There are few instincts as basic as our desire to grill meat over an outdoor fire once half-decent weather kicks in. To the patio pyromaniac, next weekend’s Whitsun bank holiday marks the unofficial start of the barbecue season. Whether this is a damp squib or a riot of joyous sunshine, now is the time to prepare for cooking up a storm alfresco.

You can either clean the remains of last summer’s food from that dirty beast at the back of the garden shed, or start afresh by investing in a new grill. You could spend a fortune on outlandish barbecues, such as the £7,000 Premier Cru Outside Kitchen from Ivis, which also has a built-in fridge and a posh rotisserie, but for the price you might as well get Magnet to build you an outdoor kitchen. Actually, you can buy all the barbecue you need for less than £200, and to help you choose InGear has separated the fillet mignon selections from the offcuts.

It can be tricky choosing the right barbecue, and the first issue is whether to opt for gas or charcoal. Traditionalists insist that the man-meat-coal triumvirate is at the heart of the authentic barbie. They further argue that only coals ensure that superior smoked taste, and because charcoal models are of simpler design they are easier to set up and maintain than gas cookers.

Gas fans also talk up their grills, citing shorter preheating times, greater ease of cleaning and more flexible cooking. Charcoal-fired barbies take half an hour to reach the right temperature, and controlling the heat is an art; you must open and close air vents, or adjust the height of the grill if this is an option.

The heat of a gas grill can be adjusted as quickly as it takes to turn a knob – an advantage that could save your kebabs from calamity. Most gas models have more than one burner, and these can be regulated independently, one turned low for cooking jerk-chicken thighs, another set to “nuclear” for searing rare steak. Some even have a side burner for preparing pepper sauce or stir-frying vegetables without hogging grill space, but be warned that these are potentially less safe if children are tugging at the cook’s elbow.

In our tests, conducted by a professional chef, the coal-fired grills did produce food with a more authentic, smokier taste, but the difference was marginal and largely offset by the greater likelihood of well-cooked food with a gas grill. That said, there is a greater variety of flavour quality among gas models than is the case with coal-based barbies, which proved to be identical in terms of taste.

Aside from fuel choice and sheer size, another important factor is number of features. Slow cooking is easier on barbecues with a hood, and one was included with all the grills reviewed except the John Lewis model. A hood helps create convection heat, so food is cooked as if in an oven as well as being grilled, offering far more culinary control. Surprisingly only the low-budget Argos model included a warming rack – an optional extra on most of the grills.

Occasional barbie-lovers may be tempted by the generally better value of an own-brand model than a specialist marque. The Weber One Touch, for example, is pricier than the larger, better-featured Argos unit, yet includes no extra frills.

Cheaper barbecues may be designed for outside cooking but not necessarily outside storage; premium grills can withstand the elements and will last several years. But some may prefer to buy a cheap barbie and ditch it at the end of the season.

Ardent DIY enthusiasts might consider a more permanent custom-design brick fixture, although these lack the features of newer barbecues, are harder to clean, and can’t be moved around to catch the sun.

If you opt for a bigger barbecue, it may need two people to move it. Finally, consider the cost of a good rain-proof cover. After all, this is dear old Blighty.

Coal

RED-BLOODED CLASSIC

Weber One Touch Silver – typically £100, or £90 from tinyurl.com/3bnu8h

Classic robust design despite fewer frills

Traditionalists will adore this classy kettledrum charcoal barbie, which, with its porcelain-enamelled bowl and lid, will survive years of active service. The simple design proved easy to assemble and was a pleasure to cook on, whether roasting a joint or nursing a couple of Cumberlands. The roomy lid and circular shape helped with heat retention, and the compact chassis made it manoeuvrable. The 23in diameter grill was adequate for a family, but as it wouldn’t adjust for height we had to control the fire carefully to avoid charred chops, and the nonhinged lid slid off too easily. A warming rack and side shelves are optional extras, but the Weber still represents solid value.

