A survey from the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association reported 2016 could be a banner year for gilling. The move to cook outdoors is fueled by the same passion consumers have to cook indoors, according to HPBA president and CEO Jack Goldman, “We think this trend owes a lot of peoples’ continued passion for culinary adventure and bringing out the flavor of their food.”
Here are some of the key statistics from that survey:
First and foremost, grilling continues to make gains year round, from the Thanksgiving turkey to Super Bowl Sunday. The majority of grill owners (61 percent) say they use their grill year round, with 42 percent cooking outdoors at least once a month in the winter months. Some 30 percent plan to grill more in 2016 than they did in 2015.
Grill owners fire up for the holidays. Among the most popular grilling days of the year are:
- Fourth of July (76 percent)
- Labor Day (62 percent)
- Memorial Day (62 percent)
- Father’s Day (49 percent)
- Mother’s Day (34 percent)
Despite the typically cool temperatures, 28 percent of owners grill for the Super Bowl, 14 percent cook at least part of their Thanksgiving dinner on the barbecue, 9 percent grill on New Year’s Day and 16 percent of consumers’ grill during the Easter holiday.
And why not? Many consumers have all the kitchen bells and whistles outdoors. Nearly 10 percent of grill owners report they have an outdoor kitchen, and of these outdoor kitchen owners, 35 percent are likely to upgrade in the next three years with most (67 percent) planning to purchase new outdoor furniture as part of that upgrade. Also on tap are improvements to their deck or patio (46 percent), improvements to landscaping (43 percent)
and the purchase of a new high-end grill or smoker (38 percent).
Grill owners are also keen on cooking and learning new cooking techniques. In the last 12 months:
- 43 percent researched new grilling techniques or recipes to use for grilling
- 22 percent researched techniques for improving food quality when grilling
- 31 percent smoked or slow-cooked meat
- 31 percent cooked at a location other than their home
- 11 percent prepared breakfast on a grill
By a large majority, improved flavor is the main reason owners cook with their grills and smokers (71 percent). They also say they enjoy cooking (54 percent) and grill to entertain family and friends (42 percent). Other consumers report they grill for convenience (32 percent) and as a hobby (23 percent).
While nearly half of all grill owners already have the basic grilling tools, including cleaning brush, tongs and mitts, many say they plan to purchase more specialized accessories in the coming months, such as:
- Pizza stone (14 percent)
- Fish or broiling basket (14 percent)
- Cedar or other cooking planks (14 percent)
- Motorized rotisserie (12 percent)
- Grill woks (11 percent)
