This content was originally published on OldHouseOnline.com and has been republished here as part of a merger between our two businesses. All copy is presented here as it originally appeared there.
Grilling is one of the most common ways to cook food while spending time in the backyard or on your patio entertaining your guests. The type of grill used determines how easy it is to cook the food. Some grills require less fat to be used for a healthier method of cooking. When you’re ready to begin the social activity of grilling, there are a few high-quality gas grills to consider purchasing to improve the quality of your meals and level up your grilling game.
The Finest Gas Grills
Cuisinart Full Size Four-Burner Gas Grill
– Best Overall
Key Features
This full-size grill by Cuisinart includes four individual burners and a 486 square inch cooking surface. It includes a built-in warming rack, as well as side tables to add additional space. It’s easy to start with a twist ignition, and the cast iron cooking grates are removable. It’s simple to assemble but quite heavy to move, especially in the box. The grill is versatile to cook just about anything, from pizza to steak. The paint on the cooking surface starts to flake off over long-term use. With its myriad of incredible features and its versatility, this grill is on the top of our list as the best overall.
Char-Griller Grillin’ Pro Gas Grill
– Most Durable
Key Features
This grill features heavy-duty steel construction and porcelain-coated grates. It has a total of 630 square inches of total cooking area. It’s perfect for family gatherings and summer parties at home. The electric ignition is easy to turn on quickly, and the grill features a side shelf for food prep. The assembly is fairly easy but the included instructions can be difficult for some to follow. It’s easy to find replacement parts for this model if needed.
Weber 45010001 Spirit II E-310 3-Burner Liquid Propane Grill
– Easiest to Use
Key Features
This gas grill has an improved infinity ignition, burners, and porcelain-enamel bars. Six tool hooks are offered with the open cart design, along with two large wheels for added portability. Weber Spirit 3-Burner Liquid Propane Grill can reach 500 degrees in only a few minutes and has a flawless ignition with solid controls. Temperature is held better than most types of grilled evenly, allowing the food to have more flavor. Some of the legs may be prone to denting, but they still maintain their quality and durability.
Char-Broil Performance 300 2-Burner Cabinet Liquid Propane Gas Grill
– Best Quality
Key Features
With two burners, this gas grill offers 300 square inches of primary cooking area on porcelain-coated iron grates with a temperature gauge on the lid. The electronic ignition delivers fast and powerful startups. The Char-Broil Performance Cabinet Liquid Propane Gas Grill allows up to 10 hamburger patties to be grilled at once. Even heat is provided to prevent raw meat from being present in the corner. The grease cup may fill up with rainwater during wet weather conditions.
Coleman RoadTrip 285 Portable Stand-Up Propane Grill
– Most Portable
Key Features
With three temperature zones, this propane grill offers powerful precision and is easy to transport thanks to quick-fold legs and two rugged wheels. The cast-iron grates are effortlessly interchangeable. Coleman RoadTrip Portable Stand-UP Propane Grill’s two wheels and lightweight make rolling and transporting easy. Additional heat is provided by the third burner when needed. An extra amount of time and effort is required to clean the grates because a grease tray is not included.
Monument Grills 17842 Stainless Steel 4 Burner Propane Gas Grill with Rotisserie
– Sleekest Look
Key Features
This grill is designed to cook food evenly and is quicker than traditional models. 513 square inches of a primary cooking area is provided for bulk grilling, along with four main stainless steel burners. Monument Grills Stainless Steel Propane Gas Grill’s flame controls are solid and adjust well to increase or decrease flame levels. The bright LED lights offer added illumination when grilling at night. After a few months, rust may begin to form on the exterior stainless steel parts, but this doesn’t affect the operation.
Martin Portable Propane BBQ Gas Grill
– Best Value
Key Features
This gas grill may seem small and simple on the outside, but really packs a punch with 14,000 BTUs of power and high-quality construction throughout, from its strong support legs to its porcelain grid. It can be set up in just a minute and folded away when not in use. It offers a grease pan to keep the cooking space clean, 354 square inches of cooking surface, and a retractable warming rack.
Monument Grills 4 Burner Propane Gas Grill with USB Light
– Best Design
Key Features
With four main burners and a separate side burner with 60,000 BTUs of heating power overall, this huge propane gas grill is ideal for big families and get-togethers with your friends, offering lots of space and potential for cooking plenty of food simultaneously. It features porcelain-coated cast-iron cooking grates. It includes over 500 square inches of primary cooking space and an additional 210 square inches of warming rack space. It also has a built-in heat gauge, LED control knobs, and an LED grilling light.
Buying Guide to the Best Gas Grills
One image that many look forward to during the summer is the grill being fired up on the patio while cooking their favorite veggies and meat. The most critical component of bringing this image to life is the type of grill being used. This is one reason why gas grills have become more popular over the past few years. We have come up with this guide to help you make the right choice before making a purchase.
How To Categorize Gas Grills
Before you buy a gas grill, there are some variables you need to consider. These variables include the type of fuel to be used, installation requirements, and internal heating options.
Fuel type
When selecting a gas grill, you need to choose between propane and natural gas as fuel.
Natural gas grills are more difficult to hook up and you won’t have too many options on where they can be installed. You may need to hire a contractor if you do not have a natural gas hookup in your home. One unique benefit of natural gas grills is that they are easy to use once they are set up.
The second option is the propane gas grill. This option is quite popular because it is easy to set up. The biggest challenge with this gas type is that you will have to replace the tank once it is empty every time.
