Grills & smokers

Praised as the fastest, most accurate instant-read thermometer, with a durable backlit auto-rotating display that lasts years. The high price is the only common gripe, and most call it worth it.

A beginner-friendly charcoal smoker that holds low-and-slow temps for hours with little fuss and lasts years. Capacity suits ribs, a couple of butts or a brisket; cleanup is the main knock.

A durable, versatile charcoal grill that lasts decades and excels at burgers, steaks and high-heat grilling. It can do low-and-slow with a snake or Slow N Sear setup, but a dedicated smoker handles that better.

A premium kamado grill owners love for outstanding heat retention, easy temperature control, long cook times, and excellent customer support. The main caveat is the high price, though most call it buy-once-cry-once.

A beginner-friendly pellet grill widely praised for easy use, fast heat-up, steady temps, and a genuinely helpful WiFi app. Quality is divisive; some hit screen, software, or pellet issues, and it tops out near 500F so it won't sear well.

Plenty of owners love it in the oven or for low-and-slow smoking, but a large share end up frustrated. The most common complaints are constant Bluetooth disconnects (often even with the block, phone, and router sitting inches apart), inaccurate internal and ambient temp readings, and short real-world range. A worrying number simply died or fell apart within a year.