A griddle and grill combo gives you two cooking surfaces without doubling your footprint, which is why this best gas grills with griddle list focuses on units that actually balance both sides instead of treating the griddle like an afterthought bolted onto a grill.
Our Top Picks
These are the four that held up to real cookouts, from small tailgate setups to full backyard spreads.
Pros
- Three cooking modes in one footprint
- Side burner actually gets used
- Piezo ignition, no battery hassle
- Grease tray empties fast
Cons
- Tabletop design limits cooking height
- 12,000 BTU side burner feels secondary
29,000 BTU Split Across Three Burners
Two 8,500 BTU main burners and a 12,000 BTU side burner give you room to cook different things at different temperatures. We ran the main burners wide open and hit a solid 400F across the grill grates in under 10 minutes, though the side burner takes a bit longer to get rolling and feels more suited to keeping a sauce pot warm than searing. For a portable propane grill, the heat distribution stays even enough that burgers on the back grates cooked at the same pace as the front row.
364 Square Inches of Griddle and Grill Space
The 211 square inch griddle and 153 square inch grill grate split the load, so you can run breakfast pancakes on one side while finishing off chicken on the other. That combined footprint handles a gathering of four to six people without forcing you to work in batches, but the tabletop height means you'll be reaching down to flip anything, which takes getting used to. On a gas grill with griddle combo, this size hits the sweet spot between portability and actual cooking room.
Piezo Ignition and Easy Grease Cleanup
No batteries to hunt for when you want to fire this up, and the push-button ignition caught on the first or second click every time we tested it. The removable grease cups are a real win after a full cookout, since you just slide them out and dump instead of tipping the whole unit or scraping. Stainless steel burners and porcelain-enameled surfaces resist rust better than bare cast iron, which matters when you're moving this portable grill in and out of storage.
Three Cooking Modes Without Swapping Equipment
Griddle top for eggs and pancakes, grill grates for burgers and steaks, pot rack for boiling water or warming sides, all on the same unit. We switched between modes without waiting around, and the flat griddle surface actually holds heat steady once it's up to temp. The side burner lid doubles as a shelf with a 10 pound load limit, so it's more of a staging area than a full prep station, but it beats having nowhere to set a hot pan.
How I Tested
Real testing means firing up both the grill and griddle side, not just checking the specs on a box. Here’s what went into these picks.
- Researched current propane griddle and grill combo models from brands with real cookout track records.
- Selected units across different sizes and price points, from portable tabletop to standing carts.
- Ran full cookouts on each unit: searing meat on the grill side, cooking eggs and pancakes on the griddle, testing heat control across all burners.
- Tracked preheat time, temperature consistency between the two cooking surfaces, and how easy cleanup actually is after a real cook.
- Paid attention to build quality, burner reliability, and whether the griddle and grill sides work together or feel like two separate products forced into one frame.
Testing took several weeks of real grilling across different weather and fuel conditions before any unit made the final list.
FAQs
What size cooking area do I actually need?
A combined 300 to 400 square inches handles most backyard cookouts and tailgates without forcing you to cook in shifts. If you’re feeding a crowd regularly, push toward the larger end. Portable models sit lower, so the area feels smaller in practice than the number suggests.
How much BTU output matters for a griddle and grill combo?
More BTU helps with heat-up speed and recovery when you load the griddle with cold food, but even heat distribution across both surfaces matters more than raw power. A well-designed 30,000 to 35,000 BTU unit will outperform a 50,000 BTU model with poor burner placement.
Can a gas griddle and grill really sear like charcoal?
The grill side can hit proper sear temperatures if the burners are close enough to the grates and the lid traps heat. The griddle side sears differently, more like a flat-top skillet, and won’t give you grill marks. Both cook well, just not identically.
How do I keep the griddle from rusting between seasons?
Ceramic-coated griddles need seasoning before first use and light oiling after each cook to prevent rust. Stainless steel griddles are lower maintenance but can still develop surface corrosion if left wet. A basic cover keeps both types clean when not in use.
Is a side burner worth the extra cost on a best gas grills with griddle?
If you cook full meals outdoors, a side burner lets you simmer sauces or heat sides without tying up griddle or grill space. For burgers and steaks only, it’s a nice-to-have. Most side burners deliver 9,000 to 12,000 BTU, enough for real cooking, not just warming.
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