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Which Grill to Buy, Charcoal or Gas?
IT'S A LIFESTYLE CHOICE
This is really your first decision. Are you convinced there's nothing like
the taste and smell of food grilled over hot coals? Do you take a certain pride
in your ability to get the fire started and keep it properly tended while you
cook? Do you need that hands-on, primal experience?
Or do you want a perfect fire at the push of a button? Do
you appreciate the precision temperature adjustments gas
grills can provide? Would you rather avoid the whole charcoal
set-up and the post-cookout ashes?
Whether you're in the charcoal or gas grill camp, you're
in luck. Taste tests indicate there's no significant flavor
difference either way. The choice is strictly personal. Consider
how you plan to use your grill will you grill every night
or just on special occasions? Will that change over time?
Is cost an issue? While gas grills are initially more expensive,
they generally cost less to operate in the long run. Both
are great choices pick the one that's right for you
Okay, you've got the fever. But
do you have the right grill? Remember, your food's only going
to be as good as your grill, so make sure a one-time bargain
doesn't turn into a long-term disappointment. Invest in a
good grill and you can focus on dinner, not your toolbox.
The beauty of a charcoal
grill is its simplicity. At the core of a good charcoal
grill is a charcoal grate to place the fuel on. Above that
is a cooking grate. A lid with air vents tops it off. Simple
and uncomplicated.
A good, well-built grill will feel solid
and sturdy; a poorly made grill will wiggle. If a grill
isn't solid on the sales floor, chances are it will fall
apart rather quickly on the patio or deck. Choose a grill
made of high grade U.S. steel. Also opt for a baked-on,
porcelain-enamel finish. The legs should be sturdy, wheels
should roll easily, and the grill should display a good
fit and finish.
Cooking grates are generally made from heavy-duty plated
steel or chrome-plated aluminum. A thicker, heavier-gauge
cooking grate will last longer and distribute and retain
heat better. Grates coated with porcelain enamel are
a common step-up feature. The best grates are made of
cast iron, stainless steel, or porcelain-coated aluminum
or cast iron.
When you buy a barbecue you want to grill,
not drill, so fast, easy assembly is a priority. Some grills
require hours (and an engineering degree) to assemble. Better
brands reduce or eliminate the amount of assembly required
by the consumer.
Top-notch after-market service supports any
quality made grill, including thorough, easy-to-read information
about the product, and a toll-free service line. A good grill
is easy to clean and to maintain, and long-life is assured
by easy access to replacement parts and service through a
well-established servicing dealer network.
A good grill controls heat easily, has handles
that stay cool to the touch, and has added safety features.
It makes sense: the best manufacturers can
afford to stand behind their products. Don't settle for less
than a 10-year warranty.
What To Look For in a Gas Grill
Besides price, what separates an ordinary
gas grill from a great gas grill? Here are a few points savvy
grill shoppers should know.
The basic underpinnings of a gas grill
are really quite simple: First come burners to create heat.
Above them you'll find some type of system to disperse
the heat from the burners (Flavorizer bars, ceramic briquettes,
lava rock, etc.). Above those lie the cooking grates.
Let's look under the hood to get a better sense of what
you should be looking for.
Better grills generally have two or more separate
burners (not just control knobs) which allow greater control
of heat. Most lower-priced grills have only one burner
shaped like an H or a bar, some with one control, some
with two controls. Grills with one burner don't allow
you to control heat as well as grills with multiple
burners and may result in hot and cold spots on the cooking
surface.
When cooking on a gas grill, juices from the
food drip down and accumulate near the heat source until
they reach a flash point and burn off. The best systems
quickly flash the drippings, eliminating flare-ups
and creating flavorful smoke. Most manufacturers
rely on lava rock or ceramic briquettes to distribute the
heat from the burners to the cooking surface. Drippings
from the food tend to pool in these systems causing
undue flare-ups. The best grills use a steel bar
system (pioneered by Weber) that funnels the grease away
from the burner flames, greatly reducing flare-ups.
BTUs are not a measure of cooking power.
They indicate the volume of gas a grill can burn. Tightly
engineered grills use fewer BTUs and cook food more efficiently.
Sometimes less is more. Too many BTUs can cause damage
to burners and reduce the life of the grill. In general,
large grills with large cooking surfaces require higher
BTUs.
A
good, well-built grill will feel solid and sturdy; a poorly
made grill will wiggle. If a grill isn't solid on the sales
floor, chances are it will fall apart rather quickly on
the patio or deck. Choose a grill made of high grade U.S.
steel. Also opt for a baked-on, porcelain-enamel finish.
The cart should be sturdy, wheels should roll easily, and
the grill should display a good fit and finish.
Cooking grates
are generally made from heavy-duty plated steel or chrome-plated
aluminum. A thicker, heavier-gauge cooking grate will last
longer and distribute and retain heat better. Grates coated
with porcelain enamel are a common step-up feature. The
best grates are made of cast iron, stainless steel, or porcelain-coated
aluminum or cast iron.
When you buy a
barbecue, you want to grill, not drill, so fast and easy
assembly is a priority. Some grills require hours (and
an engineering degree) to assemble. Better brands reduce
or eliminate the amount of assembly required by the consumer.
Top-notch
after-market service supports any quality made grill, including
thorough, easy-to-read information about the product, and
a toll-free service line. A good grill is easy to clean and
to maintain, and long-life is assured by easy access to replacement
parts and service through a well-established servicing dealer
network.
A good grill
lights effortlessly, controls heat easily, has handles
that stay cool to the touch, and has added safety features.
It
makes sense: the best manufacturers can afford to stand behind
their products. Don't settle for less than a 10- year warranty.
Optional
side burners are great for cooking sauces and other
dishes. Flip-up side tables give you extra space for
food preparation.
Direct
Design Gas BBQ's
   
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