Are you one of the 37% of BBQ enthusiasts who are looking to upgrade their grill soon?
You’ll find a baffling array of choices once you start looking at your options. Nowadays every brand comes in a wide range of choices that allows you to find exactly the type of grilling experience you desire.
Need a little help? Here’s your guide to choosing BBQ grills that suit your grilling style and intentions.
1. Budget Considerations
You should have a firm budget in mind before your start comparing grill prices. The amount you have to spend will affect all your choices and it’s easy to overspend when you see all the awesome new grill models available.
Apart from the initial price you pay for your grill, you should also keep the running costs in mind. Fuel for some types of grills is expensive, and even electric grills will add to your utility bills.
Buying a cheap grill from your nearest store could cost you more in the long run as you’ll only need to replace it sooner. Consider your grill as an investment in your future enjoyment and buy the best one you can afford.
Nowadays, some of the well-established brands offer payment plans to suit your budget too.
2. Where You Intend to Use It
Are you planning to use your grill for hiking and campaign trips, or do you want to use it at home?
If you live in a small apartment with stringent fire regulations, you’ll need to consider your grilling options carefully. Portability is a major factor if you want to use your grill on outdoor adventures, and electric grills aren’t an option in this case either.
If you intend to BBQ both at home and away, rather opt for the grill that meets the most limiting criteria.
3. Size of the Grill
Although you’ll have more choices if you opt to use your grill at home only, you should still take a few factors into account.
Yet, you must still take the dimensions into account. If you choose a grill that’s too large and bulky for a small backyard, you’re limiting your entertainment area. This makes it difficult for your guests to move around the grill safely or comfortably.
How many people do you want to cook for? Choose the size of your grill accordingly, so you don’t need to cook in relays.
4. Composition of the Grill
Nowadays, you can choose from aluminum, stainless steel, or cast iron when it comes to grills for BBQs. Each has its own pros and cons.
Some things to remember are that stainless steels are more expensive but they’re unlikely to rust and is easy to clean.
Cast iron grills are cheaper and sturdier, but they’re prone to corrosion. Seasoning your cast iron grill with sunflower oil can help it last longer.
Aluminum’s a good choice if you’re working on a tight budget, they don’t rust but they’re a little less durable than the other two options.
5. Fuel Options
You’re faced with several choices regarding fuel for grills. These include gas, charcoal, pellets, and electricity. Find out which type of electric grill is best for you.
The debate rages on about which is the better option for avid BBQers.
Most purists insist that charcoal does the best job thanks to its high temperature. This creates attractive grill marks and deliciously crisp seared crusts on your meat. They also add a smoky flavor to every meal.
Grilling with charcoal requires a lot of practice if you want to get it exactly right, but for many BBQ enthusiasts, this is part of the fun.
On the other hand, gas grills heat up quicker, provide more consistent cooking temperatures, and create less mess than charcoal does. Gas lasts a long time and is a reasonably cheap resource.
Electric grills don’t create any smoke or flames, so they’re ideal for an apartment patio BBQ but totally unsuited to camping or picnics.
Pellet smoker reviews offer most of the benefits of the above fuel sources, but the pellets can get expensive.
6. Choosing BBQ Grills Extras
Most grills come with a range of nice-to-have features too. Whether you need any of these or not depends on what you plan to cook with your grill.
A rotisserie is great for roasting chickens or large cuts of meat. Smoker capability is a must if you want to make classic American barbecue.
Side burners work well for preparing side dishes and keeping food warm, as do warming compartments. Do you enjoy vegetables with your BBQ meats? Vegetable racks are an ideal solution for your needs.
Some Pellet Head Grills come with remote control options that allow you to control the cooking temperature without getting out of your lawn chair.
7. Post-BBQ Care
We’ve already touched on how the fuel and materials you choose for your barbeque can affect how long it takes to clean up after your meal. Yet, what about maintaining your grill in good order.
Both time and money play a role regarding this aspect. Gas grills have more parts than the other types of grills and you’ll need to clean, inspect, and replace these frequently. That said, most gas grills come with a warranty.
Stainless steel and aluminum grills are easy to keep clean with dish soap and water, while cast iron needs a little more scrubbing. Cast iron grills are also heavy and cumbersome, which makes cleaning them more difficult.
Make the Most of Your BBQ Grill
Now that you’ve got the fine art of choosing BBQ grills down pat, you can enjoy hours perfecting your grilling craft.
Meat is always the main event when entertaining over the grill, but the ultimate entertainers know that it’s the side dishes that count. If you’d like to discover some novel dishes for impressing your friends during outdoor and indoor get-togethers, keep browsing our site.
Our recipes section features a wide range of homemade recipes for any occasion.
