How Do You Think BBQ Equipment Will Change In The Next Few Years?

[Whitney Guo]

I've been following the BBQ industry for a while and it's interesting to see how much outdoor cooking has changed in recent years.

A lot of people used to focus mainly on traditional charcoal grills and smokers, but now there seems to be growing interest in outdoor kitchens, built-in grills, smart cooking equipment, and complete backyard cooking setups.

I'm curious what everyone here thinks:

What BBQ equipment trends do you think will become more popular in the next few years?

Are people moving more toward outdoor kitchen systems, pellet smokers, smart grills, or still sticking with traditional charcoal cooking?

I recently came across an international BBQ industry event called Asia Outdoor Kitchen & Barbecue Equipment Expo (AOBE), which is focused on grills, smokers, outdoor kitchens, and related BBQ equipment. It looks interesting to see how manufacturers and brands from different markets are developing new products.

For those who follow the BBQ industry closely, what changes are you expecting to see in the future?

[Lynn Dollar]

For what my view is worth, which is formed by what I see on various barbecue forums and social media,

I saw a migration to pellets a few years ago, and that was maybe many years ago. Time flies for me. And on Weber forums now, I'm seeing people return to charcoal/chunk because pellets just can't deliver the smoke flavor they're looking for. And there's innovation in charcoal/chunk that provides the " set and forget " ease of pellets.

But that's really a small sample size and its people who are serious enough about their barbecue to search it out on the internets. I doubt that includes the average guy whose buying a grill or a smoker from Home Depot or Lowes.

And I'm seeing some signs that the offset stickburner craze is fading. There was a time that smoking a brisket with wood was becoming very popular. Maybe the price of brisket is curtailing that. Or maybe enough people have satisfied their curiosity about feeding splits to an offset. Or bought a stickburner and found out is wasn't what they bargained for.

But again, I'm looking at a very small sample size and I don't see sales figures. Just my instinct tells me that if pellet grills were a stock, I'd be a seller. Same with offset stickburners, I'd have a short position. And I just might lose my shirt doing that as I don't have a lot of confidence in my instinct.

[Purc]

In the BBQ restaurant world I read about the choice between a traditional commercial offset verses a rotisserie stick burner. Upfront costs, wood consumption, routine maintenance, flavor, etc.

[captainlee]

Might be all types of bbq sales are slowing down bit now, more of a luxury item for somebody on a tighter budget. I don't think pellet poopers are going to fade out. They are an easy option to get into smoking and deliver a great product. For me my wife isn't into heavy smoke flavor so the pellet is a great option for the flavor of smoke but not as heavy as a stick burner. Of course the price of meat is high now so that may be a deterrent but there are so many other items to smoke besides brisket and ribs.

[CaptainMike]

With the impending societal collapse I think we'll all be cooking with sticks and stones in the future.

[jayjordan]

Agreed. The future of all industries is bleak. The international debt burden bill will come due, biggest factor is which country crashes first.

[bbqLuv]

I may have develop open fire cooking skills.
But first you may to go hunt for food.

[jayjordan]

Product line constriction across all brands and types of BBQ products. Less brands in business.

[Lynn Dollar]

Of course the price of meat is high now so that may be a deterrent but there are so many other items to smoke besides brisket and ribs.

Just personal anecdote, but my stickburner has been reduced to brisket or pork butt, sometimes ribs. Its just not practical, or economical , to build a fire for short cooks where smoke flavor is not a big issue.

I cook on my Kettles more than any other cooker on the patio, which includes a PBC, a gravity feed, a WSM, and an offset.

[bbqLuv]

I am planning of cooking more items at the same time.

[drobinson]

More griddles, sous vide, and air fryers will be employed. I believe that AI will also have an impact, but I'm not smart enough to know what that will embody.

[Duanessmokedmeats]

How about automatic spritzers inside smokers.
For those who want the offset cook, but don't have the time or patience, your own personal robot with the added pitmaster chip.

[LA Pork Butt]

I think whatever it is it will be oriented toward the consumer and ease of use. I think the pellet smoker and add ons to more traditional smokers are all attempts to produce authentic BBQ as easy as possible. The pellet smoker comes close, but still lacks smoke flavor. I compare my pellet smoker to an outdoor convection oven. I can’t imagine a cooker getting much easier to use, but it still lacks authentic smoke flavor. Set it and forget it is a selling point. I suppose some folks like staying up all night to cook a brisket, but more folks would like to get good results as easily as possible. I have watched the rise and decline of various cookers. All you need to do is go into a Lowe’s or Home Depot and observe the cookers and you will know which way the wind ifs blowing.

