How We Tested Gas Barbecues
We timed the build of the barbecues to the minute, checking the quality of instructions and how quickly you can start cooking. We tested how simple it was to attach the gas, and how fast the barbecues came to temperature.
We cooked a variety of different barbecue staples , testing how evenly;the barbecues grilled each item, and how;they adapted to cooking at different temperatures. Further, we checked how easily food could be removed and the grill could be cleaned after cooking.
Weber 62004001 Genesis Ii Lx S
- Company: Weber
- Gas Type: Natural Gas or Liquid Propane
- Rating: 4.5;/ 5 stars
- Price: $$$$
If youre looking for a high quality larger size grill, this 4 burner option from Weber comes with lots fun;extras! Its a serious grill for serious grillers!
Whether you choose the natural gas;model or the liquid propane model, and select the painted black steel or stainless steel look, we think youll be as thrilled with this gas grill as the many;product;reviewers who gave it such a high rating!
Heres why we like it:
Overall, if you are looking for a grill this size, and want something top quality and long-lasting,;the Weber Genesis S-440 is one of the grills you need to be looking at!
Best Grills Of : Gas Charcoal Combination And More
All products featured on Epicurious are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
The best grill isn’t just for professionals or people with sprawling backyardsanyone whos looking to up their cookout game can find a standout grill that fits their budget and space parameters. And while any variety you pick up from the hardware store will absolutely do the job, the world of grills is wide and the options are seemingly endless; knowing the features that are right for you and your style of outdoor cooking will help you make the most informed decision. After all, the real best grill is the one you’ll use, over and over again.
To me, grilling is the most primal, primitive, fundamental way of cooking, says Edward Lee, award-winning chef, cookbook author, and grilling expert. We’ve been grilling for thousands of years, and on a very rudimentary level, you can set up some bricks in your backyard with wood and skewer and you have a grill. Or you can go with the Ferrari version that comes with a thousand-dollar price tagit’s a personal choice! The most important thing is to remember is that great food will be the result of your cooking, not your equipment.
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What Temperature To Grill Steak On A Gas Grill
Whether you like your steak rare or well-done is a matter of personal preference. But you dont want to undercook/overcook those steaks since there are serious health issues from consuming raw/charred meat. Thus, you should strictly adhere to the appropriate cooking temperatures for different items to lower the risks of food-borne bacteria.
Lets talk specifics: the optimal internal temperature for steaks should be no less than 145°F with a 3-minute rest. While theres nothing wrong in playing things safe with the recommendation, its okay to make small tweaks here and there. But whether the steak is blood red or golden brown with sear marks, there is no wrong answer here.;
But Is The Final Product As Tasty
While some claim a lack of smoky goodness, gas, particularly for slow cooking, provides “much easier control”, crucial as slow cooking is all about temperature control.;
Charcoal does provide more smoke than gas, but you’ll still get smoke from those fatty meat drippings with a gas BBQ.
Gas provides more steam than charcoal, which many say keeps the meat moister, though potentially less crisp.;
Of course, neither option would greatly affect the intensity of your BBQ sauce of choice;- that’s your marination method!
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How Do You Convert A Propane Grill To Natural Gas
Not all propane grills can be converted to natural gas. Always consult your owner’s manual to see if your grill can safely be converted to natural gas, and if it can, it’s important to purchase a conversion kit directly from the manufacturer. There are sometimes third-party conversion kits sold online, but keep in mind they are not always safe and will likely void your grill’s warranty.
Reviews Of The Best Natural Gas Grills In 2021
With all of that discussed, we think youre now more or less equipped to judge our best natural gas grill picks and determine whether they are suitable for you.
Keep in mind that these selected few are handpicked based on our research and personal criteria, so theres a chance you wont find your next grill here. But theres one thing for sure: youll learn something.
Here are our picks for the best natural gas grills.
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Best Flat Top Gas Grill: Blackstone Propane 36
Blackstone is another grill manufacturing giant, sold in the leading retail stores in the country. Their flat top and griddles are among the best. They are quite new as compared with other manufacturers, as they began in 2005.
The Blackstone 1554 Grill Station is an iconic grill that shot the company to popularity. This is one of the best gas griddle grills, perfect for home use, as well as professional use.
Features
The Blackstone Station Grill is a large four-burner grill, supplying a heat output of 60,000 BTU. This 36-inch grill provides 720 square inches of cooking area. This is more than enough for searing and cooking a lot of things simultaneously.
This griddle grill has a number of shelves, offering excess storage. You can use the side shelves as a workstation, while the bottom shelves can house other less frequently needed stuff. The new upgrade features a sliding shelf with a cutting board that will make your life easier, for sure.
You have the usual hooks that you can use to hang utensils or trash bags. Putting this together is a breeze, but may take some time and help from a friend. The ignition system is an instant electronic one that uses a button.
The griddle and the rest of the grill are all steel. Furthermore, they are powder coated to prevent rusting from moisture.
