Summer and Barbecuing Go So Well Together! What Will Be Your Weapon Of Choice?

While there are endless amounts of ways to enjoy cooking outdoors, we’re breaking down some of the best options below!

What Types of Grills Are There?

The right barbecue depends on how you like to cook! Here’s a quick guide to different types of grills so you can choose the one that suits your grilling style.

Charcoal Grills

Charcoal grills are known for delivering that unmistakable smoky flavour that many grill enthusiasts love. The process of burning charcoal and wood produces smoke, which infuses the food with a rich, authentic taste that’s hard to replicate with other grilling methods.

Here's why charcoal grills are a great choice for adding that classic flavour:

• Smoky Flavour: Charcoal creates a deep, robust flavour due to the smoke from burning wood and fats dripping onto the coals. This enhances the taste of meats, vegetables, and other grilled foods.

• High Heat for Searing: Charcoal grills often reach higher temperatures than gas grills, allowing for perfect searing. This creates that coveted crust on steaks and burgers.

• Versatility: You can easily control heat zones by adjusting the arrangement of the coals, enabling both direct and indirect cooking methods.

• Charcoal Types: Using different types of charcoal, such as lump charcoal or charcoal briquettes, can alter the intensity and flavor of the smoke. Add wood chips or chunks like hickory or cherry for extra smoky depth.

• Outdoor Experience: Many people enjoy the hands-on, traditional experience of grilling over charcoal, making it part of the outdoor cooking ritual.

• Best for: Smoky flavours and slow cooking. 

• Recommended Brands: Napoleon, Weber, Big Green Egg, PK Grills

Gas Grills

Gas grills are convenient, fast and easy to use, offering precise temperature control and quick startup. Great for those who want quick meals. However, they lack the depth of flavour and smokiness of charcoal grills.

Brands like Napoleon and Weber are excellent choices, known for their durability, performance, warranty and customer satisfaction.

Here are a few things to consider when choosing a gas grill:

• Burner Count: More burners give you flexibility. You can create different temperature zones for direct and indirect cooking.

• BTU Rating: This refers to the grill’s heating power. While a higher BTU doesn’t always mean better performance, it can help in quick heating and maintaining high temperatures.

• Material: Look for grills with stainless steel or cast-iron components for better durability and heat retention.

• Size and Cooking Surface: Consider how many people you typically cook for. Larger grills offer more cooking space but take up more room on your patio or deck.

• Features: Look for additional features like side burners, rotisserie attachments, and warming racks, which add to the grill's versatility.

• Best for: Convenience, quick and frequent grilling.

• Recommended Brands: Napoleon, Weber. (Check out our Napoleon versus Weber comparison guide)

Pellet Grills

A pellet grill is a versatile outdoor cooking choice that merges the rich, smoky flavours often associated with charcoal grilling but with the convenience and ease of use with digital controls, wifi connectivity and more. It operates using wood pellets as fuel, which are automatically fed into a fire pot by an electric auger. This creates a steady, controlled heat that is perfect for low-and-slow cooking methods like smoking, but some pellet grill brands can also reach high temperatures, making it suitable for grilling and searing as well.

They're especially popular among barbecue enthusiasts who want the best of both worlds: authentic wood-fired flavour without the hassle of tending to a fire constantly.

We recommend GMG & Camp Chef pellet grills for not only their quality but these brands offer maximum functionality with pizza ovens, rotisseries, infrared side burners and loads more!

Key features of a pellet grill include:

• Flavour: The wood pellets impart a natural, smoky flavor to the food, similar to cooking over a wood fire or charcoal.

• Temperature Control: Digital thermostats and automated systems allow precise control over cooking temperatures, typically ranging from 150°F to 550°F.

• Versatility: Suitable for a variety of cooking methods—smoking, grilling, roasting, baking, and even searing.

• Convenience: Many pellet grills feature push-button ignition and automatic feeding systems, requiring minimal supervision compared to traditional charcoal smokers or grills.

