The 7 Levels of Backyard Grills ($20 to $34,000)

From a $200 Walmart grill to a $34,000 machine built by hand in Michigan — seven price tiers, real brands, and the honest verdict on who each one is actually built for. This isn't a list of "best grills." It's the math nobody walks you through before you buy: what each level actually does well, where the marketing outruns the performance, and the exact point where spending more stops improving your cook. Inside this video: the real story behind the Weber kettle (a cut-up marine buoy from 1952), the Fourth of July disaster that created the entire pellet grill category, why a 3,000-year-old ceramic cooker might be the last grill some people ever need, and what separates a $7,000 gas grill from the one sitting in your driveway. Figure out your level. Buy the right tool. Stop overpaying or underbuying. Subscribe to GrillPeak for more buyer warnings, smart buys, and the real numbers behind the gear the industry sells you.