Barbecues: How we test barbecues
Some barbecues are packed with high-spec features, but produce tasteless food. Others look basic, but cook a delicious barbecue feast.
We cook on every barbecue we test, so we can find the best models for grilling great-tasting food with an authentically char-grilled flavour.
To find out which barbecues we recommend, head straight to our barbecues review.
If you’re not a member, you can take out a £1 trial to Which? for instant access to all our reviews.
How easy is the BBQ to build?
To see how simple you’ll find putting your barbecue together at home, we assess how easy each model is to build. We time how long it takes to assemble from scratch and rate how easy the instructions are to follow.
How well made is the BBQ?
Once built, we inspect the quality of finish and rate how well made it is. We look out for any sharp edges that may cut fingers, or flimsy materials that will distort to make it wobbly or difficult to cook on.
How safe and stable is the BBQ?
When it comes to cooking with hot coals and sizzling food, safety is vital. We put each barbecue through a series of rigorous tests to make sure it’s safe, sturdy and won’t topple over if it’s accidentally knocked or kicked.
How easy is the BBQ to move and store?
If you keep your barbecue in your shed or garage, you’ll want one that’s easy to move around. We assess how heavy each barbecue is to move, how stable it is when you’re wheeling or carrying it and how easy it is to manoeuvre.
We look for wheels and dedicated handles to help with lifting and wheeling, and check whether any shelves are likely to bang against legs.
Does the BBQ cook great-tasting food?
To find out how well each barbecue cooks a typical barbecue feast, an independent chef cooks on each barbecue using all of the features on offer. These include the grill, griddles, warming racks, storage shelves, side burners and hoods. You can find out more about these features by reading our guide - barbecue features explained.
Our chef lights each barbecue and times how long it takes to reach a perfect cooking temperature. He then cooks three sausages, a marinated chicken thigh and a pork and vegetable kebab, and times how long food takes to cook.
Our chef assesses each barbecue on how easy it is to use, then tastes and rates food on how evenly cooked it is and its consistency, flavour and appearance. Finally, the chef assesses how simple each barbecue would be to clean.
Should I buy this BBQ?
We look carefully at how each barbecue measures up in all of these key areas and give each model a Which? test score. This is based on:
- Assembly and quality of finish 20%
- Stability, safety and manoeuvrability 20%
- Ease of use: charcoal 20%, gas 25%
- Cooking performance: charcoal 40%, gas 35%
Some people prefer gas barbecues because they’re quick and easy to cook on, so scores for gas models are based on 25% for ease of use and 35% for cooking performance.
Which? BBQ testing
In 2013 we changed the way we scored barbecues. For models tested before 2013, the score was based on:
- Assembly and quality of finish 15%
- Stability, safety and manoeuvrability 15%
- Ease of use: charcoal 30%, gas 35%
- Cooking performance: charcoal 40%, gas 35%
When the barbecue was tested is noted under the specification tab of each review.
Though you can generally compare results for barbecues tested before 2013 with those tested after, the results don’t directly correspond. However, each score still gives a very good indication of the overall performance of the barbecue.
- Discover which models are Best Buy barbecues
- Read our expert advice on how to buy the best barbecue
- Compare barbecues, features and prices
