Many people have trouble choosing an outdoor grill but that doesn’t mean it needs be difficult. Selecting an outdoor grill is actually not hard at all once you know what kind of grill you want and understand the different grill features. The more you understand about grills and their diverse options the easier your decision will be.
Now there are a lot of different grill brands out there and each manufacturer has at least several hundred different models. To make things easier we will break down grills into four main types:
Outdoor Propane Grills
Outdoor propane grills are one the most popular grills on the market today for outdoor grilling. Most outdoor gas grills are beginning to replace charcoal grills and smokers because there’s no messy clean up involved.
Another reason that propane grills are so popular is their ease of use. You just turn the knob on the propane gas tank and push the ignite button on the grill. The other reason could be the propane gas which is used to cook your food quickly while also maintaining the delicious grilled flavor.
Outdoor propane grills come with many different types of cooking surfaces including a BBQ surface, a flat grill, and a ribbed grill. Other grills might even have non-stick surfaces which allow you to cook many other foods that you would not be able to cook on an outdoor grill normally. You can cook an entire meal, including side dishes if you plan correctly. There are some propane grills that even contain a Wok type surface for cooking pasta and rise dishes, or a full rotisserie set that allows you to cook rotisserie chicken.
Outdoor Natural Gas Grills
Most people are not familiar with the outdoor natural gas grill but the truth is that it is the simplest grill to use. If you already have natural gas running to your house, it’s a good idea to use it to power your grill since they are designed to hook directly into your home’s natural gas line, eliminating the need to provide the fuel source for outdoor grilling needs. Natural gas grills are also just as easy as propane grills to clean since you don’t have to worry about cleaning out the charcoal or wood.
The major down side to outdoor natural gas grills is that you must have a fixed gas line running to your grill that you will have to call your gas company to setup. You won’t be able to move your outdoor grill around after that unless you want to setup another line.
Outdoor Smoker Grills
The primary reason to use a smoker grill for outdoor grilling is the incredible flavor. Outdoor smoker grills use slow burning charcoal or wood which produces dry heat that spreads moderate temperature around the food, letting it cook gradually.
Wood is usually the preferred fuel for smokers as it produces a great aroma which is infused into the meat. The most common types of woods used are cherry, sugar maple, mesquite, oak and hickory, the most used type.
Outdoor Charcoal Grills
The final type of grill for outdoor grilling is the classic charcoal grill. Outdoor charcoal grills are the least expensive of all grills and utilize charcoal and lighter fluid to cook your food. Charcoal grills are usually small and compact, perfect for dragging along to a tailgating party. The Old Smokey Charcoal Grill is a perfect example.
The first thing most people notice about outdoor charcoal grills is that they infuse a distinct taste into your food that gas grills don’t. Many people enjoy this unique flavor and use them despite the disadvantages.
The first disadvantage of outdoor charcoal grills is its difficulty to start a flame. Charcoal grills require more work then say outdoor gas grills where you just push a button to start the flame. With charcoal grills you must buy charcoal briquettes and lighter fluid and fill the grill’s charcoal pit each time you want to cook. The ash in the charcoal pit also has to be cleaned after every use. Charcoal is fairly inexpensive but it’s only a one use item.
So as you can see choosing an outdoor grill is really quite simple. The great thing about many outdoor grills is that you can bring them with you where ever you go, whether its to a tailgating party or camping outdoors. If you do any grilling at night you might not even need a camping heater. If you have any other questions relating to choosing an outdoor grill feel free to leave a comment.
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