Best BBQ Grills and Smokers Online
Barbecuing is not a new way of cooking. It is in fact a very old system and was prevalent in most indigenous methods of cooking everywhere in the world. The name barbecue in itself comes from the Spanish word barbacoa which actually referred to the cooking implement. With the passage of time however the word barbecue came to refer to the actual method of cooking too.
A number of barbecue grills have been invented and used over the ages because of our fondness for outdoor cooking. In its most basic form, a barbecue grill is nothing but a drum which held the coals with a mesh or “grill” on top on which you placed the food. In earlier times this drum was substituted by a hole dug into the ground which served the purpose effectively.
Because of the number of different barbecue grills out there in the market, it is sometimes a little difficult to make a choice on which one would be the best for you. We have therefore divided all the grills into three categories based on the price. There is however a huge difference in the price so that the categories are not always very progressive.
Low end grills – Less Than $50
All in all, these grills are the most popular anywhere. They are low cost, operate just as well as any grill should, and also come with the authenticity that barbecuing is associated with. You can get these grills for as low as $30 and they work just as well as the most expensive ones. Obviously they will not be very large but then they are more than sufficient for most normal households. For this article we have taken grills below $50 as low end grills.
1. Sanyo HPS-SG3 indoor barbecue grill
This model is the most popular of the lot when it comes to grills. It may not be the coal fired ones that are favored by most traditionalists. It however comes with the convenience of being able to be used inside the home. The heating is electrical and it also comes with the convenience of having a drip pan as well as a non stick grill. It is also dishwasher safe although you can obviously only put the drip pan inside. At just around $70 it is not the cheapest one around, but then considering that you can get it for just $40 at most online stores it is actually very good value for money. It is also very compact and at just around 1 foot by 1.5 it is pretty good for most uses. Click here to go to the model.
2. Delonghi BG24 Perfecto indoor grill
Once again the second most popular model in this range is the indoor variety. This is simply because all said and done, there is nothing that offers you the same kind of convenience as an electrical appliance does. And if you are really that particular, you can always grill in your patio or veranda using an extension cord. The advantage that the Delonghi gives is that it comes with a lid that you can use to cover what you are cooking. This will not only ensure that the heat is evenly spread inside, but will also save you from being hit by hot grease in case what you are grilling sputters.
At around $100 it is actually over our budget, but if you go directly to the manufacturer you can get it for as little as $50 which makes it a very practical choice. Click here to take a look.
3. Sanyo HPS-SG2 Indoor barbecue grill
This model is a ditto of the previous Sanyo model except that it is smaller. While the best selling one had a 200 sq inch cooking area, this one is much smaller and has only a 120 sq inch cooking area. Price wise it does cost less at around $45 but then once again it would cost much less if you go online for them. There is absolutely no difference between the two besides these two things. This model is sufficient as a simple home grill for couples or those who live single. At the price that this sells, even college kids can afford to grill. Click on to go to the product.
Mid range grills – Between $50 – $150
Mid range grills for us are the ones that cost between $50 and $150. At this price, there are not too many of us who would opt for these models preferring to go instead for the simpler ones. There are however a few advantages in going with models from this category and the top selling ones from here are given below.
1. George Foreman GGR50B grill.
This model is the most popular one here and is an indoor cum outdoor model. It is still however an electric model except that it comes with a stand that makes it a stand alone unit. Of course if you want to use it outdoors you will have to bring your electricity with you in the form of an extension cord, but then it gives you the convenience of using an electrical appliance without the problem of it being restricted to being used indoors alone. It is however a slightly smaller model than the Sanyo and the Delonghi from the previous section and is only fit for small families.
You can roast one bird at a time and that is pretty much it. At around $100 it is however a little more expensive than the previous model and is good only if you want to grill outside a lot. It is still popular because it does give you this option and what is a grill if you cannot eat outside. You can however still get it at around $65 or $70 if you go directly to the manufacturer which is a pretty good option. Click here if you want to view the grill.
2. Coleman 9949-750 Propane grill
This model is one of the best in this price range, and if it were not for the lower cost of the George Foreman grill, would probably be the top selling here. This model is a propane one meaning that it is a propane gas powered one which means that the heat is provided by a propane gas cylinder below the grill. This makes it truly mobile although the trade off is that you do not get to use it indoors. This model is however a pure and pure outdoor model and comes with its own stand along with two wheels so that you can transport it around.
