10 Best Barbecues to Buy at The Range (2026)

⚡ Quick Answer

The best barbecue at The Range in 2026 for most buyers is the Char-Griller Smokin' Pro Offset Smoker (£349.99) - a heavy-gauge charcoal grill and offset smoker in one, from a genuine US barbecue brand. On a tighter budget, the Jerez Folding Charcoal BBQ (£59.99) is The Range's most-reviewed barbecue with a solid 4/5 owner rating, while gas cooks should look at the Texas Nimbus 4 Burner (£179.99) for the best space-to-price ratio.

🔍 How we chose these barbecues

We haven't fire-tested every model on this list. Rankings are based on a detailed comparison of manufacturer specifications (steel gauge, cooking area, burner output, warranty), verified owner reviews on The Range and elsewhere, brand track record, and our 15 years' experience assessing outdoor cooking and garden equipment. Where a model has known weaknesses = thin steel, fiddly assembly, short warranties — we say so plainly.

🏆 1. Best Overall

Char-Griller Smokin' Pro Offset Smoker — £349.99

This is the barbecue we'd point most serious buyers towards at The Range. Char-Griller is a long-established American brand, and the Smokin' Pro pairs a large barrel charcoal grill with a genuine side firebox for low-and-slow offset smoking. The cast-iron cooking grates hold and transfer heat far better than the chromed wire you get on cheaper barrels, and the heavy-gauge steel body is built to be repaired and re-seasoned rather than thrown away.

✓ Why we rate it

• True offset smoking and direct grilling in one unit
• Cast-iron grates — the single biggest cooking upgrade at this price
• Adjustable charcoal grate height for heat control
• Recognised brand with spares availability

✗ Be aware

• Assembly is a proper two-person, two-hour job
• Painted steel needs a cover and occasional touch-up to prevent rust — this is not stainless
• Offset smoking has a learning curve; expect a few practice cooks

💰 2. Best Budget Buy

Jerez Folding Charcoal BBQ — £59.99

With 31 owner reviews and a 4/5 average, the Jerez is comfortably the most-reviewed barbecue in The Range's catalogue — and at this price, that track record matters more than any spec sheet. It's a straightforward folding trolley charcoal grill: legs fold flat for storage, there's a lower shelf for tools and charcoal, and setup takes minutes rather than an afternoon.

✓ Why we rate it

• Proven design — the strongest genuine review base at The Range
• Folds flat, ideal for sheds and small patios
• Enough grill space for a family of four to six

✗ Be aware

• No lid — this is open grilling only, so no roasting or smoking
• Lighter-gauge steel; store it dry or expect surface rust within two seasons

🔥 3. Best Value Gas BBQ

Texas Nimbus 4 Burner BBQ — £179.99

Four burners for under £180 is unusual, and the Nimbus is the sweet spot in The Range's own gas line-up. You get independent burner control across a wide cooking area, a lidded hood for indirect roasting, and side shelves for prep. For a family that cooks weekly through summer and wants push-button convenience, this does 90% of what a £400 gas grill does.

✓ Why we rate it

• Four-burner zoning at a two-burner price
• Hooded design allows roasting whole chickens and joints
• Big enough for 8–10 guests without batch cooking

✗ Be aware

• Enamelled steel grates rather than cast iron — fine, but less searing power
• At this price, expect the body panels to be relatively thin; a cover is essential
• Regulator and hose typically sold separately — budget another ~£20

📱 4. Easiest Route into Smoking

Masterbuilt 710 WiFi Digital Electric Smoker — £249.00

If the idea of tending a fire for ten hours puts you off smoking, this is the answer. Masterbuilt's digital electric smoker holds a set temperature automatically, feeds smoke from wood chips, and lets you monitor and adjust the cook from your phone over WiFi. Load a pork shoulder in the morning, check it from the sofa, eat pulled pork by evening. It's the slow cooker of the barbecue world.

✓ Why we rate it

• Set-and-forget temperature control — no fire management at all
• WiFi app monitoring is genuinely useful on long cooks
• Vertical format takes minimal patio space for its capacity

✗ Be aware

• Needs an outdoor socket or a safe extension run — it's mains powered
• Smoke ring and bark are milder than charcoal purists will want
• It's a smoker only — you can't grill burgers on it

🍖 5. Best for Big-Batch Smoking

Ultimate Smoker Pro — £249.99

One of the better-reviewed larger units at The Range (4/5 across 11 owner reviews), the Ultimate Smoker Pro is a charcoal smoker-grill combination aimed at people who regularly feed a crowd. The generous barrel gives room for ribs, brisket and chicken simultaneously, and the smoker configuration handles long indirect cooks that a standard kettle can't.

✓ Why we rate it

• Strong owner feedback for a own-range smoker at this price
• Large capacity suits parties and batch cooking
• Works as both a direct grill and a smoker

✗ Be aware

• Heavy and bulky once assembled — measure your storage spot first
• Temperature gauges on barrels at this price are indicative at best; buy a probe thermometer

🥩 6. Best for Serious Charcoal Grilling

Char-Griller Wrangler Charcoal Barrel Grill — £209.00

The Wrangler is the Smokin' Pro's smaller sibling: the same heavy-gauge barrel construction and cast-iron grates, minus the offset firebox. If you want proper charcoal grilling — real sear marks, adjustable coal height, a lid that seals well enough for indirect roasting — without committing to full smoking, this is the strongest charcoal-only grill in the store.