[bbqLuv]

Well now, my Traeger produces smoke just fine for us all with whom we share.
And with help with Amazing Rib friends.

[TripleB]

Innovation will be whatever makes it easier and faster.

Sit down Diners -> Fast food (I do like fast food occasionally)

Homemade meals -> TV Dinners (I'll stick with homemade)

Gas/electric Ovens -> Microwave ovens (I do use my microwave to reheat or defrost food)

Dutch oven cooking -> Crockpots (Never use crockpots for cooking. Just to keep cooked food warm)

Charcoal smokers -> ATCs (I use ATC's)

Offset wood smokers -> Pellet poopers (I recommend them to amateurs all the time)

[Finster]

Ditto on the crockpot usage.
I've never been able to get crockpot meals to turn out well for some reason... operator error most likely, but it is what it is. OTOH. my mini crockpot, that I use to bring my leftovers to work in, is the greatest invention ever... Microwave oven-> mini crockpot

[Alan Brice]

The greatest hot food delivery for a party, with a lid.

[Huskee]

You say: "I recently came across an international BBQ industry event", yet in your other post you spelled out in great detail this event.

Be honest with us, are you with this event or on their marketing or exhibitor-recruitment team? If so, then you didn't in fact "recently come across" it, you're trying to slip your agenda in here under the radar, and spam posts here are not welcome.

Be honest as to who you are, and we will welcome that. Spammers, no.

[Oak Smoke]

+1

[CaptainMike]

That's what it smelled like to me, hence my comment.

[Alan Brice]

Booya! Hammer Time.

[tstalafuse]

Just my personal view point, but my desire/ability to feed the flame came and went, so I see alot more automation coming in the cookers to include some form of fire safety. I don't see the use of pellet grills shrinking, a huge resurgence in charcoal or stick burners.

One of the limiting factor that I see for any of cooker is the cost vs the number of people buying. As the population gets older (myself included) the demand for ease of use is growing (pellet) that will only get more expensive with the automation, and the population is becoming increaslying top heavy, which is self correcting (fewer buyers).

The other is the preceived issue of fires being caused the cookers (insurane industry and local govt). Where I like or not, there are huge periods of time during the year that I can't even use a charcoal cooker because of burn bans, which are becoming more and more common across the country. It has only been in the last few weeks that our current burn ban has been modified to allow for pellet smokers, but with restrictions of how, when, and where it can be used. The insurance industry is putting a lot of pressure on local govt, HOAs, and individual property owners to not allow them to be used or even stored on site. As someone said to me, there is no requirement in the constitutional allowing me to have property insurance, so comply with the insurance industry or do without. For those with a mortgage, the mortgage company isn't going to be happy about you going without. For those without a mortgage, do you really want for your single largest asset (for most people) to be able to be completely wiped out by fire or some other disaster? Sorry for that being so preachy, I am still stinging from being forced to comply on things by my homeowner insurance.

[Finster]

I have no idea what the future holds for the industry.
I know for me, as long as charcoal remains an available commodity, I'll be cooking on my kettle, PBC, and Bronco for the rest of my days...

[Donw]

I’m reasoning you are really a researcher try to get ideas for future products. At least you are not trying to sell us anything yet which I appreciate.
My thought:
1. People seriously into BBQ, smoking meats, and even grilling are usually from older generations. We do have some members here much younger but overall we are older, and, additionally we have usually more disposable income to spend on the more expensive items.
2. Younger generations, with exceptions of course, in our current economy probably don’t have the disposable income or even time to get far into it like we do. Many are still renting so available space for grills and the like is probably limited too.
3. The reality at the stores now is that beef prices have skyrocketed which leads to less consumption. I notice that in many stores what is available to buy in beef products are generally cut smaller to lessen the shock of beef prices.
4. I dread, but understand why, that smaller grills and smokers are the future.

This is my expectation of what most grills and smokers will look like in the future:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/NINJA-Woodfire-Outdoor-Smoker-and-Electric-Grill-in-Black-with-Woodfire-All-Purpose-Starter-Pack-Pellets-Weather-Resistant-OG301/334337900

or

https://www.homedepot.com/p/NINJA-Woodfire-Pro-Connect-Premium-XL-Outdoor-Electric-Grill-and-Smoker-in-Blue-with-Air-Fryer-and-2-Built-In-Thermometers-OG951/329876974

[Alan Brice]

Wow, depressing.