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Grill temperature converter — °F to °C and grill level
Enter a grill temperature and the converter gives you the other unit, the grill level it falls in, and the hand test for that level. The default is 350°F — right in the middle of Medium.
★ FOOD · COOKING · REFERENCE
Grill Temperature Chart: Gas, Charcoal & Oven Temps
Medium on a grill is 301–375°F (149–191°C) — the level where burgers and chicken pieces cook through without burning. This chart maps five grill levels from Low (200–250°F) to High (451–550°F), with gas knob settings, charcoal setups, and the hand test for each. Use the live converter below, or look a level up in the table.
Not a doneness chart: this page grades the heat of the grill, not the temperature inside the food. Safe internal meat temperatures are a different set of numbers entirely — a steak grilled over high heat is done when its centre hits the temperature you want, not when the grill reads 500°F. And gas knob labels vary by grill: “medium” on one grill is not the same heat as “medium” on another, so trust the thermometer, not the dial.
How grill temperatures work
A grill does not have one temperature: it has a band of heat, and recipes name the band, not the degree. “Medium” is not a single number — it is the 301–375°F range where food cooks through before the outside burns. The five levels on this page are the ones recipes actually use, and each one is a contiguous band: Low 200–250°F, Medium-low 251–300°F, Medium 301–375°F, Medium-high 376–450°F, High 451–550°F. The bands touch without gaps, so every temperature from 200°F to 550°F has exactly one level. Celsius is the same bands converted: °C = (°F − 32) × 5/9, rounded to the nearest whole degree.
The grill temperature chart
| Level | °F range | °C range | Gas knob setting | Charcoal setup | Hand test | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | 200–250°F | 93–121°C | Lowest setting | Single layer, coals spread thin | 6–7 s | Slow smoking, roasting a whole chicken, keeping food warm without cooking it further. |
| Medium-low | 251–300°F | 122–149°C | Low | Single layer | 5–6 s | Fish fillets, vegetables, and delicate foods that dry out over stronger heat. |
| Medium | 301–375°F | 149–191°C | Medium | Double layer | 4–5 s | Burgers, sausages, and chicken pieces — the everyday grilling level. |
| Medium-high | 376–450°F | 191–232°C | Medium-high | Double layer | 3–4 s | Steaks, pork chops, and chicken breasts that need a browned outside and a cooked inside. |
| High | 451–550°F | 233–288°C | High | Heaped | 2–3 s | Searing steaks, flatbreads, and thin-cut meat that cooks in minutes. |
The worked example, line by line
Setup: temperature 350°F.
Line 1 — convert to Celsius. (350 − 32) × 5/9 = 318 × 5/9 = 176.67, which rounds to 177°C.
Line 2 — find the level. 350°F falls in the 301–375°F band, so the level is Medium.
Line 3 — the hand test. At Medium, a hand held 6 inches above the grate lasts 4–5 seconds before the heat forces it away.
Line 4 — the gas knob. On a gas grill, Medium is the medium knob setting — but knob labels vary by grill, so check the thermometer.
Line 5 — the charcoal setup. On a charcoal grill, Medium is a double layer of coals.
Line 6 — what to cook. Medium is the level for burgers, sausages, and chicken pieces.
Every branch, checked
500°F → 260°C, High. (500 − 32) × 5/9 = 260 exactly. 500°F is in the 451–550°F band, so it is High: the hand test is 2–3 seconds, the gas knob is on high, and the coals are heaped. This is searing heat.
250°F → 121°C, Low. (250 − 32) × 5/9 = 121.11, which rounds to 121°C. 250°F is the top of the Low band: the hand test is 6–7 seconds, and the coals are a single layer spread thin. This is smoking and slow-roasting heat.
425°F → 218°C, Medium-high. (425 − 32) × 5/9 = 218.33, which rounds to 218°C. 425°F is in the 376–450°F band, so it is Medium-high: the hand test is 3–4 seconds, and the level suits steaks, pork chops, and chicken breasts.
300°F → 149°C, Medium-low. (300 − 32) × 5/9 = 148.89, which rounds to 149°C. 300°F is the top of the Medium-low band: the hand test is 5–6 seconds, and the level suits fish fillets and vegetables.
Reverse — 200°C → 392°F, Medium-high. 200 × 9/5 + 32 = 392°F exactly, and 392°F is in the 376–450°F band, so it is Medium-high. A recipe written in Celsius at 200°C wants a hot grill, not a medium one.
What the defaults assume
The chart grades the grill, not the food: a grill at 500°F does not mean the steak is 500°F inside, and a steak is done when its centre reaches the temperature you want, which is a different chart entirely. The hand test is the classic cook’s estimate — hold your hand 6 inches above the grate and count how long you can keep it there — and it is approximate: wind, grate height, and how close your hand really is all move it by a second either way, so use a thermometer when it matters. Gas knob labels vary by grill: one maker’s “medium” is another’s “medium-high”, and the same knob gives different heat on a windy day than on a still one. On charcoal, the setup matters as much as the count: a single layer spread thin is Low, a double layer is Medium to Medium-high, and heaped coals are High. The °C figures are rounded to the nearest whole degree from exact conversion, and the bands are contiguous: every temperature from 200°F to 550°F has exactly one level.
