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.
Best Gas Grills In 2021 Buyers Guide & Reviews
Disclaimer: The products featured in our Top Pick List are chosen independently and without conscious bias following our Product Review Procedure. We may receive commissions from purchases made via our links at no additional costs to you.Donna Currie
Compared to charcoal and electric grills, gas grills boast superior heating prowess with reliable control and convenience. As craftsmanship and quality improve over time, these gas grills have plenty of perks to offer.
But how to determine the best gas grill for you? Are natural gas models better than propane ones? How many burners are enough for a family of five people?
If you cant make up your mind, our guide and review will assist you in making the most informed purchase.
The Best Gas Barbecues For 2021 Are:
- Best overall John Lewis & Partners 3 burner: £279, Johnlewis.com
- Best for stress-free barbecuing Weber genesis II EX-335: £1,559, Riversidegardencentre.co.uk
- Best portable gas BBQ Weber traveler: £400, Diy.com
- Best for campsite cooks Cadac citi chef 40: £149, Gooutdoors.co.uk
- Best stylish gas BBQ Everdure force: £649, JohnLewis.com
- Best for grab-and-go grilling Char-Broil X200 Grill2Go: £204.99,
- Best small gas BBQ Char-Broil all star 125 S-GAS: £379.99, Very.co.uk
- Best for the adventurous cook Napoleon phantom rogue SE 425 RSIB: £1,169, Stovesareus.co.uk
- Best party BBQ Char-Broil professional PRO S 2 : £549.99, Crocus.co.uk
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Best Overall Electric: Weber Q 1400 Electric Grill
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Durable and easy to transport
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Quick assembly
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Cast iron cooking grates help retain heat
For an electric grill that performs great wherever there is a power outlet, choose the Q1400 from Weber. This compact but mighty electric grill delivers great flavor and doesnt require propane or charcoal.
Instead, plug the unit into an electrical outlet, adjust the temperature setting, and then get ready to grill. The key to using the Q1400 successfully is to wait a sufficient amount of time for the grill to come to temperature. Once you do, people find that the 189 square inches of cooking space can handle the grilling needs of anywhere from one person to four or moredepending on what youre cooking up. This is the smaller of Webers two electric grill models, but if you dont absolutely need the extra space, the smaller Q1400 has been found to have faster heat recovery.
With porcelain-enameled cast-iron grates, youll get excellent heat retention and easy cleanup. The Weber Q1400 is a great choice if you live in a condo or other small space where the use of gas and charcoal grills may be restricted or if you want an easy-to-use unit that only needs to be plugged in.
Dimensions: 14.5 x 27 x 16.5 inches | TotalCooking Area: 189square inches | Type: electric
“We were super pleased with these grates, as they gave us drool-worthy sear marks during different grill sessions.” Michelle Piccolo, Product Tester
After The 4th Of July
The fourth of July is one of the biggest BBQ and outdoor cooking days in America.
Before this date, it will be hard to find grills on-sale. However, after the 4th store owners know that grill season will only last a few more months, they slowly get rid of their inventory by offering lower prices. If you wish to own a grill and are looking to buy one, this is one of the best ways to buy from the stores.
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Bull Outdoor Products Bbq 44001 Angus 75000 Btu Grill With Cart
- Company: Bull Outdoor Products
- Gas Type: Natural Gas or Liquid Propane
- Rating: 4.8 / 5 stars
- Price: $$$$$
This is one of the top high end natural gas grills on the market. You CAN find even bigger, pricier models, but this amazing grill by Bull Outdoor Products is an awesome option for you if youre a serious back patio griller who want some of the fancy extras and a grill that cooks food thatll knock the socks off your guests.
Jumping right to the many features that make this Angus grill one you need to take a look at:
- 16 gauge, 304 stainless steel construction throughout! This is the SERIOUS quality stainless steel the thickest used in the grill industry making it extremely resistant to corrosion and rust.
- The cooking area is an impressive 810 sq inches, with an additional 210 sq inch warming rack you can cook up a huge feast all at once!
- 4 wheels with locking castors to let you move it fairly easily
- Dual-lined single-piece roll-top hood with seamless welded edges
- Fun extras on the hood: a full length stainless steel handle, twin interior lights for better visibility, thermometer
- Piezo igniters on each burner, with the spark area protected against food or grease drips with stainless steel housing
- A rotisserie grill and 15,000 BTU infrared back burner
- Lifetime warranty on the grates and firebox, and 20 year warranty on the 4 cast stainless steel burners!
