Summer is when barbecuing comes into its own, but with the right machine, you can grill at any time of year.
The BBQ market is huge with models of every type vying for our attention - and our cash.
While cooking food over fire has existed for centuries, it was only in the mid-1950s that the modern charcoal BBQ grill burst onto the scene. In around 70 years, barbecuing in the summer months has become a religion for many countries: the US, Australia, South Africa, and of course, the UK.
There are starter kettle BBQs for basic cooking, smart BBQs that offer hi-tech extras to help you nail your feast, portable devices for grillin’ on the go and dual fuel beasts that offer ways to cook with gas and charcoal. BBQ smokers add intense flavour to cuts while ceramic BBQs, modelled on ancient Japanese fire cooking methods, are the most status-affirming orbs since Fabergé released its coveted eggs.
With so many choices on offer, picking your perfect BBQ grill is challenging, to say the least.
The right one boils down to the individual and your needs, from outside space and household size to what fare you will typically cook on your grill. Are you organised enough to remember to stock up on gas canisters before a party, or are you the type who will diligently empty the spent charcoal catcher after a cookout?
Once you’ve answered all these questions and worked out your needs, it’s time to go shopping! If you’re not quite sure where to start, we’ve listed the best BBQ brands in the UK to give you a head start. Listed alphabetically, this smoky online directory has all big-shot brands and players worth knowing in the BBQ game.
We’ve also indicated prices in case your shopping choices are dictated by budget - understandable in these times. Whatever your tastes, needs and budget, we’re sure your next BBQ is just a few clicks away.
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Big Green Egg
Price range: £££
Modelled on Japan’s ‘Kamado’ grill, these ceramic BBQs are less of a gril and more of a compact outdoor kitchen.
As well as charring prime cuts and veggies, the machines can bake, roast, make pizza and even slow cook. This is thanks to the high level of insulation capable of retailing heat for up to 16 hours. You can make an entire Sunday roast in this thing - sides included.
Ceramic grills like this typically run on charcoal or wood pellets, making sparking them and keeping them running easy.
Craftsmanship is second to none, and materials are superior: think dimpled shuttle-quality ceramic finished with a green glaze, all engineered to last a lifetime (and it comes with a lifetime guarantee as reassurance).
Bearing all this in mind, it’s an egg worth shelling out for. The smallest, Minimax costs £820, while an XL model will set you back just shy of £2000 both for the machine alone.
Buy now, John Lewis
Campingaz
Price range: ££
If you’re into any kind of outdoor living, you’ll have come across the name Campingaz. The brand offers a raft of products for camping, hiking and fishing trips, including gas, charcoal and electric camping stoves and BBQs.
Options range from table top gas BBQs and camping stoves to multi-burner beauties ready to impress and feed your guestlist at the next garden party. The offering even includes a Plancha, a tabletop grill that’s perfect for searing seafood across a flat non-stick surface. Prices are broadly in the low to middle triple-figures which offer great value when you consider the innovative features usually packed into each grill: think self-cleaning functions and EvenTemp tech to ensure food is cooked evenly.
The brand has a shopfront at Amazon where you can check out the full suite of competitively-priced grills and stock up on essentials like gas cartridges and bottles.
Buy now, Amazon
Char-Broil
Price range: £££
With a history stretching back to 1948, Char-Broil has been around for as long as the modern BBQ. Its TRU-Infrared cooking system helps its BBQ grills stand out in a very crowded marketplace and many of its compact machines are ideal for small spaces, allowing small garden-owners a chance to join the BBQ party. Wildly popular in the US, it’s a top choice for BBQ fans on these shores too with options spanning gas, electric, hybrid, smokers, charcoal grills and more.
Buy now, Amazon
George Foreman
Price range: £
“So good I put my name on it” is one of the most recognisable catchphrases of recent times. Coined by former pro boxing champ George Foreman for his range of home grills, it’s the linguistic equivalent of a firm handshake from a sporting champion. Foreman was an early adopter of product endorsements, founding his company back in 1994 and of which he still sits at the head as president. The original grill has sold over 100 million units, and earned Foreman a fortune of some $320m.
The brand offers everything from health grills, designed for indoor use, to indoor/outdoor BBQs, a smokeless grill, charcoal models and gas-powered designs complete with burners. Find them stocked everywhere from Argos to Amazon, Robert Dyas and Currys.
Buy now, Amazon
Kamado Joe
Price range: £££
It may be a premium name in the BBQ biz - but be warned, the grills come with prices to match with many tipping over the £1k mark.
As one of the leading lights in ceramic BBQs, Kamado Joe is a brand familiar to any self-respecting barbecue enthusiast. It uses a thick ceramic shell to encourage airflow and insulate heat, allowing home chefs to cook in high and low temperatures while keeping moisture locked in - resulting in juicy, tender cuts (no more dried-out bangers or wings for you).
The company offers grills and smokers of all sizes, as well as digital version fitted with a 'Kontrol Board' to enter the cooking temperature needed and cooking mode so you can get on with other jobs or hosting.
Buy now, Amazon
Tower
Price range: ££
A more affordable BBQ brand, Tower’s machines span everything from kamado-style eggs to smokers, charcoal grills and gas-ignited ones too. Its products are widely available in some of the UK’s largest and best-known retailers including Amazon, Argos, Currys, Robert Dyas and Dunelm to name a few.
Pricewise, expect to cough up at least tripe-figures with many models on the business end of £500 and up. If cash is an issue, there’s no need to disappoint a grumbling tummy - Tower’s portable barrel grill, which takes charcoal for fuel, comes in at under £30 currently.
Buy now, Amazon
Traeger
Price range: £££
American-born Traeger is one of the best-known brands amongst barbecue stans. Its line of handsome black machines promise to stand price of place in any garden, but it’s not just grills that the company makes You can find accessories, pellets and rubs and sauces on its website too.
BBQs are multifunctional, allowing you to grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise and more under the hood. The entry-level options include portable town and travel grills, but if you’re looking for something with more firepower, look to the Pro Series, Ironwood or Timberline collections which take barbecuing to a whole new level.
Buy now, John Lewis
Weber
Price range: £££
For many, a top-of-the-line BBQ is synonymous with the name Weber. From kettle-style grills to WiFi-enabled machines, the American-born company has options for all budgets and needs. If you’re just starting out, the Smokey Joe kettle-style barbies are perfect with the least wince-inducing price tag of around £84 while on the other end of the scale, there are machines that are - are you sitting down? - upwards of £4k. Shop it all: charcoal, gas, electric, kamado, portable and stationary. With prices this high, its wise to wait for a major sale in the hope that some of the prices will become easier to bear.
Buy now, Amazon
