Crisp and Golden Mac and Cheese Cakes on the Grill
Turn yesterday's leftover macaroni into today's crispy, golden side dish with this easy wood-fired recipe.
Shopping for a grill in Richmond usually comes down to a simple question: drive to a showroom, or order it and let it show up on your porch? Walking into a store lets you kick the tires, and the price tag there typically includes rent, staff commissions, and floor space in addition to the grill itself. Buying an Arteflame online means that overhead isn't part of the price — you get an American-made, solid-steel grill shipped straight to your Richmond address. The local options actually stack up as follows for 2026.
Buying a grill in Richmond means weighing local showrooms against ordering direct online. The local options compare as follows on value, performance, and experience.
The data below covers the factors that actually matter once you're standing at the grill.
| Store Type | Price | Cooking Surface | Maintenance | Layout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Hearth/Patio Shop | Showroom pricing | Standard grates | Grates & burners need upkeep | Traditional, faces away from guests |
| Big Box Retailer | Retail pricing | Standard grates, mass market | Grates & burners need upkeep | Traditional, faces away from guests |
| Arteflame Online | Direct pricing, no markup | Solid steel, 1,000°F center | No grates to replace | Round, faces guests |
A traditional grate cooks meat unevenly and lets juices drip into the fire below, the opposite of what a proper sear requires; a solid steel surface solves both problems.
A table at a downtown Richmond steakhouse isn't required to get that kind of char. With the right setup, that same experience is achievable in any backyard.
Why does the Arteflame outperform a traditional grated grill? It comes down to surface area and heat retention. Here's what the solid carbon-steel cooktop actually does:
Pro Tip: Stocking up for a big cookout? The Costco at 9650 W Broad St in Richmond is a reliable spot to grab prime cuts and produce in bulk before you fire up the grill.
Most grills put the cook's back to the party — you end up staring at a fence while everyone else mingles behind you. The Arteflame flips that entirely. Its round, open cooktop lets friends and family gather all the way around the fire, so guests can cook their own food or just linger near the warmth. It turns grilling from a solo chore into the actual center of the gathering.