If you look around most any suburban area during summer afternoons, you will see little bits of smoke rising from behind most houses from their grill. Imagine if you could find a grill that not only fit your cooking style, tastes and space you had to put it in, but also your budget. With so many different styles and types of grills to choose from, going into the search can often be overwhelming for many of us.

To start with, you have to know what type of griller you are. Some people run their grill like an outdoor kitchen – handling all of the sides, entrees and snacks from one location. Others have a limited space and use the grill as a place to prepare just the basics and leave the rest of the meal to the kitchen. A few even use their grill as a social outlet while tailgating at their hometown football game and need something that can be on the go with them. However you use it, it is one item that is hard to live without!

There are two main grill styles – Charcoal and Propane (or Gas). Each type has its own pros and cons and true bar-b-que fanatics swear by one or the other. The preference is as controversial as any political debate. Other types of grills include electric grills and grills that can be hooked up to your natural gas line.

In order to decide what type of grill you need, think about what type of griller you are, what types of foods you grill, and how many people you typically grill for in order to make the best decision for you.

Charcoal grills have long been the traditional grill of America and come in sizes from tabletop to party size. These grills not only cook by the flame, but also the heat captured inside.

There are three main types of charcoal grills – portable, kettle, and drum. The portable charcoal grill ranges from a one time use product to a grill that fits nicely on a tabletop for a few servings. This is one of the most convenient options for someone who is traveling, going for a picnic or to the beach, or someone in an apartment with a small patio or balcony. A kettle grill is what most of us tend to think of as a charcoal grill. With the lid on, it looks like a circle or kettle. While these can range as small as a tabletop variety, these are generally stand-alone solutions that still offer quite a bit of flexibility for travel. The final option in this section is the drum grill. These can have the more traditional rectangle look and often can hold enough food to feed a small neighborhood. Favored by most catering companies and outdoor eating hot spots, these have options from a rising fire to an ash drop pit. More contemporary drum grills have been created to replicate the look and feel of a gas grill, while retaining the smell and taste of a charcoal.

The charcoal grill uses charcoal briquettes to slowly cook your food. Convenient ways to achieve this, such as a bag full of briquettes that you light, has made this method of grilling available to even the most inept cooker.

For more flavor, companies also offer seasoned briquettes to give you a more smoked or hickory flavor to your food. Some charcoal grills have the added ability to “smoke” whatever it is you are cooking or even use real wood to give your food that added flavor.

Cleanup on a charcoal grill can be a little messier than other grill styles simply because you are using charcoal or real wood that can’t be turned on and off. You also have to always think ahead to have some charcoal on hand for the grill. In most cases, you can simply let it burn away, dump the ashes and clean the grill with a grill brush.

Gas grills are just that – grills that use some sort of gas to create the flame that cooks your food. This once bitter rival of the charcoal grill has now broken out as leader in convenience grilling. Gas grills range from basic take along units to something that can be looked upon as artwork to a serious griller.

It is hard to overlook some key features of a gas grill that charcoal grills just don’t offer! The main one is convenience – want to grill after a long day at work, flip a switch or push a button and have flames instantly. Without the worries of charcoal and temperature, this is one of the easiest solutions for people that are fire challenged. Another feature on some gas grills – now even on some in the lower end of the price range – is side burners and the ability to create a full outdoor kitchen.

The downside of the gas grill is that it doesn’t provide that smoky taste a hardwood or charcoal grill will. Often, that flavor doesn’t come through on burgers or hot dogs, but could make a difference on steaks and chicken. You also run the risk of your propane tank running out in the middle of a bar-b-que, leaving you running to swap tanks in order to finish dinner.

Not all gas grills run on propane, many new models can be converted over to natural gas. If you live in an area that uses natural gas for cooking, you can have a line run directly to the back yard (or wherever you grill) and never have to worry about running out of gas again.

Clean up on a gas grill is very simple, as there is often a drip pan that needs to be cleaned out only a few times a year (depending on how much you grill).  And since there are no ashes, the rest cooks itself away. Just make sure you have a good wire bar-b-que brush and you are all set.

Side Burners

Mostly found in gas grill tops, side burners are a feature that people either love or forget they have. Think about how much you will actually use them, and if one will be enough or you need two, three or even four. The majority of these works just like a gas stove and turn right on after a turn of the knob. This feature allows you to use your regular pots and pans outdoors and keep you from running back and forth from the kitchen.

Top Rack

Found on both gas and charcoal grills, the top rack is a great feature to have on your grill if you like to make veggies or bread as you cook the meat. This rack is generally connected to the lid in some way and keeps it much higher off the flame and cooks it a little slower. Since it is connected to the lid, it moves out of the way when you lift the lid. Some mid level to higher end models include multiple upper level racks for slowly cooking or warming a variety of items.

Material

What your grill is made out of can range from aluminum throw away pans to stainless steel to anything in between. The material your grill is made out of will dramatically affect the price. Most upper end units are made out of stainless steel, many others are made out of a material that appears to be stainless steel and still gives off that same visual effect.

Size

Size is by far the most important item to consider and the one that will make the biggest impact on your backyard grilling. Selecting the right size of product comes from thinking about a few main areas. The first and foremost, how many people do you typically grill for? If the answer is 1-2, you can get away with a small grill or even a portable grill. If, on the other hand, you have a family of 8, you may need to invest in a grill large enough to hold all those steaks and hot dogs. Secondly, do you cook your corn and Texas toast on the grill? If so, you need to make sure you have the space to do so without interfering in meat territory. Finally, where is the grill going? If you live in the suburbs and have a nice patio or deck area, size isn’t an issue. However, if you live in an apartment or urban area with limited outdoor space, you need to find a grill that is portable or compact enough to meet your needs.

Most manufacturers produce models to fit various price ranges in order to have a wide customer base. Features of different models in each category can be compared to find the one model that will provide you a grill just the way you like it. Prices on grills range from $5 to $15,000 or more.

With a budget under $100, you can pick up a basic charcoal grill. For only $6, you can get a disposable or one time use product for travel. By extending your budget to approximately $250 can get you a nicer (and larger) charcoal grill or a decent gas grill. The average grill in the US runs around $300 and lasts for around 5 years. For that much you can get side burners, racks, charcoal or gas, and hooks to hang the cooking utensils.

If you really want an outdoor kitchen, with double burners, extra large cooking area, warmers, granite countertop food preparation area and even a serving portion, plan on spending close to $20,000.

No matter what the price range you are searching in, there are good quality grills available for you to purchase. The only thing you have left to do is get one home and start grilling!