Michael Probert

Our research-led pick of the best charcoal grills for small spaces in 2026 — 8 genuinely compact kettle, suitcase and barrel-tabletop charcoal grills for balconies, tailgating and small patios, ranked with honest trade-offs, price bands and the specs that actually matter.

Short answer: the fastest, most reliable way to start a charcoal grill is a chimney starter — load it, light one sheet of newspaper or a paraffin cube underneath, and wait 15–20 minutes until the coals on top are gray with ash. Then dump them, arrange a two-zone fire (coals banked to one side, empty […]

Our honest, research-led picks for the best kamado grills in 2026 — 8 genuinely distinct ceramic and steel/aluminum kamados ranked by real buying use, with price bands not stale prices.

Our honest, research-led guide to controlling temperature on any smoker — offset, charcoal, pellet or electric/propane — with the intake-vs-exhaust rule, the 10–15 minute patience rule, troubleshooting for hot/cold/swingy fires, and the safety points that matter most.

Short answer: seasoning is a thin, baked-on layer of polymerised oil — it’s what bare cast iron needs to stay non-stick and rust-free, but porcelain-enameled cast iron and stainless steel grates don’t need it. Any new grill benefits from an initial burn-off (typically 15–30 minutes on high, lid closed, before your first real cook) to […]

Our honest, research-led walkthrough for using a pellet grill on your first cook — startup, smoke settings, managing the cook, and the shutdown habit that prevents almost every pellet-grill safety problem.

Our honest, research-led picks for the best pellet grills under $500 and under $1,000 in 2026 — what you actually get, and give up, at each budget tier, with price bands not stale prices.

Our evergreen guide to the best gas grills to buy in the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales — 12 research-led picks from Weber, Napoleon, Nexgrill, Monument, Broil King, Dyna-Glo and Cuisinart, how to spot a genuine deal, and honest price-band buying guidance.

Our research-led pick of the best small and portable gas grills for 2026 — 8 genuinely compact propane grills for balconies, tailgating, camping and small patios, ranked with honest trade-offs, price bands and the specs that actually matter.

Our research-led pick of the best pellet grills for beginners in 2026 — 8 genuinely forgiving pellet grills for first-time owners, ranked on controller stability, cleanup ease and warranty support, with honest trade-offs and price bands.