With Labor Day cookouts, finding the right grill critical

Q: I'm shopping for a new grill to have in time for Labor Day weekend cookouts, and each one seems to be more powerful than the next. How much heating power do I really need?

A: Lots of grills come with boasts about how many BTUs (British thermal units) they have, but guess what — that's the amount of energy the grill consumes per hour, and it's not the only factor to consider.

It's also important to look at other factors such as whether it's got high-quality cooking grates that will be more likely to absorb and retain heat. That's important in getting those nice grill lines on steaks and other kinds of meat.

The quality of the gas burners are factors in determining how well a grill will heat, says Steven Saltzman, a deputy editor of Consumer Reports. Also keeping the grates clean is important in having heat transfer properly to food.

Even some inexpensive models will come with highly-rated premium cooking grates made from high-quality material such as stainless steel or porcelain-coated cast iron, which are very effective at applying heat to food.

For those wanting super-high cooking power for fully searing the outsides of foods while also leaving the inside rare, consider getting a grill with an infrared burner.

These infrared burners can generate heat in excess of 700 degrees Fahrenheit, even more than a standard grill temperature of around 600 F. Saltzman recommends these for folks who are in a hurry or like to flash-cook foods like shrimp or thin pieces of chicken to get a crispy crust.

Meanwhile, those old standbys, charcoal grills, are starting to make a comeback, Saltzman said, as more people take up old-fashioned smoking and slow cooking. Charcoal grills still make up about 40 percent of all grill sales, according to the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association, which also reported that sales of grills rose 15 percent last year.