Memorial Day 2026 Grill and Griddle Deals: Weber, Traeger, Recteq

I don’t do it rules. I just know: The days leading up to Memorial Day are the best time to buy a grill (or a mattress, for that matter). This is where the biggest grill and griddle makers are eager to show off their new lineup. That’s where they hope to lock you in for the rest of the cooking season—just before your big Memorial Day roast.

So, the lead up to Memorial Day is also when grill manufacturers offer their best deals of the year. All of the devices listed here have been tested by myself or one of my colleagues on the WIRED Review team—these are the ones we recommend, and often the ones we’ve used and tested for years at a time. Which means: These are the best Memorial Day deals on grills, smokers, and griddles that I know of.

For more backyard action, check out WIRED’s guide to the Best Grill and Smokers, Best Outdoor Griddles and Flat-Top Grills, Best Pizza Ovens, and Best Smokeless Fire Pits. Do you want to update the grill you already have for better temperature control? Here’s how to turn your dumb grill into a smart grill.

Up to $250 for the best Pellet smokers

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 cooking space. Room in your hopper for 40 pounds of pellets. The design is clever, surprisingly and surprisingly hot on the stove—the product of a central fire pot with an even heat spreader and a drip tray that slopes down to the trays on either side. Smart features are also smart: You can monitor and adjust the temperature from your phone, and see data for up to 30 days of cooks. The app has bugs here and there, we’ll give it to you.

But the good performance in Recteq’s cooker is enough to tip the scale just slightly above WIRED’s top pellet pick, the Traeger Woodridge Pro (8/10, WIRED Recommends). That Woodline Pro is also on sale, for $150 off. Looking for a fully equipped cooking station? An upgrade option, the Traeger Timberline, is yours for $200 off list.

$101 Broke My Favorite Traeger Griddle

I have changed enough to admit when I am in love—and when this love has perhaps gotten out of hand. The outdoor stove that changed my life this past year is this 33-inch backyard griddle from Traeger, which provides the most consistent and reliable heat of any griddle I’ve tested. I might use an old fashioned grill or smoker for better tasting meat. But I use griddles for pretty much everything, especially tacos and pancakes and homemade bacon. The key to this Traeger’s pristine fit is its unique U-shaped burners under the carbon conductive steel grill plate. Even heat helps not only with cooking, but with getting an even layer of seasoning. Cooking aids. It’s a good cycle. However, the only major problem with this item is its price. And this weekend it’s $100 off. I haven’t tested it, but the more affordable Traeger 2 Zone Flatrock Griddle sells for $700, plus $100 off the list price.

$50 Break in Weber Slate Griddles

Traeger wins with balanced cooking. But the best feature set and the best work station—and by far one of the best cooking experiences—come with the new line of stainless Slate griddles from Weber, with the bonus of coming pre-prepared. Note that you still have to season and reset your grid to keep the security high. But that first top coat of seasoning will save you an hour setting this up. The 36-inch three-burner ($1,000) is the best. But the 28-inch two-burner is perhaps the best deal on this list. It already starts at an affordable $600. But it’s just $550 for Memorial Day weekend.

$150 Broke The Best Charcoal Grill

The Masterbuilt 1150 is a large capacity grill for both meat and charcoal—with over 1,000 square feet of grilling area and plenty of room for brisket and a few racks or ribs, with a temp range from a low and slow 225 degrees Fahrenheit to a hot 700 degrees. The temperature is controlled by an electric fan. The app is simple, but once you’ve set it up, it’s a great privilege to get both charcoal flavor and smart grill control. Currently, it’s $150 off.

$150 Break Up Kamado Joe Classic Ceramic Cooker

Classic Joe II Ceramic Grill

I hadn’t used ceramic cooktops much until this summer. So I was totally unprepared for how well this Kamado Joe Classic Joe cooker manages to maintain heat while using precious little fuel. Once you’ve burned this thing, it has a half-life of radiation that will extend beyond your barbecue. Keeping the heat on took some getting used to, but once I got it, I mentally reduced my coal budget. You’ll want to invest in a good charcoal chimney to keep the fire going, and to control the temperature there’s a smart grill hack. Ditch the built-in thermometer, replace it with a Chefstemp Protemp S1 digital controller ($85), and pair that with a ChefsTemp probe ($120) to provide app-supported monitoring of both meat and ambient temperature. Here’s a quick guide to upgrading Weber kettles and ceramic hobs to smart grills.