BBQ Grill Buyers Guide
Prior to the 1950s, people had occasionally cooked outside over an open fire pit with either wood or charcoal using a metal pan or skillet. As you would expect there wasn’t much control over the cooking process or the results. The first modern barbecue grill was made in 1952 by George Stephan, a welder at the Weber Brothers Metal Works in Illinois. The original Weber Kettle grill started out as a round metal lake buoy, cut in half; add a wire grate, a handle, some legs, and you have the beginning of the backyard barbecue.
The Best
Propane Grills
While no one will disagree that charcoal grills have a few advantages when cooking gourmet steaks, they are not the easiest to work with. Propane grills offer ease of cooking with clean-burning fuel, multiple burners, and matchless electronic ignition, it's hard to make a bad steak with all the improved technology. There are many to choose from, here are our picks for 2024.
The Best
Charcoal Grills
Charcoal grills have been a staple for grilling meats since the 1950s; there are good reasons for that. Charcoal is relatively inexpensive, easy to set up, and best of all, gives your food a wonderful smokey flavor especially when used with hickory, apple, or mesquite wood chips. Here are our picks for 2024.
The Best
Smokers
There’s a reason most BBQ competitors use smokers — they’re the tried-and-true method for low-and-slow barbecue. Smokers are available in a variety of shapes, sizes, fuel types, and technology levels, each with their own properties and cooking capabilities. Despite these differences, all barbecue smokers have one thing in common: cooking food at low temperatures for long periods of time.
The Best
Griddles
Using a BBQ griddle offers several advantages over traditional grills, making it a versatile and practical option for outdoor cooking. A griddle allows you to cook a wider variety of foods, including delicate items like eggs, pancakes, and vegetables, as well as meats like burgers and steaks. The flat design maximizes usable surface area, allowing you to cook multiple items at once without the need for specialized grill baskets or accessories.
