We prioritize the models readers ask about most, the best sellers in each category and grills that fill a gap in a buying guide, such as a price tier or space constraint we have not covered yet.
Table of contents13 sections
- 1What standards do we hold ourselves to?
- 2How does a review go from test to publish?
- 3Where do our facts come from?
- 4How is every article fact-checked?
- 5How do we write and rank?
- 6How is safety advice checked?
- 7When do dates change?
- 8How are corrections handled?
- 9Can brands or commissions influence us?
- 10Do we use software or AI?
- 11Who is accountable?
- 12Common questions
- 13More about SmokyHQ
Principles
What standards do we hold ourselves to?
The short answer: every review comes from our own hands-on testing of a grill we bought, is written by the tester who did the work and is fact-checked by the other tester before it goes live. Specs are checked against the manufacturer’s documentation, dates change only when content does, confirmed errors are fixed within 48 hours of confirmation, and affiliate commissions never factor into a score or ranking.
Evidence first
Verdicts come from our own cooks and measurements, never from spec sheets or other reviews.
Useful over flattering
Every review states who should skip the product. Real cons, not token ones.
Accountable
Every page names its author, its fact-checker and when it last changed.
Process
How does a review go from test to publish?
- 1
Test. The lead tester runs the full testing methodology and logs every cook.
- 2
Write. The same person writes the article — the byline is the person who did the work.
- 3
Fact-check. The second tester checks specs, prices, measurements and conclusions against the test notes and the manufacturer’s current documentation.
- 4
Publish. The article goes live showing both names and its publish date.
The full protocol is on our testing methodology page.
Facts
Where do our facts come from?
Two kinds of fact appear in our reviews, and we handle them differently:
- What we measured. Preheat times, grate temperatures, fuel use, assembly time and cooking results come from our own test notes. The fact-checker confirms every figure against those notes before publishing.
- What the manufacturer states. Fixed specs such as cooking area, burner count, hopper size, weight and warranty are checked against the manufacturer’s own product page or manual.
When our team’s result and a verified spec disagree on a fixed fact, the confirmed spec is used, and the review explains any difference that matters in use. For example, a grill’s real usable grate space can feel smaller than the published figure, and we’ll say so, but we won’t replace the official number with a guess.
We don’t copy findings from other reviews, forums or retailer listings. If we haven’t measured something ourselves and the manufacturer doesn’t publish it, we leave it out.
Verification
How is every article fact-checked?
Every review and guide names a fact-checker, who is always the tester who did not write it. Before anything is published, they work through the same checklist:
- Every measured figure (preheat minutes, grate temperatures, fuel use, assembly time) is matched to the test log.
- Every manufacturer spec (cooking area, burners, hopper size, weight, warranty) is matched to the manufacturer’s current product page or manual.
- The score arithmetic is checked against the scoring method.
- Every conclusion has to follow from the evidence. A verdict the test results don’t support is sent back.
- Food-safety temperatures are checked against USDA safe minimum internal temperatures.
- Links are checked so they point to the right review or guide.
Style
How do we write and rank?
- Answer first. Guides open with a quick answer and reviews with the verdict, so you get the conclusion before the detail.
- Plain English. Technical terms are explained the first time they appear. We’d rather say “holds temperature within a few degrees” than quote a controller spec.
- Specific, not salesy. We describe what a grill did, not how exciting it is. SmokyHQ reviews products; it doesn’t sell them, and our wording reflects that.
- Real cons. Every review lists real drawbacks and says which buyers they matter to.
- Titles that match the page. A headline never promises something the article doesn’t deliver.
- Useful links only. We link to another review or guide when it answers the next question you’re likely to have, never just to add links.
- Images that match the text. Every image has alt text and a caption that describe what it actually shows.
How best-of picks are chosen
- Only grills we have tested ourselves can appear.
- Picks are judged on the job: “best for small patios” weighs footprint and safety; “best for steaks” weighs searing heat.
- Each list has one clear job, so you won’t find the same ranking repeated across several pages.
- Every pick links to its full review so you can check the evidence.
Safety
How is safety advice checked?
