How much grill space do I need per person?

A common rule is about 465 square centimetres (72 square inches) of cooking area per person for a standard cookout, rising to around 600 square centimetres for big eaters or a party where everything goes on at once.

What size barbecue suits 10 people?

At 465 square centimetres each, 10 guests need about 4,650 square centimetres (721 square inches) of cooking area, which is a large barbecue that can sear roughly 40 burgers at a time.

Does the total grill size equal the cooking area?

No. Makers often quote the whole hood or lid size. The cooking area is the usable grill surface, which is smaller, so check the stated cooking area rather than the overall dimensions.

BBQ Grill Size Calculator

This BBQ grill size calculator works out how much cooking area a barbecue needs to feed your guests comfortably, so you can pick the right size without buying more grill than you will ever use. Enter how many people you are cooking for and choose an appetite level, from light snacking through a standard cookout to hearty eaters at a party where everything hits the grill at once, and the calculator multiplies the guests by a per-person cooking area to give the total you should look for. It reports that area in both square centimetres and square inches, since barbecues are advertised either way, and it estimates how many burger patties you could sear at the same time so the number means something you can picture. A common rule of thumb allows around 465 square centimetres, about 72 square inches, of grilling space per person for a normal get-together, and more when the crowd is hungry or you want everything cooked in one go rather than in batches. Remember that makers often quote the whole hood or lid footprint, so always check the stated cooking area rather than the overall size. Use this as a buying guide, then round up to the nearest grill that fits your budget and your deck.

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Number of guests

people

Appetite

4,650 cm²

recommended cooking area

In square inches721 sq in

Burgers at once40

Grill size classLarge

For 10 guests at 465 cm² each you need about 4,650 cm² (721 sq in) of cooking area, a Large-class barbecue that sears roughly 40 burgers at once.

Guide only, based on cooking area per person. Makers often quote the whole hood size, so compare the stated cooking area. Round up to the nearest grill that suits you.

How it works

The recommended cooking area is simply the number of guests multiplied by an area allowance per person: about 370 square centimetres for light snacking, 465 for a standard cookout and 600 for hearty eaters or a party where nothing waits. That area is shown in square inches too, dividing by 6.4516 square centimetres per square inch. The burger estimate divides the area by about 116 square centimetres per patty, allowing a little spacing so they sear rather than steam. The size class labels the total: Small under 2,000 cm², Medium to 3,500, Large to 5,500 and Extra large beyond that.

Worked example

You are cooking for 10 guests at a standard cookout, 465 square centimetres each. The recommended cooking area is 10 times 465, which is 4,650 square centimetres. Dividing by 6.4516 gives about 721 square inches. At roughly 116 square centimetres per patty that is about 40 burgers on the grill at once, and 4,650 square centimetres falls in the Large class. Switch the crowd to hearty eaters at 600 square centimetres each and you would want about 6,000 square centimetres, an Extra large barbecue.

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Wedding Catering Per Head Calculator: food cost per guest.
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Wedding Guest Cost Calculator: cost per extra guest.

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