We always advise our readers to stay away from cheap offset smokers and jump straight to high-quality, heavy metal models. But Char-Griller’s Grand Champ provides an intermediate alternative; not cheap as the $200 tin can models, but way less than classic quarter-inch steel competition smokers.
Interested in making restaurant-quality pizzas at home? Ooni’s Karu 16 burns charcoal or wood and they offer an optional gas burner which we highly recommend. Although we have a few criticisms, Karu 16 still gets our thumbs up!
Weber’s popular Genesis Gas Grills are a perfect option for those who have grown tired of constantly replacing cheap entry-level gassers and want better quality, performance, and durability. Weber’s 2022 models are, in many ways, the best Genesis lineup yet!
Slow ‘N Sear, continues to expand their catalog with a portable 18″ charcoal grill called the Travel Kettle. Whether stationed on a small patio, cruising in your RV, or on the go to a weekend cabin rental, this platinum medal grill deserves consideration.
In celebration of the 70th anniversary of Weber’s iconic kettle grill, the manufacturer has introduced a limited edition version of their 22″ charcoal grill! Learn more about what makes it so unique by reading our full platinum medal review of the anniversary kettle grill.
Pit Barrel Cookers’ original 18.5″ upright barrel smoker is a perennial favorite among our readers. In 2017, they introduced a smaller, 14″ model called Pit Barrel Junior. Now they go big with the 55-gallon 22.5″ PBX for larger cooks. This affordable barrel smoker excels in capacity, flavor, and ease of use.
We love Hasty Bake! The clever and unique design features enable you to easily grill, smoke or roast whatever you like. We have never tested and reviewed finer charcoal grills than Hasty Bake, and the Legacy is their most popular model. We award the Hasty Bake Legacy 131 our top Platinum Medal.
The Green Mountain Grills TREK Prime is a portable pellet cooker that is small and light enough to use for tailgating but large and sturdy enough for the back patio, too. Well-constructed and with excellent documentation, it is an excellent choice for a portable smoker and earns our AmazingRibs.com Best Value Platinum Medal.
An outstanding backyard pizza oven at a reasonable price
Gozney makes a range of rock-solid commercial pizza ovens, and this backyard version has been highly anticipated among home cooks. When it went on sale to the public in 2021, the Dome sold out in 8 hours. We were lucky enough to test drive the dual fuel […]
Just when we thought we’d seen everything in the world of kamados, Kalamazoo unveils their striking Shokunin Kamado Grill. Kalamazoo occupies a rarefied space in the BBQ cosmos with some of the best grills money can buy, and you’ll need a lot of money to buy one. They can cost as much as a car! We give this unique, ultra-luxury kamado our AmazingRibs.com Platinum Medal. Read our review to learn why.
The new Hasty Bake Gourmet PRO 258 is an upgraded version of their Gourmet 256. We have never tested and reviewed a finer charcoal grill. Hasty Bake easily earns our Best Value AmazingRibs.com Platinum Medal. There is nothing you can’t do with this grill and it deserves a place in the back yard of every serious outdoor cook. It is the Swiss Army knife of grills.
Iconic Weber Kettles are some of the most popular and respected backyard grills in the world. Those who’ve mastered a kettle can do everything on it from grill a steak to bake a cake and these Summit Kamados are kettles on steroids. If you like your Weber Kettle, you’ll love their Kamados. We give these babies our AmazingRibs.com Best Value Platinum Medals!
Big commercial smokers like the Ole Hickory EL-EDX are made for the high output needs of restaurants and caterers. Pitmasters around the country swear by them. Read our review to find out why.
Self described as “small but mighty” the new PKGO is beautiful, elegant, clever, effective, and versatile, yet a little pricey for a small, portable charcoal grill. Nonetheless, with PKGO, you get what you pay for, and that means top quality. We say, “Go Man Go”, to PKGO and award it our top, Platinum Medal.
The Slow ‘N Sear Kettle Grill is mighty nice, but very similar to the Weber Performer, which is not a bad thing. If you’re in the market for a new charcoal kettle grill, read our review because this one may be for you. It’s definitely worth consideration. We award the Slow ‘N Sear Kettle Grill our AmazingRibs.com Best Value Platinum Medal.
Published On: 1/6/2021 Last Modified: 4/20/2021
The PBC has a rabid cult following for good reason. It’s among the best bargains for a smoker in the world. This baby cooks circles around cheap offset smokers because temperature control is so much easier. Click here to read our detailed review and the raves from people who own them.
The FireBoard Spark is a hybrid combining instant-read capability, a cabled temperature probe, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi connectivity. Couple that with high standards of design and workmanship and it’s a “must own.” Click here to read our comprehensive Platinum Medal review.
The Good-One Open Range is dramatically different from a traditional offset smoker, placing the heat source behind and under the smokebox instead of off to the side. Click here to read our complete review.
The amazing Karubecue is the most innovative smoker in the world. At its crux is a patented firebox that burns logs above the cooking chamber and sucks heat and extremely clean blue smoke into the thermostat-controlled oven. Click here for our review of this superb smoker.
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