The best Argentine grills, honestly ranked.
Five grills for the buyer who wants to spend once and not regret it, plus the honest build-it-yourself alternative, from a $1,499 Amazon entry to the custom built-in. Ranked on material first, because rust is the regret on every forum.
The quick picks
Tagwood BBQ06SS
Full 304, sealed brasero, the most versatile premium parrilla on the US market.
Read the review Best valueSunterra
Adjustable grate, real brasero, US-made, for 30 to 50 percent less than the premium tier.
Read the review Best for outdoor kitchensGaucho Grills
Handcrafted in the USA, a built-in parrilla insert for a custom outdoor kitchen.
Read the reviewArgentine grills compared
Every pick at a glance, ranked best to last. Tap any name for the full review.
| # | Grill | Best for | Price | Material |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tagwood BBQ06SSBest overall | The do-everything buyer | $3,000–$8,000 | 304 stainless |
| 2 | Backyard DiscoveryBest for your first fire | Your first serious grill | $1,499 | 304 grate + brasero |
| 3 | Nuke DeltaMost authentically Argentine | Argentine pedigree + a lid | ~$1,690 | Painted steel + brick |
| 4 | SunterraBest value | Best value entry | $1,500–$3,000 | 430 / 304 upgrade |
| 5 | Gaucho GrillsBest for outdoor kitchens | Custom outdoor kitchens | $4,500–$8,000+ | 304 stainless |
| 6 | Custom welderThe honest alternative | Buyers with a fabricator | ~$800–$1,500 | Whatever you spec |
Prices are approximate and move often, confirm the current price on the retailer's page before you buy. We never let a commission change the ranking.
The best Argentine grills in 2026
Ranked on build and materials first, then heat control, then value. Read the full review on any pick before you buy.
The grill we point most premium buyers to. Full 304 stainless through the structure, a sealed brasero, and a crank-adjustable grate, the widest Argentine-specific lineup on the US market. One parrilla that does everything well.
- Full 304, survives salt air
- Sealed brasero for long asados
- $3,000+ to get in
- A real fire to learn
The smart-money entry. It puts 304 stainless on the grate frame and brasero, the parts that face the fire, adds a real side firebox and a 5-year warranty, and ships from Amazon at $1,499. Owners rate it 4.6 across 95 reviews. The accessible pick that does not cut the corner that matters.
- 304 where the fire is, plus a real brasero
- 5-year warranty, 4.6 from 95 owners
- Cabinet is powder-coated steel, not 304
- A production grill, not a hand-built heirloom
The real-deal pick. Hand-built in Argentina, it runs a proper firebox and adds a closing lid most parrillas skip, so one grill sears, roasts, and smokes. AmazingRibs gave it a Gold Medal and called it a Best Value at around $1,690, and it ships from Amazon loaded with a griddle, poker, and cover. The honest trade: medium-gauge painted steel, not stainless, so it asks for the care a real parrilla asks for.
- Made in Argentina, firebox plus a lid for oven and smoke
- Gold Medal value, arrives with griddle and cover
- Painted steel, not stainless: needs covering and care
- Flat grates mean flare-ups, plus a 45-minute preheat
What experienced enthusiasts buy after they have researched the whole market. It hits the specs that matter, adjustable grate, real brasero, US fabrication, at 30 to 50 percent below the premium tier. The smart first serious parrilla.
- Premium features, mid-tier price
- Real brasero, US-made
- Less refined fit and finish
- Get the 304 upgrade near the coast
The high-end status pick. Handcrafted in the US with a parrilla insert that drops into custom cabinetry, so the grill reads as built-in architecture. Worth it if you are spec'ing an outdoor kitchen and the budget is there.
- Handcrafted, built-in insert
- Status-tier craftsmanship
- Top-of-market pricing
- Thin owner reviews, lead times
Not a brand, a decision. A trusted local fabricator can build you a one-of-one parrilla for a fraction of the premium tier, if you have the welder and the patience. We lay out the real buy-vs-build math, including what the cheaper quote leaves off.
- A third of the cost
- One-of-one to your spec
- No warranty or support
- Only as good as your fabricator
Prices and specs above are approximate and change often, always confirm current details on the maker's or retailer's page before buying.
How to choose an Argentine grill
Five things decide whether you keep this parrilla for thirty years or replace it in five. In order of how much they matter.
Material, before anything else
Rust is the most common regret on every forum. Full 304 stainless (18% chromium, 8% nickel) shrugs off salt and humidity; 430 has no nickel and pits near the coast. If you can only afford 304 in one place, put it on the grate frame and brasero, the parts that face fire and moisture. A painted-steel parrilla can still be excellent, but know you are signing up to cover it and care for it.
