Where to Find the Cheapest Propane Refills for Your Barbecue Grill This Summer (2024)

Our best advice? Skip tank exchanges and look for refill stations to get the best deal on gas for your grill. Learn what we found out about propane pricing at big-box stores, supermarkets, and local gas stations.

Where to Find the Cheapest Propane Refills for Your Barbecue Grill This Summer (2)

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If you’re like me, your gas grill is running almost daily through the warmer months of the year. That means you’ll be going through more than a few propane gas tanks from Memorial Day to Labor Day. With inflation impacting pretty much every consumer product on the market, I recently began wondering just how much more I would be paying to keep my gas grill going all summer long. Thus, I began a quest to find the best deal for propane. I found that while gas stations and grocery stores offer the most convenient option for purchasing propane, there are much better deals out there if you’re willing to look for them.

Prices May Vary

As with any other fuel, the price for propane can vary significantly in different parts of the country. My gas grill and I happen to reside in North Carolina where propane prices are currently holding steady. Propane prices will certainly vary for those who live in other parts of the country.

RELATED: Why Your Backyard Barbecue Will Cost More This Summer

Where to Find the Cheapest Propane Refills for Your Barbecue Grill This Summer (3)

Gas Stations and Supermarkets

I began my search by heading to the most convenient places to get propane: gas stations and supermarkets. I surveyed prices at Harris Teeter (a local grocery store), Food Lion, Walmart, and two local BP gas stations, all of which do propane tank exchanges only. Prices for all four of the locations I surveyed were within a dollar or so. Prices at Food Lion and Harris Teeter were identical at $19.99 each, while Walmart came in a buck lower at $19. The two BP locations I surveyed were nearly the same as Walmart at $18.95.

Home-Improvement Stores Holding Steady

The Home Depot and Lowe’s, like supermarkets and gas stations, also offer propane tank exchanges. Given that the cost of building materials inside these stores have been skyrocketing, I was surprised to find that prices were holding steady for propane at these locations. As with the gas stations and supermarkets I surveyed, the prices at both were consistently around the $20 mark. The Home Depot was charging $19.98 to refill a 20-pound tank, while Lowe’s was virtually the same at $20.

U-Haul Does Refills

U-Haul, the largest moving truck rental company in the nation, offers propane refills at its truck rental locations. What sets it apart from other suppliers is that it publishes the cost of its propane refill by the gallon right on the website of each individual location. If you have six U-Haul locations in your area, you can quickly go online and check to see which one has the best price. Prices at each location can vary significantly; per-gallon rates for U-Haul propane refills at locations in my area ranged from as little as $3.50 per gallon ($15.75 for a tank) up to $4.50 per gallon ($20.25 for a tank).

Local Suppliers Offer Good Prices

Not satisfied with the prices from the larger chains, I hunted around for local suppliers. I found a local company that sells and rents party supplies and landscaping equipment that also offers propane tank refills (as opposed to tank exchanges) for just $16.95, which is about $2 to $3 cheaper than they are at local gas stations and supermarkets. A local farm supply company that also offers propane refills was a bit higher at $18.50.

Where to Find the Cheapest Propane Refills for Your Barbecue Grill This Summer (4)

Costco Is Propane King

Warehouse clubs offer the best prices when it comes to gasoline, so it makes sense that their propane prices are also better. I just didn’t expect them to be nearly as low as what I found. While my local Sam’s Club doesn’t do propane refills, BJ’s and Costco do, and their prices for propane were by far the best. Filling up a 20-pound propane tank at BJ’s costs just $14.49, while Costco blew away the competition with a per-gallon rate of just $2.82, which translates to just $12.69 to fill an entire tank. Of course, you’ll need to be a club member to take advantage of these fantastic rates.

Choose Refills Over Exchanges

As I quickly found when researching propane rates, if you want to get the best deal, find a place that does refills. It’s much cheaper for a propane gas distributor to refill your 20-pound tank from a large on-site tank than it is to stock individual 20-pound tanks for exchanges. How much can you save? On average, you can expect to spend 33 percent more for a tank exchange versus a refill.

Beware of Short Filling

Finding a place that does tank refills versus exchanges can be a challenge in some locations. If your only option is a tank exchange, choose a gas station, big-box store, or supermarket you trust to make sure you get a full tank. Short-filling, which is the process of selling propane tanks that aren’t filled to capacity, is a problem in the propane industry.

What Rising Prices?

As I began my survey of local propane gas tank prices around me, I was surprised to find that prices hadn’t changed significantly in the past year. Either propane prices in my neck of the woods are holding steady in the face of inflation, or it’s the calm before the propane gas-rate- hike storm. At any rate, regardless of what the economy is doing, it’s clear that hitting up a refill station for your propane needs is far more economical than doing a tank exchange.

