When choosing the best grill for you or your family, it is important to think through what you want out of a grill. How often will you be using it? Where will your grill be kept? What kinds of food do you plan to cook on it? There is no singular answer to what the best grill out there may be. It is all about what you are looking for as an individual.
How can you choose the right BBQ grill? To choose the right BBQ grill, you must evaluate your own preferences. Do you prefer a stainless steel or cast iron grate?
Do you prefer the easy maintenance of a gas grill or the smoky taste offered by a charcoal grill? We have outlined some of the pros and cons of each kind of grill below. Now it is up to you to make the decision!
There are different types of grills, and before you choose which one would be best for you, you should consider the advantages and disadvantages of each. We have also compiled product listings of the best grills on the market in 2019 and the best valued grills for your convenience.
What grill choice really boils down to is the taste and quality of the meat which will be cooked on them. Charcoal grills offer that smoky taste we all love, but there are smoker attachments you can add to gas grills to get the same results. In fact, gas grills generally have more unique features than charcoal grills and are more versatile.
What Are The Best Barbeque Grills?
All BBQ grills are not created equal. People may debate which grill is their favorite, but we have compiled a list of the best BBQ grills of 2019.
Here are the best BBQ grills of 2019:
- The Weber Spirit E210
- The Char-Griller 3001 Grillin’ Pro
- Z Grills
- The Char-Broil Signature TRU Infrared
- The Weber Genesis II LX E-340
The Weber Spirit E210 is a large grill, not meant for doing much travel. It is well-known for maintaining its temperature, regardless of how the temperature may be shifting outside. This grill is a bit more expensive than most, but it is worth the money.
Be prepared to be a big spender. The grill comes with several features that are simply not there in the smaller, less expensive models.
The Char-Griller 2001 Grillin’ Pro comes with 90% of the features of the Weber Spirit E210 grill, but only costs 50% as much. That sounds like best value to me! This grill is known for being the best bargain of 2019.
It is known for cooking rapidly. The compartment for the propane tank is smaller than with other models, and some people see this as a drawback.
Z Grills are wood pellet grills and smokers. It gives your food a more natural flavor that incorporates the taste of the wood you choose to use. You also have the nifty option of being able to smoke your meats.
This is also a larger grill, and not convenient for travel. Some people find it does not necessarily cook food evenly.
If you enjoy smoking your meat, a Z grill could save you a lot of money, even though they are fairly costly. With this choice, you would not have to purchase a grill and smoker, because you already have two in one. That should offset the cost to some degree.
The Char-Broil Signature TRU Infrared grill is a smaller grill, convenient for travel. It comes with several features and advanced technology. It tends to cook foods evenly and has convenient folding racks and shelves.
The biggest plus of this model is the TRU infrared technology, known for making sure your meats are cooked evenly and precisely on time, with plenty of moisture.
The Weber Genesis II LX E-340 is a more expensive model, but worth the money. There is a side burner for cooking your side items.
This grill comes with all of the bells and whistles. It has a lot of features but has the reputation of being hard to assemble. It takes at least two people to assemble the Weber Genesis II LX E-340 BBQ grill. That’s something to take into consideration.
What Is Better Stainless Steel or Cast Iron BBQ Grills?
There are pros and cons to both stainless steel and cast iron grills. We will explore both in this section.
Pros and cons to stainless steel and cast iron grills:
- Stainless steel Pros
- Stainless steel cons
- Cast iron pros
- Cast iron cons
Stainless steel heats up slower, but tends to retain heat well. It is also more durable. You will have less negative effect from leaving a stainless steel grill out in the elements than you will with a cast iron grill.
Stainless steel grills are easy to clean and require very little maintenance. Just wipe away the excess debris with a paper towel after you are done cooking.
On the other hand, stainless steel does not get as hot as a cast iron grill. Your grill grate may darken over time, even though this will not affect the taste of your meat.
