How To Find The Best Bbq Grill For You
While every BBQ grill on our list is a good option, the best grill for you is another matter entirely. Which one that will be will depend upon what resources you have and what functionality you will require from your grill.
When youre looking for a grill, you can find some that are little more than a heating element and a grate all the way to others that resemble high-end kitchen stoves. Helpful features may include built-in workspace or storage, thermometers and humidity gauges, hooks for utensils, warming racks, variable temperature controls, easy-open lids and more.
There are four main types of fuel distinguishing modern grills:
The 12 Best Gas Grills You Can Buy In 2021
From Weber to Napoleon, we’ve tested gas grills that cost less than $100 up to grills that cost more than a used car.
This definitive guide to the best gas grills of 2021 explores everything you need to know to find a gas grill best suited to your needs, including features to look for, materials, looks and price. Gas grill not for you? Check out our guides to charcoal and pellet grills.
Testing Notes: What To Look For In A Gas Grill
BTWho?: BTUs are an outdated and easily manipulated measurement of grill power. The numbers grillmakers provide are calculated on per hour measurements, and are derived from data on how much fuel the grill burns, not its temperature levels. A bigger grill that chews through more gas could have a sky-high BTU figure and not breach the 500 degree barrier, which should be the absolute bare minimum. Ignore BTUs and look for max temperature output, which is a better gauge of a grill’s power.
Want steaks? Go infrared: Infrared burners get dramatically hotter than standard gas burners. Using standard burners, most gas grills will struggle to exceed 600 to 700 degrees, and won’t develop a browned crust on a steak before you’ve overcooked it the infrared burner solves this issue by channeling heat from a burner into a ceramic tile, which converts that convective heat into infrared heat, dramatically increasing its intensity. You need an infrared burner to brown a steak properly. It won’t matter how long you let the grill warm up with the lid down if the grill’s max temperature is meh. Note: some companies give infrared burners a branded name like Sear Zone or something in that vein.
You need a meat thermometer: Let’s not mince words the temperature probes built into most grills are absolutely worthless. Instead, get one of our recommended instant-read thermometers.
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Kamado Grills: Factors To Consider
AirflowJust like regular charcoal grills, kamado grills rely on airflow to regulate heat. More air moving over the coals lets a fire burn hotter, while limiting the flow keeps coals just lit, for low-and-slow cooking. Look for a model with a tight-fitting lid and solid dampers or vents. Many kamado grills have a gasket on the lid, and even locking latches, to create the tightest seal possible. Some kamado grills also have multiple dampers, which makes it easier to fine-tune the temperature youre shooting for.MaterialWe divide kamado grills into two categories: ceramic and nonceramic. Ceramic grills tend to be heavier, with inch-thick walls all the way around. Nonceramic models are made of metal. They tend to weigh less and to be more maneuverable.
Blackstone 1554 Professional Outdoor Flat Top Gas Grill
Award:HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: Griddle flat top design with 4 independently controlled burners, offering maximum precision, 720 square inches of cooking area and a quick ignition button that is in line with our top pick.
- Griddle design not for everyone
- 90 day warranty
- Can rust if you arent careful
This Blackstone 1554 Professional Outdoor Flat Top Gas Grill features a similar quick ignition mechanism to our top pick, which is great, and four independently controlled burners that produce 60,000 BTU, allowing for maximum precision while preparing food items. We also loved the 720 square inches of cooking space available, which is much more than the 450 square inches found with our top pick, and the four lockable wheels.
This is a griddle flat top design, however, which may not suit every consumer, particularly those looking for a standard grill. This item also comes with a 90 day warranty, which is on the lower end, particularly for a grill under $500. Another great four burner grill is the Nexgrill 4-Burner Propane Gas Grill, which comes in a sleek stainless steel finish and features a side burner to simultaneously cook up a side dish. To make your grille space perfect, try getting some of the best outdoor storage too.
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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.
How Long Do Gas Grills Last For
Though you’re probably making your gas grill investment with this summer in mind, it’s worthwhile to think about how much use you can get out of it for years to come. Given the high temperatures used in grilling, it’s no surprise that wear and tear will have an effect on the quality of your model over time.
Rather than immediately thinking about replacing your gas grill when it loses its shine, it’s best to consider any repairs that can be done to save it. That might include fixing up its regulator or lighting system, so you can get back to flipping burgers, rather than searching for a whole new grill.
