BBQ season is almost upon us again. Time to fire up the grill and get ready for your backyard bashes. Speaking of grills, you still need to pick one up.
The taste of your food will depend on the quality of the grill you have. Between gas charcoal, electric, wood fire, and ceramic, which one provides the best results?
None of these major grill types is a bad choice, but they do have their own fair share of pros and cons. Good thing we’re here to help you by ranking them. Keep reading to find out which grill comes out on top!
1. Gas Grills
Out of all the grill types, gas is the most popular. They don’t take too long to get hot so you can get meal preparation underway fast. They cool down about as fast as they heat up and they’re easy to clean.
Meat that’s prepared on a gas grill is much healthier for you than meat cooked on any other type of grill as well. Gas grills are the most popular and probably the most expensive type of grill on the market. Despite how hot they can get, the heat they put out is still no match for charcoal grills.
If you’re looking for a classic BBQ taste when you bite into your burger, it’s sad to say that gas grills fall short on that as well.
Best Gas Grill
The best gas grill overall is the Broil King Regal. It hooks right into your home’s gas supply so you never have to worry about picking up fuel.
If you don’t have a way to connect the grill to your home, no worries. It comes in a propane model as well. It has 5 burners that you can set as high or low as you need making it ideal for preparing slow-cooked foods.
2. Charcoal Grills
Charcoal grills are the second most popular type of grill. They do take a lot longer to heat up then gas grills do. It takes around a half-hour for them to get hot once you light the charcoal.
Heating it can take even longer on days that are cold and windy. The cleanup process is about as fun as trying to make it get hot. It takes quite a bit of elbow grease to get rid of charcoal stains.
The extra time you spend doing all this will all be worth it in the end for the taste. Everything you cook on it will have that unique taste everyone associates with a summer BBQ.
Best Charcoal Grill
The Weber Original Kettle Charcoal Grill doesn’t have side tables or any of the bells and whistles other grills have but that keeps the price down and doing without isn’t that big of a deal. It’s large while still remaining lightweight enough to carry around and it has a handy ash catcher that makes clean up a little bit easier.
3. Electric Grills
If you live somewhere that doesn’t allow for outdoor cooking, electric grills are the way to go. You plug them in and use them indoors.
They make for a simple grilling experience and don’t have the same set of inconveniences that other grill types have. You won’t get that classic BBQ feel or taste from the food you cook though.
Plugging them in also isn’t optional so if you want to grill while camping out under the stars, an electric grill isn’t going to help you much.
Best Electric Grill
The Char-Broil TRU-Infrared Grill provides an even distribution of heat so everything comes out cooked to perfection and juicy. It’s small and lightweight so it’s easy to carry around with you.
It can fit around a dozen hamburgers on it all at once and it has a porcelain surface area that makes cleaning up a breeze.
4. Wood Fire Grills
The first grills to ever arrive on the market were wood fire grills. It will take a while for the fire to burn down enough for you to start cooking your food and you’ll have to keep an eye on it.
Even with the extra time you take to cook, nothing can beat the smokey taste that it provides.
Best Wood Fire Grill
Wood fire grills take a notoriously long time to get going unless it’s the BioLite FirePit. It has air jets that blow oxygen into the fire. This feature keeps the flames going strong for quite a long time before you have to throw more wood in.
It also keeps smoke from rising up into your face which is super helpful. Unlike a lot of other grills on this list, it’s not that big. You’ll only be able to cook a few burgers at a time on it.
5. Ceramic Grills
Ceramic grills produce the juiciest meat that you can get due to the limited airflow. The material keeps heat and temperatures regulated while the food is cooking. It’s no wonder that they’re so expensive.
They also weigh a ton so you won’t be able to take it from location to location without quite a bit of effort.
Best Ceramic Grill
Kamado ceramic grills originated in Japan but they are making quite a splash in the states. The best Kamado grill you can buy is the Kamado Joe.
The unique style and shape of the grill allow the user to cook several types of food all at once at different temperatures if need be. The top of the grill can be lifted using a single finger making it not only a versatile cooking experience but a comfortable one as well.
Your Guide to the Different Grill Types
With BBQ season almost upon us, it’s time to pick out your grill. with all the different grill types out there, it can be hard to pick the best one to suit your needs. We hope we’ve helped you narrow down the choices a little so you can get prepared for the summer.
Are you new to the grilling game? Check out our blog daily for tips on choosing and preparing the best cuts of meat.