Choosing a grill

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Radio interview source: Ernie Boys, vice president, product management, Weber-Stephen Products

I love outdoor barbecuing but my husband Bob and I go round and round over what method to use. He likes the gas grill because it's faster and easier. I like the charcoal grill because I think the food tastes better. So, we have both.

Ernie Boys is vice president of product management for a grill company. He says if you're shopping for a new grill and mulling over the multitude of choices, there are a few considerations that might help focus your search.

"Cooking space, number of burners, side burners or rear infrared with rotisseries, that's the first part. There are a number of grills that are just the basics. If all they're going to be barbecuing is hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks, pork chops, chicken pieces, that's all they need," Boys says. "But if they want the flexibility of doing side dishes or doing larger cuts of meat then you look for things that have a lot of these other features."

Grill sizes are measured in square inches. Anything around 500 to 600 square inches will work well for the average-sized family. If you have a big family or you like to entertain large groups of people, a grill with 1,000 square inches or more would do the trick. Once you've got size figured out, you have to decide on the fuel you'll be cooking with. Boys says it comes down to personal preference.