Some people love spring. Others prefer autumn. Our favorite time of year? Grilling season. There is nothing quite like the smell of burgers and steaks sizzling over an open flame or the flavor of brisket cooked low and slow in a smoker. Whether you’re new to the barbecue game or a seasoned pitmaster, we’ve rounded up five grills guaranteed to bring the heat — and the good times.
Gas
Gas grills are known for their convenience — a turn of the knob and the heat is on with no messy cleanup to deal with later. But the family-owned company Mont Alpi is working hard to make sure gas grills are known for being good-looking, too. Their natural gas and propane-ready stainless-steel “island” grills are the perfect addition to an outdoor kitchen. They include top-of-the-line features, like ceramic side burners, granite prep surfaces and built-in halogen lighting. For those seeking a standalone unit, their new S-470 black stainless-steel cart comes fully loaded with a rotisserie kit, bottle opener and the same ceramic burners and granite surfaces.
Pellet
Pellet grills use indirect heat, rather than flames, to cook your food to savory perfection (aka, you won’t have to worry about the excessive smoke that can accompany other fuel sources). And because barbecuing is about more than good food, our pellet grill pick — the Traeger Pro 575 — allows you to set it and forget it so you can spend less time manning the grill and more time hanging with friends and family. Here’s how it works: Hardwood pellets are automatically fed into the auger, and the innovative WiFIRE controller allows you to change the grill’s temperature, monitor internal meat temperature (thanks to an included probe), set timers and turn on a warming feature via your smart phone or smart-home speaker. Clearly, it’s the best-selling pellet grill in the world for a reason.
Smoker
No grill round-up would be complete without mention of a Kamado. In this case, the Kamado Joe Classic III. Designed to mimic wood-oven cooking, the Classic III’s SlōRoller Hyperbolic Smoke Chamber insert is what won us over. Designed by a crew from Harvard, it works by sucking air up through the bottom of the grill then creating spirals of smoke that circulate around your food, bombarding it with flavor. Unlike some smokers that might need replacing after a few seasons, this Kamado is built-to-last, with ceramic and stainless-steel components and an innovative fiberglass gasket (reported to keep the seal tight up to 10 times longer than competitors). Plus, the 18-inch, three-tiered cooktop doubles surface area, making it perfect for que’ing for a crowd.
Electric
The brand-new Pulse 2000 from Weber was designed to up the electric grilling game. Equipped with dual temperature zones, you can grill veggies and chicken to perfection simultaneously. Integrated with smart technology, the grill offers cooking tips and temperature control on your smart phone, while solid construction details come from a cast aluminum lid and body plus porcelain-enameled cast iron cooking grates.
Griddle
Though, not technically a grill, this Blackstone 28-inch griddle deserves a mention. With this jack-of-all-trades apparatus, you can do it all from baking and searing to roasting and — get this — even air frying (see inset) . Now, you can have fries with your burger, without ever heating up your oven or dealing with the mess of a deep fryer. There’s even a warming drawer for keeping sides the perfect temp as you grill — so your food is ready when you are.
See also: 10+ Grilling Recipes to Make This Summer at the Cabin
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Cabin Porn: Inside
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Winter Outdoor Faucet Cover
