Grill Picker

The Yoder YS640s is a 315 lb pellet smoker welded from 10-gauge American steel in Yoder, Kansas, with the FireBoard-based ACS controller and true direct-flame grilling. On BBQ forums it's the buy-once-cry-once pellet grill.

The Weber Master-Touch 22 is the upgraded version of Weber's iconic charcoal kettle, adding a hinged Gourmet BBQ System grate, a built-in thermometer, and a Tuck-Away lid holder. It's a benchmark backyard charcoal grill.

The Big Green Egg Large is the most popular size of the iconic ceramic kamado cooker, capable of grilling, smoking, roasting, and baking. Big Green Egg is the brand that brought kamado cooking to the American mainstream.

The Weber Original Kettle Premium 22 is the iconic charcoal kettle that started backyard grilling in America, upgraded with a built-in thermometer, hinged grate, and sealed One-Touch ash catcher. It's the single most-recommended first grill on Reddit.

The Weber Smokey Mountain is the legendary bullet-shaped charcoal water smoker that has been the 'first real smoker' recommendation for decades. Two stacked grates and a water pan turn out competition-quality BBQ for under $500.

The Recteq RT-700 Bull is a stainless-steel, WiFi-enabled pellet grill known for its big 40 lb hopper and accurate PID controller. Recteq sells direct-to-consumer and has a cult following for customer service.

The PK Grills PK360 is a cast-aluminum charcoal grill and smoker with a capsule-shaped body and 4-vent airflow control for precise two-zone cooking. PK Grills makes rustproof, heirloom-quality American charcoal cookers.

The Kamado Joe Classic III is an 18-inch ceramic kamado loaded with innovations like the 3-tier Divide and Conquer system, SloRoller smoke chamber, and a single-finger Air Lift hinge. It's the feature-rich rival to the Big Green Egg.

The Blackstone 36-inch is the best-selling outdoor flat-top griddle in America, a 4-burner propane cooking station with a huge rolled-steel cooktop. It's the go-to for smash burgers, breakfast, hibachi, and big-batch cooking.

The Blackstone 28-inch is the compact 2-burner version of America's favorite outdoor griddle, offering the same flat-top cooking in a smaller footprint suited to smaller patios and families. It's a top-selling entry griddle.

The Pit Barrel Cooker Classic is an 18.5-inch porcelain-coated drum smoker that hangs meat vertically over the coals on hooks. It's beloved on r/smoking for being nearly foolproof - light it, hang the meat, and walk away.

The Ninja Woodfire Pro Connect XL is a 7-in-1 electric outdoor grill, smoker, and air fryer that burns a small box of real wood pellets for flavor while cooking on electric heat. It's Reddit's go-to answer for balconies and apartments where charcoal and gas are banned.

The Recteq RT-590 (formerly Stampede) is the mid-sized stainless WiFi pellet grill in Recteq's lineup, offering the same PID control and customer support as the Bull in a smaller package.

The Camp Chef Woodwind Pro 24 is a WiFi pellet grill with a reinvented Smoke Box that lets you burn wood chunks, chips, or charcoal alongside pellets for real-wood smoke flavor. It's a favorite of smoke-flavor purists.

The Weber Genesis E-325s is a 3-burner premium propane gas grill with a dedicated sear zone and side burner, part of Weber's redesigned Genesis line. Weber is the benchmark brand for backyard gas grills.

The Weber Spirit E-310 is a compact 3-burner propane gas grill and one of the best-selling backyard grills in America. The latest redesign adds Snap-Jet ignition and a more modern cart.

The Kamado Joe Joe Jr. is a compact 13.5-inch portable ceramic kamado that brings full kamado versatility to small spaces, balconies, tailgates, and camping. It's the most portable cooker in the Kamado Joe line.

The Weber Searwood 600 is Weber's 2024 pellet grill that finally fixed the SmokeFire's sins - a 180-600°F range, DirectFlame searing, manual offline mode, and a Rapid React PID controller at a sharper price. Reddit's pellet crowd calls it the redemption arc.

