting food on the grill. Otherwise, the fluid's 'flavour' will affect your food's taste.
These are the experts' top picks for the 2026 grilling season.
Weber Master-Touch Premium Charcoal Grill
You might know that Weber is the top name in all things grilling, so it's no surprise that Weber grills rank first in nearly all categories. This model delivers a generous cooking surface and a deep kettle-style design that perfectly circulates the heat and smoke. It's one of the few models that features a built-in thermometer.
Charbroil Kettleman
Forget all the hype surrounding the Weber model! This grilling beast looks like its sturdier cousin. It offers a more-than-generous cooking surface with a porcelain-enamelled grill rack whose bars are V-shaped rather than tubular. The elevated charcoal rack allows grillers to create direct and indirect heat zones.
Everhot Grill
If you've ever had the pleasure of dining in an Argentinian asado restaurant, this grill will help you recreate that flavour at home. Unlike the two kettle grills above, this one is fully stainless steel with an insulated fuel box. You can raise the grill for slower-cooking desserts or lower it for succulent seared steaks.
The Top Electric BBQ Grills
Across the country and at all levels of society, we've been having a long-running debate over cooking on gas versus electric. The diehard gas enthusiasts insist cooking is better with gas. Those advocating for electric tout the safety, environmental, and health benefits. Fortunately, the argument revolves around kitchen hobs, not barbecue grills, so we can review these grills with no incentivising angle.
Ninja Woodfire Pro
The Weber brand may rule in gas and charcoal grilling, but in this category, the Ninja name claims the top spot. This pro model comes with all the bells and whistles, ready to use right out of the box. It's ideal for beginner grillers, as each unit comes with a full guide to grilling and maintaining the appliance.
Weber Lumin Electric
While not tops in the electric grill category, Weber nevertheless shines with its Lumin and Lumin Compact models. They are both space-efficient - the compact model slightly more so. Both feature a kettle-type lid and simple zone-selectable controls.
Best Portable BBQ Setups
Three-quarters of the fun of grilling is taking the show on the road: to the beach, the park, or for a weekend camp. By default, these models are gas or charcoal, so we feature the best one of each for the 2026 grilling season.
Weber Go-Anywhere Charcoal BBQ
Weber puts its simple construction standards to their best use with this grill. It's lightweight and rectangular, a takeoff from the standard Weber kettle shape. Its folding legs hold the grill a safe distance away from the surface it rests on, and then fold up to clamp on the lid for transport. Carrying it is easy as the lid features a comfortable handle; you might otherwise buy a tote bag to transport all your grill necessities in.
Cadac Citi Chef 40 Portable Gas BBQ
Is it cool to call a grill 'trendy'? Because that adjective certainly applies to this sleek, efficient, portable grill that even comes with its own carry case! Its kettle design conceals a non-stick, v-channel cooking surface over a domed heating element that delivers even cooking temps. The lid hooks onto the edge of the body to act as a windscreen or simply to keep it off the ground while you check your steak for doneness.
Must-Have BBQ Accessories
For safety's sake as well as capturing the feeling of being a true grill chef, the right accessories are a must. As a beginner, you'll have to develop your BBQ technique, so it's best to do so with all the necessary tools. This chart highlights the necessary and nice-to-have equipment to turn you into the neighbourhood grill master.
| 🔥 BBQ accessory | 🔎 Purpose | 💳 Average cost |
|---|---|---|
| tongs meat fork spatula | to handle food while on the grill | £24-45 |
| sauce brush | to slather sauces on while the food grills | £10-15 |
| long-arm heat resistant gloves | to protect against burns | £10-16 |
| meat thermometer | prevent foodborne illnesses | £6-50; more for higher-end digital devices. |
| chimney starter (for charcoal grills) | light coals quickly without lighter fluid residue | £22-35 |
| cast iron pans grill plates | to diversify cooking options | £45-70 |
| smoker box wood chips | change your flavour profile with different types of wood. | £3.50-36 |
| grill mat | cook smaller foods (vegetables, shrimp, etc), without them falling through the grill | £9.50-15 |
| grease trays drip pans | help keep grill clean reduce the risk of fire | £8-15 |
| grill brushes | to scrape the grill clean while cooking and after a grilling session. | £15-22.50 |
| fire extinguisher | for safety's sake! | £15-45 |
References
- Anderson, Lydia. “Best Gas BBQ Picks for 2025: Tried, Tested and Rated by Reviews Experts.” Good Food, 20 Mar. 2025, www.bbcgoodfood.com/review/best-gas-barbecues. Accessed 14 May 2026.
- Charcoal 4BBQ. “The Evolution of Charcoal: A Historical Timeline.” Charcoal BBQ BKK, 30 Sept. 2024, charcoalbbqbkk.com/blogs/news/the-evolution-of-charcoal-a-historical-timeline. Accessed 15 May 2026.
- Collyer, Annie. “Best Electric Barbecues 2026: For Summer Feasts in an Instant.” Good Food, 20 Apr. 2026, www.bbcgoodfood.com/review/best-electric-barbecues. Accessed 15 May 2026.
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