Before you spend $100-to $500 dollars on a grill this simple seven-step guide will help you choose the one grill you cant live without. Its mostly deciding what kind of barbecue do you want? Do you want all out smoked barbecue that would win competitions? Or do you just want a simple charcoal grill so you can cook hamburgers,steaks,pork chops,hot dogs? Are you looking for Electric grills which use wood pellets and has electronic ignition,heat control? Or a propane or natural gas grill,for that family cookout without all the hassle of watching meat smoke for 12 hours. The choice you make will affect you for years. Because the model  you pick should be around for years,with proper maintenance,kept  out of the weather,cleanup every time you use it.

Step 1: If you want a charcoal grill how many nights this summer will you use it?

You probably will want to have the bbq grill for at least 5 years,right? Its also a good idea to determine what kind and size of grill you want. You will want a barbecue grill  that will cook enough at one time to fit the size of your family. So any idea on what kind of grill you want? The very basic charcoal grill that’s a kettle design are pretty cheap and are hard to destroy. They are large enough a family of 4 or 5 can barbecue enough food  at one time. Webber is a good brand,they are a little more expensive but are really worth it. I have one that’s about 30 years old. Still got the same paint, no rust,should last another 10 years. Of all the charcoal grills on the market its what you need and want to pay that will determine your choice. Choosing a low cost grill  that has inferior paint,materials and rusts out in two years isn’t so good. Shop around and choose one that’s low cost and has been well built with good materials.

Step 2 Pellet smokers,a real down home smoke house flavor?

Pellet smoker grills are a big step up from a regular charcoal grill. They are made better and will last longer if maintained properly. Nearly all of them offer electronic ignition,temperature control,and you can use whatever pellets you wish to flavor the bbq you cook. The smoke they produce goes into the meat and not out the chimney,unlike charcoal grills. Pellet smokers are surprisingly cheaper than you think.

Step 3 

I never tried one of these.I found this information on bbqguys.com: infrared Grills allow for precision grilling by offering a cooking area with no hot or cold spots. And our infrared grils are virtually flare-proof! Whether you are looking for a built in, freestanding, post mount and tabletop grill, you can find a quality infrared grill model from BBQGuys. And to get the best infrared grilling experience, choose the brand that started it all, Tec Infrared Grills.They make grill marks on your food and collect the grease in a drip pan,making it easy to clean up.

Step 4 Charcoal smoker grills

The difference between a regular charcoal grill and the smoker grill is that all of the smoker grill use an offset smoker fire box and use smoke to cook the bbq. This is the kind that i use and i like it. It wont ever win me an award at a barbecue cookoff contest,but i like messing with it. There is a lot to deal with when you use one of these. If you get a cheap one that’s made in China,then you will have problems,keeping heat at one temperature for however many hours you cook. Also usually the finish on these grills,burn off the first time you fire them up. I use vegetable oil to keep the rust down on mine. Also i can keep the right temperature if i cook a lot. If i don’t,then i turn out a bbq product that’s not so good. With these charcoal smoker grills its practice makes perfect on cooking and keeping the heat at the right temp.

Step 5 Propane and natural gas grills

Are nice to have. They maintain even heat throughout the entire grilling process. The top of the line grills have cast iron or stainless steel burners burners,electronic ignition system. Also gas grill gets hot very fast with temperature control,so your food is cooked fast and to perfection. Gas grills have always taken dislikes from people because of the fact they don’t produce smoked meat,not anymore. There are accessories that you can get to add smoke from wood chips.Also what grill you buy depends on if you have a natural gas line to hook up to. Otherwise the propane would work for you. Gas grill have the highest btu (British Thermal Units) gives you the fastest cooking rates. A gas grill should have 100 BTUs per square inch. Look for a grill that has multiple burners and separate controls,that allow you to cook food at different temps at the same time you are cooking the barbecue.

Step 6 What size for your grill?

To choose the right size grill for you,really depends on how many people you will cook for. And are just cooking on weekends,small family,cooking hot dogs,hamburgers. Then a grill that measures about 360 square inches should work. For a lot more people,around 400 square inches of grilling surface. Remember that a propane gas grill with side burners can take up a lot of room on your patio. And charcoal grills are smaller but will smoke the area of the patio. You might want to place it in the yard on a level place to cook,so your family wont complain about the smoke.

Step 7 What material should the grill be made of?

Grills can be found in a lot of different metals,aluminum,and cast iron but a stainless steel frame,firebox and lid is better because they wont rust. A firebox on most regular steel grills will rust and you will spend some time maintaining it. Also if you want a gas or propane grill,look for stainless-steel or porcelain-coated burners will retain heat better than other metals. Also if you have cast iron grates be sure to season them with vegetable oil or they will rust. I hope you enjoyed reading the buyers guide,and it helps you in your search for the perfect barbecue grill.