This Question of the Month recap is from one that I sent out 18 months ago, but is timely since we are getting close to heading into grilling season.

The question that I posed was:

If you were buying a new grill, what features do you look for in a grill?

•  Do you buy a propane or charcoal gril?
• How big?
• Do you need a side burner?
• Portable or not?
• Anything else that you can think of that might be something to consider.

As usual, I got some great responses.  Here they are:

From Keith:

I actually did just buy a new grill this spring so your question is a timely one.  I have grilled for decades so I've been around all sorts of grills and have cooked most of my family's meals outdoors for years.  For a point of reference, I actually competed in Memphis in May in 1982-1984 so using that as a starting point I've cooked consistently for over 30 years at a high level of competitiveness.  I'm not a new comer or just a hamburger/hot dog kind of griller.  I cook everything from breakfast to dinner on the grill and do the whole meal each time.

While I've enjoyed the challenges of cooking with charcoal and gas, I've wanted to take it back to the basics and use a wood grill.  For me, producing  the same level of results I've had using contemporary grills while getting the flavor of a wood grill was irresistible goal.  Cooking with wood takes a lot more skill then one might think.  I've looked at dozens of grills from homemade ones to the popular ones you see on T.V.  I finally settled on a manufacturer - Grillworks - but finding one at a reasonable price was another thing.  These grills are very, very nice but cost an arm and a leg.  I patiently trolled e-bay and the other online re-sellers, seeing one pop up every year or so but the re-sellers were often questionable so I just couldn't get comfortable still spending big dollars hoping I got what I paid for.

Finally, I saw the Food T.V. channel was having an Iron Chef America grill off for the Super Bowl and a Memorial day military grill off.  I knew the manufacturer was supplying the grills to get them in the public eye and just hoped a "used" grill might somehow make it to an online resale site.  Sure enough a few months later I saw one pop up on e-bay with Grillworks as the seller.  I confirmed with Grillworks that the post was real and purchased it immediately at a "reasonable price".  I've seen their grills continue to pop up after shows such as Bobby Flays uses a grill just one time.

Since then, I have been slowly getting up to speed using my Dual 54 Asador.  I got comfortable enough to have a couple of parties, feeding 20 plus folks a whole meal straight from my single grill with enough extra food to feed 20 more.  End result is I got the challenge I was looking for and the great taste of wood faintly incorporated in the food.  My suggestion to every accomplished griller is to consider using a wood grill to take your food to the next level.  You don't have to spend as much as you would think to get one, the fuel is all around you and everyone will rave about your results.  I've enjoyed my purchase and will continue to for several more decades!

Happy Grilling!!!

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From Colin:

OK, In my case I look for two different kinds of grills - Because I have two in my back yard,. for two different purposes.

1. I have my smoker which of course I use for smoking only (for Barbecuing) ti has a side hot box which gives the smoker a hot and cooler side. This barbecue smoker is used for cooking slow and long. I only cook pork butts and brisket on it. For cooking in my back yard I need 5 ft by 3 ft approx for cooking.

2.  Now I have my Grill (a PK GRILL) this is for Steaks or Chicken Halves, and well grilling only.  I like to use charcoal, Yes I am from the Charcoal lovers group, you need charcoal for grilling steaks.  OK, for size you need a smaller cooking service than a smoker. I may cook as much as 4 to 6 steaks on it at a time.  You do not need a side burner on this grill charcoal needs to be under the meet for good steak and Chicken halves cooking.   Yes I like to have portability for taking the grill off to places other than my back yard. Possibility to a tailgate or something.  The grill needs too sturdy made of good materials
such as the PK Grill "Cast Aluminum" construction.
The Best to You,
Colin

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From Rick:

There are those purists who only use charcoal or wood. I have a gas grill (Vancano) and a cast iron hibachi with charcoal. We sometimes have uninvited named storms in my area and not having a grill of some kind is not a good choice when the power goes out.

When I grill, I grill for me and my wife. Mostly I grill hamburger, grilled veges, K-bobs and chicken breasts. Though I have used a large grill in the past, I don't really need all that space. The Hibachi works nicely for me.

