Charcoal Grills
As more and more people discover the superior flavor of grilled foods they are finding the even more superior flavor of charcoal grilled foods. Now about half of all grillers recognize that charcoal offers a better flavor though most still prefer the convenience of gas. However only one in five grillers are dedicated to charcoal and won’t go back.
Weber still dominates the market in charcoal grills, but many more grill manufacturers are providing a charcoal alternative. This can be seen be walking down the grill aisle of most hardware stores. There you’ll find a lot of charcoal grills that look strangely similar to the standard Weber Kettle Charcoal Grill. This includes a line of charcoal grills at Lowes with the name "Jeep" stamped on the top. I really don't think Jeep makes grills.
Viking has at long last introduced its charcoal burning Kamado-Style grill. The is a $1,900 cart mounted grill unit that not only offers the highest quality stainless steel covered ceramic Kamado Cooker but two side burners, drawers and a work area. Considering Viking’s attention to detail and superior products this promises to be the best Kamado Grill on the market, if you’re willing to pay the price.
The Kamado market continues to be a bright point to the charcoal industry. With little affect from the steel tariffs and because of their great cooking abilities I think these units will continue to spread. However I have heard a few grumblings about Big Green Egg from distributors. Poor packaging and shipping problems have left a lot of units damaged on delivery. Retailers won't tolerate these problems for long. This opens up some possibilities for Grill Dome and Primo to get a stronger foot hold on the Kamado market.
Portable Grills
Taking your grilling on the road is more popular than ever. Cold cuts and tubs of potato salad just aren't enough for most people these days. Two thirds of grillers say they grill away from home whether it’s at the beach or in a campground. Tailgating is also getting more popular and there are more and more portable grills on the market than ever before. If you are really serious about tailgating and willing to drop $3,000 for a full stainless steel grill that mounts onto your trailer hitch you can try out the Go! Products G2 Grill.
Weber’s big push on portable grills is its Weber Q. This is a portable grill that has a cooking area comparable to many smaller full size grills. Weber is so proud of the design of the unit they sent out a press package containing a CD full of artistic photography of their new grill. The Weber Q retails for about $200 and the Baby Q at about half the size runs for about $150.
Smokers
More people than ever before are smoking. True low and slow barbecue has been taken up by about 27% of Americans. Smoker sales are good and more and more people are looking for units that can both grill and smoke. But more than the fact that more people are smoking, more people are adding smoke flavor to grilled foods. The Barbecue Industry Association reports that wood chip and chunk sales increased 12% in 2003, a trend that has been building for several years now.
Fortunately for many people the availability of smokers is increasing. Everything from the low end and often difficult vertical water smokers to full size off-set horizontal smokers can be found in many stores. The biggest problem for smokers is increased production costs due to higher steel prices. Some makers have raised prices and others have looked to shipping manufacturing outside the United States.
Other Outdoor Products
In the continued movement towards complete outdoor kitchens many manufacturers are introducing related outdoor appliances like Viking’s Refreshment Center. This stainless steel unit comes in a 24 inch ($1,500) and 41 inch ($2,800) size. These units provide drawers, work areas and cooler storage. The 41 inch model has a cold water sink. Neither, however have refrigeration.
As for refrigerators, the majority of high end grills, over the $4,000 mark now come with an optional cabinet mounted refrigerator that fits directly under the grill. Of course this feature adds $500 to $1,000 on the price of the grill.
