The middle of summer may not be the best time to buy a grill, so if your grill has seen better days, a bit of good planning can save you money.
It can also ensure you get the grill that has all or most of the features that you want or need.
Asking questions such as When’s the best time to buy a grill and Where’s the best place to buy a grill, can help make sure you get a good deal and get the features that are important to you.
Best Time to Buy a Grill
Generally speaking, consumer goods tend to be at their most affordable when demand for them drops.
That’s why it will always be more expensive to buy a grill in the summer, especially in the early summer, than at any other time.
With that in mind, here are the ideal times when you can get a good deal on grills:
During a Sale
The easiest way to get a good deal on any product these days is to wait until it’s on promo or sale.
Do Grills Go on Sale?
Like most other consumer goods, grills do go on sale. Therefore, check with hardware stores and other retail stores in your area to get an idea of price.
When Do Grills Go on Sale?
Many stores will order in more grills than usual for the summer period and then attempt to sell off any remaining when summer is over.
Thus, regarding when do grills go on sale, it’s usually from September and later.
However, you may notice some stores will start sales leading up to July 4th, which is considered the pinnacle of barbecue season.
It’s worth hanging on, though, as the discounts are likely to get bigger and bigger as fall approaches.
Stores need to free up space ready for all the Christmas goods, so prices are likely to drop dramatically until they’re gone. You may get an even better deal if you buy a floor model used for display.
On Black Friday
Black Friday often has good deals on many appliances and consumer goods, including grills. Many people buy grills as gifts for the holidays.
It’s timed well for both the store and the buyer since the store can shift lots of items quickly to make room for the seasonal items they want to sell.
If you don’t like shopping, though, Black Friday may be your worst nightmare, but it’s worth navigating if you really appreciate a good deal.
Also keep in mind, as this will be toward the end of the BBQ season, you may not have the choices you would at the beginning of the grilling season.
When New Models Are Released
Of course, not all of us are price-led, so for some, the answer to, “When’s the best time to buy a grill?“, might be when new grills are out in the market.
Although they are pricey, new-to-market grills will often have the latest technology and improvements to enhance your user experience.
If you want a top-notch, best-in-class grill, decide which brand you like and sign up to their newsletter to stay informed of when their new releases are.
In addition, buying a grill at the beginning of grilling season means you will have more of a selection to choose from. Also, you will have more months to use it.
Best Place to Buy a Grill
The best place to buy a grill from is wherever you’re likely to see the best deals.
Sometimes, your local store will have the best deals, but most of the time, it saves you money when you shop online.
Let’s take a quick look at the pros and cons of buying a grill from a local store or garden center vs buying a grill online.
Local Stores
The good thing about buying in your local stores is that you have immediate access and use of the grill.
Hence, if you want or need a grill today, you would be better off buying from your local stores.
You can see the grills in person which makes it easier to see the features and what you like and don’t like.
Another benefit is that after buying the grill, it’s easier to make a return should you change your mind, suffer from buyer’s remorse, or find something wrong with the product.
Plus, human interaction is nice, and it’s really handy being able to speak to someone face-to-face about the grill, especially if you have questions.
You also get to inspect the product before paying for it.
Also, by choosing to shop at a local store and garden centers, you’ll also be helping the local community.
Unfortunately, local stores aren’t always able to offer the best deals since they have more overhead expenses to cover.
It’s not cheap running a shop that’s easy for people to travel to, plus they have to pay for staff to be there all day, usually seven days a week.
You also have the problem of getting the grill home after you’ve bought it, although this isn’t a problem for large car or truck owners.
Online
One benefit of shopping online is that you have a lot more choices. That is because you’ll have access to far more grills from every single brand you can think of or even from those you’ve haven’t heard before.
While more choices can be a luxury, it can actually make the selection process a lot more challenging and painstaking.
That said, with too many choices available from an unlimited number of retailers, you’ll likely be able to find a better deal online.
Your grill will be delivered directly to your door, so you don’t have to think about how to bring it home.
The downside of that is once you have finally chosen your new grill, you have to wait patiently for it to arrive.
Some companies will also make you pay for the delivery, and if the cost is too high, it may encourage you to start the selection process all over again. Before you know it, you’ve spent all evening shopping for a grill.
Another problem with shopping a grill online is that you can’t physically touch and see what you’re buying. Thus, your purchase can be more prone to buyer’s remorse.
The grill might be smaller, bigger, or just different from how you anticipated.
Lastly, if you change your mind, returning it can be a real hassle.
What Should I Look for When Buying a Grill?
Grills are available in different types, so you have to decide what will for you and your home.
The decisions don’t end there either since grills can vary greatly from model to model.
You should think about features that may be important to you as well as your budget. When you see grills, think about what you like about them. In this way, when you are ready to buy, you will have a head-start in the decision-making process.
Here is a quick guide for you:
Gas vs. Charcoal
The first thing you need to decide on when buying a new grill is whether you want a gas or charcoal grill.
Gas-powered models certainly seem to be the most popular choice in the USA, and there’s no doubt that they’re the most convenient.
They heat up faster, offer great temperature control, are easier to clean up, and are generally safer to operate.
They also produce more steam, which gives the meat more moisture while cooking.
However, charcoal grills will provide you with an authentic, smokey barbecue taste that is hard to achieve or can’t be achieved with a gas grill.
Yes, there’s more work, but some foodies will insist on cooking over charcoal and will tell you that a gas grill is just an outdoor cooker.
Size
Think about how large you want your grill surface to be.
Do you often have large barbecues, hosting all of your friends and family?
If so, you’ll probably benefit more from a larger grill that allows you to cook lots of food at once.
Also, consider where you will be storing your grill and make sure that you have enough space for it before you buy it.
Accessories
Some grills come with amazing extra features, such as cupboards, drawers, side burners, infrared burners, and warming racks.
Decide what you want on your grill as a bare minimum before you start looking.
Durability and Warranty
Make sure the materials used for the construction of the grill are durable.
Sometimes it’s also worth paying a little bit more for a grill that comes with a great warranty.
A grill that comes with a warranty is more likely to be built to last and shows that the company has great faith in its product’s lifespan.
Best time to buy a grill: features, availability and pricing
Finding the best time to buy a grill really depends on how important it is to get certain features, a certain brand, and overall what kind of a grill you want.
If you want the best grill money can buy, the release of new models will likely be in the late spring and early summer.
However, this is also when prices will be at their highest. So, if you want the best deal, the best time of year to buy a grill is from September and afterwards.
The longer you wait, the bigger the discounts will be, but What if they sell out of the grill you’ve had your eye on all this time?
Waiting for bigger discounts does come with a risk that all the grills you liked have been sold out, and you’ll have to pick from what’s left.
You can ask how many the store has left in stock, but there’s still no guarantee of how long they’ll be in stock.
Consider what’s more important, price and getting the best deal or getting a grill with all the bells and whistles. When you buy it at the right time, you might be able to have both.
No matter which grill you end up buying, we hope you enjoy your barbecues safely. It will be important to season your new grill before using it. Learn how to season a grill.