In the gas grill I had, it had a side burner. I thought it  would be great. I never used it.

I put my Hibachi in a large plastic tool type box that fits a bag of charcoal and the grill. It works well for storing between uses and over the winter. It needs to be water proof so the cast iron doesn't rust. If you tend to go somewhere like the state park or football parking lot, this is a great way to do it.

Get a grill that fits your needs. If you cook a lot of food, use a Dutch oven, bake pizza or cook for family and friends, you will need a much larger grill. Those grills are large and hard to handle. You might not have a choice. There are times that I miss my large gas grill, but it took up a lot of space in my garden shed. If you leave them out doors, they need to be covered and they only last 4 or 5 years.

I use one of those stove pipe things to put paper and charcoal in to start the fire. That way you don't taste the lighter fluid and it is safer.

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Gayle says that she looks for a grill with heavy grates.

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From Rick:

Charcoal tastes better, but i' m too lazy so i'd get gas. I wouldn't get one without a side burner. I've never used the one I have but it would be the perfect thing ina power outage or other emergency, you could still cook, without even dragging out the camping stuff. I did try baking bread in my gas grill once, just to see if I could, for the same emergency use thing, and it works. I have to admit, though, that i mostly use mine for burgers, occasionally brats, sometimes chicken or steak so I'm certainly no expert on grilling, that's the biggest reason I subscribed, to get some help on outdoor cooking.

From Evan:

Great question, and one that I recently asked myself. I was looking for something versatile. I have been smoking on a small water smoker for a few years but wanted to "step up my game," but was hoping to find a cooker that could both smoke and grill. I've never been a fan of gas, so that was instantly eliminated.

A friend of mine has a Big Green Egg and we had been treated so both excellent steaks and some succulent pulled pork he had cooked on the Egg. After much research, I decided on the Primo Oval XL. A day hasn't gone by where I've tried to think of something wild to cook on my Primo. I absolutely love it and have zero regrets. While the Primo and most other ceramics have a bit of a high price tag, I feel they are worth the money.

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From Janice:

What would I look for in a new grill?  Definitely shelf or counter space on both sides of the grill.  Got to have somewhere to set down the trays the meat comes out on, the plates it's going on when it comes off, the basting sauce, the tongs.

I thought I would love the side burner but honestly it has only been used a couple of times - so that wouldn't be a necessary for me.

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And finally, from Walter:

• Do you buy a propane or charcoal gril?

Propane. I prefer the predictability and lack of mess.

• How big?

At least three burners for indirect heating.

• Do you need a side burner?

No. I find I almost never use it.

• Portable or not?

Not. I have a good collection of camping stoves, including a grill.

• Anything else that you can think of that might be something to consider.

Easy to dis-assemble and clean
A practical, effective grease trap.

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Thanks for your responses!  There are some good tips in there.  As for me, I think that for my next grill, I will look for the following:

1. Size.  Since I do most of my grilling at home, I want a grill that's big enough to cook for the group that I'll be serving.  So I want a pretty good size surface area on the grill.
2. Charcoal or gas?  I'll want to get both.  While I currently have a CharGriller Duo 5050 that has a chamber for propane and a chamber for charcoal, I think that I'll get one of each.  I love the convenience of the propane.  But it's fun to cook over charcoal also sometimes.  And since my CharGriller also has a side firebox connected to the charcoal chamber, I'll want to get something to do smoking in.   So I'll probably end up with all three.
3. I do use the side burner occasionally, and it also serves as a shelf, so that's kind of convenient, but not a necessity.
4. I don't need it to be portable at this time.  If I'm heading to the park or up the canyons, I can get by with a bag of charcoal and some wood to use in the grills or firepits that they have there.
5. Something that is easy to clean would be really important.  I grill a lot, so I do find it difficult to keep clean.  I'll really look for those features that would make it easier to clean.

I've noticed that a lot of the stores have started putting out their grills, so even though I'm not in the market for a grill right now, I'll start taking a look at them and let you know what I find and what recommendations I might make to you.

What recommendations do you have for buying a grill?