Outdoor grilling is a popular way to cook and with summer time here it’s time to bring out your favorite grill. Of course if you don’t have a grill yet that could be a problem. Buying an outdoor grill can enjoyable simple experience or a very arduous one. It may seem overwhelming at first due to the almost endless amount of possibilities and options available. The best way to decide on what type of grill is right for you is by educating yourself about them and then reading reviews and researching different outdoor grills.
Grills for the outdoors vary in price from very affordable to quite expensive. It depends on the type and brand of the grill in question. What kind of grill you need depends on several different factors including where you intend on using it as well as for how many people.
If you’re on a limited budget or just don’t do much grilling and don’t want to spend a lot, consider buying an outdoor charcoal grill. A small charcoal grill can be bought for around $15-20 at any department store or camping supply store. They are the perfect option for those who go tent camping a lot or just don’t have much money to spend. There are larger, more expensive charcoal grills available of course for those who wish it. Those can range from just under $100 to over $300. The only thing you have to remember is that you have to buy charcoal briquettes and lighting fluid whenever you wish to do any grilling.
Out of all the gas grills available, propane grills are the least expensive of the bunch. You can find a cheap propane grill for around $100 that is small enough to be portable but also large enough to barbecue a full meal. The better propane grills are available from $150 to just over $400.
If you love the flavor of smoked meat, an outdoor smoker grill could be the perfect choice. They are reasonably priced at around $70 for the smallest up to $380 for the larger grills.
If you mainly grill at home a natural gas grill is the obvious choice. They hook right up into your existing gas line. These are certainly not portable and are not cheap. You need professional installation as well. Outdoor natural gas grills start at around $300 going up to over $1,000 for the better grills.
Ease of Use
The simplest grill to operate is the natural gas grill. Since they’re already hooked into your fuel line, you just turn the fuel nob and hit the ignition button. They also happen to be the easiest to clean off and maintain.
Very similar to natural gas grills are propane grills. They operate virtually identically but you have to supply the grill with propane tanks for fuel. Hauling the tanks around can be inconvenient and that’s why they’re not included with natural gas grills.
Outdoor charcoal grills are slightly more difficult to use since they require buying charcoal and maintaining the coals to cook the food efficiently. They are also harder to clean since you have to empty out the charcoal pit. Smokers also fall into this category but use wood instead of charcoal briquettes.
The size of your grill will also play a large part in how easy it is to maintain. If you’re looking for something that is easy to handle a smaller grill is usually the better choice. Of course if you need to large grilling area that large grills provide then the choice is obvious.
Grilling Style And Flavor
One of the most important factors when choosing an outdoor grill is the how it cooks the meat and how it tastes afterward. Charcoal and smoker grills are known for imparting a unique flavor to its cooked food. You can further enhance flavor by choosing different types of wood or charcoal. Each kind has its own special flavor. The only downside to those types of grills is that it cooks it food much slower than gas grills.
Outdoor gas grills are perfect for when you want you food grilled up fast. They leave no flavor on your food so you only taste the meat instead of the fuel. Some people like it that way.
Space
The final but certainly not least important factor is that of space. If you live in a dorm room or small apartment, large grills are not an option for you. And certainly not natural gas grills. A small charcoal or propane grill is a better fit for a person in that situation. They are usually big enough to barbecue enough food for 2 or 3 people and in a small living space like that, is usually enough.
If you own your own home an outdoor natural gas grill is probably the right choice for you. Even though they are more expensive, if you do any serious grilling they give you the best bang for your buck. Also you don’t have to deal with buying more fuel all the time because its hooked right into your home’s gas line. A smoker grill is also good for home owners if they prefer their meat smoked.
So as you can see buying an outdoor grill doesn’t have to be a painful process. Careful research and understanding goes a long way. Hopefully now that you have a greater knowledge of outdoor grills you can make a better informed decision the next time you need buy one.
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