Check out the warranty of each potential gas grill model before you buy too. Even though most grills are said to last around 5-15 years, it’s always best to have a guarantee you can fall back on should anything go wrong.
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Best Grills In : Gas Charcoal And Pellet Compared
Genesis II S-335 Smart Grill
Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill 22-inch
Spirit II E-310 Gas Grill
Deluxe Four Burner Gas Grill
Gourmet CD1824E 23-inch Charcoal BBQ Grill
36″ Griddle Cooking Station with Accessory Side Shelf
Patio Bistro Tru-Infrared Electric Grill
The best grills will cook up succulent, seared meals that will have crisp and tasty results. Be it throwing on some steaks or rustling up a grilled feast for the family to enjoy, the best grill should be powerful, reliable and easy to use. It also needs to suit your cooking needs, lifestyle and budget. But with so many different types of grill available, it can often be tricky to know which one is right for you.
Before you buy, there are some things to consider first. Do you want a gas, electric or pellet grill? What different features does it offer? Finally, what is the price? The best grills can cost from as little as $100 to over $1,000, so you need to factor in your budget.
To help you decide, weve rounded up a selection of the best grills to suit every backyard and budget.
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Look For Extra Features
We have a huge variety of Propane Gas Grill Systems in the market. To attract new consumers, they offer a range of attractive features to hold your basic demands.
Big Size Gas Grill Systems offer a variety of extra features that you can use for different purposes.
The most common feature is an extra side burner. This burner is placed outside the actual Grill System.
You can use this side burner to heat up the dishes which you had prepared already. You can also use this burner for preparing sauces.
Besides this, many systems offer an extra heating rack. This heating rack lets the cook stay warm after cooking.
Additionally, the systems also come with wheels and brakes to move the system quickly.
You will even get extra hooks at the sides of the system for hanging the essential tools within arms reach.
You should check for all of such additional features in the new Gas Grill System before you hit the Checkout button.
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What Type Of Grill Is Best
When buying a new outdoor grill, the two biggest players are gas and charcoal â but electric, kamado and pellet grills are also fair game. When selecting what type of grill to buy, consider how often you’ll be grilling, the amount of space you have for storage, what flavor you prefer and the amount of time and attention you’ll want to spend cooking. Here are the basics on each:
- Dual grill zones
- Need to be near an electrical outlet
Grillart Brush And Scraper
The GRILLART grill brush is quite popular with customers, and its easy to see why. Its 18 inches long, meaning you can safely use it without accidentally burning your hand. Once again, the bristles are made out of stainless steel, so theyre bound to last you a long time. The head is 2.8 inches by 6.3 inches, and this allows you to clean large areas in less time.
The GRILLART grill brush uses a unique design the bristles are woven around the frame. This ensures that they rarely if ever fall off. You dont have to worry about any bristles ending up in your food with this brush. If you flip it upside down, you can use it as a scraper. This allows you to clean areas you wouldnt be able to otherwise.
Just like with any other brush, how long it will last you depends on how frequently you use it. In any case, the GRILLART grill brush will make up for its price.
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Cleaning Your Gas Grill
At the end of every outdoor grilling season, when its too cold to stand outside in the backyard as the snow falls, you can see the impact of a spring and summers worth of cooking on your grill. One way to avoid the need to call for refurbishing help is to keep your grill clean along the way.
Here are some tips on how to clean your gas grill:
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Make sure your grill is completely cool and the valve to the propane tank or natural gas line is off. Fill a few buckets with warm water and dish detergent.
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Remove and set aside the drip pan and heat shields. Also remove the cooking grates and soak them in water.
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Loosen debris and gunk from the inside of the grill with a clean rag. Tackle any tough, burnt-on material with a wire brush.
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After soaking the grates, use a rag to remove any particles that did not come off during the soak. Place the grates aside to dry.
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Once everything has dried, put the pieces back together And remember, the more often you clean your gas grill, the longer it will last.
Blackstone 1554 Propane Gas Burner Grill
Why youll love this:
This griddle style propane gas grill is a great fit for anyone who needs as much surface area as possible for maximum cooking power. Griddle top grills are excellent for pretty much anything youre care to do, save for slow cooking foods, making them good replacements for most kitchen appliances.
