There are three different types of grills that you will find when you are shopping. One kind is the kettle grill, followed by the barrel grill, and finally the ceramic grills.

Kettle grills are normally the least expensive option out of the three. They are highly portable so you can move them around your yard or bring them with you if you are planning on tailgating or camping. These units are also an excellent choice for when you are cooking meats that don't have a long cooking time such as hamburgers. The kettle grill is perfect for cooking for a small group and when you need something that is inexpensive.

A barrel grill is a better quality grill than the kettle grill.  These units are much larger and are perfect when you need to cook for a larger party of people. Many of these units also double smokers, so you also have the option to cook your food slowing using this type of grill. This makes them into a great option for cooking beef brisket or pork loins. Just because this grill is good at cooking larger food items does not mean it will not still cook the same food that kettle grills do, like hamburgers!

Finally, there are the ceramic grills, which is the highest quality of the three. This grill is shaped to look like an egg. They are based on a Japanese design that uses heat efficiently. They have thick walls and seal perfectly so that heat and smoke do not escape from the cooker. You can cook just about any kind of food in this style of grill due to its design.  However, due to this cooker have additional features the other two styles do not have, this grill usually comes at a higher price.

When you are planning to cook outdoors on the grill, you are going to need to think about the size. The size matters because it will determine how much food you can cook and if you will be easily able to transport the grill from one place to another. A larger unit will naturally cook more food than a smaller one. If you are planning on cooking for a larger group of people, then you are going to need a bigger unit. On the other hand, if you only plan on cooking for yourself and doing a lot of traveling, then you are going to want to own a unit that is smaller in size and weighs less.

When you are considering the size, you are going to want to think about the overall cooking surface. The cooking surface is going to determine how much food you can cook at a time. Additionally, the cooking surface is going to matter if you are cooking over indirect heat. Sometimes you want to do this since it will reduce the number of flare-ups that your food will get exposed to while you are cooking. If your cooking surface is small, then you are unlikely to be able to cook your food indirectly.

When you are planning on cooking for large groups of people or need to cook over indirect heat, then you are going to want to have a larger cooking surface. If you need something that is portable and you only plan on cooking for a small group of people, then it's fine to have a smaller cooking surface. Most manufacturers give the cooking surface in square inches which will give you an idea of how much you can cook at a time.

It's not always easy to control your temperatures when you are cooking over coal. Unlike gas, once coals are lit there is no way to increase or decrease the combustion which means you are usually stuck at a temperature that remains constant. Well-designed charcoal grills will provide you with some temperature control options but it is going to take practice in order to get the proper cooking temperatures, regardless of how many features are built into the grill.

One of the first things that you will want to look for if you need temperature control is a temperature gauge that tells you how warm it is inside of the unit. You can't manage what you can't measure so if you don't know how hot it is inside then it's going to be challenging to get the proper cooking temperatures. Many premium units have a thermometer built into the lid. If the grill you decide to purchase does not come with one, there is the option to buy a thermometer separately as well.

In terms of managing the temperature, you are also going to want to look for adjustable grates and vents. Vents open walls on the grill, allowing more oxygen into the cooking area.  More oxygen will cause the fire to burn hotter.  You can use the vents to control the rate of combustion and ultimately control the temperature. Adjustable grates let you move the food towards or away from the fire. As the food gets closer to the coals, you will expose it to more heat while moving the food away from the coals will take it away from the heat. You should always look for these two features if you require temperature control in your charcoal grill.

Burning coal creates ash which you are going to have to remove every time you use your grill. Additionally, you are going to need to clean the grates between uses in order to remove any grease or leftovers from the food that got stuck on them. The amount of effort that you will need in order to clean up your grill after use will be a factor in deciding what unit you should ultimately purchase. Ideally, you are going to want to look for something that is easy to clean as to waste less time washing the unit after you are done using it.

Removing the ashes can be a chore in some units. A well-designed grill will have an ash basket or a try that is removable so that you can empty it. These are normally located on the bottom of the unit so that all of the ashes fall into it when the coals have fully burned out. Not only should the grill have an ash catching system, but it also needs to be easy to use. You do not want it to be loose and fall out when you move the grill and it also should be easy to remove and empty when you have finished.

The grates are the other piece that needs to get cleaned between uses. Once again, you will want to make sure that they can be removed and cleaned easily. There should not be any complicated locking mechanisms that hold the grates in place and they should not be so heavy that they are difficult to take out. Additionally, the grates should be non-stick so that you only need to wipe them off with a little effort when you go to clean them.

The more that you plan on spending on your grill, the more you will want to insist on quality. The overall quality of the grill can also play a key role in safety. You always want to look for signs of quality when you are shopping for a grill in order to make sure that you get a unit that is well designed and will last a long time.

One of the biggest safety issues is the risk of the grill tipping over when it is lit. If the grill falls over, there is a chance that the burning coals can spill out and cause a fire. For this reason, you need to make sure that the legs are durable. They need to be sturdy and the entire grill should have a low center of gravity so that it does not fall over. If you see legs that are loose or disproportionate, then you should not purchase the grill.

The paint is another common quality issue that many people experience and is worth mentioning. Paint is used to protect the metal parts from corrosion and rust. However, as it is exposed to heat, it can dry out and start to chip. This can lead to paint chips getting into your food which can lead to you eating contaminated food. High-quality units will either not use paint or they will use a paint that is designed to be exposed to high temperatures. This will help to keep harmful paint chips out of your food and also help the grill to last for a longer period of time.