(Pocket-lint) – There’s nothing quite like a sunny day spent outside with a barbecue, cooking up some delicious food in a way that’s nearly impossible to replicate inside your home.

It’s one of the most enjoyable ways to cook. It’s also got a really nice social side to it, letting you be amongst friends or family as you cook. In fact, we love it so much that we’ve compiled a list of some of the very best models currently available, so that you can pick out a new barbecue with ease. 

• The best smart cooking thermometers

All you need to do is get the amount of food right (it’s one of life’s great mysteries why nobody ate as many sausages as you thought they would). 

Here are some top gas and charcoal options. 

Our pick of the best BBQs to buy today

Napoleon

Napoleon Pro22K-Leg-2

This is barbecuing as you imagine it – it’s a superb grilling experience.

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We’re not totally wedded to it, but for our money we think a round barbecue is the most classic style, which is part of why Napoleon’s model has topped our list. The main factor, of course, is that it’s also a superb barbecue, big enough to cook plenty of food in one go but also easy to move around using its wheels.

It’s a classic charcoal BBQ, with a nice sizeable grill to be used, and even comes with a temperature probe that will make sure you know how hot the grill is at all times. It’s got a superb reputation for a reason and would make a superb addition to any garden, albeit at a relatively steep price. 

Char-Broil

Char-Broil Gas2Coal Hybrid Grill

If you’re looking for a more substantial unit, this great Char-Broil grill could be the answer.

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In fact, for the amount you’d pay for a Napoleon barbecue, you might be imagining you’d get something more like this Char-Broil model, which has more of a modern look, and the benefit of being gas or coal-heated depending on how you’re feeling or what you prefer.

That flexibility is one of its major strong suits but is far from the only one. With three burners and a dedicated warming rack, you’ll be able to juggle multiple cooking areas at once, meaning you could prepare a whole meal on the barbecue easily, while its cleverly-designed charcoal tray minimises the risk of flare-ups and charring if you’re using that fuel. This is a pretty deluxe BBQ, all in all.

Weber

Weber Master-Touch GBS E-5755

No list of barbecues is complete without a Weber BBQ, and this particular one is as classic as they come.

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Weber might just be the most famous name in barbecuing, and this unit has its most recognisable design. Much like the Napoleon, we picked above, it’s classic and really easy to use. An integrated thermometer will keep you in control, while different areas in the grill can help you to cook your food in different styles. 

The build quality is also superb throughout, demonstrating the reasons why Weber’s charcoal BBQs are so well-known and popular. If you like Weber’s brand authority or have used one before, the Master-Touch is a great choice. 

Char-Broil

Char-Broil Professional 4400S

Another great, larger barbeque that’s perfect if you’re entertaining or hosting more than a few people.

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If you like your barbequing without the fuss, and at speed, this Char-Broil is certainly worth looking at. It comes with 4 main burners and the company’s Tru-Infrared cooking technology that gets things hot super quick.

That cooking tech approach means no coals, easy cleaning afterwards and pretty much zero effort on your part when it comes to getting started – you might feel it’s so easy you’re cheating.

Beside the burners, there’s a decent enough steel lid with a temperature gauge that allows you to turn the BBQ into an oven (we’ve cooked pizza and bread in it) and a separate side stove allows you to cook sauces on the side at the same time.

Bodum

Bodum Frykat

For those of us looking for a bit more portability, Bodum has come up with a great little BBQ.

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Of course, for many people even breaking the triple digit mark is a little daunting, which is where the Bodum Frykat comes in. If you’ve ever, in your whole life, used more than a few disposable tray barbecues, you could have put that money towards one of these and felt really smug instead. It’s a small, portable picnic barbecue that’s perfect for small parties and gatherings in parks or gardens. 

It’s not fancy, but it isn’t meant to be, and it’s miles better than the shop-bought trays we mentioned above, cooking with more control and more evenly. Its silicone handle is perfect for carrying, and the BBQ as a whole could be a superb pick for anyone looking for a low-commitment bit of barbecuing. 

Writing by Max Freeman-Mills.