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It’s summertime, and that means you’ve dusted off your grill and thrown a few “shrimp on the barbie.” According to the Barbecue Industry Association, summer is not the only season Americans crave a charcoal-grilled steak. In fact, 69 percent of U.S. house holds are grilling outdoors on a year-round basis, regardless of season or geographical location.
And if you’re going to be one of the statistics, you’re going to need a better grill. But where do you start? Should you get one of those Tony Soprano models (that’s the Ducane Meridian, which sells for about $3,000) or should you just find something to get started with?
Great grilling doesn’t mean you have to put a second mortgage on the house. Today, even moderately priced grills offer the same bells and whistles as Tony’s super grilling machine. After all, what it’s really about is creating the optimum-grilling atmosphere – laughter and mouth-watering aromas – right? “More and more people are creating an outdoor living environment in their backyards, with the full-blown barbecue, the sink the TV-and it’s becoming bigger each year,” says Mike Waller of Fire Magic Grills.
More and more customers, however, are operating under a “bigger is better” mindset, which means they won’t hesitate to plop down $15,000 on a high-end grill. Steven Raichlen, author of The Barbecue Bible: How to Grill and BBQ USA, says the grilling arena is largely – gut not exclusively – dominated by men. “And what do men love best? Toys,” says Raichlen, host of PBS’ Barbecue University. “There’s a whole ‘gearhead’ mentality and a pride of ownership that can’t be denied.”
So how do you get started? Well do you want gas or charcoal? Do you want to fry and sauté or broil on a rotisserie? How much do you want to spend? Although the price of a new gas grill starts at about $150, you can spend $6000 for the model that includes attachments you may never fully understand. If you’re looking for something that has just enough to meet your grilling needs, you can get into the game by spending $300 to $500 for a respectable model. The following are a few of the grills out there to pique your interest.
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