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Head-to-head · Best Portable Grills Under $200

Cuisinart CGG-180 Petit Gourmet vs Cuisinart CGG-306 Chef's Style

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Cuisinart CGG-306 Chef's Style comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.0 vs 4.3). The gap is mostly about Buyers who want backyard-grade two-burner cooking and the largest grate in the under-$200 class for camping, tailgating, or a small patio, and who don't need to carry the grill far. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Cuisinart CGG-180 Petit Gourmet
Ranked #5 in Best Portable Grills Under $200
Cuisinart CGG-180 Petit Gourmet
$149.99as of Jun 7

The Petit Gourmet is the ultralight solo-and-pair option, built for maximum portability over cooking capacity. At 17 pounds with integrated VersaStand legs that fold away, it is among the easiest grills to carry one-handed, and its single 5,500 BTU burner cooks evenly for two or three people at a tailgate or picnic. The plastic legs and finicky lid latch undercut its durability for daily use, and it does not grill very hot, but as a grab-and-go grill near $100 it nails its narrow job.

Strengths
  • — Extremely light at 17 lbs and easy to carry one-handed, among the most portable grills tested
  • — Integrated VersaStand legs fold and tuck away for compact transport
  • — Cooks evenly across its 145 sq in grate for two to three people
Watch-outs
  • — Lid latch is flimsy and becomes finicky, prone to unlatching while carrying
  • — Plastic legs lack stability on uneven terrain and raise durability concerns for daily use
  • — Only 5,500 BTU, so it does not grill especially hot
$149.99 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →
Cuisinart CGG-306 Chef's Style
Higher ratedRanked #2 in Best Portable Grills Under $200
Cuisinart CGG-306 Chef's Style
$224.99as of Jun 7

The CGG-306 is the most grill you can buy near $200. Two independent 10,000 BTU stainless burners feed a 275-square-inch grate with a built-in thermometer, giving real two-zone control and enough room to cook for a small group. OutdoorGearLab named it a Best Buy for cooking performance, noting the stainless construction tricked testers into thinking it cost far more. The legs feel cheap and the footprint is awkward to carry far, but for backyard-quality cooking from a tabletop grill, it punches well above its price.

Strengths
  • — Two independent 10,000 BTU burners create genuine two-zone heat for searing and finishing
  • — Large 275 sq in stainless grate cooks for a small group, the biggest cooking area in this lineup
  • — Built-in lid thermometer enables precise temperature monitoring most portables omit
Watch-outs
  • — Folding legs feel flimsy and reviewers questioned their long-term durability
  • — At 22 lbs with a wide footprint, it is awkward to carry any real distance
  • — List price hovers near or just above $200 depending on retailer and promotion
$224.99 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →

How they stack up

Cuisinart CGG-180 Petit Gourmet

The smallest and lightest gas grill here, with far less power and grate area than the two-burner Cuisinart CGG-306 or Coleman RoadTrip 225. It cannot sear like the Char-Broil Grill2Go X200 and offers less cooking room than the charcoal Weber Go-Anywhere, but it is the easiest of the group to carry by hand.

Cuisinart CGG-306 Chef's Style

Offers more than double the cooking area of the Char-Broil Grill2Go X200 and far better low-end control, but it cannot match the X200's infrared searing or one-hand portability. It is a tabletop unit unlike the freestanding Coleman RoadTrip 225, and it dwarfs the tiny single-burner Cuisinart CGG-180 Petit Gourmet in both power and grate size.

Specs side-by-side

SpecCuisinart CGG-180 Petit GourmetCuisinart CGG-306 Chef's Style
FuelPropane (1 lb canister)Propane (1 lb or 20 lb with adapter)
BTU Output5,500 BTU20,000 BTU (two 10,000 BTU burners)
Cooking Area145 sq in275 sq in
Burners12 independent
Weight17 lbs22 lbs
LegsIntegrated folding VersaStand—
Grate MaterialPorcelain-enameled cast ironStainless steel
IgnitionTwist-start electronicTwist-start electronic
Dimensions—21 x 18 x 14.75 in
Thermometer—Built-in lid gauge
← See the full ranking of best portable grills under $200