It also comes with “cooking counters” that are attached to the grill itself making it very convenient to use. The store prices would be around $180 which is still good value for money, but then you can get it for less than $150 if you don’t mind purchasing it online. No wonder it is so popular. Click here to check out the grill.
3. Weber 386002 Q 100 Propane grill
This model is another propane powered one which makes it more mobile than an electrical one. The only problem is that you can never use it indoors as it is quite dangerous. At a little less than $160 it is even a little beyond our cut off mark, but you can get it for $30 less if you go directly to the manufacturer. You may even get it for even less if you go to an online store to make your purchase. The reason why this model is so expensive even though it is the same size as the George Foreman is because of the propane cylinder that comes with the unit.
The bad thing obviously is the price factor, but the good thing about this model is that it is a very good compromise between the charcoal and the electrical ones. You get some of the convenience of the electrical one but with the mobility of the charcoal one. Click here if you are interested.
Top End Grills – Over $150
The top end grills are generally not that very commonly sold simply because they are just a little too large for most normal families. Unless you live in the suburbs and are accustomed to having a barbecue every weekend with family and friends getting a large one is simply a waste.
The top end ones are those that cost over $150 in price. Although there are both electrical as well as propane powered ones in this price range, the most popular ones are still the wood fired smokers. The category too is a little out of whack with the other two because you find grills for as little as $170 which is the bottom end of the spectrum, while you also find others that can cost you more than $1000. These ones are the really top end products that are almost like a miniature kitchen on wheels, and are really not that commonly found.
This is the reason for the low starting price for this category, but then you get everything that you could want to at this price itself. Let us now take a look at the top selling products in this price range.
1. Masterbuilt 20070106/20070910 30 inch electric smoker
This model is the most popular in the outdoor smoker category. When it says electrical it does not mean electrically powered, rather that it is a fully automatic one which means that you have different settings from which you can choose. Of course even the cheapest electrical one will give you this function, but then they will not be as big. Just like most smokers this model is just too large to be carried around but then they give you a waterproof casing that you can use to cover it when you are not using it.
At nearly $300 it is not very cheap either, but then the manufacturer themselves offer it at a discounted price of $199 with the option of you getting it cheaper still online. Click here if you would like to view the grill.
2. Bradley BTIS1 fully automatic smoker
Unlike the Masterbuilt this one is a truly fully automatic one where even the loading of the wood chips is done automatically. There is an electrically powered hopper that is a side attachment to the actual smoker that feeds the unit as and when it detects that the temperature is coming down. This means that you just ensure that the hopper is fully loaded and that’s it. You can relax while your food is getting barbecued nicely.
Traditionalists prefer this kind of barbecue as the second best to the old wood fired one because you can choose the kind of wood that you want to burn thereby getting a different flavor to your meat. The flip side though is that you still need electricity to run the hopper. Although it retails at $250 you can get it much cheaper if you look around as there are usually discounts on the model and you can get up to $100 off on it. Click here to check it out.
3. Weber 721001 Smokey Mountain cooker
This is the least popular of all three for two reasons, its price and the fact that it is a little more complicated to use than the other ones. You get the cooker separately and the chimney starter separately. This starter is where you will have to put in your coals and light your fire. The smoker itself retails at $350 but you can get it for around $300 if you purchase directly, but you will still have to add another $20 or so for the chimney. At this price it is not worth it except if you want a great looking cooker and do not like the shape of the other two.
It does however give you a rack that can be integrated with the unit, as well as two sizes so that you can choose which you want. There is a smaller 18.5 inch one which is what is reviewed here and there is a much bigger 22 inch one that is almost just the same except that it is much bigger and more expensive. It is pretty traditional in the way that it cooks and it is just that it looks different from the outside. Click here if you would like go to the product.
When it comes to barbecue grills most people tend to go with the cheaper ones. It is not a question of affordability alone. You barbecue outside to get the feeling of being one with nature. You should hear the fat frying and smell the meat cooking for you to actually get the feeling that you are barbecuing. The ones who want to spend more usually tend to go with a bigger but still a very basic model which is the reason why even at the top end where you get multi-functional grills the popular ones are the smokers.
Of course it is fully automatic because we are all lazy and don’t want to keep turning the meat on the spit, something that would have to be done with the cheaper ones, but then you are barbecuing itself because you want to relax outside, not because you like turning a piece of hog meat over a fire.
