We know that 80% of the equipment is bought between March and end June. Given we’ll all be diving into the purchases of the season, I thought this is the time for some advice. We’ll together look at the barbecue needs and some barbecue accessories (like the electric barbecue lighter) according to your profile.

What is your barbecue profile? Questions to ask before buying!
 
Man ? Female ?
Barbecue 1-3 times per season? 4-10? 11-100?
Do you live alone? Family or a lot of friends?
Fish or meat?
Why do you like barbecuing? Why don’t you like barbecuing?
Do you live in an apartment? Or in a house with a garden?
Do you only barbecue at the summer house?
Do you move around a lot?

There are some of the questions you should ask yourself before buying a barbecue and accessories (like the Rapid’BBQ).

Let’s have a look at two different profiles:
 
Profile1:
Man
Family
11-50 Barbecues per year
Loves the barbecue, because he can decide and it’s outside
Has a house with garden
Only eats MEAT
Never goes away    Profile2:
Female
Lives alone
1-3 Barbecues per year
Does not really like the barbecue, because it’s dirty and difficult to light (start)!
Lives in an apartment
Only eats FISH
Moves a lot around     

It’s quite obvious that these two persons do not have the same needs for barbecue equipment. The probability that these two persons meet around the barbecue and get married is quite small! Profile2 is simply not standing by the barbecue!
Of course, there are a lot of different profiles. The idea is that you should buy the barbecue equipment that is adapted for you!

In the following we only discuss the real barbecue, the charcoal barbecue!

What is the barbecue offer out there?

Types of barbecue – FORM

Single use barbecue
You can find today one time usage barbecues. It’s a aluminium box pre-filled with charcoal (often very low quality). It’s lit by a special treated paper already integrated in the box. This is an emergency product, everything is as far from barbecue art as you can get. The charcoal is far too close (0mm) from the grill. The charcoal is of bad quality (difficult to light, burns short time, etc.). Avoid this product if you can.

Simple bowl barbecue made of thin metallic sheet without lid
There are several budgets for doing a simple steak on the barbecue. These are barbecues that are not made for extensive usage or more sophisticated barbecuing. They can perfectly be lit with an electric barbecue lighter.

Bowl barbecue with lid
Most barbecues with lid are of higher quality and have thicker metallic sheet in the construction (for example Weber). Of course, they are also more expensive. They can perfectly be lit with an electric barbecue lighter.

Barbecue of different forms (rectangular, etc.) integrated in a table
These barbecues are often made of cast iron. The quality of the table (or furniture) can of course vary a lot with the price. (Most often this is a metallic structure with a table and/or a shelf under). They are often a little heavy, but they are solid. The little table can be very practical. They can perfectly be lit with an electric barbecue lighter.

Fixed barbecue of bricks (etc.)
Here you’ll find a lot of different on offer. Some are readymade kits, and some are simply home made. You cannot move these around! They can perfectly be lit with an electric barbecue lighter.

Types of barbecue – USAGE

Direct cooking
The food is cooked above the charcoal

Indirect cooking
The food is cook on the side of the charcoal, but with a lid.

Short/Long Cooking
Of course, different food does not demand the same length of cooking

Sophisticated Cooking
Combination of direct and indirect cooking, and cooking of fragile food on the barbecue.

Have a look at our table of cooking times and modes here

Types of barbecue – PRICE

Cheap
A simple barbecue will cost you between 20 et 80 £.

Average price
An average barbecue will cost you between 80 et 300 £.

Very expensive
You can find barbecues priced from 2000 to 4000 £.

ACCESSORIES:

Special grills, lighting, grabbers, brushes, tables…you’ll find something for all tastes ! Some accessories are nice to have; some are indispensible, for instance a lighting solution and a grabber. A special grill that locks in a whole fish is practical when barbecuing as a metal brush to clean the grill.

Lighting:

Of course, we recommend using the newest innovations ! The electric barbecue lighter (or electric charcoal starter) guarantee lighting of quality charcoal in 9 minutes. We’re then talking 9 minutes for the charcoal to be ready for barbecuing! We also advice the traditional lighting method, but it’s more unsure and demands a certain technique. Other then these 2 methods, we do not advice to use any petro chemical products on the barbecue. It pollutes, alters the taste of your food and is dangerous. Your choice!

Grabber:
The price of a grabber is not the best indicator of the quality! It has to be able to open large for bigger pieces on the barbecue. It should also be good to use with only one hand (this includes women hands). Buy one in stainless steel.

Special grills for fish or sausages (etc.):
These are very simple constructions. Verify that you can get your favourite fish inside the one you wish to buy; some of them cannot take bigger fish as they close too tight. Boy only one in stainless steel.

The cleaning brush:
When it comes to the barbecue brush, do not buy one with a sponge, the latter is quickly filled up with burned fat and food rests and will end up being the source of stains. A simple metallic brush will do. There are some versions with a long shaft, this is practical, but do not buy a branded expensive version.

So now, what equipment for what profile?
For our profile 1, we recommend a barbecue that is solid, and repeated masculine usage at the same location tells us that it doesn’t matter if it’s a little heavy. With a lid? Yes, this is needed for a big piece of beef! This profile is actually perfect for a fixed barbecue made of bricks.
For our profile 2, we’re close to recommend an electric barbecue for her balcony (if she lives on the top floor), but charcoal barbecue is making more tasty food and with an electric barbecue lighter like the Rapid’BBQ her lighting problems are gone ! A barbecue with a lid, without hesitating, given her love for fish. As she is not using it often, it would be a pity to put too much money in it. If she is sensible to the barbecue heat, we recommend her to buy a pair of barbecue gloves.
 
We have been through the choice of equipment, two extreme profiles and our recommendation to these two.
Now it’s up to you to define your profile and make your choice of equipment!
Do not hesitate to discuss this with us in the forum here!
Alain