Which Grill Is Right for Your Backyard?

MIAMI — Grilling is a warm weather tradition, particularly when entertaining. Cooking food outside while guests gather and mingle sets a scene for a fun summertime event. It also is a great way to cook meals and avoid heating up the home when outdoor temperatures rise.

Few things match the taste of freshly grilled foods, which can be prepared and cooked to perfection on grills that range from traditional charcoal grills to gas grills and more. The following rundown of grills can help homeowners identify which style is best for them:

Charcoal grills

Charcoal grills have been around for some time, and they tend to be inexpensive and easy to use. Charcoal grills enable air to enter a manually adjusted intake at the bottom of the grill. Foodies claim that the only way to grill is with charcoal, which imparts a smoky, rich flavor. Charcoal kettle grills are a subset of charcoal grills that are lightweight and portable.

Gas grills

Gas grills either use a propane tank for fuel or are directly connected to a home's natural gas line to offer continuous availability of gas. According to The Home Depot, gas grills are prized because they heat up quickly and are easy to use. Most come with a push-button ignition to light the grill, and heat can be easily regulated with control knobs. Some gas grills also come equipped with side burners, so that food can be boiled or reheated outside while a main course is being cooked.

Smokers

Standalone smokers are designed to cook foods at low temperatures over long periods of time to produce fall-off-the-bone results. Heat for smokers may be provided by wood, charcoal, electricity or propane. Wood chips customarily are added for aromatic, authentic flavors. Although charcoal smokers are more traditional, they need to be monitored quite a bit. Electronic models may have a set-and-forget function that enables less hands-on time around the smoker, much in the way a slow cooker indoors can be set up and left without a need for monitoring.

Kamado grills

Known as ceramic cookers or egg grills, Kamado grills are a more sophisticated version of a charcoal grill, according to Build with Ferguson, a home improvement retailer. While they are still operated similarly to other charcoal grills, the engineered design and ceramic material causes much more regulated and insulated temperatures inside. They also double as smokers.

Wood pellet grills

Pellet grills bring the best of both worlds of smoking and grilling. Pellets the size of peas are loaded into a hopper and go into a burn pot with an auger. The thermostat and burn pot work electronically to keep the grill at the desired temperature. Pellet grills are good for foods that require longer cook times, like roasts and ribs. Some models allow users to adjust the temperature of the grill and monitor food using a smartphone app.

Electric grills

As the name implies, these grills are plugged into a nearby outlet. Electric grills are compact and portable, and some are even tabletop models. Electric grills may be ideal for apartment dwellers or those who do not have adequate outdoor space for another type of grill.

Hybrid grills

Some grills marry the convenience of gas grills with the smoky flavoring charcoal grills provide. Others may have a side for gas grilling connected to a charcoal smoker.

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