In 1992, my family bought a Weber Grill and put it outside the garage. That thing survived everything; rain, snow, sleet, cars backing up into it. It finally rusted out a couple of years ago but what it really did was let me watch my parents cook and bring us together over food. Nowadays, I love cooking for my family and have owned several grills of varying quality and type.
But before you go running out to pick up a grill when they inevitably have a fall sale within the next month or so, consider a few things...
How often you plan on cooking?
How much are you looking to spend?
How much do you plan on cooking at one time?
How much space do you have?
What do you plan on cooking?
At the end of the day, it's important to have a grill that fits your needs and gets the job done. Here are a few of my picks that can fit your needs.
All-Around Performance
Weber Genesis II E-330
Sure, you pay a bit extra for the Weber brand name but it comes with a 10-year warranty.
The real brilliance of this grill is the fact that its infrared burner can crank the temperature above 750º if you were so inclined.
Not to mention all the other perks such as the side burner, sear station, i3 grill thermometer (sold separately), and my personal favorite, the ability to use it as a gas smoker since the rack is big enough to have two cooking zones.
Comes in Black, Copper, Crimson, and Smoke colors
Can be purchased as Propane of Natural gas
3 stainless steel burners deliver 39,000 BTU-per-hour input
513 sq. in. of cooking area and 156 sq. in. of warming rack area
The iGrill 3 thermometer displays the real-time temp on your phone (sold separately)
The Less Expensive Side
Char-Griller E3001
There is no guarantee that splashing the cash on cooking equipment makes a good meal. Take Char-Griller E3001 - at $244, this grill is perfect for the backyard barbecue. This grill still puts out plenty of BTUs and space to get the job done.
3 Burners grill with 438 square inches of main grilling area
192 square inch warming rack
Durable steel construction; side shelf for handy workspace
Bells & Whistles
Broil King 957884 Imperial XLS
Alright, so this grill is a little overkill for the standard backyard BBQ. But if you spend this much money, it needs to deliver. You have a rotisserie, LED lights, warming trays, food and cookware storage, multiple cooking surfaces, and a 10-year warranty on the cooking surfaces.
Patented stainless steel Dual-Tube burners and Flav-R-Wave cooking system
Professional-grade cast stainless steel cooking grids for the perfect sear
60,000 BTU burner output for the main cooking surface
10,000 BTU side burner for side dishes, sauces, and the like
5,000 BTU rear burner for the rotisserie
Lights in the cook box and on the handles
Made in North America
Portable | Camping
Coleman Triton Propane 2-Burner
I still own my original Coleman camping stove from EMS circa 2008 and have never had a problem or a more convenient car camping solution. This grill has been to the Rockies, Blue Ridge Mountains, the tip of Montauk, and a ton of places in between.
2 high-performance 11,000 BTU burners
Lightest grill on the list coming in at 11 pounds
1-hour runtime on a single propane tank
Surface large enough for a 10 in. and 12 in. pan simultaneously