A real brasero (side firebox)
The brasero is what makes a parrilla a parrilla. You burn wood down to embers in the side firebox, then rake fresh coals under the meat for hours without rebuilding the fire. For a long, multi-cut asado it is the difference between a cook that holds and one that dies at hour two.
Grate design and heat control
Argentine V-channel grates drain fat away from the fire to kill flare-ups, the trait that separates a parrilla from a flat barbecue grate. Pair that with a smooth crank or pulley and a wide height range, and you control heat by raising and lowering the grate instead of chasing the fire. Flat grates flare; a wobbly crank quietly limits how you cook.
Size and where it lives
Match the cooking surface to how you actually host, and decide freestanding versus built-in early, a built-in insert reads as architecture in an outdoor kitchen, while freestanding gives you mobility and prep space. An asado is a long, social cook, so most buyers want more grate than they first think.
Warranty, pedigree, and where it's made
Heirloom parrillas from US fabricators carry long or lifetime warranties; Amazon imports often give you one year. Argentina-made grills bring real pedigree and details like a closing lid, but check the steel and the support. Decide whether you're buying a thirty-year grill, an authentic starter, or a custom one-of-one, all are valid, but know which you're paying for.
How we ranked these
Material first, then heat control, then value for the cook you actually do. Affiliate commissions never move the order, the ranking is decided before money enters. New to parrillas? Start with the Argentine grills buying guide. Cross-shopping open-fire styles? See the best Santa Maria grills too.
Argentine grill FAQ
What is an Argentine grill?
An Argentine grill, or parrilla, is an open-fire grill built for cooking over wood coals. Most use a crank or pulley to raise and lower the grate, angled V-channel grates that drain fat away from the fire to limit flare-ups, and a side firebox, or brasero, where you burn wood down to embers and feed fresh coals under the meat. It is built for long, multi-cut asados rather than quick searing.
What is the best Argentine grill in 2026?
For most premium buyers the Tagwood BBQ06SS is the best overall: full 304 stainless, a sealed brasero, and a crank-adjustable grate, the most versatile Argentine-specific parrilla on the US market. For your first serious grill, the Backyard Discovery at $1,499 puts 304 stainless where the fire is and ships from Amazon with a 5-year warranty. For the most authentically Argentine build, the Argentina-made Nuke Delta adds a closing lid most parrillas skip, at around $1,690.
How much does an Argentine grill cost?
An Amazon-shipped parrilla with a real firebox starts around $1,500–$1,700. The mid tier of US-fabricated grills runs $1,500–$3,000, and premium or built-in parrillas from makers like Tagwood and Gaucho Grills run $3,000 to $8,000 and up. A custom local fabricator can build a one-of-one for roughly $800–$1,500 if you have the welder and the patience. The biggest price driver is how much full 304 stainless steel the grill uses versus cheaper 430 or painted steel.
What is the difference between an Argentine grill and a Santa Maria grill?
Both are crank-height, open-fire grills, and many grills do both. The Argentine parrilla usually uses angled V-channel grates that drain fat away from the fire to kill flare-ups, and a side brasero feeding fresh coals for long, slower asados. The Santa Maria style cooks hot and fast over a flat grate, traditionally over red oak coals, leaning on a front brasero. A full-304 grill with a sealed brasero and V-grates, like the Tagwood BBQ06SS, covers both styles on one frame. See our guide to the best Santa Maria grills if you cook hot and fast.
Does the stainless grade, 304 versus 430, actually matter?
Yes, and it is the number one regret on the forums. Type 304 stainless (18% chromium, 8% nickel) resists rust and salt corrosion far better than 430, which has no nickel. Near the coast or anywhere humid, 304 is worth paying for, especially on the grate frame and brasero, the parts that face the fire and the moisture. If a grill only quotes "stainless" without a grade, assume it is 430. Painted-steel parrillas like the Nuke Delta can be excellent, but they ask for covering and care that stainless does not.
Do you need a brasero on an Argentine grill?
For a long, multi-cut asado, yes. A brasero is a side firebox that burns wood down to coals so you can feed the fire for hours without rebuilding it, the difference between a four-hour cook that holds and one that dies at hour two. For a short cook over a single hot bed, you can skip it and build one fire. See our full explainer on what a brasero is and when it earns its keep.
Still deciding?
Read the full review on the pick that fits you, or start with the buying guide if you are new to the parrilla.