Pros
- Easy to clean and store
- A lot of options with cooking
- Powerful heating
Weber 2840301 Summit S
- Company: Weber
- Gas Type: Natural Gas or Liquid Propane
- Rating: 4.4 / 5 stars
- Price: $$$$
Thinking of making a bit of an investment into a grill that has pretty much everything , a grill that will be the last grill youll need to buy?;This Weber Summit is one such grill, available in liquid propane or natural gas options. The Summit Line is Webers crown jewels if you want the best, these are they!
This grill is nice and big! The cooking area is It claims to be able to cook for 8-10 people with ease, and because it has the handy side burner , you can cook your full meal at the grill with ease!
One of the things youll love on this grill is the full rotisserie system! It comes with a flip-up motor and separate spit and fork, has;storage in the enclosed;cart, and can be tucked;completely;away out of the way when you arent;using it!
This grill includes all of the standard awesome Weber goods and then some!
- SS Flavorizer Bars,;4 SS burners,;grease management system, 9mm Stainless Steel cooking grates
- Extra burners:;a;sear station, smoke burner, and rear-mounted Infrared rotisserie burner
- Center mounted thermometer built into the hood
- Enclosed tank storage area for the LP models
- Large prep areas made of stainless steel
- Grill-Out handle light and;control knob lights;for night time grilling ease
- Snap-Jet igniters for each burner, letting you do direct or indirect heat per your preference
This grill certainly has it all! Check out this video for some extra details!
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The Best Grill For Chef Types: Kudu Open Fire Grilling System
If you want to so do hard-core advance grilling, the graduate school of grilling, this is the grill lots of chefs like to use, says Lee. It’s super rudimentary, no bells and whistles, but it allows you to have different levels cooking at the same time, different distances from the charcoal or wood that you load up into the base vessel. Spacing out your cooking surfaces means that you can lightly smoke something on top and direct heat grill on the bottom, all with the same heat source. It comes apart so it’s easy to throw in the back of your truck, says Lee. And you have to know how to light it yourselfthere’s no shortcuts to fire here. But if you want to roll up your sleeves and grill all day, it’s the perfect, most versatile option.
Best Gas Grills Of 2021 According To Experts
Our editors independently selected these items because we think you will enjoy them and might like them at these prices. If you purchase something through our links, we may earn a commission. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time. Learn more about Shop TODAY.
Summer is barbecue season, and now that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said fully vaccinated individuals and, depending on the situation, some unvaccinated individuals dont have to wear masks outdoors, family and friends are looking forward to gathering in person. This means the focus is on grills yet again, similar to the steady and regular increase in interest we saw last summer around grilling accessories.
If you plan on spending quality time grilling this summer, it might be the right time to consider upgrading your wares or investing in a new model. From charcoal to wood and pellet grills, it can be daunting to know which direction to go. But gas grills are fairly common and could be an option for your outdoor space. Its estimated that 62 percent of grill owners have a grill thats fueled by gas, said Matt Moore, author of last years Serial Griller.
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Best Outdoor Charcoal Grill
- Cook Area:;576 sq inches Primary and a 240 sq-inch Secondary
- Side Tables: Two fixed painted metal shelves
- Other: Dividable fire box
The stylish Dyna-Glo Charcoal stainless grill provides a dual chamber firebox fitted to a rolling cart flanked by two fixed side tables.
Easy to maneuver enameled cast iron grates retain heat and there are options to scale down cooking as needed.
The coolest feature of the Dyna-Glo is the dual-chamber firebox. In the firebox are two charcoal baskets, which adjust from hand cranks in the front, and a removable divider rests between them.
The divided the firebox creates a single or dual cooking zone so you can control if you are using the whole grill or just part of it. If you manage a fire in one basket you can cook indirectly over the other which adds versatility.
Two heavy painted stainless steel front facing doors give you easy access to monitor and add fuel without disturbing the food or opening the lid.
The option to divide the space is a good fit for someone who waffles between needing space for 20 burgers, and cooking smaller choice cuts of meat.
Best Cheap Liquid Propane Gas Grill: Char
If youre looking for something super affordable, Char-Broil has you covered. The Char-Broil Classic 280 Propane Gas Grill is quite cheap but delivers good value. Also, it doesnt hurt that its quite a looker with its all black construction.
Features
This Char-Broil grill is small and has two burners, giving a collective output of 20,000 BTU. The cooking area is approximately 280 square inches. This one features a piezo ignition system, which is reliable enough.
The 12 x 13 inches side shelves provide ample working space. The steel lid and firebox both have porcelain coating. Similarly, the grates also have a porcelain coating.
The burners are all stainless steel as well. Even though its a cheap grill, it wont rust so easily due to the heavy coating. The coating doubles as a design aesthetic, giving it a nice laid-back feel.
The Classic 280 grill has two six-inch wheels that make it easy to transport it to your patio or backyard. The grill is 45.6 inches wide, 24.1 inches deep, and 41.9 inches high. The weight is just 43 pounds.