Grill Burners Ignition And Cooking Area
Most shoppers want at least two burners so they can set up different heat zones. This way, meat can be cooked on the highest heat while veggies are grilling on a medium zone, and maybe buns get thrown to the lowest zone, if possible. But the number of burners a grill has isnt the only consideration its just as important to be aware of the distance between the burners. The closer they are, the more even the heat is, eliminating any cold or hot spots, explained Thinh Phan, the chief editor of BBQInProgress.com. He also recommended paying attention to the material of the burners. Stainless steel is better than cast iron because the latter tends to rust quicker.
Another consideration, he noted, is how a gas grill starts: There are two types of ignition used in gas grills: electronic and piezo.
However, if either version is low-quality or slow to produce a spark, it can be potentially dangerous. Pushing the button pumps gas into the burners until a spark ignites but the longer this takes, the more gas that’s released. Once the spark hits, all the gas buildup can explode into a fireball. This is one reason to consider investing in your new gas grill rather than cut corners.
Thinh Phan, Editor, BBQInProgress.com
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Weber Q 1200 Gas Grill
Best portable grill
Reasons to avoid
If you want to grill away from home, the Weber Q 1200 Gas Grill is the best portable grill. You can depend on it for the same great cooking results you get from all Weber grills. Rather than a big tank of LP gas, it uses 14- or 16-ounce propane cylinders, which last about a couple of hours. Most likely youll be taking it to a park or beach, and using it for quick-cooking items like steaks or chicken breasts but not for smoking a turkey or a shoulder of pork, so a single cylinder should do per outing.
It has side tables that are just as handy on the road as when youre grilling in the backyard, but they fold up for travel so the grill is easy to transport. Other conveniences include a lid thermometer and an easy to remove and clean drip pan.
Types Of Bbqs And Grills
There are many options to consider when choosing the perfect BBQ. Gas or charcoal? Propane or wood? How about a Kamado? What is a BTU? Well help you choose the best grill for your space and help you understand the differences between each, including their features and benefits, so you can make an informed decision before buying.
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Btus And Temperature Control
Dont get hung up on BTU rating. While the BTU will tell you how much fuel the grill is guzzling, a higher BTU does not directly relate to higher heat.
Preheat time does matter. It can take some gas grills fifteen minutes or more to get up to the right cooking temperature, and every minute waiting to cook feels like an hour.
An infrared gas grill is designed to sear steak and chicken. Its a popular feature of some of the best gas grills. But a lack of infrared burners shouldnt be a total deal breaker as there are other ways to achieve similar searing effects.
The burners on any gas grill will be the part of the grill most often replaced. A burner can last between two and 10 years, and some gas grills offer a 10-year warranty for the burners. Replacing the burners is not a hard task most grill burners can be replaced in less than 10 minutes.
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.
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How To Start A Gas Grill
Back in the earlier days, grillers would use matches and newspapers to get the flames started. Considering natural gas and propane are highly flammable fuels, there has to be a safer way to get the fire going. And thanks to the emergence of piezo starters, you can spark the flames with as little effort as a buttons click.
Modern gas-fueled grills have a set of electric sparkers built in the temperature dials. Simply allow the gas to enter the grill, turn the knobs until you hear a sharp click, and youre all set. Now that the bright and healthy flames are going strong, you can fine-tune it as appropriate.
As effective as they are, sometimes the sparker can malfunction without any notice. In that case, use a gas lighter as a quick fix until you can fix it or find a replacement unit. Any gas lighter is fine, either a pocket-size one for travelling or a standard one used in restaurants. If youre going camping with a propane grill, you can use a fire starter kit as a makeshift igniter too.
