Mastering the art of barbecuing and cooking el fresco is made easy at Outdoor Concepts where the expertise on ‘all things barbecue’ is unrivalled in the region.

Based at The Landing at Remarkables Park, the specialist store is a place to discover the latest innovations in barbecues, outdoor fire pits, grills, smokers and high-quality barbecue accessories.

Outdoor Concepts store manager Glenn Stalhut says because Central Otago summers have the longest daylight hours in the country outdoor grilling in the evening is a great way to socialise with family and friends.

Glenn’s picks on the best barbecue appliances available at Outdoor Concepts Queenstown for summer 2021 are:

Charcoal Grills A true classic. Charcoal Grills are portable, easy to use and create a smoky flavour that’s hard to beat. They are slower to heat up than gas or electric grills, but can also get a lot hotter. With no temperature control knobs, the griller needs to arrange the coals to create indirect and direct heat cooking zones. Using a charcoal grill can be more time consuming than a gas grill but the flavour is worth the extra effort.

Instore Recommendation: Portable Weber Charcoal Grill

Gas Grills Gas grills are the most common backyard grills that start fast, heat up quickly, are easy to operate and require much less cleaning than other types of grills. There is not the same smoky flavour from cooking with charcoal, but they still grill all kinds of great tasting food. Gas grills come in a wide variety of sizes and tend to be the most expensive option, so be prepared to make a longer-term investment. With proper maintenance and care, a gas grill will last for years to come.

Instore Recommendation: Fisher & Paykel DCS

Smokers Nothing delivers rich flavour quite like a good quality smoker. The slow-cooker version of a grill, smokers cook foods at lower temperatures over longer periods of time and are now becoming more common for at home enthusiasts. Because of their size, smokers are also good for grillers looking to cook larger cuts of meat at one time.

Instore Recommendation: Kamado Joe Slow Cooker

Wood Pellet Grills Wood pellet grills are one of the easiest ways to add the desired smoky flavour to food. Simply set the temperature and cook time and the electric-powered grill automatically adds wood pellets to the fire pot as required. These specialty pellets come in a range of woody flavours and can be purchased at Outdoor Concepts.

Instore Recommendation: Weber Wood Pellet Grill