When it’s time to choose an outdoor barbecue your choices fall into the following categories: charcoal grill, gas grill, natural gas grill, smokers, and wood grills or fire pits. Charcoal is considered the “classic,” and is loved for its ease of use and versatility; however charcoal is messy, can be slow to start, and difficult to work with in inclement weather. Gas grills are simpler, easier to use, and less messy than charcoal and offer options that expand versatility in cooking, like side burners and warmers; natural gas grills eliminate the risk of running out of fuel that comes with propane grills, and the fuel is less expensive. Smokers allow for long, slow roasting and great smoke flavor, but they simply aren’t as versatile as a gas grill. Wood fires and fire pits are great for that smoke flavor, and can be quite versatile, but can take a long time to set up and require a good amount of firewood to keep the fire going.

Steam ovens are one of the latest high-end kitchen innovations that are becoming popular among home chefs. Dedicated steam ovens operate (as their name suggests) by cooking food with steam, which is produced from water stored in a reservoir in the heater of the appliance; used in restaurants for years, they are now becoming more common in residential new constructions and kitchen remodels. The water tank is usually removable, although there are models that allow a water hook-up. Cooks cite the speed and health benefits as the top reasons to dedicate kitchen space to a steam oven.

Sometimes the difference between “maybe?” and “I’ll take it!” on a new appliance is in the bells-and-whistles. High-tech features and little extras can make a difference when you are choosing between units, or brands. Interesting features that set basic models against higher-end models can become the deal-breakers.