Why Building Your Own Grill Is the Backyard Project of the Summer

For every backyard chef there is, it seems, a grill. For those whose budget and ambition stop at the occasional hot dog or hamburger, a compact $35 Weber Smokey Joe fits the bill. Technophiles, on the other hand, can thrill to Traeger’s sensor-packed $800 Pro 575, which automatically feeds wood pellets into its fire for precise, app-monitored meat. For those seeking the instant gratification of gas—and a bit of stainless-steel backyard bling—Fire Magic’s Echelon Diamond grills start at $6,440.

Chef Eric Werner has a different suggestion. In this spring’s The Outdoor Kitchen ($35, Ten Speed Press), he suggests building your own grill—or more realistically, having a welder or metal fabricator do it. “It’s the best kind of DIY project because … you don’t do it yourself,” he writes.