Mark Ellison

About Mark Ellison

Mark grew up in the American Midwest where backyard grilling isn't a hobby — it's just what you do from May through October. What started as weekend charcoal cookouts turned into a deeper obsession with smoke, heat management and equipment engineering after he bought his first offset smoker in 2013 and spent an entire summer learning why temperature control matters more than any spice rub.

Since joining BBQDoorway, Mark has reviewed everything from entry-level gas grills under $300 to competition-grade pellet smokers. His approach to testing is practical: he cooks real food on each unit over multiple sessions rather than running single temperature tests, because a grill that holds 400°F in ideal conditions but struggles on a windy evening tells a very different story. He pays particular attention to build quality, grate materials, grease management and how easy a unit is to clean after a long cook — factors that matter far more to real backyard cooks than peak BTU claims.

Mark's work focuses on gas grills, pellet grills and cold smoke accessories, and he writes the majority of BBQDoorway's buying guides. When he isn't testing equipment, he writes about technique — covering everything from two-zone cooking on a gas grill to getting the most smoke flavor out of a cold smoke generator. His goal with every article is the same: give readers the information they actually need to make a confident purchase and cook better food.