Flare-ups can be a big concern. Testers look for flare-ups when turning over rib eye steaks, as well as when the steaks are done.
Testers also evaluate how evenly the grills cook, on low settings and high settings. They use sensors to record the temperature across the grill's entire cooking surface. The $800 Team Grill Patio Series Pro PPR06091 didn't do well for evenness. Neither did the Solaire AGBQ-27GIR, and it costs $1,800.
In the end, Consumer Reports found several Best Buys for far less. Among them: the Grill Master 720-0697 from Lowe's for $200 and the Uniflame GBC1059WB grill from Walmart for $250.
When it comes to extra features, apparently a side burner is worth having, according to the grill owners Consumer Reports just surveyed. Both of the recommended grills have one. As for extras you can probably skip, griddle plates and rotisseries were among the least-used features.
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