What Kind of Grill is Best for You?

When it comes to choosing a grill, you really do get what you pay for, says Chuck Ault, co-owner of Collier’s Heating & Air Conditioning in Warsaw, Ind.

“I like to tell people that a grill costs about $100 a year,” he says. “You can buy a cheap one that will only last a few years or you can spend more up front and use it much longer. Either way, it’s about $100 per year.”

Collier’s carries gas, pellet and ceramic grills. No one type is superior; it just depends on what qualities you’re looking for, says Ault.

By definition, grilling means searing food at a hot temperature for a short time with heat mostly coming from the bottom. To barbeque, however, is to cook food “low and slow,” with heat circulating all around the food rather than from the bottom only.

“A gas grill is convenient and easy to use. You turn it on and in a few minutes you’re ready to cook,” says Ault.

If a gas grill isn’t connected to a home’s gas line, you’ll occasionally need to refill your tank of propane, which Collier’s can also help you to do.

Collier’s carries the private label Ambiance line of gas grills made by Napoleon.
“People who want more control over the flavor imparted to food while cooking might prefer the pellet grill,” says Ault. “It’s convenient like a gas grill and heats up pretty quickly but you can choose among various type of charcoal pellets for flavor enhancement.”

Collier’s carries Ambiance pellet grills made by Louisiana Grills. The finished food temperature and cooking temperature can be controlled by using the built in Wi-Fi controller and temperature probes. The cost of buying pellets isn’t much different from the cost of fuel for a gas grill, says Ault.

Still another option is a Komodo-style ceramic grill, prized for its ability to tightly close and seal heat all around the food. This enables barbeque and smoking techniques and the ceramic construction helps to prevent food from drying out.

Collier’s carries the Big Green Egg brand of ceramic grills.

“Ceramic grills are very versatile,” says Ault. “I’ve used them to make everything from low-and-slow cooked brisket or pork shoulder to cookies and pineapple-upsidedown cake.”

The Big Green Egg is fueled with all-natural hardwood lump charcoal.

The Collier’s family of brands has been serving the greater Warsaw area for 34 years, installing heating and air-conditioning systems, including geothermal systems, for residential and commercial customers. They also sell and service air purifiers, dehumidifiers, humidifiers and air filtration systems. The company also installs, seals and cleans ductwork and dryer vents.

Collier’s Fireplace Shoppe installs and services gas stoves, gas fireplaces, wood stoves and wood fireplaces.

Collier’s Solar installs solar panel systems as well as solar-powered attic vent fans.
Ault co-owns Collier’s with Kevin Lehman. The men were longtime employees at Collier’s before the chance to purchase the business arose.

“We got the opportunity to buy the company and we didn’t think we should pass it up,” says Ault. “It’s been good to our families over the years, and we look at Collier’s as an opportunity to extend our family to the team that we’ve built, the households we serve, and the communities where we live and work.”

Learn more by calling (574) 203-5882 or visit the showroom at 2315 North Shelby Dr., Warsaw, Ind. ❚