Grills Dad will love to get his tongs on

Father's Day is approaching, and what better way to say "We love you, Dad" than by giving him something to occupy his summer nights and weekends?

That's right, a grill.

There are hundreds of choices that fit into four major categories: gas, charcoal, electric and smokers. Each comes with any number of subcategories, but, with just two days to go, the choices have been narrowed to one of the newest models in each category.

Grills have never been more popular. The barbecue industry shipped 17,272,500 grills - the most in one year since 1985 and a 15 percent increase from 2005, according to the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association.

Gas grills continue to be the most popular, followed by charcoal and then electric.

When you shop, remember this: Grills should be selected based on the kind of fuel they use: liquid natural gas (propane), natural gas (connected to your utility service), charcoal and electricity.

Size matters: Since grills are measured in square inches of cooking surface, you'll need to choose based on how much you'll barbecue and for whom.

Location: If you have little space, an electric or a small charcoal grill would fit. An outdoor kitchen typically consists of a pricey gas grill surrounded by high-end accessories.

Styles: Basic black and stainless steel remain the most popular, but there are other colors.

Price: You can spend as little as $10 at Rite-Aid for a miniature charcoal grill that you can take camping up, or as much as $14,662.50 on Amazon.com for Solaire's "56-inch infravection gas grill on refrigerated cart."

So what's Dad worth and does your bank account reflect it?

Here are a few ideas:

Kenmore's Crossray Infra-Red Stainless Steel Barbecue Grill ($899 at Sears) debuted at the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas last month, with high marks from Consumer Reports. Infrared technology focuses heat on the food - the outdoor version of induction and convection. It has four ceramic infrared burners and double stainless steel hood (www.sears.com).

When it comes to charcoal, it's been tough to beat a Weber and its signature kettle cooker - until the Weber Performer ($299 to $379 at home centers). The Performer uses a Touch-N-Go gas ignition system rather than an electric starter or lighter fluid to get the charcoal going. The Performer has a 22.5-inch porcelain-enamel bowl and lid, two charcoal fuel holders, and a thermometer. Colors? Black, dark blue and green. (www.weber.com).

Char-Broil has an electric model for apartments and small families. The Electric Patio Caddie ($229 at home and hardware centers) uses a 1,650-watt heating element for cooking, which means that you can plug its 5-foot grounded cord into a standard outlet. The easy-to-clean porcelain cooking grate is 187 square inches. The steel top has a built-in temperature gauge. It rolls on wheels (www.charbroil.com).

Humans have smoked meat to preserve it since the dawn of time, so maybe that explains the popularity of the charcoal smoker in the backyard. Bradley's Digital Smoker with six racks, ($579, check Web site for area dealers) can satisfy Dad's craving for high-tech and high-end barbecue at the same time and for one price. Temperature, time, and smoke are now completely controllable, so you can decide how much smoke you want, how long your food is going to be smoked for, and at what temperature (www.bradleysmoker.com).

A final thought: Let Dad try out his present next week. On Sunday night, take him out for barbecue.