Grilling involves fire, gas and raw meat, so safety advice is held to a higher bar. Internal temperatures in our cooking guides follow USDA safe minimum temperatures. Gas, electrical and installation advice never replaces the manufacturer’s instructions, clearance distances or local codes, and our guides say when a job needs a qualified technician. If you think any safety information on the site is wrong, tell us through our contact page and it will be checked first.
Freshness
When do dates change?
Each article shows the date it was last revised. That date changes only when the content does. We don’t refresh dates to make a page look current.
Periodic checks
- Best-of guides and category rankings are re-checked against newly tested grills.
- Specs and model details are re-checked against the manufacturer’s current documentation.
- Broken or outdated links are found and fixed.
Triggered updates
- A manufacturer revises or replaces a model.
- A newly tested grill beats a current pick for the same job.
- A reader reports an error that we confirm, or long-term use reveals a problem.
Corrections
How are corrections handled?
We fix factual errors quickly. Every report is handled the same way:
- 1Check. The claim is checked against our test notes and the manufacturer’s current documentation.
- 2Fix. Confirmed errors are corrected on the page.
- 3Note. If a correction changes a score, ranking or recommendation, we add a note saying what changed and when.
- 4Reply. We let the person who reported it know the outcome within two business days.
| Type of error | Example | How it’s handled |
|---|---|---|
| Significant | A wrong measurement that changes a score, ranking or recommendation. | Fixed within 48 hours of confirmation, with a dated correction note on the page explaining what changed. |
| Factual | A wrong spec, warranty term or model detail that doesn’t change the verdict. | Fixed within 48 hours of confirmation; the “updated” date changes. |
| Minor | A typo, a broken link or unclear wording. | Fixed without a note. |
Report an error through our contact page.
Independence
Can brands or commissions influence us?
- Brands cannot pay for inclusion, rankings or scores, and never see a review before publication.
- Affiliate commissions never factor into a score or ranking. See our affiliate disclosure.
- We buy every grill we review with our own money. We don’t accept free samples, loaners or review units from manufacturers.
- We don’t accept sponsored posts, guest posts or paid links.
- Ratings change when the evidence does. If longer use reveals a problem, or a manufacturer fixes one, we re-score the grill and note the change on the review.
Conflicts of interest
- No grill brand or retailer pays for coverage, scores or placement on SmokyHQ.
- We don’t accept gifts, free products, loaners, trips or event invitations from brands.
- SmokyHQ earns affiliate commissions from retailers. Commission rates are never looked at when testing, scoring or ranking. The full arrangement is in our affiliate disclosure.
- If a conflict ever arose, such as a tester owning a grill before reviewing it, the review would say so.
Transparency
Do we use software or AI?
We use software tools for spelling, grammar, formatting and research support. Test results, measurements, scores and recommendations come only from our testers’ own cooks and judgement, and one of our two testers reads and approves every article before it’s published.
Ownership
Who is accountable?
These standards are maintained by our testers, Marcus Reilly and Tom Bricker. Questions or challenges go through our contact page. See also about SmokyHQ, why trust us and how to contact us.
FAQ
Common questions
01How do you choose which grills to cover?
02Where do your specs come from?
Specs such as cooking area, burner output and warranty are checked against the manufacturer’s own product page or manual. When a manufacturer changes a spec or a model, we update the page and the “last updated” date.
03When do you change the “last updated” date?
Only when the content changes in a way that matters to a reader — a new spec, a price change, a corrected fact or a changed recommendation. We do not refresh dates without changing the page.
04How are corrections handled?
Reported errors are checked against the source. Confirmed mistakes are fixed promptly, and material corrections are noted on the page so readers can see what changed.
Transparency
More about how SmokyHQ works
- About SmokyHQWho we are, what we cover and why the site exists.
- Our testersThe people who write and fact-check every review and guide.
- How we testThe routine and scorecard behind every grill score.
- Why trust usThe safeguards that keep our verdicts independent.
- How we’re fundedHow affiliate links work and why they never change a score.
- Contact & correctionsEmail the testers, report an error or suggest a grill.
- Privacy policyWhat data the site collects and how it is used.
- Terms of useThe rules for using SmokyHQ content.