A grill is a ten-year purchase if you choose well and a two-year one if you do not. Before you compare brands and prices, settle these five questions.
1. Size and cooking area
Count the people you actually cook for most weekends, not the biggest party of the year. Two burners feed a couple or a small family; four or more is for regular crowds. Look at the primary cooking area in square inches, not the overall size of the cart, and check that the lid clears a whole chicken or a roast.
2. Fuel: gas, charcoal, or pellets
Gas is fast, controllable, and the easiest to clean; it is what most Canadian households use. Charcoal gives the most flavour and the most work. Pellet grills are set-and-forget smokers that need electricity. There is no wrong answer, only the one that matches how often you will bother to light it.
3. Build quality and materials
Heavy cast-iron or thick stainless grates hold heat and sear better than thin stamped ones, and they last. Look at the burners and the heat shields, which are the parts that fail first, and check that they are sold as replacement parts. A lid that closes tight and a cart that does not wobble are worth more than a side burner you will use twice.
4. Features you will use
Side burners, rotisserie kits, sear stations, and smart thermometers are all real conveniences for the people who use them. Be honest about which ones that is. A well-made basic grill beats a feature-packed cheap one.
5. Budget, including the extras
Add a cover, a good thermometer, and a safe grill brush to the price; you will buy them anyway. Then set a ceiling and hold it. Price and quality are related but not the same thing: a mid-range grill from a maker that stocks parts is a better buy than a flashy one that cannot be repaired.
The Canadian question: winter
Ask how the grill will survive six months outside. Rust starts under old grease and trapped moisture, so plan on a deep clean and a proper cover before the first snow, and store the propane tank upright outdoors. The grills that last here are the ones cleaned before winter, whatever they cost.