With so many options available this year, you need to first understand your cooking style before exploring the best grill choices.
Surprisingly, the best grill of 2024 isn't even a grill.
In this article, you will learn all about the best grills to buy, whether you like smoking, searing, roasting, or just grilling a few burgers now and then.
You'll learn about the differences between pellets, charcoal, gas, professional grills, and the next new outdoor phenomenon.
Overall, there's a lot to discover.
Let's get started.
Most brands get bashed on social media and in reviews.
That's because their marketing doesn't live up to their performance.
A grill can't replicate the smoky flavor of a pellet grill or give the food the unique texture that charcoal or smoking provides.
Similarly, you can't grill a burger on a Traeger or any other smoker in just a few minutes.
So, throughout the article, I'll share the pros and cons of each grill and explain how they work.
You have to decide which grill is best for the way you cook.
Now, let's find the perfect grill for you.
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The best grill isn't even a grill - it's a griddle.
I remember working as a kid at Yale, where there was a coffee shop next door. The owner cooked everything on a griddle, including hamburgers, hot dogs, omelets, hash browns, pancakes, and even its cousin, French toast.
The Traeger "Flatrock" is a competitor to the highly successful Blackstone griddles.
With Traeger, you get three zones for cooking different foods, such as bacon, eggs, and pancakes, on the same griddle at different temperatures.
They also designed it without an opening between the griddle and the rest of the chassis so the wind wouldn't blow the flame out.
Pros: Griddles can cook any type of food and may even be better than grills for smaller items like shrimp. They're also more user-friendly for hot dogs and sausages.
Cons: Unlike the pro grill units, they don't provide the same sear as a grill and lack an infrared burner for quick searing.
As I mentioned earlier, some grills are better for speed, while others are better for texture.
However, there are exceptions to this rule, which I'll cover in the next two sections, each with its own unique issues.
Read More: Blackstone Griddles vs. the Traeger Flatrock Flat Top Grill
Legend has it that GIs brought ceramic grills back from Japan.
Ceramic charcoal grills have attained a cult-like status, and Kamado Joe is the best (sorry, TBE fans).
Kamado Joe grills are incredibly versatile and can be used for every cooking method, such as grilling, smoking, roasting, and baking.
The ceramic walls of a Kamado Joe grill provide insulation, allowing for more fuel efficiency and less charcoal needed.
Additionally, Kamado Joe grills have temperature controls for precision cooking.
The top and bottom vents can be adjusted to control airflow and raise or lower temperature, giving you full control over your cooking.
The ceramic walls of a Kamado Joe grill also help retain moisture for juicier and more flavorful food.
Kamado Joe grills are designed to last and withstand the elements, making them a reliable option for outdoor cooking enthusiasts.
Pros: Kamado Joe grills are incredibly versatile, allowing you to be creative with a ceramic grill.
Cons: Kamado Joe grills have a learning curve and are not the easiest to use. If you only grill burgers occasionally, I wouldn't recommend a Kamado.
For ease of use, many people prefer using pellet grills for smoking.
If you love to grill, Kalamazoo is the best on the market.
The grill is deeper than any other built-in grill, providing a natural convection system for more evenly cooked food.
The other main difference is the hybrid drawer, which allows you to use either charcoal or wood.
Kalamazoo is the only grill that combines the speed of a professional gas grill with the flavor and texture of charcoal and wood.
You can even customize the grates based on the food you are grilling.
Plus, it is available in marine-grade steel, making it the only grill designed to withstand the elements if you live by the ocean.
It's worth noting that marine-grade stainless steel, like the type used in Kalamazoo grills, can rust slightly over time, resulting in "tea staining."
Nonetheless, the grill will last the longest if you live by the ocean.
Pros: With natural convection airflow and the ability to add the flavor of wood and charcoal in the hybrid drawer, your food will taste the best from a Kalamazoo.
Cons: The Kalamazoo hybrid grill starts at over $25,000, making it a significant investment.
It's not recommended for occasional grillers but for those who are passionate about grilling and looking for the ultimate grilling experience.
You can now buy a Kalamazoo grill head without the hybrid drawer.
This unit weighs in at an impressive 360 pounds, offering superior insulation compared to the average weight of 240 pounds for other brands.
