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Buying Guide
Unlike "big box" retailers, Laclede sells only high quality grills. The company has been selling grills for many years and is selective. We rely on designs that are reliable and last a long time. Many of our customers have grills that have been in use for over 20 years.
The first step: Choose a mounting
The in-ground post is the traditional mounting method for a backyard barbecue grill. The gas line is trenched to the grill, the post is set in concrete and the grill head is installed on top of the post. All of the grill heads we sell can be installed this way.
A patio mount has a heavy base that is secured to the patio or deck. A post and grill head is then installed on top of the base. The location is permanent, you can not move it. The gas line is installed to prevent it from being damaged.
Cart mounting is still another method. The grill head is attached to a cart with a 12-foot hose coiled up inside. It can be connected to a gas outlet in the area where the grill will be used. Connecting the grill to the gas outlet does not require any tools. When you are not using the grill it can be easily moved to another area. This is ideal on a deck or patio where you don't want the grill to take up space.
Next: Choose a head
Most of our grill heads are made of cast aluminum. Cast aluminum is durable and easy to keep clean. Stainless steel is a more stylish option. Our experience has been that stainless steel is no more durable than aluminum and requires frequent cleaning.
Selecting the size of the cooking surface is a good starting point. The grill cooking area is listed in square inches. Keep in mind that the upper rack is included in the total. If you are new to grilling, you will be surprised how much the upper racks are used. An easy way to visualize the grill size is to mark the length and width of the grill on a tabletop.
The cooking surface is another consideration. The traditional wire type cooking grids on our grills are much thicker and heavier than those on a charcoal grill. They possess excellent durability and have a lifetime warranty. Porcelainized cast iron cooking grids can be flipped and turned to adjust the height and are good at holding heat for searing foods.
The burner sits below the cooking surface. The heat of the burner rises through porcelain briquettes or flavor screen to the cooking surface. As your food cooks, juices drip and sizzle, helping create that delicious barbecue flavor. Flare-ups are minimized with certain designs, such as the Broilmaster flavor screen. Flare-ups are really not that difficult to manage, porcelain briquettes also works well at minimizing flare-ups.
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