All Buyer's Guides AmazingRibs.com does not make or sell anything, but we love toys and we are happy to share our opinions of them. Smoker Reviews & Ratings How To Buy A Smoker Overview Charcoal Smokers Egg, Kamado, Ceramic Grills/Smokers Large Capacity, Restaurant & Trailer Smokers Electric Smokers Gas Smokers Pellet Grills/Smokers Stovetop Smokers Pig Roasters Wood Burning Pizza Ovens Grill Reviews & Ratings How To Buy A Grill Overview The Differences Between Charcoal & Gas Grills Charcoal Grill Reviews & Ratings Egg, Kamado, Ceramic Grills/Smokers Pellet Grills/Smokers Gas Grills Tailgate Grills & Portable Grills Grills Gone Wild More Reviews & Ratings Thermometers & Thermostats Barbecue Accessories Kitchen Tools Outdoor Kitchen Planning Cookbooks, Magazines, Videos Barbecue Sauces Bar Necessities Corkscrews Funny Aprons, Hats, T-shirts, Tschotschkes Meathead's Favorite Ingredients Photography Gear How We Review Products We purchase many products we review although occasionally suppliers send us samples. We make it clear in our reviews when we are working with a sample. Here's a key to our reviews. We have hands-on experience testing this product. We have also gathered info from the manufacturer, owners, and other reliable sources. We have seen this product up close and we have also gathered info from the manufacturer, owners, and other reliable sources. We have researched this product from afar by gathering info from the manufacturer, owners, and other reliable sources, with our BS meters on high. Reviewers Many reviews are by Meathead, the author of most things on this website. In 2011 Scot Murphy and Gordon Hubbell joined him to help with the Buyer's Guides. The author of each product's review is named at the end of the writeup. Best In BBQ Medals Best In BBQ Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medals are given only to products that we highly recommend based on price. Awards are based on features, quality, and value. Price is an important factor. Rarely will a $400 Gold Medal be in the same league as an $800 Gold Medal, so it is important that you read the reviews. Rest assured that when we award a medal, it is because we are impressed by it for the price, not because someone has paid us to say so or because the company is an advertiser or sponsor. Manufacturers: Click here for permission to use these medals in ads and on packaging (there is no charge) and for info on how to get a high resolution version. About Model Numbers Manufacturers often make slight variations to their basic model exclusively for certain merchants. For example, a grill manufacturer might make their Firebrand Grill Model ABC123 with cast iron grates available only on Amazon. Meanwhile, the ABC125 is identical except it has stainless steel grates, and it is sold only at ACE Hardware. Of course the prices can differ. Your Amazon Purchase Supports This Site When a product is available on Amazon.com, we often provide a direct link. Amazon often has the best prices anywhere, even better than many manufacturers' websites because manufacturers know that if they undercut retailers like Amazon, they may drop the products. Amazon also offers fast delivery (often free), no sales tax (in most states), gift wrapping (on many items), and painless refund policies. Check out Amazon's Gift & Wish Registry. Amazon pays AmazingRibs Inc. a small referral fee when you purchase from them after clicking on a link on this site, so purchasing from them helps underwrite the cost of operating AmazingRibs.com. If you like all the info we give you for free and would like to help us buy charcoal, please copy the link below and save it. It takes you to Amazon.com and tags things you buy with the AmazingRibs code so we get that referral fee. It works on anything from grills to diapers and it has zero impact on the price you pay. http://tinyurl.com/3rlglce

The Definitive Buyer's Guide and Reviews of Smokers, Grills, Cooking Accessories, Tools, Gadgets, Books, Magazines, Sauces, Ingredients, and More

This section is about tools and toys. Here's where we get to comment on the huge range of smokers, grills, accessories, gadgets, books, magazines, sauces, and the ingredients in my recipes. We think you'll have no difficulty determining what I like and dislike. Rest assured that when we recommend a product, it is really because we like it, not because someone has paid us to say so or because the company is an advertiser or sponsor.

Buyer's guide to grills

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How to buy a grill. There are hundreds of grills on the market. Here's a checklist of things to look for in making your selection.

Charcoal grills vs. Gas grills. Meathead settles the argument once and for all.

Charcoal Grill Reviews and Ratings.

Gas Grill Reviews and Ratings.

Pellet Grill Reviews and Ratings.

Small, Portable, and Lightweight Grills.

Grills Gone Wild.

Buyer's guide to smokers

How to buy a smoker. Here's a checklist of features and bugs, and questions to ask before you buy.

Best charcoal fueled smokers. You will be amazed at the variety of options.

Best pellet smokers. These are very sophisticated devices, and because pellets are wood, you can use them in most barbecue competitions.

Best gas smokers. Gas smokers are great, especially in cold weather. There are some great bargains to be had.

Big Green Egg, Ceramic, and other Kamado-Style Cookers. These are modern versions of the 3,000-year-old Japanese ceramic Kamado, made of ceramic, an extremely good insulator. Indian tandoors are similar in concept. They are very efficient.

Best electric smokers. Set it and forget it!

Mobile & trailer mounted. So everybody says you make the best ribs ever and the your church has asked you to cook at its picnic. Is it time to turn pro?

Large capacity, trailer, and commercial indoor smokers. "You're such a good cook" your friends say. "You oughta open a restaurant!" Don't do it! But if you must, here's what you'll need.

Stovetop smokers. These small gizmos are great for smoking indoors or over a campfire.

Pig roasters. Here are some gismos if you want to go whole hog.

Wood Burning Ovens. For the best Italian style pizzas or rustic breads, nothing beats a wood burning forno. They are available indoor or out, built-in or portable for caterers.

Everything else a cook needs and then some

Guide to thermometers. The secret to properly cooked and safe food is a good thermometer. But not all thermometers are created equal. Here's what you need to know and Meathead's recommendations.

All the gotta have BBQ accessories. A growing list of tools and toys that make you a better outdoor cook.

Required kitchen accessories. A list of what every kitchen needs.

Bar necessities. A list of what you need to make sure you serve your drinks in style.

All about corkscrews. They do not have to be torture devices. The best are user friendly. Really.

Designing an outdoor kitchen. For many Americans, the back yard has become a second kitchen, dining room and living room. It's easy to understand why. Life is just more relaxed outdoors. Here's what you need to know when planning an outdoor living space.

Brew for cue, wine for swine, and booze too. The secret to matching the drink with ribs is in the sauce.

Best cookbooks, books, and mags. There are numerous good books and magazines on barbecue and cooking. Here are some of my favorites and links to buy them on Amazon.com.

My favorite commercial sauces. There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of commercial barbecue sauces. I taste as many as I can get my hands on. Here are my faves.

My favorite ingredients. Here is a partial list of some of the ingredients I use in my recipes.

Aprons, hats, & T-shirts. Fun things to wear.

Meathead's photo gear. With the exception of some of the products in the Buyers' Guide section of this site, I do all my own photography. Here's my toolkit and some tips on how to shoot foodpron.