To pick the right grill, consider the different types of grill, cooking space, burning unit, heat capacity, and the type of food you want to grill.?Some health experts state grilled foods are healthy because the heat burns the fat and reduces the calorie of the food. And to have the perfect grilled food, you need to buy a grilling machine or grill for short. Choosing the right grill can be very confusing because there are so many brands and types. However, the steps listed below will help you to decide what type of grill you need.
Table of Contents
The Different Types of Grills
Gas Grill
Gas grills are the most popular because they are cheap and easy to use. They have a gas tank attached which contains either liquid propane or natural gas.
Charcoal Grill
These grills will give you an authentic grilling experience. Using charcoal as its main fuel source may take a while to cook, but it gives your food a barbecue texture.
Electric Grill
If you do not care that much about a traditional grilling experience and just want to get the food grilled as fast as possible as electric grills are best for you. They also come with multiple unique features, which you may not find in traditional charcoal or gas grills.
Pallet Grill
This grill functions very similarly to charcoal. The difference is instead of using charcoal; it uses wood pellets as the source of fuel. The commonly used woods are mesquite, pecan, apple, or hickory.
Hybrid Grill
Hybrid grills are a mix of both gas and charcoal grills. You will have the good quality of both grills, but the weakness of none. Hybrid grills have extra features and can usually have features other than just smoking and grilling.
You can check out this review of Ninja food grill to understand what the latest hybrid grills are capable of.
How to Pick the Right Grill for You
There are many features you need to consider when choosing a grill-
1. The Type of Food You Want to Make
The type of grill you want largely depends on the kind of food you like to prepare. The grilling time and taste of the food vary between grills.
If you want to cook something slowly and have a burnt barbecue flavor, then you need a charcoal grill. If you want to grill foods as fast as possible, then buy an electric one.
2. The Price
Generally, a gas grill, which is the most popular one, will cost you around $200 to $400. Electric grills are expensive, and they will cost you over $500. Charcoal grills are relatively cheaper.
A good charcoal grill will cost you from $150 to $300. Remember, these are just average prices of different types of grills, the actual price can vary depending on the brand and size of the grill.
3. Space inside the Grill
Your grill must be a large space to prepare a big steak or other large pieces of fish, meat, and veggies.
A larger grill will also allow you to cook more food in a short time. If you want to use a grill for big parties, you will need grills with 600 to 900 square inches of cooking space.
If you want to have a grill just for yourself or a family of four, a small grill with 100 to 200 square inches of cooking space will be enough.
4. The Burning Unit
The burning unit dictates how long it will take for your food to grill. It is measured in BTU (British thermal unit). For your home cooking, you do not need a grill with a very high BTU. For home cooking, a BTU of 12,000 should be enough.
5. Space in Your Kitchen
If you want to use the grill in your backyard, then a large grill will not be an issue. If you want to place the grill inside your kitchen, check how much space is available.
You could block the kitchen space with just one appliance. Not to mention, a large grill will give out more smoke and will make it difficult to breathe and work in the kitchen.
6. A Built-In Thermostat
A thermostat allows your grill to adjust the inner temperature of the grill. Most electric grills come with a pre-installed thermostat. But, for gas and charcoal grills, you need to manually install one.?
If you find a gas or charcoal grill that already has a thermostat installed go for that one.
7. Heat Retain Capacity
The grids are one of the most important components of a grill. The grids are responsible for creating a crispy texture to your food.
If the grids cannot retain heat for a long time, they will fail to create this crusty texture. Grids made with stainless, cast iron, and stainless rod cooking grids are the best.
8. Additional Features
Additional features make your cooking much easier. But they hardly make an impact on beginners. Only experts can take full benefit of these features.
A rotisserie: This allows you to cook your chicken into a rotisserie. A useful feature for cooking delicious chicken dishes.
A Chimney: A chimney allows the smoke to go out and prevents excess carbon buildup on your grilled food.
Smoke Box: The opposite of the chimney. It is a small box that stores smoke inside the grill so that your grilled food has a smoky taste.
Tools: Some grills will come with their own spatula and tongs. They will also contain extra grids, an extra fuel tank, etc. The more tools it has, the better.
Side Shelves: Side shelves can be very handy if you want all your tools close by. Many people wear heavy aprons with pockets to carry around small tools,? but some side shelves work great as holders for your cooking tools.
Final Thoughts
The right grill not only enhances your cooking experience but will also deliver you the tastiest grilled food. The perfect grill machine will leave you satisfied with its service. So, consider the points we mentioned above and check reviews of other customers to buy the right grill.
