Luxury Grills

Neighbor-envy gas grills

No reviewer makes a strong case for buying an ultra-high-end grill. These models aren't formally tested very often, but when they are, reviewers find that they don't necessarily cook any better than mass-market mid-priced gas grills. Build quality isn't necessarily better either. Evidence suggests that these high-end grills cook just fine, but fare even better as status symbols. Size and specialty features distinguish luxury grills from sub-$1,000 models, and these backyard behemoths are practical for large-scale events.

Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet manufactures high-end gas grills that are well-received by testers. Most are more than mere gas grills, however -- some are custom made for outdoor kitchens. Derrick Riches from About.com, along with the editors of Gas-Grill-Review.com, rate the "indestructible" Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet 450HT Freestanding Hybrid Gas Grill (*Est. $8,100) as the best grill over $4,000. It holds upwards of 400 pounds of food and allows the chef to choose between charcoal, wood or gas (hence the hybrid moniker).

The Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet 450HT Freestanding Hybrid Gas Grill has a 12-gauge, formed-angle, stainless-steel frame along with a 304-grade stainless-steel body and hardware. Don't worry about putting it together -- it arrives at your home fully assembled. Features include 61,000-Btu, cast stainless-steel burners, an 11,000-Btu infrared rotisserie cradle, warming rack, utensil holder, a thermometer that reads between 200 and 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, wells for catching drippings and an ash collector. Among the add-ons are a smoker box, sauce rack and a wine/champagne bucket. You can even order customized grates with your favorite grilling pattern.

Given the high price tag, however, the Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet 450HT Freestanding Hybrid Gas Grill's limited warranty is not exceptional due to its exclusions. Coverage on various parts range from one year to a lifetime.

Specialty chefs may want to look at the Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet Outdoor Artisan Pizza Oven (*Est. $3,990), which was deemed by PBS cooking-show host Kathleen Daelemans as one of "the best new grills of 2007." As the name implies, it is a high-end specialty grill for cooking pizza. Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet considers these specialty grills to be consumer products -- not commercial products. In fact, commercial use voids the limited warranty.

We're not covering luxury grills extensively since they are beyond the range of what most people are willing to pay. If you want to explore more options, Derrick Riches at About.com has the best coverage.