Sixty eight percent of U.S. households own a grill or smoker. Ownership reaches 78 percent among African American households and stands at 72 percent for Hispanic consumers. The sections below present figures on market size, purchase patterns, and usage frequency.
Key Takeaways
- 68% of U.S. households own a grill or smoker, up from 62% in 2020.
- 61% of U.S. consumers grill at least once per month year-round.
- The U.S. outdoor cooking market reached $8.2 billion in retail sales in 2022, driven by premium grill demand.
- 65% of U.S. gas grill owners prefer them for speed, 55% market share.
- 42% of consumers seek app-connected grills for temp control.
Outdoor cooking remains highly popular, with strong demand driven by more people embracing backyard entertaining.
Related reading
01 · Category
Consumer Demographics28 stats
01
68% of U.S. households own a grill or smoker, up from 62% in 2020.
02
Millennials (ages 27-42) represent 35% of outdoor cooking product buyers in 2023.
03
72% of Gen Z consumers aged 18-26 plan to purchase a grill within next year.
04
Women account for 48% of primary grill buyers in U.S., risen from 39% in 2015.
05
Households with children under 18 are 2.1x more likely to own multiple grills.
06
Urban dwellers make up 41% of premium grill purchasers in 2023.
07
Baby Boomers (58+) hold 28% market share in charcoal grilling preferences.
08
Hispanic consumers in U.S. grill 15% more frequently than average, 62% ownership rate.
09
55% of high-income households ($100k+) own smart-enabled grills.
10
Single-person households grill 20% less but invest 30% more per unit.
11
African American households show 78% grill ownership, highest among ethnic groups.
12
62% of suburban residents upgraded grills in past 3 years vs. 45% rural.
13
Males aged 35-54 comprise 42% of heavy grill users (weekly+).
14
LGBTQ+ community reports 65% grill ownership, favoring plant-based options.
15
College-educated consumers 1.5x more likely to own pellet grills.
16
Pet owners grill 12% more often, 70% ownership rate.
17
Remote workers (post-COVID) increased grill purchases by 25%.
18
Veterans represent 14% of U.S. grill owners, prefer charcoal 60%.
19
Empty nesters (55+) buying larger grills at 18% higher rate.
20
Asian American households grill 2x/week average, fusion recipes popular.
21
Low-income (<$50k) still 52% ownership but favor budget charcoal.
22
Fitness enthusiasts own 68% grills, focus on low-fat grilling.
23
Retirees grill year-round 40% more than working adults.
24
Eco-conscious millennials 3x more likely to buy electric grills.
25
Parents of teens grill family events 55% of summer weekends.
26
Gamers (heavy users) prefer quick-cook infrared grills 25% more.
27
75% of U.S. adults grilled in summer 2023, highest on record.
28
52% of new homeowners purchase grill within first year.
Interpretation
Consumer Demographics Interpretation
America's backyard is sizzling with change as grills become not only more common but surprisingly democratic, moving beyond dad’s domain to reflect a nation where millennials are fueling the market, Gen Z is lining up, women are nearly half of all buyers, and everyone from urban foodies to eco-warriors is claiming a stake at the fire.
02 · Category
Grilling Habits and Frequency30 stats
01
61% of U.S. consumers grill at least once per month year-round.
02
Average American grills 7.2 times per month during peak summer.
03
44% grill weekly, with burgers most popular at 82% of sessions.
04
Memorial Day weekend sees 55 million U.S. grills fired up.
05
28% of consumers now grill in winter, up 15% since 2019.
06
Backyard BBQs average 12 attendees, 4.5 hours duration.
07
67% prefer evening grilling sessions starting after 6 PM.
08
Tailgating grills used by 35 million Americans yearly.
09
39% experiment with smoking weekly, average 5-hour sessions.
10
July 4th grilling peaks at 80% household participation.
11
Women grill solo 22% more than in 2020, average 45-min sessions.
12
51% grill chicken weekly, steaks 28%, veggies 35% rising.
13
Beach grilling done by 18% of coastal residents monthly.
14
62% clean grills after every use, 25% weekly deep clean.
15
Game day grilling spikes 300% on Super Bowl Sunday.
16
Average grill session consumes 2.3 lbs meat per person.
17
47% grill seafood monthly, shrimp leading at 60% preference.
18
Camping trips feature grilling 88% of time, portable units dominant.
19
33% use apps for grilling timers/recipes during sessions.
20
Labor Day grilling at 48 million households, ribs popular.
21
Night grilling with lights used by 29%, extends season.
22
56% pair grilling with craft beer, average 3 beers/session.