Output · formula · meaning
| Output | Formula | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature in °C | (°F − 32) × 5/9 | 177°C for 350°F. |
| Temperature in °F | °C × 9/5 + 32 | 350°F — the temperature entered. |
| Grill level | band the °F value falls in | Medium (301–375°F). |
| Hand test | seconds at 6 in above the grate | 4–5 s at Medium. |
| 500°F | (500 − 32) × 5/9 | 260°C, High. |
| 250°F | (250 − 32) × 5/9 | 121°C, Low. |
| 425°F | (425 − 32) × 5/9 | 218°C, Medium-high. |
| 300°F | (300 − 32) × 5/9 | 149°C, Medium-low. |
| Reverse: 200°C | 200 × 9/5 + 32 | 392°F, Medium-high. |
Who uses this
- The weekend griller with a Celsius recipe: the recipe says 200°C and the grill thermometer reads Fahrenheit — they learn it is 392°F, Medium-high, and set the grill there instead of guessing.
- The new charcoal owner: has no thermometer and learns the hand test — at Medium a hand lasts 4–5 seconds six inches above the grate — so they can judge the heat without buying anything.
- The steak cook chasing a sear: wants High heat and learns it is 451–550°F (233–288°C) with the coals heaped — so they pile the coals up instead of spreading them thin.
- The fish cook who keeps drying fillets out: learns fish wants Medium-low, 251–300°F, with a single layer of coals — so they turn the grill down and the fillets stay moist.
Accuracy & limitations
The conversions are exact arithmetic: °C = (°F − 32) × 5/9, rounded to the nearest whole degree, and the bands are contiguous with no gaps, so every temperature has exactly one level. What the chart cannot do is measure your grill: the hand test is an estimate that moves by a second either way with wind and grate height, gas knob labels vary by grill and by weather, and charcoal heat depends on how the coals are arranged as much as on how many there are. The chart also says nothing about the food itself: it grades the grill, not the meat, so use a meat thermometer for doneness and never judge a steak by the grill temperature alone. For meat temperatures, see a food doneness reference; for the same conversion logic in the kitchen, see the cooking measurement chart and the air fryer cooking time chart.
Cite this calculatorBright Side Kit. “Grill Temperature Chart: Gas, Charcoal & Oven Temps.” brightoolbox.com, 2026. Method: °C = (°F − 32) × 5/9, rounded to the nearest whole degree; °F = °C × 9/5 + 32; levels are contiguous bands: Low 200–250°F (93–121°C), Medium-low 251–300°F (122–149°C), Medium 301–375°F (149–191°C), Medium-high 376–450°F (191–232°C), High 451–550°F (233–288°C); hand test at 6 in above the grate: Low 6–7 s, Medium-low 5–6 s, Medium 4–5 s, Medium-high 3–4 s, High 2–3 s. Defaults: 350°F → 177°C, Medium; 500°F → 260°C, High; 250°F → 121°C, Low; 425°F → 218°C, Medium-high; 300°F → 149°C, Medium-low; 200°C → 392°F, Medium-high.
Bright Side Kit. "Grill Temperature Chart: Gas, Charcoal & Oven Temps." https://brightoolbox.com/grill-temperature-chart/ Accessed October 24, 2026.Frequently asked questions
What temperature is medium on a grill?
301–375°F (149–191°C). Medium is the everyday grilling level: burgers, sausages, and chicken pieces. The hand test is 4–5 seconds with your hand 6 inches above the grate, the gas knob sits on medium, and a charcoal grill wants a double layer of coals.
How do I test grill temperature with my hand?
Hold your hand 6 inches above the grate and count the seconds until the heat forces it away. Low is 6–7 seconds, Medium-low 5–6, Medium 4–5, Medium-high 3–4, and High 2–3. It is an estimate — wind and grate height move it by a second — so use a thermometer when it matters.
What is the difference between gas and charcoal grill temperatures?
The levels are the same; the controls are different. A gas grill sets the level with a knob — lowest for Low, high for High — while a charcoal grill sets it with the coals: a single layer spread thin is Low, a double layer is Medium to Medium-high, and heaped coals are High. The temperature bands in the chart apply to both.
Is this a meat doneness chart?
No. This chart grades the heat of the grill, not the temperature inside the food. A steak grilled over a 500°F grill is done when its centre reaches the temperature you want — which is a different set of numbers entirely. Never judge doneness by the grill temperature alone; use a meat thermometer.
Why do gas grill knob labels vary?
Because makers calibrate the knobs differently, and weather changes the heat. One grill’s “medium” can be another’s “medium-high”, and the same knob gives less heat on a windy day. Trust the thermometer or the hand test, not the dial — the knob is a rough guide, not a measurement.
What temperature should I grill steaks at?
Medium-high to High: 376–550°F (191–288°C). A hot grill sears the outside fast while the inside stays juicy. For a thick steak, sear over High heat, then move it to Medium to finish without burning the outside.
What temperature should I grill chicken at?
Medium to Medium-high: 301–450°F (149–232°C). Chicken pieces cook through at Medium without the skin burning; chicken breasts do well at Medium-high. Chicken must reach a safe internal temperature — check it with a thermometer, not by the grill reading.
How hot is high on a grill?
451–550°F (233–288°C). High is searing heat: the hand test is 2–3 seconds, the gas knob is on high, and charcoal is heaped. It is for thin-cut meat and flatbreads that cook in minutes, not for anything thick that needs time.