Compare BBQs in New Zealand at Canstar Blue. Weber, Masport, Jumbuck and Gasmate were compared on Overall Satisfaction, Cooking Performance, Design, Durability, Ease of Cleaning, Extra Features, Reliability and Value for Money.
See our Ratings Methodology.
For grill thrills, Kiwi BBQ Kings and Queens rate Weber No.1 for smokin’-hot customer satisfaction!
Our review compares BBQ brands on customer satisfaction, so you can discover what other Kiwis think about our compared BBQ brands before you make your next purchase. Think of it like asking hundreds of your closest friends and family members which BBQ brands deliver the best quality and value for money!
Canstar Blue surveyed 362 Kiwis who had had purchased a new BBQ in the past three years, and asked them for their feedback on their choice of BBQ.
Respondents rate their satisfaction with their BBQs from zero to ten, where zero is extremely dissatisfied and ten is extremely satisfied. Brand satisfaction was rated by respondents on the following criteria:
The winning BBQ is the one that receives the highest Overall Satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall Satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The BBQ brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.
Find more information on our Most Satisfied Customer methodology.
Coming out on top is Weber, the clear winner of Canstar Blue’s 2023 award for Most Satisfied Customers | BBQs.
The brand is the only BBQ in our survey to earn an overall 5-Star Satisfaction Rating from its customers. Across the board, Weber earns a tally of six 5-Star ratings, plus two great 4-Star ratings, for Value for Money and Extra Features.
Founded in Chicago in 1952, Weber has been delivering high-quality, innovative BBQs for over 70 years. The brand began with the invention of the kettle BBQ from a simple marine buoy.
Since then the brand has grown significantly, and now has offices in over 40 countries.
Weber offers BBQs for all needs, whether you’ve a family of six to feed, or just enjoy partaking in a casual summer BBQ every once in a while. Weber’s range of BBQs include:
Weber has a huge range of gas BBQs, ranging from a one-burner portable Baby Q model, all the way up to the massive, built-in Summit S-660.
If you’re looking for a mid-range gas BBQ, a good place to start is Weber’s Genesis E-460. This is a built-in BBQ, and features cooking options including: sear, roast, steam, stir-fry and bake. This BBQ includes four stainless steel burners and a total cooking area of 6413cm².
Charcoal BBQs are renowned for delivering a distinctly smokey taste to food. So if you prefer authentic BBQ flavours, then a charcoal BBQ might be up your alley.
Weber’s range of charcoal BBQs includes: portable BBQs, its kettle series, premium range and the Smokey Mountain series.
If you’re on a tight budget, or are an avid camper, a portable charcoal BBQ, like the Smokey Joe, is a great choice. Prices begin at $159 and can cater for two or three people.
The kettle series is Weber’s original design, which they have perfected over the years. While they’re slightly more expensive than Weber’s portable charcoal BBQs, they typically have larger cooking areas.
Weber’s premium range features higher quality (and more expensive) versions of the brand’s kettle BBQs.
The smokey mountain cooker series is exactly what it sounds like, a smokier version of Weber’s kettle BBQ. Models are available in three sizes to accommodate all cooking needs.
Smokefire cooking creates that authentic wood-fired flavour. Smoke, sear and everything inbetween with a 95-315°C temperature range. Two models are available.
Weber’s electric BBQs use cast iron cooking grates to achieve flavour and sear marks that you just can’t get in the kitchen. Powered by electricity, there’s no need to worry about any restrictions on using gas or charcoal.
Masport scores well across the board, earning six 4-Star ratings, including for Overall Satisfaction. In the remaining two categories, Masport scores respectable 3-Star ratings.
Whatever your grilling needs and budget, there’s a Masport BBQ model for your outside area. Masport’s model range includes small portable BBQs and standard family grills, as well as luxury outdoor kitchens and pizza ovens.
Durable enough to go to the beach or on the boat, Masport’s portable BBQs go wherever you want to take them, and will reward you with an impressive cooking performance.
Elevate your entertaining space by making the Masport In-built range the focal point of your BBQ set-up. Crafted from high-quality materials and equipped with the expected features of the Masport line, it ensures a premium grilling experience.
The Ambassador outdoor kitchen comes with a stylish stainless steel grill, large cooking surface, and plenty of storage. The set also includes matching stone-top twin fridge and sink modules.
Extend your cooking options with an efficient gas fired pizza and outdoor oven from Masport. Perfect for cooking pizzas, baking breads and roasting, all while delivering an authentic wood-fired flavour.
Placing third on our awards table, Jumbuck earns one 5-Star rating, for Value for Money, the only brand to do so. Jumbuck also scored highly across the board, earning four 4-Star ratings, plus three 3-Star ratings in the remaining categories.
