With all the different shapes and sizes of grills you see at the store these days, it may have you wondering: How big of a grill do I actually need to get? Do you just get a little round grill, rectangular grill, or an egg shaped grill? There’s a lot of different options to consider when you’re thinking of buying a new charcoal grill.
The size of the grill you’ll need depends on the amount of people you plan on cooking for. On average most people need a grill with around 350 to 400 square inches of primary cooking space. This does not include the wire rack above the main cooking area.
The first thing you should consider when looking at a new grill is the cooking surface. It’s often measured in square inches. You have to be careful if the grill comes with an upper wire rack sometimes the manufacturer might count it as part of the cooking surface. So make sure you look at just the size of the main cooking surface, and not the upper wire rack area.
The upper wire rack area is not really meant for cooking. It’s more of a warming area that’s great for melting cheese on your burgers or slow cooking large pieces of meat. Some people may even use it to steam their vegetables.
What to Consider
Now that you know what you’re looking at, you are going to need to figure out how many square inches do you need. To answer that question, you need to ask yourself how many people are you going to be cooking for. Are you going to be throwing a lot of parties, or is it just mainly going to be you and your family?
If it’s just going to be you and your family, a small 22 inch or so round Kettle Grill will be all you ever need. They offer around 350 square inches of cooking space, and they don’t take up much room. Also they can easily be put away in your garage or shed if you don’t wish to leave them out in the weather.
On the other hand if you’re someone who likes to entertain, you’re going to want to cook for a large group of people. You might want to consider something like a Barrel Grill. They can offer up to 600 square inches of cooking space. These grills are much larger and heavier so more than likely they’re going to stay out on the deck or patio when not in use. In this case you might need to consider how much space you are willing to give up on your deck or patio.
Kettle Grills
The most iconic of the grills is the kettle grill. These are most often round but you may find the occasional square one. On average a kettle grill has between 300 and 400 square inches of main cooking area. These are excellent grills if you’re constantly on-the-go. You can take it with you for tailgating or camping, but it is still good for grilling around the house. For most small families these grills are going to be perfect.
They have enough cooking space to make dinner for a group of four with ease. They can easily be put away if you’re not looking to give up a lot of space on your deck or patio.
The main thing to watch for when buying a kettle grill is how the ash bin is emptied. Some of the more expensive ones have a removable ash collector at the bottom, whereas the lower end ones you have to actually turn the grill upside down to clean it out.
Barrel Grills
Barrel grills get their name because they look like somebody took a 55-gallon drum, laid it on its side, and added legs to it. These grills are much larger and heavier so it’s not really something you’re going to be taking with you like the kettle grill.
On average a barrel grill offers between 450 to 600 square inches of cooking space on your primary cooking area. Most of these will come with a wire rack for keeping things warm, as well as a thermometer built into the lid so you can see the internal temperature of the grill.
Now barrel grills aren’t always completely round. Some of them will have a rounded top and rounded bottom, whereas others have a rounded top but a rectangular bottom. It’s still the same type of grill but just a little bit different of a design.
Most barrel grills come with side shelves and a front shelf which makes the grill much larger and heavier. On average these grills are around 4 feet tall by 5 feet wide and 2.5 feet deep and can weight upwards of 90 lb. So they’re not something your going to want to be taking out of the garage or the shed every time you want to grill. So you need to consider how much space it’s going to take up on your deck or on your patio, as well as how much space your willing to give up on your deck or patio.
They do come with wheels on one side of them so you can lift the side without wheels and push or pull the grill to move it around. Don’t get me wrong – if you choose to put this away when you’re done using it you can. It’s just a lot more work than putting away a kettle grill. But you should definitely consider putting it away if you live in the area that gets severe winter weather. This will help make sure that your grill will last for years to come.
Kamado
Kamado grills are actual japanese-inspired grill. This type of grill has almost an egg shape to it. The odd shape helps not only make these grills look unique, but it also gives you wider options of cooking styles. They’re not only a charcoal grill but can be used for smoking meats as well. They also have the ability of getting to extremely high temperatures of around 700F so you could make your own wood fired pizza right at home instead of ordering delivery.
They often have around 250 to 300 square inches of cooking space so they are small in size as far as cooking space goes. Most of these will also come with a thermometer on the lid so you can watch your internal temperature just like on the barrel grills.
These grills are often made from solid ceramic on the inside with thick gaskets on the lid to help retain the heat. The combination of the ceramic and the almost airtight seal on the lid is what gives these grills there ability to hit extremely high temperatures.
Now it’s fair to mention that these are more expensive than the other grills. Some manufacturers have started coming out with lower-cost models made from double wall steel with insulation between the layers. This is done to mimic the ceramic and lower the manufacturing cost so they can offer you the same cooking experience as the higher price grills on a grill with a much lower price range.
If you’re not just looking for a grill to do burgers & hot dogs on occasionally, one of these lower-cost models may be a great option for you, especially if you’ve ever considered learning how to smoke meats. It’s not only a great grill, but, with the addition of a smoke stone, it’s also an excellent smoker too.
Conclusion
All the above-mentioned grills are excellent in their own way. They will all give you a great grilling experience, no matter if you are just grilling dinner for yourself, your family is coming in from out of town, or you’re throwing a big party in celebration of something. For a long time, grilling has always been an excuse to get people together.
I know no matter what grill you decide to go with, whether it’s a small kettle, a kamado grill, or a very large barrel grill that you build into your deck, you are going to make great memories for you and your kids, of grilling in the backyard with friends and family for a nice summer’s day.
As always happy grilling!
Weber Chimney starter. There’s no better way of lighting charcoal then with a chimney starter. The Weber 7429 Rapidfire Chimney Starter is sure to have you grilling in half the time it would have taken.
Grilljoy 4PC Heavy Duty Grill Brush and Scraper with Carrying Bag – Exclusive Grill Cleaning Kit with Extra BBQ Wire Brush Head – Perfect BBQ Brush for Grill Cleaning.
