Tips For Picking a Great Grill

By bbqandbourbon on May 22, 2011 in Featured, Kentucky Barbeque

Here are a few things to keep in mind when you are shopping for a new barbecue grill.

You’re timing is great… Memorial Day Weekend is a great time to pickup a new barbecue grill on sale. Outside of the 4th of July, Memorial Day offers some of the best deals on a great grill.

Do some soul-searching before you start shopping.

Ask yourself: How often will I be using the barbecue? How many people, on average, will I be cooking for? How much can I spend?

Don’t blow the rent on a big fancy grill if you’re just need a barbecue grill that will do a nice rack of ribs.

Keep in mind is a little BBQ vocabulary. The heat output of a BBQ is measured in British Thermal Units (aka BTUs). The higher the number of BTUs, the hotter the gill can be. A hot grill is a good thing: you’ll have more control over the temperature of the barbecue, and in turn, that gives you more precision with your grilling.

Types: Which one is for me?

Next, there are four main kinds of BBQs.

Propane
Propane gas barbecues heat quickly and provide a high level of BTUs. They are also often equipped with multiple burners, each having its own temperature controls. This allows you to cook different foods at different temperatures. Other features frequently include temperature indicators, side burners, back burners and storage cabinets. They are easy to clean and use.

Natural Gas
Natural gas barbecues also heat up quickly and often have the highest BTUs. They require a natural gas line connection. They are housed with side and back burners, temperature indicators and storage cabinets, too. Unlike propane, you’ll have an endless supply of gas.

Charcoal
The charcoal grill can cook foods at high temperatures, and just as well at low. Charcoal grills take longer to heat up than propane, but you can get that perfect temperature just right.

Portable
Portable models are perfect for camping and tailgating.

Now that you’ve narrowed it down…

Look for the extras. Compare the specs on:

Temperature indicators
Temperature indicators allows you to clearly and specifically monitor the different grill temperatures.

Multiple burners
These provide more cooking spaces. Look for ones with individual burner controls, so you can cook food at different temperatures.

Side burners
If there aren’t multiple burners, just a single side burner will be convenient to prepare side dishes and sauces.

Storage cabinets
Especially if you BBQ often, you’ll love the extra space for utensils, equipment, covers and other gear.

Keep these tips in mind when shopping for your new backyard grill, don’t just snag the best deal and regret it later.