With gas grills coming in so many different styles and sizes, deciding on which model you actually buy, whether you are looking for a portable grill to take camping or want a new full-size gas grill, can be daunting without a gas grill buying guide.

With more North American households opting to use a gas grill due to the cooking speed and ease of use, finding a gas grill that is well made and reliable without breaking the bank is important. No longer do you have to pay top dollar to get great tasting food cooked in style as many of today’s grill models now have some of the features that used to be only available with more expensive grills. Check out some of the gas grill buying tips to keep in mind when shopping for a new grill.

Five Things To Consider When Buying A Gas Grill

How Many BTU’s Do You Actually Need?

When picking out a grill it can actually be confusing as to which model is best. What a grills Btu or British Thermal Units rating actually tell you how much heat the burner will output. While it would make sense that the higher the BTU, the hotter the grill however that is not necessarily true. When determining the BTU, you have to factor in the actual size of the grill as well as how it retains and distributes the heat. Don’t think that getting a grill with a higher BTU is better as often smaller grills may pack a hotter punch and produce higher cooking temps all with a lower BTU rating. As a guide, you should have at least 100 BTU per square inch of cooking space. Another point to ponder is that the higher the BTU, the more gas that it will consume.

What Is The Difference Between Propane and Natural Gas?

Most gas grills use liquid propane or LP gas which can be purchased and refilled in 20lb cylinder canisters. For smaller, portable gas grills you can also pick up smaller canisters for convenience. Most grill owners opt for propane powered grills due to portability and convenience however some homeowners are opting to connect their built-in gas grills to their homes natural gas lines. Cost-wise, it is much cheaper to use natural gas to power your gas grill however it is not always an option for some home owners due to city bylaws.

What Is the Difference Between Grilling With Direct and Indirect Heat?

When cooking with direct heat, the food is cooked directly over a higher temperature. Foods cooked indirectly don’t actually get cooked over the heat. They are slowly cooked by the grills internal temperature rather than by heat from a burner. Gas grills often have different heat areas which allow you to use a higher temperature setting for one area while cooking food indirectly with a lower temperature in another area.

Is What The Grill Is Made From Important?

The main body of most gas grills are usually manufactured from either cast iron, cast aluminum, stainless steel or enamel-coated steel. Most popular materials to choose from are either stainless steel or cast iron however you will pay for more for grills made from these metals. When choosing which grill to buy, look for heavier gauge metals as well as folded or reinforced corners as they are usually better quality grills which means a longer lasting grill. Also make sure that the grills frame has the same high quality metals as you don’t want to end up with a frame that just been painted over cheap metal as it will rust.

What Is the Best Cooking Surface For A Grill?

Most gas grills have one or more removable grates which may be made from stainless steel, aluminum, porcelain-coated steel or cast iron. Because the grate gets used often, choosing either a porcelain-coated steel or cast iron is best as they are both resilient and made from the strongest metal. The grate must be able to provide good heat transfer and keep your food from sticking to the grill. To help keep your grates in good shape you should also make sure that you keep the grates well oiled as well as using the right type of brush when cleaning the grill so that you do not destroy the grate by chipping it with a scraper.

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What To Look For When Shopping For A Grill

Before you head out to go shopping for a new grill, there are a few things to consider such as how much you actually want to spend on a grill and what type of grill you want to buy. Depending on your needs and how often you plan on using your grill will help you determine what you need. A smaller, no frills grill will be sufficient if you are only grilling for two, however if you plan on hosting your annual family barbecue get to gather than you will probably need to invest in a larger grill.

How Many Will You Be Cooking For?

Before you even step out to go grill shopping, determine what size of grill you actually need. Check out how large the actually cooking space is as you may find some grills have a warming rack which is nice but not always necessary. Depending on how many people you will be cooking for, larger grills usually are great if you cook for more than four people. If you are cooking for less than that, then you could probably get away with a smaller gas grill.

When choosing the size of the grill you do want to make sure that you have enough burners to accommodate how many people you are cooking for. The smaller grills usually have two burners with the larger models having three or four burners.

Do You Need All The Extra Features?

While it is nice to get a grill with all the gadgets, it is wise to remember that with all the extras features the price usually increases. Decide beforehand what you wish to do with your grill so that you don’t get starry-eyed when checking out new grills.

If you like to have rotisserie chicken than getting a model with this feature may be worth the extra expense. Models with side burners are great if you like to grill often as you can cook everything outside, making clean up a breeze during the warm weather. Maybe you want to try the latest grill technology, infrared heat which relies on radiant heat rather than a direct flame. The choice is yours depending on your budget and grilling preferences.

What Are All The Knobs For?

The knobs on your grill allow you to adjust the temperature of the gas burners as well as have the starter for your grill. Often controls are mounted in the front of your grill or on the side. Depending on your preferences it is up to you which style you choose.

Gas grills all have some type of starter or igniter to help get your grill going so you don’t have to resort to matches. Depending on the grill model, there are two types of starters: electric igniters which require a battery to operate or a flint-type starter which can either be a dial or push button.

Do You Need A Frame or Cart?

While getting a barbecue grill that has a cart or built in frame is not a deal breaker when buying a grill, it is a nice feature. A lot of the larger gas grill models usually come with a cabinet beneath the actual grill that houses the propane tank. Make sure the grill is stable, whether you choose a cart or place it on a table. Choosing a cart that has casters or wheels allows your grill to be more portable though may not be important if you don’t plan on moving it around a lot.