I don't make the rules. I just know them: The days leading up to Memorial Day are the best time to buy a grill (or a mattress, for that matter). That's when the big grill and griddle makers are eager to show off their new line. It's when they hope to lock you in for the whole grilling season—right before your big Memorial Day barbecue.
And so, the lead-up to Memorial Day is also when grill manufacturers offer some of their best grill deals of the year. Every appliance listed here has been tested by either me or one of my colleagues on the WIRED Reviews team—these are the ones we recommend, and often the ones we've been using and testing for years at a time. Which is to say: These are the best Memorial Day deals on the best grills, smokers, and griddles I know.
For more backyard action, check out WIRED's guide to the Best Grills and Smokers, Best Outdoor Griddles and Flat-Top Grills, Best Pizza Ovens, and Best Smokeless Fire Pits. Want to update the grill you already have for better temp control? Here's how to turn your dumb grill into a smart grill.
Up to $250 Off the Best Pellet Smokers
Photograph: Brad Bourque
Photograph: Brad Bourque
Photograph: Brad Bourque
Courtesy of Recteq
Recteq
Flagship 1600 Pellet Smoker and Grill
This behemoth from Georgia pellet grill up-and-comer Recteq is a beast. The Flagship 1600 pellet smoker and grill (8/10, WIRED Recommends) offers 1,600 square inches of cook space. Room in your hopper for 40 pounds of pellets. The design is smart, with surprisingly even heat across the cooker—a product of a centrally located fire pot with symmetrical heat spreader and drip catcher that tilts toward the trays on either end. The smart features are also smart: You can monitor and adjust temp from your phone, and see data on up to 30 days of cooks. The app has some glitches here and there, we'll grant.
But the beautiful execution on Recteq's cook was enough to tip the scales just barely over WIRED's previous top pellet pick, the Traeger Woodridge Pro (8/10, WIRED Recommends). That Woodline Pro is also on sale, at $150 off. Want a full luxury cooking station? The upgrade pick, Traeger Timberline, is yours for $200 off list.
Traeger
Woodridge Pro
Traeger
Timberline
$101 Off My Favorite Traeger Griddle
Traeger
Flatrock 33-inch 3-Zone Griddle
I am evolved enough to admit when I'm in love—and when this love has perhaps gotten out of hand. The outdoor cooker that has basically changed my life this past year is this three-zone, 33-inch backyard griddle from Traeger, which offers the most even and reliable heat of any griddle I've tested. I might use a classic grill or smoker to get the best-tasting meat. But I use griddles for pretty much everything, especially tacos and pancakes and bacon that doesn't stink up the house. The key to the preternatural evenness on this Traeger is its distinctive U-shaped burners under a conductive carbon steel grill plate. Even heat helps not just with cooking, but with getting an even layer of seasoning. Which helps with cooking. It's a virtuous cycle. Anyway, the only big downside of this thing is its price. And this weekend it's $100 off. I haven't tested it, but a more affordable Traeger 2 Zone Flatrock Griddle is on sale for $700, also $100 off list price.
$50 Off Weber Slate Griddles
Weber
Slate Rust-Resistant Griddle
The Traeger wins on evenness of cooking. But the best feature set and the best work station—and in some ways one of the best overall cooking experiences—comes with the new line of rust-resistant Slate griddles from Weber, which has the bonus of coming preseasoned. Note you’ll still have to season and reseason your griddle to keep the protection up. But that initial top coat of seasoning will save you an hour when setting this up. The 36-inch three-burner ($1,000) is the flagship. But a 28-inch two-burner is maybe the best deal on this list. It already starts at an affordable $600. But it's a mere $550 for Memorial Day Weekend.
$150 Off the Best Smart Charcoal Grill
Masterbuilt
Gravity Series 1150 Digital Charcoal Grill
The Masterbuilt 1150 is a big grill with a large capacity for meat and charcoal both—with more than 1,000 square inches of grill space and room for a whole brisket and a few racks or ribs, with a temp range from low-and-slow 225 degrees Fahrenheit up to a searing 700 degrees. Temp is controlled via an electric fan. The app's a bit tetchy, but once you get it set up, it's a beautiful privilege to get both the flavor of charcoal and the control of a smart grill. For now, it's $150 off.
$150 Off a Kamado Joe Classic Ceramic Cooker
Courtesy of Amazon
Classic Joe II Ceramic Grill
I hadn't used ceramic cookers much until this summer. And so I was utterly unprepared for how ridiculously well this Kamado Joe Classic Joe cooker could retain heat while using precious little fuel. Once you get this thing heated, it's got a radiation half-life that'll extend well beyond your barbecue. The heat retention took some getting used to, but once I had the hang of it, I mentally halved my lump charcoal budget. You'll want to invest in a good coal chimney to get the fire going, and to control temp there's a great smart grill hack. Pull out the built-in thermometer, replace it with a Chefstemp Protemp S1 digital controller ($85), and pair that with a ChefsTemp probe ($120) to offer app-supported monitoring of both meat and ambient temperatures. Here's a quick guide for upgrading Weber kettles and ceramic cookers to smart grills.
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