Now’s the perfect time to be thinking of outdoor living – and more so when it comes to eating. Barbecues are the perfect cooking vehicle for feasting, whether you’re hosting hordes of guests or there’s just you and the family. Looking to upgrade? Take a look at some of our suggestions.
Traeger Timberline XL Wood Pellet Grill, £3,699.99
Traeger is a force to be reckoned with in the barbecue world, with fans appreciating the smoky, woody flavour that comes from using wood pellets instead of charcoal. This extra-large grill will easily feed up to 18 people, says Traeger. The temperature range is 74°C to 288°C, which is ideal for barbecuing, roasting, baking, braising, and smoking. There’s two shelves above the grill to keep cooked food warm, and an induction cooktop to the side for extras, whether that’s steamed vegetables or fried onions. Last-minute preparations are also made easy with the removable magnetic bamboo chopping board, and you can keep your condiments at hand on the inbuilt shelves. Youn can even control cooking temperatures manually via the touchscreen display or remotely through the app.
Charbroil Professional PRO S 4, £999.99
This gas barbecue looks like it would be at home in a professional kitchen, with its minimalist, stainless steel styling. Its four high-performance gas burners ensure even cooking, while the extra sear burner to the side delivers temperatures of up to 900° for the perfect, crisp finish and grill lines. It incorporates Charbroil’s Tru-Infrared technology, which ensures food remains up to 50% juicier, thanks to even heat distribution, so no more dried out sausages or burgers. Controllers on the front of the appliance allow you to manage the gas flow, while red LEDs indicate when burners are switched on. There’s a warming rack at the back of the grill, and a side shelf for food prep or storing plates, which folds down when not in use.
Kamado Joe Big Joe WiFi Konnected Charcoal BBQ and Smoker, £2,799
Kamado Joe barbecues are celebrated among grill fans for their ability to hold their temperature, ensuring even cooking. With a heat-resistant ceramic shell creating ideal temperature conditions, they use less charcoal than regular barbecues, while at the same time locking in moisture for juicier results. The Konnected works with an app for precise control, and you can choose from manual or automatic cooking modes. It also has an automatic fire starter, integrated fan, two-tier grates for direct and indirect cooking, an air-lift hinge for easy lid opening, and a slide-out ash drawer for convenient cleaning. It cooks with the lid down, ensuring heat, smoke, and flavour are kept inside. This also means that if the weather turns, your food won’t be ruined. You can even use it in the middle of winter should you want to.
Somerset Grill Company Grande Cor-Ten and Woodstore, £4,595
With its traditional open fire look, the Grande Cor-Ten is a parilla-style grill and looks nothing like the modern barbecue we’ve come to expect. Its design is timeless – almost medieval – and the patina that develops on the steel over use has the look of life long lived. The Grande version has two grill decks and can cater for up to 25 people. Buy it separately or purchase it with the woodstore, which not only lifts the appliance to an ideal working height, but also provides storage for the logs you’ll need to power it (and shelves for cooking and serving essentials). With this there’s no buttons or dials to control the temperature – you simply turn the crank handle to raise or lower the grills, so varying the heat intensity. It’s a joy to watch as well as cook with and will last almost forever. Also available in a gunmetal finish.
Pit Boss Memphis Ultimate 2 Combo 4-in-1 Grill, £1,399
This four-in-one behemoth incorporates charcoal and gas barbecues, an electric smoker, and cold smoker for the ultimate in outdoor cooking, choosing to use the functions separately or together. There’s a three-burner gas grill with controls at the front, and a charcoal grill that has a six-position grate for direct and indirect cooking. Each has its own lid and warming rack. Underneath, the generous smoker is perfect for ribs and chicken, and you can even smoke cheese in it. When not needed for smoking, it also makes for a handy place to warm plates. There’s plenty of tool hooks, as well as shelves on each side to hold plates, condiments and cooking ingredients. And you can enjoy a total cooking area of 12,503 cm2 – big enough for the hungriest guests.
Napoleon Prestige Pro 825 Stainless Steel 10-Burner Gas BBQ, £5,699
When you’re catering for a social gathering you won’t go wrong with this 10-burner premium grill. The main cooking zone has plenty of space for meat, vegetables, and fish, while the smaller, second section, with its ceramic infrared burners, is perfect for searing steaks or other cuts on immediate high heat. The smoker tube and its dedicated burner create that authentic barbecue flavour everybody loves. What’s more, there’s a rotisserie attachment and a separate two-stage side burner for sauteing vegetables or preparing sauces. Inside the base there’s ample storage, with shelves and two soft-close drawers to keep those culinary essentials close at hand. And for evening entertaining, the burner controls are backlit, illuminating automatically when you step in front of the grill.
