Each tester leads specific categories — one covers pellet, charcoal, kamado and smokers, the other gas, portable, electric and flat-top grills — and fact-checks the other’s articles.
Table of contents8 sections
Our model
Who tests the grills at SmokyHQ?
Two people: Marcus Reilly (KCBS Certified Judge · 15 years competition BBQ) and Tom Bricker (10+ years grilling across every fuel type). They buy the grills, cook on them, write the hands-on grill reviews and fact-check each other. Nobody else writes for SmokyHQ.
Most review sites list a long masthead of writers. We went the other way. Every review, guide and best-of list on SmokyHQ comes from one of two people who actually cook on the grills, with 25 years of grilling and barbecue experience between them.
A small team means the same standards on every page. The person who lit the grill is the person who writes about it, and the only other person who checks it knows the testing routine just as well. You’re never reading a review stitched together from someone else’s notes.
Why only two? The split is by expertise. One tester comes from competition barbecue and leads the low-and-slow categories; the other has spent years on every fuel type and leads the everyday grilling categories. Each checks the other’s work, so every article gets a second pair of expert eyes.
Marcus Reilly
Head Pitmaster & Lead Tester
KCBS Certified Judge · 15 years competition BBQ
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- written
- 40
- fact-checked
Marcus has cooked competition barbecue for 15 years and judges sanctioned KCBS contests, where entries are scored on tenderness, taste and appearance. That judging eye is what he brings to every low-and-slow cooker SmokyHQ buys: pellet grills, charcoal kettles, offsets, kamados and dedicated smokers.
His testing answers the questions you’ll have after the first month of owning one: Does the controller hold 225°F through an overnight brisket? How far does it drift in wind and cold? How many pellets or how much charcoal does a long cook burn? Is the bark, smoke ring and moisture good enough to serve to people who care?
Marcus also writes our smoking and cooking guides (brisket, ribs, pork shoulder, chicken, reverse sear and the meat temperature chart) and fact-checks every review and guide Tom Bricker publishes.
SmokersPellet GrillsCharcoal & KamadoLow-and-Slow BBQTemperature Control
What Marcus tests
- Pellet Grills: Controller accuracy against grate probes, pellets weighed per cook, long unattended holds and app reliability.
- Charcoal Grills: Vent response, low-and-slow stability, charcoal weighed in and out, and ash management.
- Kamado Grills: Heat-up time, overshoot recovery, gasket seal and long-cook fuel burn.
Recently updated by Marcus
- Best Pellet Grills and Smokers
- How to Smoke a Brisket
- How to Smoke Chicken
- Smoked Pork Shoulder
- How to Smoke Ribs
Tom Bricker
Consumer Research Analyst & Lead Tester
10+ years grilling across every fuel type
- 40
- written
- 38
- fact-checked
Tom has grilled on gas, charcoal, pellet, electric and flat-top cookers for more than 10 years, and comes to grill testing from consumer research: comparing what a product costs with what it delivers over years of ownership. At SmokyHQ he tests gas grills, portable and tabletop units, electric and indoor grills, and griddles.
His testing answers the questions you’ll have on a weeknight and five summers later: How long does assembly take? Does it light first time in cold and wind? How fast does it preheat, and how evenly does the grate heat edge to edge? How much propane does a cook use, and what wears out first at each price tier?
Tom also builds our budget and price-tier buying guides, writes our maintenance and troubleshooting guides, and fact-checks every review and guide Marcus Reilly publishes.
Gas GrillsPortable GrillsElectric & Indoor GrillsGriddlesValue & Durability
What Tom tests
- Gas Grills: Timed preheat, five-point grate mapping, sear-zone heat, ignition in cold and wind, and weighed propane use.
- Flat Top Grills & Griddles: Whole-plate temperature mapping, hot and cold zones, seasoning hold and grease management.
- Portable Grills: Weight, setup and pack-down time, and performance on small canisters outdoors.
- Electric Grills: Plate evenness, recovery after loading food, indoor smoke and splatter, and cleanup.
Recently updated by Tom
- Best Gas Grills $500–$1,000
- Best Premium Gas Grills
- Why Is My Food Sticking to the Grill? Causes and Fixes
- How to Replace a Grill Igniter
- How Long Does a Propane Tank Last on a Grill?
Division of work
Who leads each grill type?
Each category has a lead tester; the other fact-checks. Both follow the same testing methodology and editorial standards.
| Category | Lead tester |
|---|---|
| Gas Grills | Tom Bricker |
| Pellet Grills | Marcus Reilly |
| Charcoal Grills | Marcus Reilly |
| Flat Top Grills & Griddles | Tom Bricker |
| Portable Grills | Tom Bricker |
| Kamado Grills | Marcus Reilly |
| Electric Grills | Tom Bricker |
Process
How do the two testers work together?
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The lead tests. The category lead runs the full testing methodology and keeps a log of every cook, measurement and problem.
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The lead writes. The same person writes the review or guide from those notes, including the score, the cons and who should skip it.
- 3
The partner checks. The other tester checks every figure against the test log and the manufacturer’s documentation, and challenges any conclusion that doesn’t follow from the evidence.
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Both agree. Disagreements on a score or ranking are settled by going back to the test results, and retesting if needed, before anything is published.
Accountability
What does a byline mean?
Every article shows two names, and each means something specific:
- Written by is the person who did the testing or research and wrote the article. They’re responsible for the verdict.
- Fact-checked by is the second tester, who confirmed the numbers and conclusions before publishing.
Questions about a specific review go straight to the person who wrote it. Use our contact page. How we stay independent is on why trust us, and the site’s background is on about SmokyHQ.
FAQ
Common questions
01How is the work split between the testers?
02Can I ask a tester a question about a review?
Yes. Use our contact page and name the article. Your message goes to the person who wrote it.
03Do testers receive free grills from brands?
No. Every grill we review is bought with our own money. We don’t accept free samples, loaners or review units, so no brand can expect anything in return for a product.
Transparency
More about how SmokyHQ works
- About SmokyHQWho we are, what we cover and why the site exists.
- How we testThe routine and scorecard behind every grill score.
- Why trust usThe safeguards that keep our verdicts independent.
- Editorial standardsAccuracy, sourcing, updates and our corrections policy.
- 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.