‘GIVE IT A SHAKE’ AND OTHER TIPS TO HELP FIND YOUR NEXT BARBECUE

We spoke with three barbecue experts and came up with a checklist of attributes you should keep in mind while you’re shopping:

Materials “Bring a magnet,” says Charles Munro, owner of Barbeque Pro. A magnet shouldn’t stick on stainless steel, so if it does, you know the “stainless steel” designation on your prospective purchase may just be a coating. Stainless steel is the most durable and low-maintenance material for a barbecue, says Munro.

“Don’t trust anything shiny,” Munro adds. If something is, there’s a good chance it isn’t stainless steel.

Also, “there’s no such thing as ‘nonstick’ when something is being cooked at 600 degrees,” he says, so advises that you don’t trust that label if you see it.

Cast iron is another good material, especially for its ability to absorb heat. But you must care for it or it will rust.

Another way to test a barbecue’s quality in the store is to “give it a little shake,” says Duff Dixon, vice-president of product development at Ontario Gas BBQ. If it rattles, it probably isn’t high-quality.

Natural gas or propane Propane may burn hotter than natural gas, but that doesn’t mean it will do so in your grill. The advantage of natural gas is that you can hook it up to your home’s line, if it has one. This setup uses more gas, but you don’t have to worry about replacing propane tanks.

Charcoal “Charcoal is what I call barbecue; gas is what I call grill,” says Munro. He and Dixon both say cooking with the bricks is an art.

“It’s a huge, growing category,” Dixon says, citing a large section of his store dedicated to the kettle-like charcoal barbecues. People are taking their cooking talents outdoors and often get a charcoal barbecue as an addition to one they may already have, Dixon says.

Size The average size of a grill lies between 400 and 600 square inches, according to Munro. You can cook for eight people on that size and even for up to 20, if you’re timing things properly.

Price You can get a good barbecue for $600 — about what the average buyer is willing to spend on one, says Munro. And you can get a really good barbecue for $1,000.

“It is an investment — for a lot of people, a thousand bucks, it’s nothing to joke around about,” he says.

Brands Both Dixon and Munro said the bestselling brands at their stores are Napoleon, Weber and Broil King (not necessarily in that order).

Napoleon is a Canadian brand based in Barrie, Ont., so parts are easy to order when you need repairs.

“Buying a Weber or a Napoleon, it’s like buying an Audi or a BMW,” says Munro. Both brands have affordable lines.

Warranty Always look at the warranty on the barbecue you want to buy. The warranty may change for different parts. But some models have up to a 10- or 20-year warranty, which is ideal is if you’re looking for something that’s going to last.