23
Vegan grilling up 40%, jackfruit subsitutes in 22% sessions.
24
41% grill brunches on weekends, eggs/bacon hybrids.
25
Park/public grilling by 25% urbanites weekly in summer.
26
Pellet grill users smoke 10+ hours bi-weekly average.
27
69% say grilling reduces stress, daily for 12%.
28
Gas to charcoal switchers grill 18% less due to prep time.
29
53% of grills used for non-meat items weekly now.
30
Holiday grilling (Thanksgiving) by 15%, turkey dominant.
Interpretation
Grilling Habits and Frequency Interpretation
America has officially upgraded from grilling as a summer hobby to a year-round, stress-relieving, multi-protein performance art, where the only thing more impressive than the 55 million grills firing up on Memorial Day is the fact that 62% of us are responsible enough to clean them afterwards.
03 · Category
Market Size and Growth30 stats
01
The U.S. outdoor cooking market reached $8.2 billion in retail sales in 2022, driven by premium grill demand.
02
Global barbecue grill market size was valued at USD 5.6 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.8% from 2024 to 2030.
03
North American outdoor cooking equipment market projected to hit $3.1 billion by 2027, growing at 3.2% CAGR post-2022.
04
U.S. gas grill sales totaled 1.7 million units in 2022, contributing to a 12% year-over-year market expansion.
05
European outdoor cooking market valued at €2.4 billion in 2023, with pellet grills seeing 15% growth.
06
Asia-Pacific BBQ market expected to grow from $1.2 billion in 2023 to $2.1 billion by 2030 at 7.9% CAGR.
07
Premium outdoor kitchen segment in U.S. grew 18% in 2022, reaching $1.5 billion valuation.
08
Charcoal grill market globally hit $2.3 billion in 2023, with 5.1% projected CAGR through 2028.
09
U.S. portable grill sales surged 22% in 2022 to 850,000 units amid camping trends.
10
Outdoor cooking accessories market in U.S. valued at $1.1 billion in 2023, up 9% from prior year.
11
Brazilian BBQ market expanded to BRL 4.5 billion in 2023, fueled by churrasco culture.
12
Electric grill segment worldwide reached $1.8 billion in 2023, growing at 6.2% CAGR.
13
U.S. outdoor cooking market share of gas grills was 55% in 2022, totaling $4.5 billion.
14
Pellet grill market in North America valued at $450 million in 2023, up 14% YoY.
15
Global smart grill market projected from $1.2 billion in 2023 to $2.8 billion by 2030 at 13% CAGR.
16
Australian outdoor cooking market hit AUD 1.2 billion in 2023, with 4.5% growth rate.
17
Infrared grill technology segment grew to $650 million globally in 2023.
18
U.S. built-in grill sales reached 320,000 units in 2022, part of $2.1 billion segment.
19
Middle East BBQ market valued at $800 million in 2023, growing 6.8% annually.
20
Freestanding grill market in Europe at €1.1 billion in 2023, 3.7% CAGR forecast.
21
U.S. outdoor cooking e-commerce sales hit $2.4 billion in 2023, 28% of total market.
22
Kamado grill global sales volume reached 1.2 million units in 2023.
23
Smoker market in U.S. valued at $900 million in 2023, up 11% from 2022.
24
Latin America outdoor cooking market at $1.5 billion in 2023, 5.3% growth projected.
25
Combo grill-smoker units sold 450,000 in U.S. 2022, driving 15% segment growth.
26
Africa BBQ market emerging at $400 million in 2023, 9% CAGR expected.
27
U.S. luxury outdoor kitchen installs rose 20% to $750 million in 2023.
28
Propane grill market globally $3.2 billion in 2023, 4.9% CAGR to 2030.
29
Canadian outdoor cooking market $1.1 billion CAD in 2023, 5.2% growth.
30
Wood pellet consumption for grills hit 250,000 tons in U.S. 2023.
Interpretation
Market Size and Growth Interpretation
While the caveman mastered fire with a stick, the modern Homo grill-us demonstrates our relentless culinary evolution, now manifesting as an $8.2 billion testament to the fact that we’re still utterly obsessed with cooking meat outside, just with significantly more Wi-Fi connectivity and stainless steel.
More related reading
04 · Category
Product Preferences and Sales29 stats
01
65% of U.S. gas grill owners prefer them for speed, 55% market share.
02
Charcoal grills outsell pellet 3:1 but pellets grow 20% YoY.
03
Weber brand holds 25% U.S. grill market share in 2023.
04
Stainless steel grills account for 62% of premium sales >$1000.