Stainless steel BBQ grills tend to have to be larger to retain the heat they need to cook your meat. If you are looking for smaller grill, this may be a detractor from choosing a stainless steel grill. Your portability is limited.
Cast iron grills retain heat longer and keep heat even over the surface of the grill. These grills do last a long time, though they should be protected from the elements. They are more resistant to sticking than a stainless steel grill, because of the coating that is placed over the cast iron.
On the downside, these grills will corrode and rust easier than the stainless steel models. They should not be left out in the elements.
They have to be cleaned while the grates are warm, and they require more maintenance than the stainless steel grills do. You may need to oil your grates after each use to keep them in prime shape. However, you may get a better flavor from doing this.
You have to take these facts and weigh them against what is important to you in a grill. Do you need the durability of stainless steel? Do you prefer the easy clean up?
Or do you like the way your meat tastes when you pull it off that cast iron grate? Is it worth it to you to oil you grate and keep it in ship shape? There is not one single answer to this question.
The best grill out there will be the one you deem is best for your family and your purposes. Take the time to look through the different grills in the store and their features.
Lift the grates, and see how you feel about them. Maybe ask a friend or two which kind of grates they prefer. Better yet, get yourself an invitation to try food cooked on either type of grill at your friends’ or family members’ houses.
What is Better Gas or Charcoal Grills?
As with stainless steel versus cast iron grates, there are pros and cons to both gas and charcoal grills.
Pros and cons of gas and charcoal BBQ grills:
- Pros of gas grills
- Cons of gas grills
- Pros of charcoal grills
- Cons of charcoal grills
Gas is usually less expensive than charcoal, and gas grills are easier to clean up than charcoal grills. If you hook your gas line up to the gas in your home, you have an endless amount of cooking fuel, unlike with charcoal. Gas grills can come with accessories that charcoal grills do not.
These include side burners and smoke boxes. Smoke boxes can help you get charcoal flavor out of a gas grill.
Gas grills are easy to operate. The steam they give off also helps keep your meat moist, unlike when using charcoal.
There are some drawbacks to gas grills, though. They tend to be more expensive than charcoal grills. They are less mobile than charcoal grills if you are using your home’s gas line. Gas grills’ tanks make them heavier and harder to move.
Also, the flare from gas grills is not controllable. These flares can contribute to house fires. Lastly, gas does not burn as hot as charcoal does, so it may take longer for your food to get done on a gas grill.
Charcoal grills are very inexpensive, for starters. Charcoal does not usually flare up or cause a fire hazard. Charcoal gets hotter than gas, and therefore cooks food faster. Charcoal grills are easier to move than gas grills, and they add a desirable, smoky flavor to your meat.
Negative aspects of charcoal grills include the length of time it takes the grill to heat up. When people are hungry, they do not usually feel like waiting around for the charcoal to get hot enough to cook with.
Charcoal grills do not usually come with added features. It can be hard to get the fire started, and the lighter fluid and charcoal can give off an unpleasant odor, affecting the way the food tastes.
Once again, which is the best choice is going to depend on your own preferences. Is it important to you that you meat have the smoky flavor of a charcoal grill? Do you believe they are safer?
Maybe the easy portability of a charcoal grill is what you are looking for. There are definitely advantages to choosing either the charcoal or the gas grill.
Do you prefer less maintenance and the easy fueling of a gas grill? You do not have to wait nearly as long for it to heat up. You can regulate your heat with only the turn of a knob. It boils down to, what is important to you, when it comes to choosing a grill.
Once again, take your time at the store. Try lifting or rolling the grills, and see what you think about their portability. Try out food from your friends’ houses and see if you taste a difference between charcoal and gas. It is all about what you like best! No one else can make the decision for you!
What Is The Best Grill For The Money?
We have compiled a list of the best gas grills under $500 in one convenient place down below.