The inline burners on this grill give a better char. Also, it allows you to use the entire area without worrying about uneven cooking. Theres a small grease cup as well below the firebox.
Pros
- Easy to assemble
- Shelves dont fold up
- No thermometer
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Best Natural Gas Grill
- Side Tables: 2 stainless steel topped fixed shelves
- Other: one 10,000 BTU side burner, Rotisserie spit and motor
Looking to invest in a bright, delicious grilling future from the comfort of your patio? The Regal Broil King is ready to serve your outdoor grilling needs.
The die-cast aluminum and stainless steel body holds up to the weather, retains heat and looks modern.
The solid 9mm stainless rod grates sit over burner tubes which jet out on from both sides which maximizes coverage and efficiency.
The control knobs take advantage of the total range of motion to provide the widest possible range of flame control.
The illuminated knobs help you keep cooking into the evening. The grease management system pan and ignition battery sits inside an enclosed lower storage cabinet which keeps tools and other necessaries clean and dry.
The Regal covers other grilling support functions, like the solid side work table and wide flat 10,000 BTU side burner. In addition to the side burner, an electric powered rotisserie motor demonstrates versatility.
Broil King makes a point to source their manufacturing to North America and it is important to them. The design also spoils you with small details like hooks, condiment racks, large handles and a lid tool.
Why You Should Trust Us
Before opening the valve on a single propane tank, we spoke with more than a dozen experts.
Joe Salvaggio of Big Apple BBQ spent two hours explaining the fundamentals of gas-grill design, function, materials, and maintenance. Joe and his brother Tony have run Big Apple BBQ, one of the New York regions leading grill shops, for over 30 years. The store carries grills from multiple manufacturers, ranging from $400 backyard portables to five-figure custom built-ins. Because Salvaggio is an independent retailer, he was able to speak freely about what he saw as the relative strengths and weaknesses of various designs.
At the 2017 Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Expo, we interviewed senior product managers from almost every major grill-maker in attendance, including all the brands that wound up featured in our test: Weber, Broil King, and Napoleon. We spoke with multiple makers of high-end grills, too, as they predominate at HPBE. Though we wouldnt be testing their grills, we felt that knowing what goes into making a $4,000 grill helped us evaluate the less expensive grills in our test.
We backed this reporting with comprehensive researchthe in-depth, professional reviews at AmazingRibs.com being a standout sourceand hands-on time with grills at the big hardware chains.
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Types Of Grills: How To Choose The Best Grill For You
Learn more about the different types of grills available and how they compare to each other.
Jeff FlowersArticle Author
We all know there are different heating and fuel sources that can be used while grilling. Each of these fuel sources have their own set of advantages and disadvantages, with some may possibly alter the overall flavor of the food you cooked. Today, lets take a closer look at some of the different types of grills that utilize each of these fuel sources.
Can Your Grill Be Converted To Run On Natural Gas
Yes, most propane grills can be converted to run on natural gas with the addition of a natural gas conversion kit. The kit normally contains new gas jets, a longer flexible gas hose, the brass quick-disconnect gas fittings we mentioned earlier, and gas valve limiter stops.
However, there are other considerations to take into account if you are thinking about converting your propane grill.;
- It is essential to check with your local plumbing inspector to make sure that youre allowed to connect your grill to your household supply with a flexible hose. Some state regulations require a more permanent fixture.
- If youre installing a new gas line specifically for your grill, you may require a permit from your local planning authority. Failing to get the right licenses might result in some fairly hefty fines.
- Youll want to make sure that using a conversion kit doesnt void your warranty. Weber , for instance, refuses to sell conversion kits for their grills and using one completely voids their warranty.
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How We Tested Gas Grills
Over the course of four days in Spring 2017, we put our gas grills through a battery of tests designed to demonstrate their qualities and highlight their differences. We cooked burgers on high heat to see how well the grills seared meat and how intense and even was the heat they could generate across the whole grate surface. We slow-grilled cut-up chickens to see if the grills could hold a low temperature evenly across the whole grate. And we roasted whole chickens indirectly on both low and high heat to see if the grills could create browned skin and perfectly cook meat without charring. Sam Sifton, editor of the Cooking section of The New York Times joined us for these tests. In 2018 we repeated these tests, pitting the new Weber Spirit II E-310 against our upgrade pick, the Weber Genesis II E-310.
For the high-heat, whole-grate burger testan indicator of the grills ability to pump out uniform, high heat without creating an infernowe heated the grills on high with their lids down for 15 minutes . We then oiled the grates and distributed 12 to 15 6-ounce patties across the whole cooking surface. While the burgers cooked we kept an eye out for flare-upstheyre not desirable, as they char the meat and create rancid smokeand looked at the evenness of cooking on the different areas of the grates. After about 10 minutes of cooking , we compared how well each grill had seared the burgers, looked for any patties that were charred or still unacceptably raw, and took a taste.
