Kenmore

The Best Grills for Outdoor Barbecues

There's nothing better during the summer months than firing up the grill and barbecuing for family and friends. Today, more than 85 million American households own an outdoor grill.

There's an enormous variety of charcoal and gas grills, which come in hundreds of sizes, shapes, colors and prices. Consumers are demanding more features on their gas grills---from side burners and rotisseries, to sear stations and infrared burners. According to a survey conducted by Weber, 61% of consumers now own a side burner, while 32% own a rotisserie and 17% have a gas grill with an infrared burner. The survey also revealed that 89% of America grill owners are using full-size grills, rather than portables.

"As dedicated grillers continue to become more experienced in cooking a wider variety of foods, the barbecue is increasingly being viewed as an outdoor appliance," says Sherry Bale, public relations director for Weber Grills. "As consumers want good value for their money during these tough economic times, they're seeing the advantages of paying for a durable grill that will stand up to punishing weather and give them years of dependable service."

To figure out the best of breed, we asked our Luxist readers to nominate their favorite manufacturers of outdoor grills. The top five nominees are:

Jenn-Air
Kenmore
Lynx
Viking
Weber

Jenn-Air is known for its precision craftsmanship and distinctive styling while Kenmore, which has a line of grills, is also well-known for its broad range of home appliances it manufactures. Lynx was founded by a group of individuals who started out by manufacturing restaurant ranges while Viking makes grills that one might expect to find in a restaurant setting. Finally, there's Weber, which is a household name that is credited with revolutionizing the backyard barbecue.

Interested in finding out what the best online meat companies are? Check out the Luxist Award's Readers' Choice Nominees for Best in Online Meats.

Tags: awards-main, barbecue, barbecue-and-grilling, barbecuing, barbeque, grill, grilling, grills, Jenn-Air, Kenmore, luxist-awards, Lynx, outdoor grills, Viking, Weber

Kenmore: America's Favorite Home Appliance Brand

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Gadgets

Kenmore started out in the early 20th Century as a brand that had nothing to do with cooking. Within a few decades, though, its scope expanded to the kitchen--earning it a reputation good enough to make it a Luxist nominee in the best grill category.

The first Kenmore product, appearing in 1927, was a laundry machine. Made by Sears, the contraption was the company's first released under the Kenmore brand name. Decision-makers at Sears realized that as the percentage of American homes wired for electricity soared, the demand for appliances would explode. Indeed, Sears sold 1 million Kenmore products by 1936.

Gallery: Kenmore grills

By the middle of the century, the Kenmore label began to appear on ranges and grills, as well as a host of other products like dishwashers, vacuum cleaners and trash compactors. Sears extended the Kenmore line to include even more exotic offerings including electric baby bottle sterilizers, electric blankets and even a three-piece barber set with hair clippers.

Tags: awards-main, Kenmore, luxist-awards

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