Try to get wheeled barbecues of either variety. Wheels will make life much easier when it comes time to move the grill. Find a charcoal grill with an igniter. Charcoal grills usually require lighter fluid, but with this option, you won't need it and you won't miss fumbling with matches or lighters. Decide if time is a factor in your grilling.
Charcoal grills are lit and then left to heat up over a period of time.
They also require a long cool-down before they can be cleaned. Gas grills, on the other hand, are hot almost immediately and tend to be much easier to clean. Spend the extra cash on a gas grill if you want the convenience of instant flame and heat control knobs. These make cleaning up a lot less messy. Insist on charcoal models with lids, which keep the smoke inside with the food and shorten cooking time.