The question of what the best time is to buy a grill, BBQ or smoker has come up several times in the years that I am writing here on Better Grills.

So, it was time to look around and dig in my memory when I had seen most grills being on sale or with other incentives to persuade us to buy one.

It is hard to give an exact period of the year that is best for investing our hard-earned money on that fancy grill you reviewed and had our eyes on for a while.

It also depends on where you live, when temperatures are dropping and how popular using an outdoor grill is in your neck of the woods.

Before getting in more detail on this subject I can give you my opinion on what the best time of the year is to buy a new grill.

The best time to buy a grill starts the day after the Fourth of July and is till after Black Friday.

I know that this is about 5 months and a large part of the year. You might even say that you could have figured that out already.

Here is my reasoning for that statement and some more detailed tips on dates to find a good deal on buying a grill!.

After Memorial day

Memorial Day is traditionally the start of the summer season. This last Monday in May make many people start thinking about cooking outdoors and grill companies know that.

Many times people have a look at the BBQ they stored last fall days a few days or weeks before this holiday and realize they need either a new grill or some new parts or accessories.

Tip: Don’t forget to check the gas lines on your gas grill and make sure you have enough propane.

Don’t expect the lowest price yet, but you can find some nice deals when stores put older models on sale.

This time of the year you will see more grills outside stores like Lowes and Home Depot with lower prices.

After the 4th of July

The fourth of July is one of the biggest BBQ and outdoor cooking days in America.

Before this date, it will be hard to find grills on-sale. However, after the 4th store owners know that grill season will only last a few more months and they start slowly getting rid of their inventory by offering lower prices.

The Summer Months

Now it is time to keep your eyes open if the grill you are looking for might be on sale.

Stores realize that buying a grill sometimes is an impulse buy and there are even things like “Christmas in July sales” you can profit from.

After Labor Day

Now we are really getting in the best times to look for the grill you always wanted. For many people, this is also the end of the grill season.

Labor day is on the first Monday of September and in the more northern state’s temperatures can get pretty low already.

In the more southern states, you might have to wait a little longer.

Stores are trying to lower their inventory and make room in their warehouse for winter products.

Black Friday

Black Friday is a day you cannot miss if you want your grill at the lowest price. I have seen some ridiculously low prices at this so-called shopping day of the year.

I just have notices one catch.

Most sales for grills, smokers, and accessories on Black Friday are online.

The reason is that stores are filled with Christmas presents and most people do not associate a grill with Christmas.

Winter season

Winter season might be not the best time to go to a store to by a grill. You can, however, look online and find some awesome deals.

If it is too cold in your neck of the woods to cook outside you can always have a look at my indoor grill reviews here.

Stores like Lowes, Home Depot and other big-box stores still have part or all of their grill on display and there might be a change on a nice deal there.

If you like me and grill and cook outdoors all year there are always deals to find on accessories for the next year at lower prices in this season.

Prices might be a little lower, in general, this time of the year, but most of the time there are no big sales going on.

If you ask for the store manager you might be lucky that he has got some models in the warehouse that he likes to get rid of.

More tips on where to find a cheap grill

Facebook and online market places

For Facebook users, I have one more great tip. My wife always looks at a thing called market place on her Facebook and she has found some great deals there.

All types of market place websites are a great place to find people advertising their items on sale and I have seen many grills on there for ridiculously low prices.

Yard, garage and moving sales.

Have a look at moving sales, garage sales, and yard sale signs. I found some nice deals for older and newer grills that I used for parts or that we’re still in a good shape.

Used grills are a great way to find a great deal on a grill. At the end of the summer and sometimes when people are moving they get rid of their grill.

Summary

Although it is almost impossible to tell you exactly what the best time of the year is to buy a grill. After digging in my memory and some logical thinking I think this list is a good starting point.

There is maybe a difference in the northern and more southern states where temperatures are milder and more people grill all year because of this reason.

Before buying a grill it might be a good idea to read my BBQ buying guide that will help you decide what you really need and not to fall for the shiny object syndrome.

Let me know if you found my tips on the best time to buy a BBQ helpful and feel free to add your experience in the comment section.

Eddie