The taller and deeper design of Kalamazoo's grill head enhances natural convection airflow, ensuring even cooking.
Pros: Unmatched quality with natural convection for even cooking.
Cons: No infrared elements for a quick sear, no smaller sizes available, and it comes with a high $19,000 price tag.
Weber Genesis is a popular grill series sold at Yale.
Weber has focused on the Genesis series with two different improvements:
Genesis grills stand out with several unique features: side burners, stainless steel grates (as opposed to porcelain), sear burners, smart technology, Flavorizer bars, and a finished bottom cabinet.
Of course, knowing if all Genesis grills were available this year is important.
Weber also introduced the OGS system, which allows you to do more than grill. The OGS system is a frame kit that accommodates different accessories to cook better.
You can buy various accessories, such as a griddle, a rotisserie basket for crisping French fries, or a popcorn maker.
You can buy the roasting basket to grill veggies so they do not slip through the crevices of the grates. Pizza will also be easier to cook with their baking stone accessory.
Pros: The Genesis is a good gas grill. It offers the best value between $1,000 and $2,000, mostly because competitive brands are less durable.
Cons: Unlike smokers, gas grills like the Genesis cannot impart the same flavor or smoke.
While the griddle feature is clever, it does not perform as consistently as dedicated griddles.
Read More: What Is the Difference Between the Weber Spirit, Genesis, and Summit Series BBQ Grills?
You may buy a DCS grill simply because it's widely available, but it's also an excellent option that sets itself apart.
DCS offers an all-sear grill, which means that the entire surface can reach 1100 degrees by using ceramic elements throughout the grill.
Lynx and Hestan, on the other hand, use an infrared element for more directed heat than a more diffused source like a gas burner.
Still, at 1100 degrees, this DCS Series 9 grill will provide a good sear across the whole cooking surface.
The DCS Series 9 also comes with a wood and charcoal basket accessory, which infuses grilled food with a smokey flavor.
Additionally, you can add some worthwhile accessories, such as a middle-side burner with 70,000 BTUs and a dedicated griddle.
Pros: Good power and sear with the ceramic rods.
Cons: Smoking is not as effective, even with smoker trays.
Read More: Should You Buy a DCS Series 9 BBQ Grill?
Some people love this grill, but it is not for everyone. An all-sear grill uses infrared burners instead of regular gas.
Unless you buy it without a sear, Lynx's regular gas grills will have one infrared burner for searing. We have written posts comparing the two.
Infrared is more intense, direct heat, whereas the regular gas burner diffuses the heat.
You'll be able to cook faster with infrared, but you can also burn your food more easily.
I normally recommend the combination of regular and infrared gas, available in all sizes.
You can cook on the gas burner and finish on the infrared.
Lynx gas burners are exceptionally durable due to their weather-resistant ceramic construction
Pros: Fastest sear you can buy.
Cons: Do you always need to search quickly? Again, gas cannot add flavor and texture to your food.
The giant commercial supplier, Meyer, is behind the Hestan grill. It is already the best-looking grill available in 12 designer finishes.
Hestan has an immense output of 25,000 BTU per burner, plus 25,000 just for searing.
It has a rotisserie system holding 50 pounds of meat with a 12,000-18,000 BTU variable infrared burner.
You can evenly cook the meat on your rotisserie or top shelf, which can cook quickly for a good secondary quick sear burner.
Their trellis burners provide heat across the entire cooking surface.
The hood will stop wherever you want, so you can open it slightly to cool your grill. Hestan has thicker diamond-cut grates.
Pros: Powerful, stylish, and even cooks with rotisserie system, adjustable hood, and thicker grates.
Cons: Higher price point, not as versatile as other options.
You must be careful about buying a product advertised as cheaper but with pro-style performance.
Most grills have the less expensive part, but the "pro" part is lacking. Before buying any grill, look at the fit, finish, burners, and grates.
That said, the Aspire is like Hestan's regular line but with less power per burner and less powerful than infrared burners.
The burners are 23,000 BTU, only 2,000 BTU less than their regular line with the same sear burner of 25,000 BTU.
It doesn't have diamond-cut grates or trellis burners. It also only has nine signature colors instead of 12.
