If you look around most any suburban
area during summer afternoons, you will see little bits of smoke rising
from behind most houses from their grill. Imagine if you could find a
grill that not only fit your cooking style, tastes and space you had to
put it in, but also your budget. With so many different styles and
types of grills to choose from, going into the search can often be
overwhelming for many of us.
Types of Grillers
To
start with, you have to know what type of griller you are. Some people
run their grill like an outdoor kitchen – handling all of the
sides, entrees and snacks from one location. Others have a limited
space and use the grill as a place to prepare just the basics and leave
the rest of the meal to the kitchen. A few even use their grill as a
social outlet while tailgating at their hometown football game and need
something that can be on the go with them. However you use it, it is
one item that is hard to live without!
Types of Grills
There
are two main grill styles – Charcoal and Propane (or Gas).
Each type has its own pros and cons and true bar-b-que fanatics swear
by one or the other. The preference is as controversial as any
political debate. Other types of grills include electric grills and
grills that can be hooked up to your natural gas line.
In order to decide what type of grill you need, think about what type
of griller you are, what types of foods you grill, and how many people
you typically grill for in order to make the best decision for you.
Charcoal
Grills
 |
Charcoal
grills have long been the traditional grill of America and come in
sizes from tabletop to party size. These grills not only cook by the
flame, but also the heat captured inside. |
There
are three main types of charcoal grills – portable, kettle,
and drum. The portable charcoal grill ranges from a one time use
product to a grill that fits nicely on a tabletop for a few servings.
This is one of the most convenient options for someone who is
traveling, going for a picnic or to the beach, or someone in an
apartment with a small patio or balcony. A kettle grill is what most of
us tend to think of as a charcoal grill. With the lid on, it looks like
a circle or kettle. While these can range as small as a tabletop
variety, these are generally stand-alone solutions that still offer
quite a bit of flexibility for travel. The final option in this section
is the drum grill. These can have the more traditional rectangle look
and often can hold enough food to feed a small neighborhood. Favored by
most catering companies and outdoor eating hot spots, these have
options from a rising fire to an ash drop pit. More contemporary drum
grills have been created to replicate the look and feel of a gas grill,
while retaining the smell and taste of a charcoal.
The charcoal grill uses charcoal briquettes to slowly cook your food.
Convenient ways to achieve this, such as a bag full of briquettes that
you light, has made this method of grilling available to even the most
inept cooker.
For more flavor, companies also offer seasoned briquettes to give you a
more smoked or hickory flavor to your food. Some charcoal grills have
the added ability to “smoke” whatever it is you are
cooking or even use real wood to give your food that added flavor.
Cleanup on a charcoal grill can be a little messier than other grill
styles simply because you are using charcoal or real wood that
can’t be turned on and off. You also have to always think
ahead to have some charcoal on hand for the grill. In most cases, you
can simply let it burn away, dump the ashes and clean the grill with a
grill brush.
Gas
Grills
 |
Gas grills
are just that – grills that use some sort of gas to create
the flame that cooks your food. This once bitter rival of the charcoal
grill has now broken out as leader in convenience grilling. Gas grills
range from basic take along units to something that can be looked upon
as artwork to a serious griller. |
It
is hard to overlook some key features of a gas grill that charcoal
grills just don’t offer! The main one is convenience
– want to grill after a long day at work, flip a switch or
push a button and have flames instantly. Without the worries of
charcoal and temperature, this is one of the easiest solutions for
people that are fire challenged. Another feature on some gas grills
– now even on some in the lower end of the price range
– is side burners and the ability to create a full outdoor
kitchen.
The downside of the gas grill is that it doesn’t provide that
smoky taste a hardwood or charcoal grill will. Often, that flavor
doesn’t come through on burgers or hot dogs, but could make a
difference on steaks and chicken. You also run the risk of your propane
tank running out in the middle of a bar-b-que, leaving you running to
swap tanks in order to finish dinner.
Not all gas grills run on propane, many new models can be converted
over to natural gas. If you live in an area that uses natural gas for
cooking, you can have a line run directly to the back yard (or wherever
you grill) and never have to worry about running out of gas again.
Clean up on a gas grill is very simple, as there is often a drip pan
that needs to be cleaned out only a few times a year (depending on how
much you grill). And since there are no ashes, the rest cooks
itself away. Just make sure you have a good wire bar-b-que brush and
you are all set.
Grill
Options To Consider
Side
Burners
Mostly found in gas grill tops, side burners are a feature that people
either love or forget they have. Think about how much you will actually
use them, and if one will be enough or you need two, three or even
four. The majority of these works just like a gas stove and turn right
on after a turn of the knob. This feature allows you to use your
regular pots and pans outdoors and keep you from running back and forth
from the kitchen.
Top Rack
Found on both gas and charcoal grills, the top rack is a great feature
to have on your grill if you like to make veggies or bread as you cook
the meat. This rack is generally connected to the lid in some way and
keeps it much higher off the flame and cooks it a little slower. Since
it is connected to the lid, it moves out of the way when you lift the
lid. Some mid level to higher end models include multiple upper level
racks for slowly cooking or warming a variety of items.
Material
What your grill is made out of can range from aluminum throw away pans
to stainless steel to anything in between. The material your grill is
made out of will dramatically affect the price. Most upper end units
are made out of stainless steel, many others are made out of a material
that appears to be stainless steel and still gives off that same visual
effect.
Size
Size is by far the most important item to consider and the one that
will make the biggest impact on your backyard grilling. Selecting the
right size of product comes from thinking about a few main areas. The
first and foremost, how many people do you typically grill for? If the
answer is 1-2, you can get away with a small grill or even a portable
grill. If, on the other hand, you have a family of 8, you may need to
invest in a grill large enough to hold all those steaks and hot dogs.
Secondly, do you cook your corn and Texas toast on the grill? If so,
you need to make sure you have the space to do so without interfering
in meat territory. Finally, where is the grill going? If you live in
the suburbs and have a nice patio or deck area, size isn’t an
issue. However, if you live in an apartment or urban area with limited
outdoor space, you need to find a grill that is portable or compact
enough to meet your needs.
Price
Range
Most
manufacturers produce models to fit various price ranges in order to
have a wide customer base. Features of different models in each
category can be compared to find the one model that will provide you a
grill just the way you like it. Prices on grills range from $5 to
$15,000 or more.
With a budget under $100, you can pick up a basic charcoal grill. For
only $6, you can get a disposable or one time use product for travel.
By extending your budget to approximately $250 can get you a nicer (and
larger) charcoal grill or a decent gas grill. The average grill in the
US runs around $300 and lasts for around 5 years. For that much you can
get side burners, racks, charcoal or gas, and hooks to hang the cooking
utensils.
If you really want an outdoor kitchen, with double burners, extra large
cooking area, warmers, granite countertop food preparation area and
even a serving portion, plan on spending close to $20,000.
No matter what the price range you are searching in, there are good
quality grills available for you to purchase. The only thing you have
left to do is get one home and start grilling!
Top
Manufacturers