If you are someone that does a lot of grilling, you should have a backup tank.
Heat type
There are two types of burners used in heating your food with gas grills and these are convection and infrared heat.
The majority of gas grills use convection heat to cook food. The heat produced by the flame heats the items on the grill. This heat type usually takes a while longer before it attains the desired temperature. They are quite affordable and best suited for backyard grills.
If you are looking for a more effective option, infrared grills are the perfect option. This grill type uses a technology that heats the food on the grill in a direct manner. Infrared gas grills heat up quickly and give a more even heat distribution.
Also, they are easier to clean and need less energy. The drawback with them is that they cost more than convection grills.
Grill style
Before you buy fuel, you need to determine whether you need to build the grill into an outdoor kitchen grill or a stand-alone gas grill.
Most people prefer the standalone grill because they are easier to use and set up. If you opt against using a propane tank, it would be better if it gets set up close to a natural gas line. The built-in gas grills are ideal for people who have an outdoor kitchen and want it fully integrated. It often looks better than the stand-alone grills.
What You Should Consider Before You Buy a Gas Grill
Before purchasing a gas grill, ensure you factor in how you intend to use it. Doing this will help you determine what is more important when selecting one. Here are some factors to consider before you buy that gas grill.
Safety
Sources of heat come with their risks and gas can lead to explosion or carbon monoxide poisoning if not done the right way. Many people use gas grills daily without issues. All you need to do is to buy a premium-quality gas grill and know what you are doing.
Buy a grill that looks sturdy and not one that can fall, it should be strong enough to hold its weight. Before using the grill, take out time to study the instruction manual as it will show you the most vital information for the grill’s safety.
Warranty and durability
Some of the more expensive gas grills often come with a lifetime warranty. So, if you are looking to buy a reliable gas grill, you may have to fork out some extra cash. Note that majority of the mid and low-range gas grills may last a few years.
If you consider the grill’s durability as a core factor, you need to study the grill warranty.
Grill size
There are certain questions you must ask yourself when ascertaining the ideal grill size for you. You need to determine how much space you have for your potential grill to occupy.
You have a couple of different questions to ask yourself when you’re determining what the best size grill is for you. How much space do you have? If you have enough space in your home, you could go for any grill. But if your space is small, you may need to get a gas grill that will fit.
The second thing to consider is the number of items you want to grill per time. Will you be grilling for a lot of people or just yourself?
Cost of the grill
One thing you should note about gas grills is that their price varies. You can get some for about a hundred dollars while you may get others for as high as $5,000. The size and function of the grill play a big role in its cost.
Another factor that could push up the cost is if it comes with infrared heating. Also, brands that have a solid reputation for producing top-quality grills will cost more. More often than not, purchasing a more expensive grill will mean better quality and increased durability.
Power
Most gas grill vendors attach some BTU to the product description. This will help you get a fair idea of the power production capacity of the grill. A higher BTU means you will have more power.
You need higher power if your grill has a larger cooking surface.
Distribution of heat
A grill that gives you even heat distribution will be easier to cook with. For grills that have hot spots, some of your food will cook quicker than others. A grill with proper heat distribution is ideal if you don’t want to be checking the individual items often because you know they will cook at the same rate.
Why Should You Use a Gas Grill?
Gas grills are more of a blend of electric grills and charcoal grills. Here are some outstanding benefits of using gas grills.
Ease of use and maintenance
You don’t need to spend much time setting up a gas grill, unlike the charcoal grill, hence your food is ready in a quick time. Also, it isn’t difficult to maintain and learn and if you want to grill your food all through the year, they are more practical than charcoal grills. You can use a gas grill outside regardless of the weather.
Generally, gas grills are very easy to light and use. Sometimes, however, you may have trouble lighting your grill. If you run into this issue, it can be fixed easily. Check out this video from Tinker Forward for a tutorial:
Less expensive than a charcoal grill
This grill type costs less to use because gas is less expensive than charcoal. In the long run, you will spend less while getting full value.
Better flavor than electric grills
Gas grills give more flavor than electric grills even though the safety and convenience are the same.
Cost of Gas Grills
The straightforward models cost as low as $200 while the premium versions cost at least $5,000 depending on the features and design.
Gas grills are quite popular because they have a variety of options out there in the market. Knowing what you want before buying a gas grill will save you time, energy, and resources in the long run.
People Also Asked
Q: Which type of grill is the most common?
A: Gas grills are the most common type of grill in the U.S. This is because they are easier to use than charcoal grills, and give food a better flavor than electric grills.
Q: How do I clean my gas grill?
A: The best way to keep your gas grill clean is to scrape off any food residue each time you finish cooking, while the grill is still warm. However, if there is a lot of built-up food and grease on the grill, you will need to put in a bit more effort. When the grill is off and cool, start by removing the grates and metal pieces that cover the burners. Soak them in a solution of warm water and dish soap for at least 30 minutes. While they soak, vacuum any crumbs and dirt out of the inside of the grill. After the grates and metal pieces have finished soaking, scrub them with a dish brush and rinse them off. Lastly, put your grill back together.
Q: How can I cook small pieces of food on my grill, without them falling through the grates?
A: It is easier than you might think to cook small food items such as fruit or vegetables on the grill. While the grill is off and cool, simply cover a section of the grate with tinfoil and tuck the edges of the foil around the bars of the grate. Then, with a small knife or skewer, poke small holes in the foil so that the grill flavor can get through. Heat your grill, add your veggies, and enjoy your barbecued meal.