Pros: This is a more affordable option with pro-style performance. It still has a strong BTU output and a sear burner.
Cons: It lacks some of the premium features of the regular Hestan line and is not as powerful as infrared burners.
Grilling with wood-fired pellets is suitable for low and slow cooking and can add flavor.
They are advertised as grills, so the expectation is fast, which is impossible in a pellet-type grill at a maximum of 500 degrees.
Unlike their less expensive models, the Timberlane 1300 has better construction, so you don't lose much heat when it is opened.
Their WiFIRE Wi-Fi system allows you to monitor your grill through an app on your phone.
It includes two wireless Meater probes, which are excellent for any type of cooking. These probes calculate the cooking time accurately, even when you remove the food from the oven.
Additionally, the pellet hopper is easy to clean and change.
In addition, the side burner is induction, not gas. The induction will cook faster than gas and simmer much better.
They show a griddle on the unit. We will test that burner shortly.
Traeger is a popular, fast-growing company, so their customer service is sometimes lacking.
You may want to consider buying it from a retailer. In this instance, you can see a demo, talk to someone, and quickly deal with problems.
Pros: It is suitable for low and slow cooking and can add flavor. It has a better construction than other pellet-type grills.
The WiFIRE system allows you to monitor your grill through an app.
Cons: The maximum temperature is limited to 500 degrees, so you cannot toss a burger on and have it cooked quickly, and Traeger's customer service can sometimes be lacking.
You may ask why we only sell six lines of BBQ grills.
We have tried almost every grill on the market, and while there are a few decent grills we do not sell, most of the time, a grill has failed to perform.
Our previous resident chef placed her hand in the middle of a grill at a high-output burner a few years ago to demonstrate a cold spot.
That's not a grill you want to buy.
Other times, brands are not durable enough to last outdoors in New England weather, freezing for four months out of the year.
In Arizona or Vegas, the weather is not an issue. It's different in New England.
If you buy an unknown brand, see a demonstration and read reviews.
However, your first question should be, how do you like to grill? Knowing how you want to grill will determine what type is right for you.
Unless you buy a Kalamazoo (starting at about $22,000), there is no "best" grill.
Each type has its strengths and drawbacks.
Let's look at the different types of grills.
Pros: Pellet grills give you flavor from indirect convection heat without flare-ups. You can also customize the taste with different types of flavored pellets.
Pellet grills are perfect for people who like low and slow cooking.
Not to mention, most pellet grills are advanced enough that you can control the temperatures and settings through a phone app.
Cons: They cannot reach the heat of the gas at 500-600 degrees. It's an oven designed for the outdoors.
Pellet grills take time to heat up, so you can't throw a few burgers on your grill and cook them in a few minutes.
You must also add pellets every time you cook and clean them. Pellet grills are both loved and not loved (to be diplomatic).
You may like a pellet grill to smoke or slow cook but do not buy a pellet for speed.
Pros: Charcoal adds flavor and texture because you can reach higher temperatures like a gas grill. You can search and char as well.
Cons: Grilling with charcoal can be a chore. You must add charcoal and remove the ash. It's not as easy to control as a gas grill or precise. Charcoal is for true BBQ lovers.
Pros: Gas grills can reach 900-1100 degrees. They are fast, hot, and easy to clean. At nine hundred degrees, they are also self-cleaning.
Many grills have infrared sear zones to precisely sear your meats. A gas grill's rotisserie is even and easy.
Cons: It lacks the flavor and texture of either charcoal or pellet. The pellet salespeople always ask, "What does gas taste like?"
Pros: One of my friends is a professional grill expert who competes in state BBQ competitions. His BBQ is custom-made for charcoal and gas for speed, flavor, and texture. Kalamazoo's hybrid grill is the closest to a grill of this caliber. Without question, this is the best grill you can buy.
Cons: Despite being the best, it's also the most expensive grill sold, starting at $22,000 for a hybrid.
Pros: Charcoal can grill, sear, and smoke, adding texture. You can also cook at lower temperatures and bake by releasing heat. You can indirectly and directly cook as well with Joe.
Cons: Tough to learn. You have to refill the charcoal
The BBQ grill brands in this article are made with similar materials and have strikingly similar BTU outputs. The chart below does not include wood pellets or charcoal grills.
