Summer is nearly here, and with it comes the great American culinary tradition: barbecue!

BBQ is both a rite of summer and a rite of manhood (yes, BBQ is associated with male cooking, probably because any sane woman would not go near the combination fire, meat and beer). In some parts of the USA, BBQ is not just food, it's a religion. The fastest way to start a fight is not to talk politics, but to argue about the virtues of wood vs. charcoal vs. gas. Even the word itself is kind of controversial: is it barbecue, barbeque, bar-b-q, or BBQ? Just don't bring it up with a purist (or the one cooking your burger!)

There's no argument, however, about the popularity of BBQ. The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (yes, it's a real organization - actually it is just one of many dedicated to barbecuing) did a study called "The State of Barbecue Industry Report". The 2005 study[pdf] stated that 4 out of every 5 US households own a grill - in fact, 1 in 5 own more than one grill. And not surprisingly, "the primary griller (male) in the majority of households considers themselves to be average or above in terms of cooking skills".

A central object in the BBQ world is the grill (or the smoker, or the pit depending on who you ask). These BBQ grills come in all shapes and sizes, but we're not here to talk about the grills you can pick up at your local home improvement store. We're talking about cool and unusual ones; if you're looking to feed your closest hundred or so friends at your next backyard party, this is the list for you!

So, without further ado, let's check out our picks for the Top 10 Coolest BBQ Grills.