You'd think the guy who runs Barbecue University would have a short answer to the question, What's the best grill? I don't. I have 60 in my personal collection. That's because when it comes to grills, no one model or size fits all. When shopping, you should consider how often you cook outdoors, how many people you typically serve, whether you want to grill or smoke, and even your temperament. And for most of us a grill on the back deck isn't strictly a utilitarian object; a shiny stainless steel number is the equivalent of a BMW in the driveway. The first question you have to ask: charcoal or gas? The second: grilling or barbecuing? The easy answer: Buy a gas model for direct, fast, high-heat grilling on weeknights and a charcoal grill for slow-cook smoking (we're talking North Carolina pulled pork, Texas-style brisket, and Kansas City-style ribs) during the weekend. We recommend five grills here. Ideally you'll want to find a way to watch them in action; try to find a retailer that fires up demo grills, or take a class. None of these is the "best" in the sense that it does everything perfectly. All do what they do exceedingly well and belong in a serious grill master's arsenal. --Steven Raichlen

GAS
WEBER Summit Platinum D6 Gas Grill
It may seem odd to start a discourse on a $2,200 stainless steel gas supergrill with the grease evacuation system, but the Summit's shows that the folks at Weber design grills with cooks, not just status seekers, in mind. Grill a couple of ducks or a half-dozen racks of baby back ribs on many high-end grills and the grease will drain into a shallow pan. (Try maneuvering that cumbersome tray on your new teak deck.) Weber's Summit, meanwhile, funnels grease into a deep disposable aluminum drip pan. Which is not to suggest that it lacks sexier features: The 57,600 BTU six-burner grill has a rear-mounted infrared rotisserie burner, a smoker box with its own burner, and a side burner for warming sauce. Then there's the gas gauge and built-in thermometer, features sometimes missing from other expensive grills. And last, the 3/8-in stainless steel rod grates create better grill marks than porcelainized enamel and require less maintenance than cast iron. [$2,200; weber.com]

Downside Hard to think of one besides price and size. You'll want a good-size deck, a patio, or a backyard to give yourself room.

Verdict After purchasing and setting up the Summit, get used to hearing, "What time should we come over?"

WOOD BURNING
WOODFLAME Delecto Wood Burning Grill
The great debate among outdoor cooks is charcoal versus gas. But if you really want flavor, the ultimate grilling fuel is hardwood. Imagine perfuming swordfish steaks or veal chops with the evocative scent of cherry or oak smoke. Woodflame's Delecto costs less than many gas grills, weighs just 17 pounds, and provides a 1,200°F fire within 10 minutes. It accomplishes these seemingly incompatible feats with an ingenious combination of brute force and technology; namely, a chunk of burning wood and a battery-powered blower -- the grill version of a turbo-charged car engine. To better understand its power, consider that most grills typically emit 10,000 to 15,000 BTUs per burner. In the high position the Woodflame gives out 62,000 BTUs -- enough to put a chophouse-quality char on steaks. [$250; woodflameusa.com]

Downside The blower's efficiency requires frequent refueling, so keep plenty of hardwood chunks around. Also, never set it directly on the beach or sand will clog the blower.

Verdict Wood-burning grills can be large, expensive, and time-consuming to light. The Woodflame defies each. Best suited for feeding two to four people, not large crowds.

CHARCOAL
BARBECUES GALORE Bar-B-Chef Texas Charcoal Grill
Combine the Performer's versatility with the Delecto's ability to burn wood, add a generous measure of manliness, and you wind up with the Bar-B-Chef. The short list of its virtues includes a front-loading door (easy to refuel and add wood chunks to generate flavored smoke), a large cooking area for tailgate party-size quantities of food, a heavy cast iron grate to lay on handsome grill marks, and even a fire pan you raise and lower with a crank to control the heat. If you want to pimp it, go for the stainless steel; for an understated look, opt for the black enamel finish. [from $499 for black enamel, $899 for stainless steel (shown); www.bbqgalore.com]

Downside Nothing major. There's no gas ignition system, so you'll want to light the charcoal with a chimney starter.

Verdict Invite the neighbors: The Bar-B-Chef can cook enough food to feed the entire cul-de-sac.

CHARCOAL
WEBER Performer
A buoy-maker crafted the first Weber kettle in 1952 by welding legs onto half of a metal buoy. It quickly made him a grilling mogul, and it remains one of the best-designed grills on the planet -- equally well-suited for direct-grilling steaks, indirectly grilling a whole prime rib, and smoke-roasting a beer can chicken. "But I don't have time to light charcoal," you say? Relax. The beauty of the Performer is that it has a propane-powered igniter for the charcoal (which burns hotter than gas; you can smoke on a charcoal grill but it's virtually impossible to properly smoke on a gas grill). Simply pour the coals in the wire basket, position over the igniter, and push the button. You'll have hot, glowing coals in 12 minutes. [$350; weber.com]

Downside Old-timers long for the days of the all- stainless steel cart; the housing now is less handsome.

Verdict When a grill master dies, a Performer would be an appropriate resting place for his ashes.

SMOKER
BIG DRUM Smoker
Self-respecting grill masters smoke briskets and pork shoulders. To do so you'll need a temperature south of 260°F and a cooking time measured in quarter and half days, not hours and minutes. This is true barbecue, and until recently you needed an industrial-size rig to do it right. Enter the Big Drum Smoker. Designed by North Carolina smoke master Rocky Richmond, the Smoker consists of a 65-gallon steel drum with holes drilled in the top and bottom. Don't let its startling simplicity trick you into dismissing it as simple-minded: It effortlessly cooks racks of ribs, briskets, or Boston butts to perfection on its interior rack. [$345; bigdrumsmokers.com]

Downside A bit cumbersome to clean; When the coals are dead, upend the smoker and dump them onto newspaper.

Verdict Twelve pounds of charcoal and hardwood chunks will maintain a steady temperature of 225° to 250°F -- perfect for true 'cue -- for up to 12 hours with virtually no human intervention.

GAS offers the convenience of push-button ignition and turn-of-the-knob heat control. It's great for cooking small, thin, tender foods, such as steaks, chops, chicken breasts, fish fillets, vegetables, and sliced fruit. Many smaller, cheaper gas grills, however, are notoriously underpowered, and it's extremely difficult to properly smoke on any gas grill, even if it has a smoker box.

Five Things to LOOK FOR
• 1. For indirect grilling you'll need multiple burners: at least two, preferably three or four.
• 2. A large, deep, easy-to-empty drip pan for collecting grease.
• 3. Both a gas gauge and a built-in thermometer.
• 4. A rotisserie with its own burner.
• 5. A smoker box with its own burner. It won't work as well as a charcoal grill for smoking, but a smoker box will make you feel better.