Do you want to know about all the types of bbq grills on the market?
Grilling is more than an iconic American pastime. It’s more than a way to bond with the family, eat at home, and get a change of food for the weekend.
It’s a sign of openness to other cultures. It’s also one way to replicate foods many Americans have experienced outside the US — exactly the reason why Argentine grills have become popular recently. It’s one of the various reasons why more Americans are spending more on home grilling.
However, you’ll notice there are many types of bbq grills to choose from. Before you go shopping for the best BBQ grill, read this article about the types of bbq grills. We’ll tell you about the types, what they do best, and what they don’t do best.
Table of Contents
Types of BBQ grills:
1. Gas Grill
For our first item, let’s talk about gas grills. Did you know that Don McGlaughlin invented the first outdoor gas grill in the early 1950s? He’s also the owner of the Chicago Combustion Corporation, which we know today as LazyMan.
More specific types of gas grills include the natural gas grills and propane grills.
The propane contains more energy than natural gas and thus promises more efficiency in barbequing. It promises more power and lets you heat up the grill quicker. Propane grills also let you cook with indirect heat or try a multi-zone cooking method.
Natural gas grills offer more convenience, efficiency, and often a smaller price tag. They’re very fuel-efficient but they aren’t portable. And while many gas grills are propane grills, you can convert them to use natural gas with ease.
Gas grills are great for those who want to fire up their grills as soon as possible. Compared to charcoal grills, you don’t need to do too much preparation and cleanup.
2. Charcoal Grill
Do you enjoy your meats more when they’ve got a hint of smokiness in them?
In that case, you want to look at the charcoal grills. Weber offers some of the best outdoor grills. Plus, it’s the original seller of the quality yet cheap charcoal grills.
Charcoal is great for grilling since it burns at higher temperatures than gas. The skilled grill master can sear meat with more ease this way. Charcoal grills are also easy to move around.
You can also get the Japanese-designed Kamado grill. It uses wood lump charcoal. When you cook with Kamado grills, the food retains its natural taste. It doesn’t get contaminated with charcoal residue or metals.
Note that charcoal grills take time to set up. Charcoal is also quite expensive. If you want to find more grills of this style, check out these grill reviews here.
3. Ceramic Grill
Using a ceramic grill for your BBQ needs gives you a new experience. It’s not the same as traditional grills. Compared to the traditional grill, ceramic grills are great for retaining ideal temperatures.
Unlike the other types, a ceramic grill allows you to reach a high temperature fast. You sear the meats and cook them right. After that, you continue to cook them at a lower temperature.
Even when you open the grill to add sauces, the temperature will stay the same. This style of grilling makes the meat hold moisture better. Also, note that a ceramic grill can cook your meat from all sides and not only from the bottom.
It’s great for those who like to cook large quantities of food over a long period. You won’t have to go through a repetitive setup process with a ceramic grill. However, you’ll find ceramic grills are more expensive than other grills and often weigh heavier.
4. Electric Grill
We can tell from its name that the electric grill runs on electricity. It’s best used by those who live in apartments or condos with strict fire regulations. Most electric grills also have a space-saving feature in mind.
Unlike the traditional grills, an electric grill doesn’t produce meats with that grilled taste. An electric grill is convenient to have and easy to use. However, you sacrifice the smoky hint of flavor in the meat when you use an electric grill.
Electric grills are more controllable when it comes to smoke and heat output. Note, before you buy a grill of any type, make sure you check your local laws and building regulations. If you violate any codes, you’ll end up returning the grill or buying a grill you can’t use.
5. Dual Fuel Grills
Do you want a BBQ grill that you can use in case you run out of charcoal? Worry no more for dual-fuel grills are here. Some may know it as a hybrid type made of a combination of various types of BBQ grills.
Often, it’s a grill with the features of gas and charcoal grills. With a hybrid grill, you can cook meat using gas and still get meat enriched with a smoky flavor. It’s great for easier cooking without sacrificing flavor.
You still need to clean up the charcoal. It’s also more expensive than other grill types. Don’t forget that you also need to keep an eye on both fuel sources.
6. Smoker
As a way to cook and preserve meat, the ancient man smoked it. Historians believe that modern-day smoked meat came from Turkey and got brought in to Romania by invading Turkish armies. We know that Native American cultures smoked fish to cook and preserve it (for more on how to clean fish, read here).
For our final type, we have the smoker.
A smoker or smoker grill cooks heat on low heat over a long period of cooking time. It uses wood chips or charcoal as fuel. The meat you cook with a smoker gets tenderized and enriched with flavor.
Often, you cook tough, flavorful cuts of meat on the smoker. This includes brisket and ribs. When you cook them on low, gentle heat, the collagen melts and makes the meat tender.
If you enjoy your meats rich in flavor, you’re looking for a smoker. The smoker comes in many shapes and sizes. You can get one with a drum design and two racks, for example.
Try the Best Types of BBQ Grills Now!
Try out the various types of BBQ grills today! You might find one that best suits your needs.
Of course, grilling doesn’t stop with purchasing the right equipment.
Do you want to know about the best time to buy a grill? Do you want to read in-depth comparisons between grill types? If you want to see more content on grills, check out our other guides.
