Size: Depending on the style, some barbecues can cater for large gatherings and others are best suited to two people. Coal distribution will also affect cooking capacity. For example, sometimes it's easier to distribute your coals and achieve even direct heat in barrel barbecues than in dome-bottomed kettle models White burger buns: Popping these on the grill is an easy way to warm and toast them with defined grill lines verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{

Basic grill BBQ: For simple straightforward cooking, this style of barbecue – which comes without a hood or air vents – will do a good job. However, you have to stay by it, learn how to use barbecue coals to create various heat zones around the grill, and regularly turn and move the food for even and safe cooking Heat thermometers: Not a standard feature on many models, but particularly handy if you're cooking meat joints and wanting to reliably achieve the same cooking results over and over. Portability: If you're hoping to take your grill on the go, look for a model that's lightweight and easy to transport.

How to choose the best gas barbecue for you

Whole aubergine: We recorded how long it took to grill whole aubergines until soft all over and the skin was blistered Number of cooking grills: Using inserts or shelves to move food away from the main heat (known as indirect cooking) is for more delicate dishes. The closing of the hood helps the food to cook evenly without too much fuss so lessens all the turning and moving, and means you are free to socialise American-style grills or domed kettles: These barbecues are more versatile. By using the hood and air vents, heat can go from hot and fast for cooking over the coals (known as direct cooking), to long and slow for smoking or cooking large joints of meat or whole fish. Some barbecues have vents that can be adjusted to feed the coals with air

Adjustable air vents: These will feed your coals with air and allow you to change the cooking temperature beneath a cooking hood. Once you've decided which barbecue to buy, the style will depend on how many people you want to cook for, what you want to do with it, the space you have, budget and how often you will use it.Soak the coals: To make sure the coals are extinguished, you can also pour water over them – be sure to use lots of water so you've completely saturated them. Dispose of the ashes: Once the coals have cooled completely, use a shovel (ideally a metal one) – to scoop them into a container. Never dispose of hot ashes in a plastic or paper container, as they can easily ignite. If the barbecue has vents, close them: This will cut off the oxygen supply to the coals, so they start to cool down. You'll want to let the coals cool for several hours before attempting to take them out.