✓ Why we rate it

• Cast-iron grates outperform everything else near this price
• Adjustable fire grate gives genuine heat control
• Side shelf and firebox door make it practical to live with

✗ Be aware

• Cast iron needs oiling after cleaning or it will rust
• No offset smoking — if that appeals, spend the extra on the Smokin' Pro now

👪 7. Best Family Gas BBQ

Mayfield 4 Gas Burner BBQ — £174.99

The Mayfield 4 undercuts the Texas Nimbus by a fiver and takes a slightly more compact, tidier approach — a good fit for smaller patios that still need four-burner capacity. Ignition is push-button, the hood carries a temperature gauge for roasting, and the trolley base wheels away against a wall when you're done. There's also a three-burner version at £149.99 if your household is smaller.

✓ Why we rate it

• Compact footprint for a four-burner
• Simple, quick weeknight cooking — lit and ready in ten minutes
• Cheaper three-burner variant available in the same design

✗ Be aware

• Few published owner reviews so far — the design is newer to the catalogue
• As with most sub-£200 gas grills, burners are the wear item; check spares before buying

⚖️ 8. Best Dual Fuel

Outsunny 3 Burner Hybrid Dual Fuel BBQ with Side Burner — £299.99

Can't choose between gas convenience and charcoal flavour? The Outsunny hybrid runs both: three gas burners for midweek speed, plus a charcoal option when you want smoke and sear at the weekend. A gas side burner handles sauces and sides. It's the most flexible cooker on this list, and Outsunny is The Range's most established third-party outdoor brand.

✓ Why we rate it

• Genuine gas-or-charcoal flexibility in one footprint
• Side burner adds real utility for sauces and pans
• One purchase instead of two barbecues cluttering the patio

✗ Be aware

• Hybrids always compromise — it's a good gas grill and a decent charcoal grill, not the best of either
• More components means more assembly and more to maintain

🏠 9. Best for Small Gardens

KOALZ Original Charcoal BBQ Portable Kettle — £50.00

The kettle barbecue is the most proven design in outdoor cooking, and the KOALZ Original brings it in at £50 with an enamelled bowl and lid. Enamel coating is the key detail at this price — it resists rust far better than painted steel, which is where cheap kettles usually die. Lid on, vents adjusted, and you can roast and even lightly smoke; lid off, it's a classic direct grill. Small enough for a balcony, light enough for the campsite.

✓ Why we rate it

• Enamelled bowl at a painted-steel price
• Lidded kettle design allows indirect cooking, not just grilling
• Genuinely portable and easy to store

✗ Be aware

• Cooking area suits four people comfortably, six at a squeeze — no more
• Low working height; you'll be crouching unless you set it on a stand or table

💎 10. Premium Pick

Kamado Bono Media 20″ Ceramic BBQ Grill — £799.00

A thick-walled ceramic kamado is the most capable single barbecue you can own: it sears steak at 400°C+, smokes brisket at 110°C for 14 hours on one load of charcoal, and bakes genuine stone-floor pizza. The Kamado Bono Media 20″ delivers that at roughly half the price of the best-known kamado brands, and the ceramic body will outlast every steel grill on this list — likely by decades.

✓ Why we rate it

• Grill, smoker, oven and pizza oven in one
• Exceptional fuel efficiency and moisture retention
• Ceramic construction — no rust, ever

✗ Be aware

• Extremely heavy — position it once and plan never to move it
• £799 is serious money; casual once-a-month grillers won't see the value
• Ceramic can crack if thermally shocked — never throw water on it

Are barbecues from The Range good quality?

They vary. The Range now stocks respected brands like Char-Griller, Masterbuilt and Kamado Bono alongside budget own-range and marketplace models. The branded and mid-range models on this list are solid buys; the very cheapest thin-steel grills are best treated as single-season purchases.

What's the best cheap barbecue at The Range?

The Jerez Folding Charcoal BBQ (£59.99) has the strongest owner-review record of any budget model, while the KOALZ Original kettle (£50) is the better choice if you want a lid for roasting and indirect cooking.

Is gas or charcoal better for a UK garden?

Gas suits frequent, quick cooking and unpredictable British weather — you're grilling within ten minutes. Charcoal delivers better flavour and higher searing heat but takes 25–40 minutes to reach temperature. Most committed UK barbecuers end up owning one of each.

Do The Range barbecues come with a gas hose and regulator?

Usually not — most gas models are sold without the hose and regulator, so check the listing and budget roughly £15–25 extra. Make sure the regulator matches your bottle type (patio gas/propane).

How do I stop a cheap barbecue rusting?

Empty the ash after every cook (ash holds moisture against the steel), oil cast-iron grates lightly, and keep it under a waterproof cover or in a shed over winter. Those three habits routinely double or triple the life of a painted-steel barbecue.

Our Verdict

For most buyers, the Char-Griller Smokin' Pro (£349.99) is the barbecue at The Range that will still be earning its keep in five years. Spending less? The Jerez (£59.99) and KOALZ kettle (£50) are honest budget picks with no nasty surprises. And if barbecue is becoming a genuine hobby rather than an occasional summer event, the Kamado Bono Media (£799) is the buy-once option the others eventually get replaced by.