Here are the best grills for the money:
- The Char-Broil Classic
- The Dyna Glo Black and Stainless Premium
- The Cuisinart CGG-200 Outdoor Tabletop Grill
- The Char-Broil TRU Infrared Urban Gas Grill
- The Char-Griller 3001 Grillin’ Pro
- The Fuego FELG21C Element
- The Weber Q3200
- The Char-Broil Performance TRU Infrared 480
The Char-Broil Classic sells for $169. It is one of the largest grills on the list. You can cook up to 14 hamburgers at one time. The grill is known for cooking meat evenly, and it is fairly versatile, especially given the price. It has a side burner, warming rack, side shelves, and porcelain coated cast iron cooking grates.
The Dyna Glo Black and Stainless Premium Grill has stainless steel grates, which will help keep your grill from rusting. It consumes very little fuel with each use. This grill has only 350 square inches of cooking space, so it is fairly portable.
It still comes with several features, including stainless steel burners, a warming rack, electronic ignition, and foldable side shelves.
The Cuisinart CGG-200 Outdoor Tabletop Grill is made for portability. It sits on top of the table and is can be easily picked up and carried. It gets hot quickly and retains heat well.
This grill still has foldable side shelves and porcelain coated cast iron cooking grates. This grill has interchangeable grates, so that you can determine what you want your own cooking surface to look like.
The Char-Broil TRU Infrared Urban Gas Grill is a smaller model, with side tables that fold down. It is known as the “apartment complex grill”. This grill still has the features of a warming rack and folding side shelves.
Its stainless steel exterior keeps it from rusting and provides for the long life of the grill. The infrared system helps ensure food is cooked evenly and to the right temperature.
The Char-Griller 3001 Grillin’ Pro has already made our list of best grills for 2019. It also comes with one of the best values. The cost of the grill is only about $185.00, but it is one of the more versatile grills on the list, with the second highest BTU rating.
This grill comes with a warming rack, side burner, and smoker attachment, to give you that smoky taste, even with a gas grill.
The Fuego FELG21C Element can heat up to 500 degrees in only five minutes. It has only one burner, which provides for less fuel use. You can get 20 hours of cooking out of just one propane tank.
It still has two cooking areas by using “dual zone” technology. It is one of the smaller grills on the list, so portability is a plus. This grill does not come with many added features.
The Weber Q3200 is a great option for someone who wants the household Weber name but does not want a large grill. This grill also has interchangeable grates you can trade out, based on what you are cooking. One neat thing about this grill is that is has various attachments which are sold separately, like a vegetable basket.
While you may not want the cost of all the extras that come with the Weber Q3200, you have to admit, they make cooking more streamlined. Imagine using only the grill and foregoing the kitchen for your side items!
The Char-Broil Performance TRU Infrared 480 offers that great, infrared technology that cooks meat so evenly. It is a wonderful grill for people who plan to cook a variety of foods. It will handle any meat well, and give you a finished product to be proud of.
With the Char-Broil name, this grill also comes with a quality design that will not easily rust or come apart. This is a top-notch grill.
What are you looking for in a grill? Is it easy clean-up, a smoky taste, those sensational grill marks? Do you need a large grill or a small grill for your purposes?
Are you the kind of person who wants their grill to come along with all the bells and whistles, or do you prefer a more compact, low maintenance version? These are questions you have to take into consideration when choosing your grill.
I hope the paragraphs above have given you some insight into what might be most important to you in a BBQ grill. After all, summer is coming. If you drive through the suburbs and countryside, you can already smell steak sizzling and burgers cooking.
If you have not yet selected your favorite grill and purchased it, the time is now! Let’s get cookin’!
Check out our Recent Posts
Z Grills Review
If you’re looking for a grill that will last, Z Grills is the way to go. Z grills are made of the best quality materials...
Read More
Pit Boss Pellet Grill Review
Pit Boss is one of many when it comes to manufacturers of wood pellet grills and smokers. If you have spent any amount of time...
Read More
10 Fun Benefits of Taking an Online Cooking Class
There’s never been a better time to take an online cooking class. With the continued popularity of online learning, there are more and more exciting...
Read More