A BBQ is an outdoor cooker that applies heat to food from below, using gas, charcoal, wood or an electric element, with or without a hood to trap heat for indirect cooking. The best BBQs in Australia match fuel type to where the unit will legally live, carry enough cooking area for the group being fed, and use a build heavy enough to hold temperature once the lid comes down.
Four fuels split the market. Gas lights instantly and controls precisely. Charcoal runs hotter and adds flavour but needs time and airflow management. Electric is the only option legal on most apartment balconies. Wood reaches pizza temperatures that nothing else here approaches.
Cooking area is the number that decides whether a barbecue suits the household, and the spread is enormous. The units compared here run from about 755 to 2,556 square centimetres, roughly 117 to 396 square inches, which is the difference between feeding two people and feeding a dozen. Work on approximately 250 square centimetres per person cooking at once.
This guide compares ten barbecues sold in Australia across those four fuels, from folding charcoal grills under three kilograms to a wheeled barrel with more than two and a half thousand square centimetres of grilling surface.
Quick Picks
Grillz Portable Gas BBQ Grill 2 Burners
Two independent 10,000 BTU stainless burners on a folding 8kg tabletop frame, with a hood thermometer fitted.
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Barrel Grill with Wheels and Shelves
2556 square centimetres under a hinged hood, on wheels with a warming rack and folding shelves.
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Grillz Foldable Charcoal BBQ Grill
A 60 by 22cm stainless rack on tool-free folding legs, packing down to 2.2kg for the boot.
CHECK CURRENT PRICEBest BBQs in Australia Compared
| Product | Link | Type | Best For | Key Spec |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grillz Portable Gas BBQ Grill 2 Burners | Check price | Portable gas | Camping and small courtyards | 2 burners, 1716 sq cm |
| Grillz Portable Gas BBQ with Double Sided Plate | Check price | Portable gas | Cooking on a plate rather than bars | 12,000 BTU, plate included |
| Grillz 2-In-1 Offset Charcoal Smoker | Check price | Offset smoker | Low and slow smoking | Offset firebox, wheels |
| Grillz Electric BBQ Grill Smoker | Check price | Electric | Apartment balconies | 2000W, 40cm plate |
| Grillz Portable Charcoal BBQ Grill with Lid | Check price | Charcoal kettle | Camping and two-person cooking | 34cm grate, 1.7kg |
| Grillz Foldable Charcoal BBQ Grill | Check price | Folding charcoal | Skewers and budget camping | 60 x 22cm, 2.2kg |
| Barrel Grill with Wheels and Shelves | Check price | Charcoal barrel trolley | Cooking for a crowd | 2556 sq cm, wheels |
| Charcoal BBQ Trolley with Rotisserie Spit | Check price | Charcoal trolley | Spit-roasting at home | 2538 sq cm, rotisserie |
| 2-in-1 Kamado Ceramic BBQ Grill and Smoker | Check price | Ceramic kamado | Heat retention and moisture | Ceramic, 450C gauge |
| 3-in-1 Wood Fired Pizza Oven and BBQ Grill | Check price | Wood-fired pizza oven | Pizza and flatbread | Wood-fired, 31 x 31cm |
1. Grillz Portable Gas BBQ Grill 2 Burners – Best Portable Gas
Two independent 10,000 BTU burners on a tabletop unit is unusual, and it means one side can run hot for searing while the other idles for anything that needs gentler heat.
Burners are 304-grade stainless and the body and hood 430-grade, with a thermometer set into the lid and AGA certification behind it. The legs fold and retract, the lid locks down for transport, and the whole unit weighs 8kg across a 52 by 33cm cooking area.
The plate set is not included, so it arrives with the grate only and a flat plate becomes an extra purchase. There is no cart or wheels either, which keeps this firmly a tabletop unit rather than a backyard centrepiece.
Pros
- Two independent burners give real heat-zone control
- Full stainless construction with AGA certification
- Folds flat with a locking lid at 8kg
Cons
- Plate set is not included, grate only
- No wheels or cart, so it needs a table
Key specs: LPG gas, two 10,000 BTU 304-grade stainless burners, 52 x 33cm cooking area, 430-grade stainless body and hood, integrated thermometer, folding retractable legs, 8kg
CHECK CURRENT PRICE2. Grillz Portable Gas BBQ with Double Sided Plate – Best Gas Plate Setup
Where the twin-burner model ships without a plate, this one includes a reversible flat and ribbed plate in the box, which covers both a breakfast fry-up and a steak.
