Which BBQ should you buy?
There are a staggering amount of different options out there for BBQs and outdoor stoves! It can seem like a daunting task to start looking for a new BBQ, that’s why we’ve put together a brief guide to help you out!
We’re at the start of BBQ season and we’re looking forward to getting cooking outdoors with friends and family! Maybe you’ve come back to your BBQ after the winter and it’s not looking too good, or maybe you fancy a change or upgrade to level up your BBQ game? Once you start looking, you can’t stop, and with so many different sizes, fuel types and makes of BBQ out there, it can quickly become an overwhelming task! We’ve put together a quick guide to buying a BBQ so you can find the right one for your needs and space!
The first thing to consider is your choice of fuel – gas or charcoal/wood?
Gas BBQs
Fuelled by propane gas, gas BBQs are a convenient and easy solution to barbecuing. With no charcoal to light, you can start cooking sooner as you’re not waiting as long for the BBQ to get up to temperature. Gas BBQs also give you more flexibility over controlling the heat, making it easy to cook your food thoroughly and evenly. They also have variable heat options with multiple, meaning you can cook different foods at different temperatures at the same time but this does mean they are usually larger.
They can be more expensive to run than charcoal BBQs due to using gas, but there is a lot less clean up afterwards!
Charcoal and wood BBQs
These BBQs use charcoal briquettes or wood rather than gas, making them cheaper to run than gas BBQs. They take longer to heat up before reaching cooking temperature, and you have less control over the heat once it’s ready. Despite this, many people love the experience and smell of cooking on charcoal, which is why it’s still such a popular option. They can also be lighter and more portable, meaning charcoal BBQs can be found in smaller sizes that are perfect for picnics or the beach.
You can now also get hybrid BBQs that can be both gas or charcoal! These are a great option if you’re looking for a bit more flexibility, but are often on the larger side.
Once you’ve made your choice over your fuel type, think about where you want your bbq to be – at home in the garden? Or portable to take camping and to the beach? There are lots of different options for both and you will need to consider the size of your garden before buying a huge BBQ that takes up too much space, leaving you nowhere to sit.
Patio and Garden BBQs
Patio and garden BBQs have the luxury of being bigger, and can sometimes even be a feature in your garden. If you’re lucky enough to have the space and love outdoor cooking, you could even consider having an outdoor kitchen area dedicated to alfresco dining!
Here are a few of our favourite garden BBQs:
The Woodee Fire Pits – offering a range of sizes of artisan, handmade fire pits and cooking sets, The Woodee really is a stunning feature! Besides being beautifully designed, the fire pits are also fantastic to cook on, with the oak leaf holes drawing air to stoke the fire inside. These are fantastic options for cooking on wood or charcoal
Outback BBQ – Fantastic gas, charcoal and hybrid BBQs made in Herefordshire. These are great for the outdoor kitchen feel and offer accessories such as pizza stones, woks and rotisserie arms!
The Big Green Egg – Ceramic, handcrafted charcoal BBQs designed to give you restaurant-quality food every time!
Portable BBQs
If you’re looking for a smaller portable BBQ and don’t want to use a disposable BBQ, there are also great options for both gas and charcoal BBQs. You will need to think about weight and how practical they are to move when considering which portable BBQ is right for you. Are you taking this camping as your main stove? Or are you looking for something small enough to put in a rucksack or bag and take to the beach?
Here are a few options for great portable BBQs:
LotusGrill – an ingenious charcoal BBQ with an inbuilt fan to assist the draw of air to the charcoal! These small but powerful BBQs even have their own carry case!
George Foreman Portable Gass BBQ – The best gas portable BBQ, ideal for camping as it sits elevated off the ground to minimise damage to grass!
CampStove 2+ – an energy-generating portable camp stove! This mini BBQ packs down to the size of a water bottle so can really go anywhere!
Now that you’ve got your BBQ sorted – don’t forget to stock up on the best bit! The food! We’ve got fantastic BBQ meat boxes full of the best, freshly cut, free-range produce so you can cook up a storm this BBQ season.
