Editorial Standards

How we research, test, and publish independent grill and smoker reviews — and the rules we hold ourselves to.

Our Standards

Independent Purchasing

We purchase the vast majority of products we review at retail price. Any manufacturer-provided sample is clearly disclosed within the review.

No Pay-for-Placement

Brands cannot pay for inclusion in our reviews, best-of lists, or ratings. Affiliate commissions never influence which products we recommend or how we score them.

Consistent Testing Protocol

Every grill goes through the same multi-cook testing protocol — searing, indirect low-and-slow, and where applicable, smoking — regardless of brand or review priority.

Transparent Corrections

When we get something wrong, we correct it publicly and note the correction date on the article. We do not silently edit published ratings.

Author Attribution

Every article carries the name and credentials of the person who tested and wrote it. Nothing is published anonymously or under a house byline.