There are so many grills out there: pellet, gas, charcoal, electric. It can be overwhelming. Champion Pitmaster Christie Vanover has created a quick quiz that matches you with the perfect grill based on your cooking style.
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With so many grill types on the market, each with its own quirks, grill shopping can feel like a guessing game. But champion pitmaster Christie Vanover has made it easy with a grill quiz that helps you find the perfect grill for your lifestyle, flavor preferences and budget.
The What Grill Should I Buy Quiz, guides users through personalized questions designed to help them find their perfect grill match. Each answer fine-tunes the recommendations, which include a curated list of 2 to 4 grills to suit different lifestyles and budgets.
Vanover’s recommendations are built from years of hands-on experience. She’s tested nearly every type of grill on the market from live-fire pits to high-tech electric models and she regularly attends trade shows to see what’s on the horizon.
What Kind of Griller Are You?
The quiz kicks off with a question about grilling identity, helping users assess whether they’re casual weeknight cooks, weekend warriors or aspiring pitmasters.
“Be honest about your grilling commitment level. The best grill is the one that you’re actually going to use,” said Vanover.
Are you a casual weeknight cook? Which means you maybe are going to grill 1 or 2 times a week, mostly quick meals or family dinners. Or are you a weekend barbecue warrior? Someone who loves hosting weekend cookouts and experimenting with different recipes and techniques.
Or, are you an aspiring pitmaster who’s serious about barbecue and willing to fan fires for hours?
In the quiz, there are only three answers to choose from, but they vary enough, so your answer will help determine what kind of grill you should be matched with.
How many people will you feed regularly?
Vanover recommends thinking beyond just what you’re cooking today. “You may just be planning to cook for family now, but if you think you’re going to cook for larger groups, then plan ahead.”
Are you a family griller who plans to cook for 2 to 6 people, an occasional party planner who likes entertaining and inviting a few people over for dinner parties or backyard barbecues.
Or are you a master of que who loves cooking for your church sports teams or maybe you even want to get into catering.
Ease of Use
Next, think about how much time you want to spend with fire management and taking care of your grill, making sure it is in the zone to create your perfect barbecue?
“More convenience often does mean less authentic barbecue flavor,” Vanover advised. “So, keep that in mind when you answer this question.”
If you just want a push button start and minimal monitoring; basically, a set it and forget style grill, you’ll choose super easy.
Option two is moderate effort where you’re willing to learn some techniques and you don’t mind a little bit of monitoring and maintenance. Option three is that full hands-on experience for those who enjoy the process of fire and heat management.
Fuel Flavor Preferences
Different types of fuels impart distinct flavors to your food. Gas and electric have minimal flavor, while pellet grills offer a bit of mild smoke flavor. Or maybe you want to go all in with charcoal or even cooking with logs where you’re going to get that deep, smoky flavor.
That’s what you have to decide. With some grills you can adjust. For instance, the new Ninja FlexFlame is a clean burning propane grill, but you can add wood pellets so you can get that mild smoke flavor.
Space Considerations
How much space do you have available for your grill?
“Don’t just consider when you’re using it. Also consider storage space, and check for restrictions if you have an HOA or if you’re in an apartment,” said Vanover. “There might be some regulations related to grilling, like where you can keep it and where you can use it.”
If you have limited space, you’re going to choose that option. That’s if you plan to cook on a balcony or a small patio, or you just need something portable or storable that’s under four square feet.
If you can bump that up, then select medium space. That’s going to be like a standard suburban patio or deck with room for a medium sized grill.
“Do keep in mind when you’re planning your space, most grills recommend that you keep your grill away from any combustible materials,” said Vanover.
If you have a large backyard or dedicated outdoor kitchen area, you can choose the plenty of space option.
Budget Breakdown
How much are you looking to invest in your new grill?
“The cool thing about this quiz is when you go in, you can start with the low end and then see what your results are, and then you can start over and take the quiz again and change that price point to see what grills it recommends at a higher price point,” said Vanover.
The first option with budget is for entry level grills that are $100 to $500. This is for those looking for something that’s functional without totally breaking the bank.
The mid-range option is $500 to $1,200. That’s for those who are willing to invest a little bit more into a better-quality grill with a few more features.
The high end is going to be the $1,200 plus. That’s for those looking for premium quality, durability and advanced features.
“When you reach this price point, these are the grills that are going to last you a good ten years,” said Vanover. “Based on my experience with all the grills that I’ve cooked on, I find that grills that hit this price point I still have in my backyard and they’re still functioning wonderfully.”
Cleanup Preferences
How much time are you willing to spend on grill maintenance and cleanup?
If you have a pellet grill, you’ll need to empty out the ash every now and then and clean the deflector plate.
If you have a gas grill, there’s a lot less cleanup. It’s usually just a grease trap and scraping the inside and burners every six months. If you have a charcoal grill, obviously you’re going to have to dump the ash after every single cook.
Option one is minimal cleanup for those who want something that requires very little maintenance and quick cleanup. That’s going to steer you more towards the electric and gas grills.
If you’re okay with moderate cleanup and you don’t mind some regular maintenance, that’s going to steer you more toward pellet grills.
And then if you’re cool with a thorough cleanup, which comes with charcoal grills where you’re willing to put in the work for cleanup every time, then choose that option.
After you answer each of the seven questions, the quiz generates links to Vanover’s top recommendations just for you, which are available at major retailers like Home Depot and Ace Hardware.
Now go take the grill quiz and see what grills you get matched with.
