grill with side burner The Grate Outdoors Turn up the heat and grab some meat. We picked the best grills on the market

(Money Magazine)-barbecue, cooking-No matter what name, Americans do a lot.According to figures from the fireplace, terrace and Barbecue Association, about 14 million grills were sold in 2003, and this figure is expected to exceed 15 million this year.To help you make an informed choice, MONEY has spoken to cookbook book authors, chefs, and retailers.When we compared dozens of brands, we were skeptical about what the barbecue makers said.Yes, we cooked our steak, chicken and even a whole pig in the name of the study.Very simple charcoal grill-We recommend our favorites on page 136--So most of our buying tips involve gas grills with a 60% market share.Experts disagree on whether the gas barbecue can match the taste of charcoal, but no one thinks that the gas is convenient: no coal can be lit, no ash can be cleaned, you can adjust the heat by turning the knob.But there are so manyBrand name--Grilled King of CokeBrother of Broilmaster-Easily confused.Many people solve this problem by choosing a brand that has become synonymous with barbecue: Weber.But Weber's reputation is mainly based on its charcoal kettle, and while its gas grill is a good product, they are not the last word on the subject.What to remember here when buying a gas grill.--Across the huge barbecue divide.Eighty-3% of the gas grills purchased cost less than $300.Unfortunately, most of the grills in this price range are not built.They may work well in a year or two, but you'll stick to buying another one soon.That said, you don't need to spend thousands of dollars to avoid this trap: almost every expert we consult thinks $500 is a value for money.In fact, it's hard to get a bad grill worth $500.--Don't be stingy in size."Barbecue is a very active way of cooking," said Bruce Edles, president of Edels sausage.The author of the complete meat recipe, "so you need enough surface area to move things."Obviously don't buy a huge grill if you just make a burger once a month, but the deal is usually worth it."Get twice what you think you need," said Bill and Cheryl Jamison ." Their latest recipe is chicken on the grill."It's a good value because, say, having a third more space doesn't cost a third space." --Don't indulge in BTUs.The salesperson likes to talk about the power output of the grill measured with BTUs.But the grill with the same BTU specification can perform different depending on its size and configuration."I don't even know how many BTUs you need," said Bobby Fry, a celebrity chef and host of the gourmet Web barbecue."I just know you need some serious heat."Almost all of the grill for $500 or more can do that.--Get a good guarantee."One of the biggest differences between subordinates --and higher-"Grill is warranty," said Joe salvacho, owner of the Big Apple Grill, one of New York's largest grill dealers.Of course Salvaggio is interested in selling high qualityBut his basic point is: the more you spend, the better the warranty will be.Look for lifetime coverage on castings (Hood and furnace box) and at least five years on burners and racks.--Watch out for the "cup holder" factor.Our experts agree that additional products like side burner and rotisseries are usually just expensive toys that few people actually use."It's like buying a car based on a cup holder instead of an engine," said Flay .".If you really want a side burner, OK, but your purchase is based on the basics, not the extras.BGB48-Best Deluxe barbecue dynamic cooking system for gasBQR ($5,226;dcs-range.com;800-433-8466).Whether you're a serious chef or just want to envy your neighbors, this Grill has: a huge cooking surface, sparkling stainless steelSteel structure, smoking tray with own burner, patent greaseManagement system, etc.Even non-essentials like two built inOn the side burner and the grill with the special burner, it can be treated seriously.In short, it's a professional-Kitchen equipment in the backyard.Best all-P3 Broilmaster P3 ($989;broilmaster.com;800-851-3153).It costs more than Weber of the same size, but it is worth it, in part because of the company's unique mixand-The matching ordering system allows you to build a grill based on the selected accessories.You want fold-Shelf outside but no shelf in front?Check.Do you want one of the side racks to be wood and the other to be stainless steel?Check and double checkcheck.At the same time, castings, burners and cookware (non-stick, ceramic cast iron and adjusted to three Heights)-All of this has a lifetime warranty, which makes this great grill very valuable.Best BBQ for B chicken and fish ($549;weber.com;800-446-1071).Weber's basic gas grill series Genesis series uses a burner configuration, which makes it difficult to adjust one part of the grill's heat to another-An annoying limit.But for the indirect-Weber's most famous style of cooking makes it especially suitable for chicken and fish."The difference between Weber's grilled fish and the other grills I 've used has surprised me," said John manakowski, author of grilled fish and smoked fish ."."The distribution of heat is very consistent."In several Genesis models, we like to offer gold B of stainless steelsteel fixtures;Gold C added a side burner for $50.Best steak-Sizzler II, Texas ($3,295;Goldenblountinc.com;800-833-1139).Wondering why your backyard steak will never match perfectly with your local steak house?One reason is that the steak house broiler is much hotter than the traditional gas grill, most of which have temperatures of up to 600 degrees or 700 degrees.But the Texas Sizzler II uses an infrared ceramic burner, an expensive but increasingly popular technology that can heat the grill to 1,600 degrees, perfect for a fast scorched finish sealed in a juice.This is not the best Grill for chicken, fish or vegetables--You burn them.But for serious beef addicts who are keen to do things right (and cash), this is equivalent to the main dry goods in the barbecue industryaged T-bone.Royal King grill 1 ($250;broilkingbbq.com;800-265-2150).Broil King is a Canadian manufacturer whose grill is found everywhere in the United States, and its Royal Type 1 is small but of high quality."This is a lower one.I recommend the price Grill to my customers, "said Joe Salvaggio of the Big Apple BBQ."It releases a lot of heat and makes it very well."It also provides a lifetime warranty for castings and offers five itemsAnnual warranty for burner--The grill for this price is unusual.Serious grillers will want something bigger, but it's a great choice for single or occasional grillers.Best base Grill for Weber 1 charcoalTouch Gold of 1/2 ($139;weber.com;800-446-1071).This is the classic Weber kettle, known for completely changing the American barbecue.Cover and roast steak;Cover and roast chicken.As Bobby Fry said, "there's a reason for the classics."Weber performed the best gas compromise ($399 ).If you like charcoal cooking but hate the hassle, the performer offers a new twist: a small gas pilot burner that ignites the charcoal fire.No lighter, no chimney--Just press a button.You still have to wait for the coal to heat up, but it's a good mechanism.Green Big eggs for best smokers ($800;biggreenegg.com;404-320-2066).On any Grill, the slices of wood produce smoke.But serious smo dogs should consider this properly named "Green Egg ".Things like steak and burgers are not ideal, but its ceramic case is perfect for baking and smoking.Best Upscale BBQBaked old version 131 ($889;hastybake.com;800-426-6836).Expert advice if you want to go beyond WeberBake;Its Grill has a manual crank so you can adjust the space between the coal and the food ("Webers is always a problem," noted Flay ).