A single U-shaped stainless burner pushes 12,000 BTU across 46.5 by 28.5cm, more heat from one burner than the twin-burner unit produces from either of its two, and a piezo twist ignition lights it. Hood and thermometer are both fitted.
One burner means no independent heat zones, so there is nowhere to move food away from direct flame to rest. It also ships in two packages, which matters if delivery timing is tight.
Pros
- Reversible flat and ribbed plate included
- 12,000 BTU from a single U-shaped stainless burner
- Piezo twist ignition, hood and thermometer
Cons
- Single burner, so no independent heat zones
- Ships in two separate packages
Key specs: LPG gas, single 12,000 BTU U-shape stainless burner, 46.5 x 28.5cm cooking area, reversible flat and ribbed plate, stainless body, hood with thermometer, piezo ignition, 8kg
CHECK CURRENT PRICE3. Grillz 2-In-1 Offset Charcoal Smoker – Best Offset Smoker
An offset firebox sits beside the cooking chamber rather than underneath it, and that separation is what makes low and slow smoking possible instead of straight grilling.
The body is heavy-gauge steel with a chrome-coated grill and a stainless rack, and a chimney pulls smoke across the food rather than letting it stall. Wheels and a front work shelf turn it into a permanent backyard unit, with a thermometer in the hood.
No cooking area figure is published, so the 113 by 104cm dimension quoted is the overall footprint and not the grate. Assembly is required, and the guidance warns against running direct open flame in the main chamber.
Pros
- True offset firebox for low and slow smoking
- Wheels, front work shelf and hood thermometer
- Heavy-gauge sealed body holds heat well
Cons
- Cooking area is not published by the merchant
- Assembly required and not suited to direct flame
Key specs: Charcoal, offset firebox with chimney, heavy-duty steel body, chrome-coated grill and stainless rack, hood thermometer, wheels, front work shelf, 113 x 104 x 42cm overall
CHECK CURRENT PRICE4. Grillz Electric BBQ Grill Smoker – Best for Balconies
Gas bottles and charcoal are prohibited on most apartment balconies in Australia, which leaves electric as the only legal option for a great many renters.
A 2000W element brings a 40cm round plate up to temperature in around three minutes, the thermostat adjusts, and a domed kettle-style hood traps enough heat for indirect cooking. It lifts off the stand to work on a benchtop.
The aluminium plate carries a non-stick coating that will not survive metal tools or hard searing heat. A three metre cord still needs an outdoor power point too, which not every balcony provides.
Pros
- Legal where gas and charcoal are banned
- Heats in around three minutes with an adjustable thermostat
- Detaches from the stand for benchtop use
Cons
- Non-stick aluminium plate cannot take metal tools or hard searing
- Needs an outdoor power point within three metres
Key specs: Electric 2000W at 240V, 40cm round plate, aluminium with non-stick coating, flat and ribbed plates, domed hood, adjustable thermostat, detachable from stand, 3m cord, SAA and TUV tested
CHECK CURRENT PRICE5. Grillz Portable Charcoal BBQ Grill with Lid – Best Lightweight Kettle
At 1.7kg this is the lightest barbecue in the guide by a wide margin, and the closest thing here to a proper miniature kettle.
A 34cm stainless grate sits over a cold-rolled steel bowl fitted with an air vent, an ash-drop vent and a detachable ash tray, so airflow can genuinely be controlled rather than guessed at. The lid opens up indirect cooking and light smoking.
That 34cm grate feeds two or three people and no more. Without a thermometer, lid-down cooking stays guesswork until the unit becomes familiar, which is the trade being made for the weight.
Pros
- Only 1.7kg, genuinely packable
- Air vent, ash-drop vent and removable ash tray
- Lid allows indirect cooking and light smoking
Cons
- 34cm grate feeds two or three at most
- No thermometer, so lid cooking is by feel
Key specs: Charcoal, kettle style, 34cm stainless grate, cold-rolled steel body, lid, air vent and ash-drop vent, detachable ash tray, 1.7kg
CHECK CURRENT PRICE6. Grillz Foldable Charcoal BBQ Grill – Best Budget Pick
Long and narrow rather than round, the 60 by 22cm grill is shaped for skewers and sausages laid straight across the bars.
The rack is food-grade stainless over a steel body, the legs fold without tools, and an ashtray slides out from underneath for cleaning. Packed down it measures 89 by 22 by 32cm and weighs 2.2kg.