This particular model is a stellar example of the type, and brings solid cooking power with four burners and temperature zones, allowing for elaborate, complex meals to be prepared with ease.
A versatile and affordable outdoor range.
The best grill for making dishes that taste as they came from a professional restaurant kitchen is the 1554 Station from Blackstone. This looks just like the grills that you see on competition shows too. It offers tons of cooking space and lets you cook foods in different quadrants or all together.
One unique aspect of this grill is that it has a flat top rather than the grates found on other models. This creates a smooth and even surface that can accommodate all types of foods, including burgers and other traditional BBQ foods as well as the thin slices of meat and vegetables that are suitable for Mexican dishes.
As it comes loaded with storage, the Blackstone 1554 Station is the ultimate grill for entertaining too. Not only can you use the long shelf on the bottom for storage, but you can use the flat shelves on each side for prepping. It has attached wheels for easy moving of the grill too.
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Consider An Indirect Grilling Method
With larger cuts of meat such as a rib roast, its smart to use the indirect method of grilling. You can do this by placing your food over a burner that is either off or on low.
For those who like to peek under the hood, remember that when you lift the lid, you add five to 10 minutes to the overall cooking time.
How Do You Clean A Gas Grill
Every time you use your gas grill, you’ll want to clean off the grates using a grill brush or other tool. This is easiest to do while the grill is still warm, as food particles and grease haven’t hardened yet. If you have cast iron grates, you’ll also want to brush some oil onto the grates after cleaning. You should also brush off the sides and lid of your grill after each use.
Periodically, you’ll also want to deep clean your grill. Every month or so, it’s important to clean off the barrier above the burners, and once a year, take your grill apart to inspect the burners and clean the grilling chamber thoroughly with soap and water.
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Best Grills: Bells And Whistles
If youre investing in a higher-end gas grill, Anderson appreciates the added perk of rotisseries, which he said are a must for the best tasting grilled chicken the rotating grill cage bastes the meat in its own juices. Otherwise, youll find options like built-in lights for night cooking, side burners, ceramic infrared burners, warming doors for finished foods, porcelain coating, searing stations, smart connectivity and easy-packing features.
What’s The Difference Between Gas And Charcoal Grills
It seems like most people start out with a charcoal grill, but many eventually make the switch to gas. Both have a lot of pros and cons, though, and which one you get often comes down to your needs and grilling style. Charcoal grills are generally cheaperhence theyre good starter modelsand theyre often more portable.
Thats because charcoal grills are far simpler than gas alternatives you need a bed for the charcoal briquettes and lighter fluid to help get them started. Gas grills, in contrast, need a fuel source like a tank of propane as well as fuel lines, valves and burners to deliver a carefully-controlled flame to the grilling surface. And most gas grills also include a starter mechanism to light the gas.
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Best Pellet Grills In 2021 According To Experts
Select is editorially independent. Our editors selected these deals and items because we think you will enjoy 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.
When it comes to at-home grilling, youll typically come across three main options: pellet grills, charcoal grills and gas grills. All grills and smokers work with the same basic principles of thermodynamics, or heat and energy transfer, explained David Marks, head of business development for Operation BBQ Relief and the reigning national and world best wings on the planet champion. They all need fuel and oxygen to create a heat source, he said. A pellet grill uses wood pellets made of sawdust that are compressed into the form of a pellet as their fuel. Pellets are small and efficient. The pellets are made of various woods that allow you to add the smoke flavor of the specific wood that you like, he added.
Oklahoma Joes Charcoal/lp Gas/smoker Combo: Best Gas And Charcoal Grill
Why choose between gas and charcoal grills when you can have the best of both worlds. The Oklahoma Joes Longhorn Combo Charcoal Gas Smoker & Grill is equipped with separate charcoal and gas cooking chambers and an attached offset firebox for smoking, charcoal grilling or gas grilling.
Durable, porcelain-coated cast-iron grates and heavy-gauge steel construction make this ingenious hybrid grill the perfect choice for all alfresco grilling scenarios.
Best for: Texas-style barbecuing.
BBQ fuel: Charcoal and gasGrill surface: 6,839 cm2 Weight: 93 kg Dimensions: 80 x 188 x 128.5 cmCooking grates: Porcelain-coated cast iron grates
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