Before any model or brand, the decision that matters is the type of cooker, because it sets what you can cook and how much attention it will demand.These guides compare the four types on how they behave rather than on feature lists, and cover the one specification most buyers get wrong: size.
Fuel type decides more than price does
Charcoal gives you high heat and the ability to run two zones, at the cost of managing a fire. Gas trades flavour for immediacy. Pellet cookers hold a set temperature without supervision, which is what makes long cooks practical, but they rarely sear well. Kamados hold heat efficiently and run hot, and are the heaviest and least portable of the four.
Buy the cooking area, not the cabinet
Manufacturers quote total area including warming racks, which is not space you can cook a rack of ribs on. Work out what you cook at once, then compare usable primary grate area between models — it is the number that decides whether a cooker fits your life.