Outdoor Cooking: Grills, Smokers and Infrared Cookers

From electric grills to infrared fryers, great gear for the great outdoors.

By Christine Quinlan

Electric Grills | Charcoal Smokers | Infrared Cookers | Digital Grill

Courtesy of Fuego

Electric Grills

Companies are introducing powerful new models for rooftops, balconies and other places where cooking over an open fire might be risky or illegal.

Fuego 02

(Photo, left) An incredibly space-efficient, good-looking design. Built-in cutting boards with storage underneath turn the Fuego into a kitchen island. $1,800; fuegoliving.com.

Power Chef

For the tech-minded. A keypad lets you preset grilling times for favorite recipes; an alert chimes when food is ready to flip or is finished. $800; dimplex.com.

Courtesy of Viking

Charcoal Smokers

These easy-to-use machines let anyone cook meat in the low-and-slow style, beloved by pit masters for making large amounts of Southern-style barbecue.

Viking Gravity Feed

(Photo, left) “Gravity Feed” means that as coals burn off, fresh coals fall down automatically. The extra-large size is mammoth. From $3,000; vikingrange.com.

Weber Smokey Mountain

(Photo, top right) A built-in thermometer improves temperature control; a new, oversize 22-inch model holds two large turkeys. From $499; weber.com.

Courtesy of TEC Infrared Grills

Infrared Cookers

Infrared technology sounds scary, but it’s a safe way to cook with radiant heat that is faster and more convenient than a traditional open-flame burner.

Char-Broil’s Big Easy

For the health-minded cook: It looks like a deep fryer but uses infrared heat instead of oil to cook foods until crisp. $160; charbroil.com.

Tec G-Sport

(Photo, left) For the space-challenged. Even at 70 pounds, it’s small enough to move around and can be set down on any surface. $1,499; tecinfrared.com.

Courtesy of Blue Ember Grills

Digital Grill

The Blue Ember 650 iQue is for the gas griller who wants more precision. Temperature knobs resemble those of an oven: Cooks who are grilling a steak can set the iQue to an exact 500°. A built-in probe lowers the grill’s temperature automatically when the meat is done. $999; blueembergrills.com.