BIG BEAST

Homebase Pescara – £100 from Homebase stores (not online)

Great size at a decent price but hard to set up

With a gigantic 34x21in grill, this charcoal-fired monster provided the largest cooking area of our test, and the food prepared on it tasted every bit as good as it looked. The Pescara has plenty of features, including a hood, two air vents in the base and a clever trapdoor in the middle of the grill, which made it easy to add coals without having to remove parts while still engaged in a barbecuing frenzy. However, despite its industrial dimensions, there is no warming rack provided – not even as an optional extra. The Pescara is better made than the Argos unit, but it still suffered from just as much leg wobble and wasn’t as solid overall as the Weber One Touch. It was also hard to set up, and had several small components to faff around with. Nevertheless, this is a particularly meaty barbie for the money.

CHEAP AS CHIPS

Argos Deluxe Oval Shape Trolley – £65 from www.argos.co.uk

Lip-licking bargain, at least for this summer

This charcoal-fired Argos barbecue includes a hood, a handy warming rack and two air vents, and all for surprisingly little loot. What’s more, after an admittedly fiddly setup it cooked as well as the best barbies on test here. The low price of this Argos unit is reflected more in the inferior quality of its components than in the cooked end results – we spotted small patches of rust in the bodywork which could soon spread if left untreated. And it felt none too sturdy; the relative flimsiness is something to be wary of, as leg wobble has caused many a chipolata to end up in the dog. It’s a lip-smacking bargain, then, but just don’t rely on it rising phoenix-like from the ashes next spring.

Gas

FAST-FOOD FEAST

Outback Modern Classic Omega Gas 200 – typically £125, or £100 from www.grovelands.co.uk

Stylish, convenient and red-hot value

This two-burner gas grill is ready to cook five minutes after ignition – ideal for squeezing in some alfresco action between bank holiday showers. With a 20x14in grill it can host a family feast, and the end results were as fully flavoured as the twice as costly John Lewis model, while build quality was even better. Assembly was simple, and the lightweight, even stylish design of this Outback model meant that moving it into a late-evening suntrap didn’t exhaust the chef. Some corners have been cut: there is no warming rack for storing cooked burgers as the drumsticks catch up, and you will need to buy a gas regulator (£10 from DIY stores). Nevertheless, this is a bargain hunter’s dream.

PARTY ANIMAL

John Lewis Three Burner Flatbed – £195 from www.johnlewis.com

Big, simple and fun but lukewarm value

The broad 26x20in cooking surface and sensible controls make this ideal for outdoor entertainers. There’s room to rack up a whole rugby club’s ribs, and food had an authentic smoky flavour. A drip tray runs the length of the cooking area, so cleaning wasn’t arduous. There’s no hood for fancier cooking techniques, so you just have to grill heaps of simple food quickly, and despite this there is no warming rack. Assembly was straightforward and the heavyweight construction impressed. However, you may well need a couple of prop forwards to help haul it into the garage come the autumn.

BEACH BURGERS

Weber Q120 – typically £140, or £126 from www.worldofweber.com

Top drawer portable BBQ, albeit pricey

This gas-powered portable grill is the gourmet’s alternative to those throwaway foil barbecues. It proved relatively easy to transport, offered proper temperature control and didn’t leave food smelling of chemicals. Indeed, the Weber was ideal for slinging into the back of a 4x4 to grill sardines on the beach. At 33lb you won’t want to tote it far across the dunes, but at least its gas cylinders are pocketable. The Weber was quick to set up and delivered good, even cooking. It featured a disposable drip-tray, making clean-up a doddle, and two handy fold-out panels to keep chef’s tools off the sand. But the cooking surface is only 17x9in and there are no legs, so you either stoop to cook or you pay £50 for the fold-up stand. Good fun.

Research supplied by Gardening Which? Reviews adapted by Stewart Mitchell. Prices include VAT and delivery

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