Best Cheap Gas Grill Best Under $300
- More grill space would be nice
Cooking Space: 630 square inchesGas Type: Propane Max Temperature: ~600° F
There is serious firepower inside what looks like youre run-of-the-mill grill that sits on the curb at Home Depot. The three-burner, multi-vent, barrel-style grill reaches temperatures in excess of 600 degrees without the use of an infrared burner, a necessary tool for most non-premium grills to hit temps that high. At 600 degrees, youre able to put a proper sear on anything, not just grill marks . This power is aided by the addition of heat diffusers over the burners upside-down, V-shaped steel shields that even out heat distribution and good airflow. As with any frugal-minded grill, you shouldnt expect it to stay in top shape for too long, but you wont find a cheap grill packing this much ordinance. In testing
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Another Recommended Portable Gas Grill
Cooking Space: 226 square inchesGas Type: Propane Max Temperature: ~375° F
The Nomadiq Mini is a lighter, more spacious portable gas grill than the Weber Q-series. Its temperature range is similar , it almost one-third what the Weber does and it boasts more cooking space . It’s the perfect day-at-the-park or car camping grill, though still not light enough to warrant carrying on a hike.
We have one main quibble with it. While forgivable given the price and portability, the flip-out base isn’t quite as sturdy as you’d like it to be and will wobble if you don’t balance where you’re putting meat on it.
Everdure By Heston Blumenthal Force 2 Burner
The best premium gas barbecue
Specifications
This aesthetically spot-on two-burner gas model from food sorcerer Heston Blumenthal is built almost entirely out of rust-free die-cast aluminium so you can expect it to last for years. It also comes with the most accurate control dials in the business, a top-quality cast-iron grate with integrated flame tamers and a collapsible side table. Needless to say, it grills meat and veg to perfection every time. You might struggle to do Heston’s signature snail porridge in it, but feel free to try.
The Weber Genesis II E-310 is a great gas grill from a premium barbecue maker.
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Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill 22
Best charcoal grill
Reasons to avoid
The Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill 22-inch has a grate thats big enough for a whole mess of hamburger patties. However, because its easy to adjust the heat by opening and closing the vents in the bottom and in the lid, this grill is remarkably versatile and can definitely go beyond burgers and brats. It can turn out a perfectly seared medium-rare porterhouse or thoroughly-cooked chicken with a crispy golden-brown skin. The grate is hinged on both sides so its easy to add more briquets if youre having a party and turning out hot dogs throughout the evening.
Extras include a thermometer in the lid and hooks for hanging up your tools. A heat shield underneath the lid handle makes it easy to lift without singeing your hand, and the lid rests on the side of the grill while you flip the steaks or baste the ribs. Underneath the kettle, theres a big bucket called an ash catcher you use a lever to sweep the ashes into it and then its easy to remove and empty without leaving a trail of ashes along the way. The only thing missing are side tables for holding a platter.
How We Picked The Best Gas Grill
We had three firm criteria that our main contenders had to meet:
Finally, we restricted our search to grills that burn propane from refillable tanks, the most common fuel by far, but you should note that most grills can also run on natural gasthough converting to natural gas isnt cheap or simple.1
We didnt fret much over two other factors that grill-makers spend a lot of time talking about: total Btu count and the grates material. First, the total Btu count on three-burner grills tends to vary between 30,000 and 40,000, and the industry is making a strong push toward more is better. But our research and reporting convinced us that at least as important as the total output was whether those Btus were applied efficiently, steadily, and evenly across the grates. We decided to reserve judgment until our tests.
We knew we would be looking at intangibles, too, such as how well the grills were packed, if the instructions were clear, and if assembly was reasonably straightforward. And, of course, we would consider the biggest intangible of all: the grills ability to perform in our tests.
But those judgments would have to wait until we got our hands on the contenders. So after weeks of research, reporting, and discussion, we settled on four gas grills to test in our main $400 to $700 category, and two grills around the $200 mark to test as budget options.
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How To Choose The Best Gas Grill
Choosing the best gas grill is not a complicated process. That said, the sheer amount of choices doesnt exactly help. A lot of new players have emerged over the past decade, offering newer features.
The first thing you need to decide is whether you want a natural gas or liquid propane grill. This depends on if you have a natural gas outlet available. Keep in mind that you can only use the grill where an outlet is available.
Secondly, you need to decide what size you want. You can think of the number of burners you need or the cooking area. As a general rule, two burners are enough for a small family or party. For anything bigger than that, go for at least four burners.
Brands also make a huge difference. Those who have owned grills before would know some brands are synonymous with quality. That usually removes all the guesswork as you can be sure about the quality.
When buying a grill over $500, make sure to look out for a warranty. With proper care, your grill can last at least five years. Still, its nice to have a warranty, especially when ordering something online.
Weber grills have the longest and the best warranty, lasting ten years. This indicates that the company has faith in its products.
