It's time to replace that rusty old grill and smoker. To make your purchase less daunting, we've selected the Best Value Grills & Smokers of 2015 from our searchable database of ratings and reviews of more than 500 options. And as you know, we don't sell any grills or other products so these are truly unbiased reviews.
Included in the list:
* Top 10 Best Value Charcoal Grills
* Top 10 Best Value Gas Grills
* Top 10 Best Value Backyard Smokers
* Top 10 Best Value Tailgate and Portable Grills
* Top 10 Luxury Grills & Smokers
Here's a link to all of them.
This annual ranking is curated by Max Good, our Director of Equipment Reviews and Keeper of the Flame. He explains, "We rate and review as objectively as possible, measuring temperatures, slamming lids, turning dials, studying warranties and kicking casters. Inevitably, intangibles such as look and feel have to be considered as well."
This year's winners are equipped with more features than ever before. Many more gas grills now have special high heat sear burners for crispier steaks, while charcoal grills are designed for easier ash removal. More manufacturers are integrating digital technology and some even feature remote systems that monitor and even control cooking from a smart phone or tablet.
Some categories, like kamados and pellet smokers, are growing rapidly. Kamados are usually egg shaped and well insulated, with many made from ceramics. Pellet smokers burn wood pellets made from compressed hardwood sawdust from saw mills and most have thermostat controls, just like your kitchen oven.
Weber dominated the list with eight of the 50 selections because their machines are so well engineered, built to last, and carry reliable warranties. Among the best bargains are the Pit Barrel Cooker. The US made barrel shaped smoker is only $299, shipping included. Another is the PK Grill, a 1952 clamshell design. It has become our favorite inexpensive charcoal grill at about $369, shipping included.
Several newcomers have cracked the lineup, among them the new high-tech Saber Edge Grill, an infrared gas grill that communicates in real time with your smartphone, and the Karubecue C-60 Pit (right), a one of a kind wood fired smoker that turns the greenest backyard novice into a wizened Texas Pit Boss.
Of the 50 selections, prices range from $30 to $50,000, with 23 choices under $500. 27 were made primarily in the US, 11 from China, nine from Canada, one from Denmark, one from Germany and one from Indonesia.
Good is the only person in the world whose full time job is testing, researching, rating and reviewing grills and smokers. He laments that most manufacturers continue to include cheap bimetal dial thermometers mounted in the top of the lid. They are frequently off by more than 50�F! He thinks it is time for them to start installing digital thermometers on the cooking surface and indeed a few manufacturers are leading the way. And while they're at it, he'd love to see gas grills add a feature that every indoor gas oven has: A thermostat. "We shudder to think how much food is ruined because backyard cooks can't control the temp of their cooker." He recommends that you budget for a good digital oven thermometer and a separate digital food thermometer. We also have a database of reviews or more than 100 of them.
For steaks and burgers, you need hot and fast, whereas ribs and brisket smoke low and slow. Our Top 10 Lists help you find the right tools to achieve your goal of backyard domination. Let the Grilling Season begin!
Click here to see our Top 10 Lists for 2015.