Despite the word smoker appearing in the product name, there is no lid at all, so this handles direct grilling and nothing else. Anyone expecting to close a hood over a roast needs to look further up this list.
Pros
- Cheapest barbecue verified in this guide
- Long narrow format suits skewers and sausages
- Tool-free folding setup at 2.2kg
Cons
- No lid, so direct grilling only despite the name
- 1320 sq cm is modest for a group
Key specs: Charcoal, 60 x 22cm grill area, food-grade stainless rack on steel body, no hood, foldable legs, removable ashtray, 89 x 22 x 32cm overall, 2.2kg
CHECK CURRENT PRICE7. Barrel Grill with Wheels and Shelves – Best Large Cooking Area
Two and a half thousand square centimetres of grilling surface is more than double what any portable unit here offers, and it is the whole reason to choose a barrel.
A hinged hood with a handle covers the 72 by 35.5cm grid, a warming rack sits above it, and the fire bowl below runs 73 by 38cm. Wheels, a folding side shelf and a front board make it a working station, and the build comes in at 26kg.
There is no thermometer, so hood-down cooking runs uncalibrated until one gets fitted. It also arrives flat-packed at 26kg, which turns assembly into a two-person afternoon rather than a ten-minute job.
Pros
- 2556 sq cm, the largest cooking area here
- Hinged hood, warming rack, wheels and shelves
- Heavy 26kg build holds heat through a long cook
Cons
- No thermometer fitted
- 26kg flat-pack assembly is a two-person job
Key specs: Charcoal barrel, 72 x 35.5cm cooking grid, heavy-duty steel, hinged hood with handle, 68 x 13cm warming rack, 73 x 38cm fire bowl, wheels, folding side shelf and front board, removable ashtray, 74cm cooking height, 26kg
CHECK CURRENT PRICE8. Charcoal BBQ Trolley with Rotisserie Spit – Best Rotisserie
A manual rotisserie spit is included here, and that normally shows up only on barbecues costing a good deal more.
The main grilling area covers 71.5 by 35.5cm beneath a hood, with a warming rack and mesh shelves at the front, side and base. Four adjustable six-hole vents give unusually fine control over how hard the coals burn.
No thermometer is fitted, and at 18.3kg the alloy steel body is noticeably lighter than the barrel grill above, which means less thermal mass and shorter heat retention through a long cook.
Pros
- Rotisserie spit included at this price
- 2538 sq cm under a hood, with a warming rack
- Four adjustable vents give fine airflow control
Cons
- No thermometer fitted
- Lighter 18.3kg build holds heat less well than the barrel
Key specs: Charcoal, 71.5 x 35.5cm main grilling area, alloy steel with heat-resistant powder coat, hood, manual rotisserie spit, warming rack, wheels, front side and bottom mesh shelves, four adjustable six-hole vents, 75cm cooking height, 18.3kg
CHECK CURRENT PRICE9. 2-in-1 Kamado Ceramic BBQ Grill and Smoker – Best Ceramic Kamado
Ceramic walls hold heat and moisture in a way sheet steel cannot, and that is what separates a kamado from every other charcoal unit in this guide.
The glazed body rests on powder-coated steel feet, a spring-loaded hinged lid carries its considerable weight, and a layered stainless vent meters airflow precisely. A built-in thermometer reads to 450 degrees, and it burns charcoal or wood.
The grill plate measures only 26.5cm across, which is a small surface for the outlay and makes this a two-person unit in practice. At 28kg with no wheels, it also stays exactly where it is first put.
Pros
- Ceramic body retains heat and moisture better than steel
- Thermometer reading to 450 degrees
- Runs on charcoal or wood with precise vent control
Cons
- 26.5cm grate is small for the price
- 28kg with no wheels, so it cannot be moved easily
Key specs: Charcoal or wood, 26.5cm stainless grill plate, glazed pitted ceramic body on powder-coated steel feet, spring-loaded hinged lid, built-in thermometer to 450 degrees, layered stainless airflow vent, 56cm total height, 28kg
CHECK CURRENT PRICE10. 3-in-1 Wood Fired Pizza Oven and BBQ Grill – Best Wood Fired
Wood firing is the one fuel nothing else in this guide covers, and it reaches the temperatures a proper pizza base actually needs.
A 31 by 31cm ceramic stone sits over enamel wires inside a painted iron body, a 56.5cm chimney draws the fire, and thermometers front and back track the 200 to 350 degree working range. A waterproof cover and a pizza peel are supplied.