Many of the outputs in the professional category (Hestan, Kalamazoo, and Lynx) are the same. However, the construction is slightly different, and each has its strengths.
Hestan has diamond-cut grates that hold a sear. Lynx has a variable sear burner and an all-weather ceramic burner. DCS has ceramic rods to sear on any part of the grill.
|
DCS |
Hestan |
Kalamazoo |
Lynx |
Weber Genesis |
|
|
Fuel Type |
Natural Gas (NG) or Liquid Propane (LP) |
Natural Gas (NG) or Liquid Propane (LP) |
Natural Gas (NG) or Liquid Propane (LP) |
Natural Gas (NG) or Liquid Propane (LP) |
Natural Gas (NG) or Liquid Propane (LP) |
|
Grill Type |
Built-In or Freestanding |
Built-In or Freestanding |
Built-In or Freestanding |
Built-In or Freestanding |
Freestanding |
|
BTU Output |
Up to a total of 100,000 BTU |
Up to a total of 148,000 BTU |
Up to a total of 179,800 BTU |
Up to a total of 112,000 |
Up to a total of 48,800 |
|
Smoking Capabilities |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
Rotisserie |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
Infrared |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
Side Station |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Finish |
Stainless Steel |
12 Designer Color Options |
Stainless steel or marine-grade steel |
Stainless Steel |
Stainless Steel with 4 color options |
|
Warranty |
2 years parts and labor |
1 year parts and labor |
2 years parts and labor |
1 year parts and labor |
10 year parts |
As you may have guessed, pro grills are better constructed. However, the two most notable features are burner output and sear elements.
The BTUs (British Thermal Units) seem similar at 50,000 and 60,000 if you compare the best Weber grill to a smaller Lynx grill.
However, there is a significant difference in performance.
A Lynx professional grill has fewer, hotter 25,000 BTU elements than six 10,000 BTU elements for a Weber Summit grill. Therefore, a professional grill can cook faster.
Infrared is the best for searing because it provides more direct and intense heat.
Do you want those grill marks on your food? Use infrared.
Many other sear grates and sear zones consist of just an additional row of gas burners. Gas sear zones spread the flame and heat further and are less intense.
The best Weber costs less than $3,000, whereas a Lynx Sedona costs over $4,000.
Outdoor living is becoming more popular even in Boston. We have a blog post and webinars devoted to the subject.
The architect? The builder? Your landscaper? Your contractor? The cabinet shop? The appliance store? Figuring out who designs is a major step. Always check reviews.
Are you living outside or just grilling a few burgers? That will determine the size and scope of the project.
You have four layouts you can work with island, L-shaped, U-shaped, and galley.
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Ventilation has become a key issue for basic gas ranges. A professional grill with an output of 120,000 BTU or more will expose infrared burners.
Leave the grill outside or plan a high CFM (Cubic Feet Per Minute) hood to extract the smoke or heat.
Read More: How to Vent Your Outdoor BBQ Grill
How do you know whether the cabinets can weather the elements? That's the challenge of creating an outdoor space. However, you can plan most of it yourself.
There are plenty of DIY (do-it-yourself) options.
Just be careful: You want to ensure it can withstand a New England winter beating.
The best DIY option is Hestan. It's a beautiful piece of stainless Steel designed for a Hestan grill. The starting price is $18,000.
The most versatile option is the Urban Bonfire. They manufacture outdoor cabinets exclusively in Montreal and all other places. Their designs start at $7,000 and can support any grill.
If you want to learn how to plan your outdoor space, click this link for the step-by-step blog article.
First, you cannot buy the "best" grill.
That said, what is your style of grilling? Do you like cooking all day? Do you want speed, texture, and flavor?
Each grill type has its advantages and drawbacks.
Buy the grill best suited to your cooking style, whether you prefer gas, pellet, or charcoal grills.
And yes, you can plan your outdoor kitchen.
Imagine the perfect barbecue experience with the right grill, smoker, griddle. Our BBQ Grill Buying Guide makes this dream a reality. Learn from the best brands like Lynx, Kamado Joe, and Weber.
Download now and make every barbecue a story worth telling. Over 1 million people have read a Yale Guide.