• Best for: Ease of use, convenience with big flavours and smokiness, temperature management for slow cooking and smoking, versatility.

• Recommended Brands: GMG, Camp Chef

Electric Grill

Electric grills are a great option for small and limited spaces, or where gas/charcoal is prohibited. Particularly in apartments where outdoor cooking with gas or charcoal may not be allowed due to safety regulations.

They’re easy to use, require minimal setup, and generally heat up quickly. However, electric grills may not impart the same smoky flavour that comes from cooking over charcoal or gas flames.

• Best for: Those limited on space, places where charcoal and gas can not be used.

• Recommended Brands: Napoleon, Weber

Kamado Grills

Kamado grills are fantastic for versatility! They can grill, smoke, bake, roast, and make a fantastic pizza oven and rotisserie over charcoal. They're known for their heat retention being a ceramic cooker, which makes them ideal for slow-cooking or maintaining steady temperatures for a variety of cooking methods.

Brands like Big Green Egg are often recommended because of their build quality and features.

When considering a Kamado grill, here are a few factors:

• Cooking Style: If you love low-and-slow BBQ, kamado grills excel at smoking meats like brisket, ribs, and pulled pork. However, they can also be used to sear steaks, bake pizzas, or even roast a whole chicken.

• Size: These grills come in various sizes. Do you need something small for a compact space or large enough to cater to big gatherings? Big Green Egg, for example, has sizes ranging from a Mini to an XL model.

• Budget: Kamado grills can range in price. Big Green Egg is one of the more expensive options but all round most versatile and user friendly, but Kamado Joe offers some competitive pricing. There are also more budget-friendly brands like Char-Griller.

• Accessories: Kamado grills often come with accessories or attachments for different cooking methods. For example, you can get pizza stones, heat deflectors for indirect cooking, or cast iron grates.

• Best for: Those who want complete versatility with maximum flavour, ease of use.

• Recommended Brands: Big Green Egg

Hibachi Grills

Hibachi grills are small, portable grills traditionally used in Japanese cooking. They are suitable for a variety of cooking purposes, especially for grilling small, delicate, and quick-cooking foods.

Since hibachi grills are typically fueled by charcoal, they give food a unique smoky flavour, making them a popular choice for grilling enthusiasts who enjoy traditional and flavourful cooking.

Here’s what hibachi grills are ideal for:

• Grilling meats and seafood: Hibachi grills are great for cooking smaller cuts of meat, like chicken skewers, steaks, pork chops, and seafood such as shrimp or scallops. Their high heat and open flame help sear the meat while keeping it tender inside.

• Vegetables: They can also be used to grill vegetables like mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, or onions. The direct heat and small surface area allow vegetables to cook quickly and evenly.

• Yakitori and other skewers: Hibachi grills are perfect for grilling skewers, especially yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), which are popular in Japanese cuisine. The even heat distribution ensures that the skewers are cooked to perfection.

• Stir-fry and Teppanyaki-style cooking: Although not the same as a traditional teppanyaki grill, hibachi grills can be used to prepare stir-fried dishes or cook thinly sliced meats and vegetables in a style similar to teppanyaki.

• Camping and outdoor cooking: Due to their small size and portability, hibachi grills are ideal for outdoor use, such as camping or picnics. They can be easily transported and set up anywhere.

• Quick and high-heat grilling: Hibachi grills provide high heat, making them suitable for quick grilling or searing of foods, locking in flavor and moisture.

• Best for: Table top grills, convenience, portability, camping, versatility.

• Recommended Brands: Hibachi Tabo

Need Help Choosing The Right BBQ For You?

At Smoked BBQ Co, we stock a wide variety of BBQ Grill options from Portable Gas & Charcoal BBQs, to Charcoal Kettles through to freestanding Hybrid Grills and Built In BBQ models. All top-quality specialist brand BBQ units plus up to 15year warranty on select models.

We'll help you find the right one for you. We're passionate about all things 'queing. We invite you to get free expert advice online or instore. Simply, chat with us today.