Designed to cater for outdoor areas of all shapes and sizes, Jumbuck’s affordable range of BBQs feel right at home in backyards, on balconies or even at the beach.
Ideal for camping and small spaces, Jumbuck’s portable BBQs come in various sizes. Charcoal, gas and electric BBQs are on offer, plus mini spit-roasters.
Kettle BBQs
Ideal for small backyards or intimate gatherings, Jumbuck’s kettle BBQs are affordable but hearty, offering plenty of bang for your buck.
Smoker BBQs
Jumbuck currently has four smoker BBQs on offer at Bunnings. The Jumbuck BBQ Smoker with Offset Sidebox is the brand’s high-end smoker and features a durable powder-coated steel firebox and lid, cast iron grills and warming rack, steel front panel, chimney, two steel wheels for easy movement, heat resistant handles and temperature gauge.
Gas BBQs
Jumbuck offers gas burners of various sizes to meet the needs of every cook. Choose from an impressive range of one- to six-burner gas BBQs. Note that hooded and flat options are available.
Built-in BBQs
Jumbuck’s range of built-in BBQs includes the Matador 898mm 4-burner BBQ. The Matador includes the following features:
Pizza Ovens
Jumbuck has two pizza ovens available at Bunnings. Both are powered by gas, with a portable option available. Jumbuck also retails a Portable Pizza Box, which can convert most gas BBQs into a pizza oven.
Gasmate scores well for Value for Money, earning an impressive 4-Star rating. The brand’s 3-Star ratings across the remaining categories are an indication that customers are generally satisfied with the performance of Gasmate’s BBQs.
The Gasmate brand is distributed in New Zealand by Hamilton-based family firm Aber Living. The brand has over 35 years of experience distributing home and lifestyle products to Kiwis nationwide.
Gasmate’s extensive BBQ line-up includes portable BBQs, smokers, outdoor kitchens and pizza ovens.
Perfect for camping, Gasmate’s range of portable BBQs includes the Plancha 470 1 Burner, which includes the following features:
Made for cooking anything low and slow, Gasmate’s smoker BBQ range features the Gas Smoker with Window. This Gas Smoker has all the features of the traditional smoker and allows for better heat control. It allows you to select your preferred flavoured smoking chips and has a water bowl to add moisture during the cooking process.
The Gasmate outdoor kitchen range offers two contemporary and stylish models, available in Galaxy Black and Nova Graphite.
The Galaxy Black 6 Burner Barbecue and versatile Galaxy Black modules offer a fully customised experience. Arrange the modules in a way that enhances your outdoor space to create the perfect setup. The modules come fully assembled and are easy to install.
The Nova Graphite Modular Outdoor Kitchen features graphite stainless steel which, unlike other metals, resists smudges, fingerprints, streaks, and water spots.
Gasmate currently has three pizza ovens in its range, including the Portofino 16-inch (a 12-inch model is also available). The pizza oven features a ceramic cooking stone, which delivers a crispy crust every time. Its cast iron burner, and stainless steel interior ensures optimal heat retention.
BBQs lead much harder lives than pampered kitchen stoves. Typically, they live outside, and many are left coverless, subjected to the weather. They get moved around, covered in grease, scraped with sharp tools, and are often neglected. That’s why finding a durable BBQ is so important.
This is reflected in how the consumers in our award survey rate their chosen brands of BBQ. Nearly a third (29%) say that Durability is their No.1 consideration when rating their BBQ brand. This sits slightly ahead of Cooking Performance, which is the biggest concern for just 25% of respondents.
Further to this point, 16% of respondents emphasise how important Design and Value for Money are – both coming in as the primary concern for 16% of respondents.
Here’s how those in our survey rate their top concerns when assessing their choice of BBQs:
This report was written by Canstar Content Producer, Caitlin Bingham. Caitlin is an experienced writer whose passion for creativity led her to study communication and journalism. She began her career freelancing as a content writer, before joining the Canstar team.
Considers BBQs an essential home appliance: 57%
Prefers charcoal over gas: 24%
Uses public BBQs: 14%
Spends time preparing and marinating BBQ meats: 54%
Has their own specialty BBQ dishes/recipes: 33%
BBQ has unused features: 15%
Cooks more vegetarian food on BBQ than previously: 13%
Canstar Blue surveyed 2505 New Zealand consumers across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction, via ISO 26362 accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics. The outcomes reported are the results from respondents who had purchased a new BBQ in the last three years. In this case, 362 New Zealanders. Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The ratings table is first sorted by star ratings and then by mean overall satisfaction. A rated brand may receive a ‘N/A’ (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criterion.
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