The Best BBQs To Buy Online In Australia
With so many different types of BBQ on the market, it can be hard to know what to look for as you compare the options. In this guide, we break down the most important factors you’ll need to consider, highlighting the best BBQs within each category, including what each one has to offer. From there, we’ll get into the best BBQ brands, and what questions to ask during your search for the perfect BBQ.
Best Overall BBQ
Weber Q2000 LPG BBQ
- Combines excellent build quality with thoughtful design
- Compact and portable, can be used at home or out and about
- Offers a number of cooking options and can easily feed a family of four
- Easy to use and easy to clean
- Additional accessories are expensive
- Need to buy a cover separately
An awesome all-rounder, the Weber Q2000 offers everything you could want in a BBQ. With its small footprint, it would fit most yards, while also being portable enough to take with you on holiday or on day trips to the beach. It comfortably feeds a family of four, offering plenty of grill space and two fold-out work surfaces for food prep. It’s also quick to heat up using its push button ignition, and easy to clean thanks to its removable drip tray.
Offering even more usability, Weber sells a wide range of additional accessories, from roasting trivets and hot plates to pizza trays and veggie baskets. Weber backs this up with plenty of How To Guides and cook books, as well as tips and videos online.
Best Cheap BBQ
Jumbuck Portland 4 Burner BBQ
- Sturdy build quality and durable construction
- Easy to use cast iron hotplate and grill, backed by warming rack and temperature gauge
- Removable drip tray for simple clean up
- Suitable for LPG only (cannot be converted to natural gas)
While the Jumbuck Portland 4 Burner BBQ may come out on top within this low cost category, it doesn’t feel cheap. Primarily made from powder coated steel, it offers a sturdy construction with a solid built-in trolley, featuring wheels for easy movement around the yard or balcony. Designed to be used with LPG, it provides auto ignition with a full hood for roasting. Its long drip tray comes out easily, making it a breeze to clean.
Best Built-in BBQ
Beefeater Signature 3000E 4 Burner Built-In LPG BBQ
- Durable, rust-resistant cooktops evenly distribute heat for even cooking
- Cooking hood features large viewing window and integrated thermometer to monitor cooking progress
- Quartz Start ignition built into the gas control of every burner
- Warming rack and removable drip tray add further usability
- High price tag
The perfect addition to your outdoor kitchen, the Beefeater Signature 3000E 4 Burner Built-In LPG BBQ will make you wonder why you ever bothered to cook indoors.
Within the BBQ, porcelain-enamelled cast iron cooktops evenly distribute heat around the interior, while the Vaporizer Grid Reflector System prevents heat loss for faster, more consistent cooking and improved fuel economy. On top, its integrated convection roasting hood allows you to cook pretty much anything, and is further enhanced by its viewing window, thermometer and full-length warming rack perfect for keeping food warm or toasting burger buns.
Best Freestanding BBQ
Weber Family Q Q3100 LPG BBQ
- Durable build quality featuring wheeled patio cart for easy manoeuvrability
- Perfect for home entertaining, it allows you to cook for up to 15 people at a time
- Economical two burner system cooks with the power of a four burner BBQ
- Pre-heats in ten minutes with a single push of the spark igniter
- Some customers found the wheels a bit flimsy
Whether you enjoy entertaining or you simply have a larger family to feed, the Weber Family Q is sure to be a worthwhile investment. Running off LPG, its two burner system is economical to run, offering super easy ignition, quick pre-heating and faster cook times. It’s also perfectly versatile, allowing you to grill and roast food with ease, with optional Weber extras adding even more functionality.
As Weber’s largest BBQ, it comes complete with its own patio cart, rigged out with wheels, tool holders and storage space underneath. Its removable drip tray makes it easy to clean, while its glass-reinforced nylon frame with two Thermoset swing-out work surfaces ensure it is as durable as it is useable.
Best Electric BBQ
George Foreman Electric BBQ
- Perfectly portable and compact
- Its removable stand allows it to be used indoors or outdoors
- Easy to use and easy to clean
- High dome lid with built-in temperature gauge
- Requires power socket
Compact in size, the George Foreman Electric BBQ is perfectly proportioned for apartment living, fitting snugly on the balcony or even on the kitchen benchtop. Yep, this is a BBQ that can be safely used indoors as well as outdoors. As long as you can find a power point, it can also be the perfect companion on holidays and day trips.
When using the BBQ, you can grill with the hood up or roast with the hood down, keeping an eye on the temperature using its built-in thermometer. Afterwards, simply remove the grill plate and put it in the dishwasher for super easy clean up.
Best Charcoal BBQ
Weber 57cm Compact Kettle Charcoal Fuel BBQ
- Portable size, featuring sturdy stand with wheels for easy manoeuvrability
- Thoughtful design with adjustable air vents, removable ash catcher and cool-touch handle
- Large grill plate offers plenty of cooking space
- Takes time to get used to cooking with charcoal
Solid, durable and cleverly designed, the Weber Compact Kettle Charcoal BBQ is all you could want in a charcoal BBQ. Easy to use once you get the hang of barbequing with charcoal, it features a large plated steel grill plate surrounded by a porcelain-enamelled bowl and lid, with air vents to adjust the temperature inside and a Cool to Touch handle. As you’d expect from a Weber, it’s also easy to clean, and given its compact size, it’s portable enough to be used almost anywhere.