05
Portable tabletop grills sold 1.1 million units in U.S. 2023.
06
Traeger dominates pellet grills at 45% market share.
07
Built-in grills preferred by 35% luxury homeowners.
08
Blackstone griddles outsold traditional grills 2:1 in flat-top category.
09
Kamado Joe/Ceramic grills up 28% sales, Big Green Egg 30% share.
10
Propane tanks (20lb) sold 45 million units alongside grills.
11
Smart grills with WiFi/apps 15% of sales, up from 5% in 2020.
12
Charcoal lump preferred over briquettes 55% by enthusiasts.
13
Pizza oven attachments for grills sold 250,000 in 2023.
14
Napoleon grills lead Canada with 22% share.
15
Electric grills 12% market, favored indoors/outdoor versatility.
16
Side burner equipped grills 48% of mid-range sales.
17
Yeti-style grill coolers bundled in 20% premium packages.
18
Rotisserie attachments used by 32% gas grill owners.
19
Broil King popular in Europe, 18% share.
20
Wood-fired pizza ovens standalone sales $450M globally.
21
Infrared burners in 25% high-end models, sear preference.
22
Cover sales match 70% of new grill purchases.
23
Thermometer probes wireless top accessory at $120M sales.
24
Griddle hybrid units 35% growth, smash burgers trend.
25
Cast iron grates preferred 68% over porcelain.
26
Pit Boss budget pellets lead value segment 40% share.
27
Outdoor fridge integrations in 22% built-ins.
28
Saber grills infrared tech 15% Canadian premium sales.
29
Cleaning tools kits outsell scrapers 3:1.
Interpretation
Product Preferences and Sales Interpretation
Americans are firing up their grills in a fuel-smoked frenzy, favoring gas for its quick convenience while charcoal maintains its classic sizzle, yet the real heat is in the smart-tech pellet surge, the siren call of premium stainless steel, and our collective obsession with flat tops for smash burgers and ceramic eggs for artisanal pizza—proving that the outdoor kitchen is now a high-tech, versatile, and deliciously fragmented kingdom.
05 · Category
Trends and Innovations30 stats
01
42% of consumers seek app-connected grills for temp control.
02
Plant-based meat grilling up 55% since 2020, Beyond Meat leads.
03
Solar-powered portable grills emerging, 12% trial rate.
04
Voice-activated grills via Alexa/Google 8% adoption.
05
Wood pellet flavors customized, hickert/cherry top sellers.
06
Gender-neutral marketing boosts female purchases 25%.
07
Foldable/compact grills for apartments up 30% sales.
08
AI recipe generators for grills used by 15% millennials.
09
Low/no-smoke electric models for condos 22% growth.
10
Fusion cuisines grilled: Korean BBQ tacos 35% tried.
11
Recyclable grill materials demanded by 58% buyers.
12
Subscription pellet delivery services 18% user base growth.
13
AR grill setup apps downloaded 2M times.
14
Health-focused air-fryer grill hybrids 25% sales rise.
15
Celebrity chef lines (Gordon Ramsay) 12% premium share.
16
Biodegradable charcoal briquettes 40% preference shift.
17
Multi-fuel grills (gas/charcoal swap) 19% new models.
18
NFT collectible grill skins virtual 5% engagement.
19
Keto/low-carb grilling accessories up 33%.
20
Rooftop grilling safety tech in 28% urban units.
21
Bamboo charcoal filters for clean smoke 16% adoption.
22
Grill-sharing economy apps like Neighbor 10% usage.
23
HVO biofuel for grills trialed by 7% eco-users.
24
Custom 3D-printed grill parts 14% maker community.
25
Mindfulness grilling classes enrolled 1.2M virtually.
26
Ghost kitchens using grills for delivery 22% rise.
27
Quantum temp sensors in prototypes, 2% beta testers.
28
Vintage retro grill designs sales +35% nostalgia.
29
Cricket flour burgers grilled, protein alt 9% trial.
30
Blockchain traced meat for grills 11% premium buyers.
Interpretation
Trends and Innovations Interpretation
Today's outdoor chef demands a high-tech, eco-conscious grill that can handle a plant-based burger with blockchain-level provenance while accommodating their condo's rules and perhaps even their NFT collection, all before folding up to attend a mindfulness class they found through a gender-neutral ad.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Nathan Caldwell. (2026, February 13). Outdoor Cooking Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/outdoor-cooking-industry-statistics
MLA
Nathan Caldwell. "Outdoor Cooking Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/outdoor-cooking-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Nathan Caldwell. 2026. "Outdoor Cooking Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/outdoor-cooking-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
93 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level