At 23kg and over 1.6 metres tall, calling it portable is generous even with the two wheels fitted. The ceramic stone is also the only cooking surface, so it does pizza and flatbread well and general grilling poorly.
Pros
- Only wood-fired unit in this guide
- Thermometers front and back, plus chimney draw
- Pizza peel and waterproof cover included
Cons
- 23kg and 1.6m tall, so portability is limited
- Ceramic stone only, which limits general grilling
Key specs: Wood-fired, 31 x 31cm ceramic pizza stone over enamel wires, painted iron body, 56.5cm chimney, double thermometer, two wheels, 200 to 350 degree range, 63 x 52.5 x 162cm, 23kg, waterproof cover and pizza peel included
CHECK CURRENT PRICEHow to Choose a BBQ
Let the location pick the fuel. Most strata schemes and rental agreements ban LPG bottles and charcoal on balconies outright, and many councils restrict solid fuel during fire danger periods. Electric sidesteps both, gas suits a courtyard or backyard with somewhere safe to store the bottle, and charcoal needs open space and time for the coals to settle.
Size the cooking area to the group, not the aspiration. Around 250 square centimetres per person cooking simultaneously is a workable rule, which puts a 900 square centimetre kettle at three or four people and a 2,500 square centimetre barrel at a dozen. Buying larger than needed wastes fuel heating empty steel every time it is lit.
A hood changes what the barbecue can do. Without one, the unit only grills directly over the heat. With a hood, roasting, indirect cooking and smoking all become possible, and a thermometer in that hood is what turns them from guesswork into repeatable cooking. Several units here have a hood but no gauge, which is worth fixing with an aftermarket one.
Weight is a proxy for heat retention. A 26kg barrel holds temperature through a long cook and shrugs off wind, where a 2kg folding grill loses heat every time the breeze picks up. Thin steel also warps after repeated hot fires, so for anything left permanently outdoors, mass is a better durability signal than the finish.
Check what powers it before taking it away. An electric grill drawing 2000W or more is well beyond what most portable power stations deliver continuously, so anyone planning to cook at a campsite should confirm the output of their portable power station against the element rating first. Gas and charcoal remain the practical choices away from mains power.
Budget for the things that are not in the box. Plates, covers, thermometers and gas bottles are routinely sold separately, and one unit in this guide ships with the grate but no plate at all. If the barbecue anchors summer entertaining, the surrounding kit adds up too, and one of the ice maker machines does more for a long afternoon outdoors than another burner would.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a BBQ on an apartment balcony in Australia?
Usually only an electric one. Most strata by-laws and rental agreements prohibit LPG bottles and charcoal on balconies because of fire risk, and some ban open flame entirely. Check your by-laws before buying, because an electric grill is often the only compliant option.
How much cooking area do I need?
Allow roughly 250 square centimetres per person cooking at the same time. That puts a 900 square centimetre kettle at three or four people, a 1,700 square centimetre gas unit at six, and a 2,500 square centimetre barrel at around a dozen.
Is gas or charcoal better?
Gas lights in seconds, controls precisely and cleans up faster, which is why it suits weeknight cooking. Charcoal runs hotter, sears better and adds flavour gas cannot reproduce, but needs 20 to 30 minutes for the coals to settle and far more airflow management.
Do I need a hood on a barbecue?
Only if you want to do more than grill. A hood makes roasting, indirect cooking and smoking possible by trapping heat around the food. Without one the barbecue can only cook directly over the flame, which rules out anything thicker than a steak or a sausage.
How do I stop a BBQ rusting outdoors?
Clean the plates after every cook, empty ash promptly because it holds moisture against the steel, and keep a fitted cover on the unit between uses. Near the coast, stainless components last considerably longer than powder-coated steel, which rusts underneath once the coating chips.
What is a kamado and is it worth it?
A kamado is a ceramic-walled charcoal cooker that retains heat and moisture far better than sheet steel, holding a steady temperature for many hours on a single load. It suits low and slow cooking well, though cooking areas are typically small relative to the price and the units are very heavy.
Verdict
For a household that entertains, the Barrel Grill with Wheels and Shelves is the one to buy, because 2,556 square centimetres under a hinged hood feeds a dozen people and no other unit here comes close. Anyone cooking on a balcony where gas and charcoal are banned should take the Grillz Electric BBQ Grill Smoker, which reaches temperature in about three minutes and lifts off its stand for benchtop use. And for camping, the Grillz Portable Gas BBQ Grill 2 Burners folds flat at 8kg while still giving two independent burners to cook across.