Shop for Propane Tanks and Accessories at Lowe’s

Shop for Propane Tanks and Accessories at Ace Hardware

Shop for Propane Tanks at The Home Depot

Shop for Propane Tanks and Accessories at Walmart

Prices are accurate as of publication on June 29, 2022.

Where to Find the Cheapest Propane Refills for Your Barbecue Grill This Summer (2024)

FAQs

Where to Find the Cheapest Propane Refills for Your Barbecue Grill This Summer? ›

Advantages of Owning

This means you can shop around for the best propane price available whenever you need a refill. In addition, you can consume as little (or as much) propane as you need – with no minimum consumption rates. You may also save money over the long run by eliminating rental payments each month.

Is it worth buying your own propane tank? ›

Advantages of Owning

This means you can shop around for the best propane price available whenever you need a refill. In addition, you can consume as little (or as much) propane as you need – with no minimum consumption rates. You may also save money over the long run by eliminating rental payments each month.

How much propane is in a 20 lb tank? ›

20 lb Propane Tank

Uses: Commonly used for resale and with propane grills, generators, patio heaters, and other outdoor equipment. 20 pound propane tanks are often referred to as grill cylinders and hold 4.6 gallons of propane when full.

What is the cheapest time of year to buy propane? ›

Usually, mid-to-late late summer is when prices are lowest across the market, but that can change in the face of natural disasters or geopolitical crises affecting the economy.

How many times can you grill with a 20 lb propane tank? ›

A 20-pound tank of propane lasts between 18 and 20 hours on a medium grill. A large grill will burn through the same amount of fuel in closer to 10 hours. Generally, a medium grill can handle eight to 10 full-meal cooking sessions (at high heat) per tank.

Why is propane getting so expensive? ›

Wholesale propane prices have increased because of high international demand and low global propane supply. The U.S. propane market has tightened because of the increase in exports, and wholesale U.S. propane prices have risen in line with wholesale propane prices in overseas markets.

Is propane really cheaper than electric? ›

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, heating a home with propane has cost far less than heating with electricity. Over time, propane water heaters can cost one-third less to operate and recover water twice as quickly as electric water heaters – saving you money!

How much propane is in a blue Rhino 20 lb tank? ›

Yes they fill to 75% of 20 pounds which is 15 lbs of propane.

How many lbs of propane are in a grill tank? ›

Most grilling tanks weigh about 17 pounds when empty and hold about 20 pounds of gas. To measure how many pounds of propane are left in your tank, simply weigh it on a scale and subtract the TW number.

What month has the lowest propane prices? ›

Early fall is a “shoulder” season between these periods of peak demand – meaning it's often the best time to save money on your propane tank refills. Weather is more stable – Sudden cold snaps are common during late autumn and early winter, but they happen less often in the early fall.

How can I lower my propane bill? ›

How Can I Cut My Propane Gas Bill?
  1. Seal air leaks. ...
  2. Inspect and maintain your heating system regularly. ...
  3. Change your furnace filter monthly. ...
  4. Invest in a programmable thermostat. ...
  5. Make sensible equipment upgrades. ...
  6. Lower your hot water thermostat. ...
  7. Drain sediments from your water heater tank.
Aug 19, 2019

Is propane good after a year? ›

Does propane expire? Another way you get peace of mind with propane delivery from Bottini Fuel is that propane doesn't have a shelf life or an expiration date. That's because propane doesn't go bad! Other fuel sources can degrade over time, like kerosene, diesel, heating oil and gasoline.

Does it matter what propane tank you use? ›

If you purchase a tank that can't keep up with your heating needs, you'll have to refill the tank more frequently – leading to higher costs. A 500-gallon tank is usually the best option for homes using propane for heat and powering appliances.

Can I put a 100lb propane tank next to my house? ›

To be safe, install all your tanks at least 10 feet from your home. However, if you have a larger above-ground tank, such as one that can hold between 1,000 to 2,000 gallons, it must be at least 25 feet from your home.

Should I get a 500 or 1000 gallon propane tank? ›

A 500-gallon tank is best for homes that are under 3,500 square feet and use several propane appliances like a hot-water heater, a stove, a dryer, and a refrigerator. If your home is larger than 3,500 square feet, you may want to upgrade to the 1,000-gallon tank.

What is the lifespan of a home propane tank? ›

How long should a propane tank last? Propane tanks are built for the long haul: on average, a high quality, properly maintained galvanized aboveground propane tank or propane cylinder should last 30 years or more, while some aluminum and composite cylinders can last even longer.

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