The Napoleon Prestige 500 RSIB is a full stainless 4-burner gas grill with an infrared Sizzle Zone side burner, an infrared rear rotisserie burner, and an included rotisserie kit. It's the step-up-from-Weber recommendation on r/grilling.

The Broil King Regal S590 Pro is a North American-made 5-burner stainless gas grill with massive 9mm solid rod grates, dual-tube burners, a side burner, and a rear rotisserie burner with kit. It's the r/grilling insiders' alternative to a Weber Genesis.

The Traeger Pro 575 is Traeger's best-selling entry-level WiFi pellet grill, using the D2 controller and WiFIRE app. It's the model most people picture when they think 'Traeger.'

The Z Grills 700D4E is a budget WiFi pellet grill with a PID controller and dual-walled hopper, frequently recommended as the best value entry point into pellet smoking. Z Grills sells direct online.

The Napoleon Rogue XT 525 SIB is a 4-burner propane gas grill with an infrared Sizzle Zone side burner for searing. Napoleon is a Canadian brand known for stainless construction and wave-pattern grates.

The Traeger Woodridge Pro is the 2025 replacement for the aging Pro series - 970 sq in, a 24 lb hopper with pellet sensor, Super Smoke mode, and a 10-year warranty at $1,000. Reviewers call it the biggest upgrade to Traeger's entry lineup in years.

The Traeger Ironwood 885 is a WiFi-connected wood-pellet grill and smoker from Traeger, the company that popularized pellet grills. It uses the D2 direct-drive controller and WiFIRE app for hands-off cooks.

The Monument Grills Mesa 415BZ is a value-oriented 4-burner stainless gas grill with a Broil Zone sear burner, a clear-view lid window, and a side burner. Monument is a fast-growing direct-to-retail brand.

The Char-Griller Akorn is a budget kamado-style grill that uses triple-wall insulated steel instead of ceramic to deliver kamado-like efficiency at a fraction of the price. It's the popular gateway into kamado cooking.

The Oklahoma Joe's Longhorn is the larger, heavier-gauge sibling of the Highland, built from 2.5mm cold-rolled steel for better heat retention and more cooking capacity. It's a step up for serious offset cooks.

The Masterbuilt 30-inch Digital Electric Smoker is the best-selling electric smoker in the US, a vertical cabinet with digital temperature control and a side wood-chip loader. It's the simplest way to smoke meat.

The Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800 is a digital, app-controlled charcoal grill, griddle, and smoker that uses a gravity-fed charcoal hopper and a fan-driven digital controller to automate charcoal cooking. It blends real charcoal flavor with set-and-forget convenience.

The Char-Griller Gravity Fed 980 is a WiFi-controlled gravity charcoal grill and smoker with a 16 lb hopper, fan-driven 200-700°F range, and 980 sq in of space. It's the budget rival to Masterbuilt's Gravity Series with a triple-insulated body.

The Traeger Timberline XL is Traeger's top-of-the-line flagship pellet grill, with a fully insulated double-wall body, induction side burner, and a touchscreen controller. It's aimed at serious enthusiasts.

The Pit Boss Pro Series 1150 is a value-focused WiFi pellet grill sold through Lowe's, featuring a sliding Flame Broiler plate for direct-flame searing and a digital PID controller. Pit Boss is owned by Dansons.

The Oklahoma Joe's Highland is the most popular entry-level traditional offset smoker, with a heavy-gauge steel cook chamber and side firebox for real wood-and-charcoal Texas-style barbecue. It's the classic stick-burner starting point.

The Char-Griller Smokin' Champ is a barrel-style charcoal grill paired with a side firebox for offset smoking, offering large capacity at a budget price. It's a flexible, affordable charcoal grill and smoker combo.

The Char-Broil Performance Series 4-Burner is a budget-friendly stainless gas grill with a side burner, one of the most popular value gas grills at big-box retailers. Char-Broil targets the affordable mainstream.

The Weber SmokeFire EX6 is Weber's WiFi pellet grill, notable for reaching 600°F to sear and using a steep-walled firebox for direct grilling. The 2nd-gen revision fixed many early reliability issues.