BBQ grills are very in-demand these days, not just on holidays but even on ordinary ones. These are not just popular but even more essential for gastronomic living and different lifestyles.
The reason for this is that barbecuing gives a lot of benefits to our overall health and well-being. Read this quick buying guide to help you get the best of everything in finding the best BBQ grill that will match your needs.
BBQ Grills in Focus: Top Things to Consider When Buying These Units
BBQ grills can be exciting, but bringing home the right one from your chosen store is not as easy as you might think. Therefore, it would be best to consider the things that will affect your purchase decision.
Here are the factors you need to balance based on your preferences.
- Types of grills
- Durability
- Size of the grills
- BTUs
- Features and add-ons
- Budget
Types of Grills
There are different types of grills built for various purposes. These usually come in three categories - gas grills, charcoal grills, and electric grills. These are further classified into subtypes.
GAS GRILLS
Gas grills come in propane or natural gas. This naturally gives you greater affordability and convenience. These can run on a 20-pound propane tank. Other models can be hooked into household gas tanks.
Gas grills can be further classified as freestanding, portable, and built-in. In choosing gas grills, consider these three subtypes so you won’t have some after-sales issues.
Freestanding Gas Grills
Freestanding gas grills are the most popular units. These usually have wheels for mobility, along with drawers for storage. For most grill lovers, the classic cart grill is a timeless favorite.
Portable Gas Grills
Portable gas grills are designed for tailgating and adventurous individuals. These BBQ grills have smaller propane tanks, making them easy to transport or carry from one place to another. The convenience, reliability, and portability that these cooking appliances give to the users make them a classic favorite for energetic and active individuals who are always on the go!
Built-in Gas Grills
Built-in gas grills are great for backyard attractions. It even adds more elegance to your exquisite landscaping design. But, on the other hand, it’s not just the aesthetics that you can benefit from, but rather the positive mood that it brings to the household and each of you gathers around. This perfect outdoor kitchen is best for creating a fabulous backyard experience.
CHARCOAL GRILLS
Charcoal BBQ girls are the classic grills that old-fashioned individuals and folks will surely love for outdoor cooking. As the name suggests, these BBQ grills are powered by charcoal. However, the fuel is not limited to charcoal alone. You may also use natural hardwood, wood chips, briquettes, or a combination.
Here are the different types of charcoal grills that you can get from reputable stores for classic outdoor cooking and barbecuing.
Freestanding Charcoal Grills
Freestanding charcoal grills are made with a firebox for storing charcoal fire below the grill grates. Some higher-end charcoal grills have fireboxes that you can maneuver to adjust their distance to the grates. This gives excellent control over the result.
Kamado Grills
Kamado grills feature a centuries-old design with contemporary touches. As a result, these grills are good, not just for grilling. These even work well with baking, smoking, braising, and roasting.
Smoker Grills
Smoker grills feature an enormous heating capacity. These have natural wood smoke and a classic barbecue taste. Smoker grills are best for smoked chicken or a delicious brisket.
ELECTRIC GRILLS
Electric grills are electrically powered, having a sleek design and compact appearance. These grills provide high heat and are low in maintenance compared to natural gas and charcoal variants. Electric grills are great for such conditions wherein charcoal, or propane gas grills are hard to use in small spaces and high winds.
The benefits of these grills are shown in the table below.
| GAS GRILLS | CHARCOAL GRILLS | ELECTRIC GRILLS |
| Affordable | Enticing flavor | Functional during high winds |
| Convenient | Versatile | Convenient even in small space |
| Easy to use | Uses natural wood | Best used whenever gas and charcoal grills fail |
| Versatile |
Durability
Durability in BBQ grills means that these are made of high-quality materials that are proven to last longer than the others. It also means that it could only be proven durable depending on how you take care of it after every use. Even lower-end grills can last for a reasonable time if properly taken care of regularly.
Size of the BBQ Grills
The size of grills can be small, mid-sized, and large grills. The number of burners in a grill determines its size. However, the number of burners does not always indicate the cooking space’s relative amount. For example, some grills may have two burners, while large BBQ grills can have six burners.
BTUs
BTUs stands for British Thermal Units. These measure the amount of heat generated by the burners while lit. However, buying a grill with a high BTU rating alone is not reasonable. Other factors to consider here, along with BTU rating, are the grill size, the materials, and the grill’s shape. Just to give you a range, most current grills have 25000 to 60000 BTUs.
Features and Add-ons
The features and add-ons come in various choices and cooking requirements. However, remember that the more features and add-ons the grills may have, the higher the price of these units.
So, to get the most out of these, choose a grill with the right features that you will practically use for your cooking style and preferences. Then, in case of some changes to these in the future, you can buy the available add-ons for your unit. This way, you won’t have issues buying an expensive grill yet not truly useful or functional to your preferred cooking style.
These features include:
- Side burners
- Smart grilling components
- Warming ovens
- Smoking trays for flavoring meats
- Rotisserie burners
- Motorized rotisserie
- Infrared ceramic burners
Budget
Budget is the topmost factor for most buyers. However, I placed it last so you can see all the other factors you need to balance and judge your BBQ grill choices somewhat relative to your budget and the cost of the units you are planning to purchase.
The Bottom Line
Choosing the best BBQ grills depends on such factors as the type of the BBQ grill, durability, grill size, BTUs, features and add-ons, and your budget upon considering the price of your preferred units. While expensive cooking units will promise you all the convenience and ease of use, it is not always reasonable to consider these things as priorities in your buying decisions.
Think of your cooking needs, style, preferences, and capability to care for and maintain a BBQ grill at home or outdoors. Then, with the knowledge you get from all the factors you need to consider here and your budget, narrow down your choices and select what works best for you and your family. This manner can help you save time, money, and energy by buying the best BBQ grills for gastronomic living.