Best Smoker BBQ
Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker
- Utilises clever design and durable materials
- Small in stature, it can be used in almost any backyard or taken on the road
- Double-tiered grill plates provide plenty of barbequing space
- Handy features include rust-resistant front loading door, integrated water pan and hood thermometer
- Smaller size may not suit cooking for larger crowds
Cooking low and slow, the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker is the perfect addition to any BBQ enthusiast’s collection, offering up tender, succulent meat infused with that true BBQ taste.
Made from heavy gauge steel sealed in porcelain enamel, this is a BBQ built to last, with other durable features including a rust resistant front loading door, no-rust aluminium vents and a commercial grade thermometer for monitoring cooking temperature. Easy to heat and holding its temperature for hours, it is also perfectly efficient – and after use, easy to clean.
Best Portable BBQ
Weber Baby Q
- Solid construction featuring durable cast-aluminium lid and body and rust-resistant cast iron cooking grills
- Compact and lightweight, it still feeds up to six people at a time
- Weber accessories can be expensive
Weighing in at just over 10kg, the Weber Baby Q is compact and portable, making it the perfect option for camping trips, picnics in the park and BBQs at the beach – or simply a smaller backyard. But while it may be small in size, it doesn’t compromise on quality. Sturdy in its stature, it is made from high quality materials, and is backed by a five year warranty.
Beefeater Bugg Mobile
- Quick pre-heat and fast cook times thanks to two independently-controlled burners
- Cast iron grill and hot plate provide versatility when cooking
- Handy features include two side tables for prep, a spring-assist hood and a hood thermometer
- Compact in size but rather heavy at 20kg
While it may be compact, the Beefeater Bugg Mobile BBQ offers plenty of grill space, with the option to use either the grill or hot plate for straight barbequing, or close the hood to cook with convection.
With its Quartz Start ignition, it allows for effortless ignition each and every time, while its two independently-controlled burners rapidly heat the plate so you can start cooking faster. Its two side tables can be removed when needed, and the BBQ also features a removable drip tray for no fuss cleaning.
Best BBQ Brands
Weber
The Weber brand is synonymous with quality barbequing – and for good reason. Having been in business since 1952, Weber has had plenty of time to build its range, creating well designed, solidly built BBQs to cater to all BBQ styles. From the compact Baby Q to styles such as the charcoal fuelled kettle BBQ, Weber does it all, and it does it well. Keep an eye out for Weber’s awesome range of accessories that create even more versatility within its BBQs.
Beefeater
As an icon in the Australian barbequing game, Beefeater has become the go-to brand for BBQ enthusiasts here in Aus. Known for creating for high quality BBQs and BBQ accessories, Beefeater combines functional and stylish design, with durability and versatile features.
How to Choose the Right BBQ
Time to compare? Here are some questions to ask as you check out the options available.
How portable do you need it to be?
If you plan on keeping the BBQ in one spot in your backyard, portability won’t be much of a issue. A built-in BBQ could be a good option if you’re creating an outdoor kitchen, or you could opt for a larger BBQ. If you want to take your BBQ camping or caravanning, or even on day trips, size, weight and portability will be key.
How do you want to power the BBQ?
While the vast majority of BBQs in Australia are powered by gas, there are other options out there. You may want a charcoal BBQ or smoker BBQ for a more authentic BBQ taste, or an electric BBQ for super easy, healthy grilling. If you opt for gas, consider whether you want a BBQ that runs off natural gas or the more portable LPG.
How easy is it to use?
Whether you want to use your BBQ every weekend or only once in a blue moon, you want it to be easy to use. If you’re new to a particular brand of BBQ, check out what info the manufacturer provides, such as How To guides, cook books and online videos or DVDs. Ideally, you want a BBQ that starts easily and is intuitive to use, with easy cleaning.
What do you want to cook?
BBQs these days can do much more than just grill meat. Think about what you want to cook, then find out what you can cook on the various options you’re interested in. Many BBQs offer additional accessories – at a cost – that can expand their functionality and versatility, allowing you to cook anything from a Sunday roast to pizzas and desserts.
How many people are you cooking for?
If you only plan to use the BBQ to cook for your family, a smaller option may be easier and cheaper to run. If you have an expansive circle of family and friends you love to entertain, then a larger BBQ will be needed. Check out the size of the grill plates and the dome of the hood, as well as side tables for prep.
How easy is it to clean?
If you think you may be put off using your BBQ because it’s difficult to clean, look for one that offers easy cleaning. Electric BBQs are great for ease of cleaning, but most other types of BBQs offer easy cleaning features such as removable drip trays.
How much do you want to spend?
This is the big one. BBQs, even low cost ones, don’t come cheap. Weigh up how much you want to invest against what you want to get out of your BBQ. If you want to use your BBQ regularly – and want it to last – you may be better off paying more for a brand that is well known for its build quality and durability, such as Weber.