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Spring is coming, and summer isn’t far behind, so if you’ve got some outdoor cooking planned, now’s the time to get cracking and look for products to address the shortcomings that you noticed last year. New grills are easier to use and deliver better results than their predecessors, so it’s a good time to shop for a new appliance. Even if your grill works just fine, there’s a wide variety of accessories available. Some can help make you more comfortable, others improve grill storage and cleanup after the cookout. Here’s a look at some recent advancements in outdoor-living products, any one of which can make your next barbecue a smashing success.
Given recent advancements in gas grill design, there’s no reason that these grills should be difficult to assemble. Enter Char-Broil’s Quick Set grill line. The model shown here ($240) comes with a pre-assembled burner box and its frame requires no tools for assembly. Its 1 3/8-inch diameter tube steel components slide together. The appliance’s main burner has a capacity of 40,000 BTU, the side burner is 8,000 BTU. The porcelainized wire cooking grate has a 915-square inch surface area. We like the fact that the electronic ignition is guaranteed for 10 years, the burner for three and the firebox casting for life. The grills range from $160 to $300 at hardware stores and home centers. Contact Char-Broil, P.O. Box 1240, Columbus, GA 31902.
Durability, luxury and commercial-grade grill construction come together nicely in Ducane’s DMBQ-30, a 30-inch wide cart-mounted barbecue, which is built entirely of stainless steel. That includes the double-walled hood, the 520-sqare inch grid, the 25,000-BTU burner, the above-burner grate, the warming rack and the cabinet. About the only thing that isn’t stainless is the rubber on the caster wheels. The grill exhibits thoughtful design features such as concealed door hinges and removable doors, and a Rotis-A-Grate rotisserie that heats food from the back, rather than from underneath. This allows you to place a basting pan under the meat as it turns. The grill costs about $3,700 at Ducane dealers. Contact Ducane Gas Grills, 800 Dutch Square Blvd., Suite 200, Columbia, SC 29210.
Suppose you want to step up from your basic burner-in-a-box gas grill but you don’t want to spend thousands of dollars. We suggest you have a look at Kenmore’s Elite line, specifically Model 15790, a 40,000-BTU grill that’s more than enough appliance to get the job done. Among its nice features are four cast-iron burners, durable brass gas valves, 408 square inch of cooking surface on a cast-iron grid, a utility drawer and two side storage shelves. We also liked the 120-square inch warming rack. It’s sold at Sears for about $550. Contact Sears, Department 703, 3333 Beverly Rd., BC 112B-A, Hoffman Estates, IL 60179.
This shade canopy duo looks like a recipe for some summer family fun. Called the Family Pak, the two canopies are made of a knitted, synthetic fabric called Monolon and are supported on aluminum frames. No tools are required for assembly. The adult canopy has a 10 x 10-feet footprint with a 9-feet 4-inch tall peak. The children’s canopy has a 7 x 7-feet footprint and a peak height of 5 feet 6 inch. The set sells for about $190. Contact Fiskars Outdoor Leisure Products Customer Service, 3000 W. Orange Ave., Apopka, FL 32703.
Place one of these flexible, fiber cement pads under your gas or charcoal grill to prevent globs of grease, condiments and wood-charring embers from hitting, and staining, your deck. The manufacturer says that unlike other deck-protecting mats this one does not trap moisture under it because it allows moisture vapor to escape. It’s available in a 30-inch diameter circle that costs $25 to $30 or as a 30 x 42-inch rectangle (shown) that costs $35 to $40. It’s sold at hardware stores, home centers and hearth-and-patio shops. Contact DiversiTech Corp., 2530 Lantrac Ct., Decatur, GA 30035; 800-397-4823.
It’s called the Grill2Go, and Thermos says it’s a grill equally at home in your backyard or on a tailgate. The appliance consists of two parts: a suitcase-like grill with on-board storage for its twin side shelves and tools (spatula, tongs and cleaning comb), and a folding base. The grill can be fired from a 1-pound propane cylinder or, with an accessory 4-feet long hose, a 20-pound tank. It costs about $200 at hardware stores and home centers. Contact Thermos, P.O. Box 1240, Columbus, GA 31902; 800-352-4111.
If ever there was a product well suited to accompany a charcoal grill in your backyard, Rubbermaid’s plastic, split-lid storage shed is it. You have access to its 18 cubic feet of storage capacity by way of two large swing-out doors and a split lid, both halves of which pivot up and out of the way. The shed comes with a particleboard shelf, which is handy for keeping up with your barbecue mitts, apron and grill brushes. The shed’s base has plenty of room for bags of charcoal, lighter fluid, grill baskets and grill covers. The Split-Lid Shed costs about $130 at hardware stores and home centers. Contact Rubbermaid Home Products, 1147 Akron Rd., Wooster, OH 44691.
This table and chair set from Coleman is built to take it—literally. Its two back wheels allow you to take it anywhere you need to, and it’s built from aluminum so it can take whatever the weather dishes out. The 38 x 60-inch top folds down, and a hand hole in its edge makes it easy to grip. Lift up on the edge of the folded tabletop and, with the collapsible chairs hanging neatly inside, you can wheel the set out of the way or bring it in for winter storage. A $60 accessory umbrella is also available. The table and chairs cost about $330 at hardware stores, home centers and specialty shops. Contact The Coleman Co. Inc., 3600 N. Hydraulic, Wichita, KS 67219. Copyright © Popular Mechanics 2001. Reprinted by permission.
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Popular Mechanics: Home Improvement
