How Many Main Burners Do You Need
The performance of a grill is determined by its British thermal units . But unless youre a physics enthusiast, its simpler to choose the grill based on its number of burners.
Having in mind the table above, you will typically need:
- 1 burner for up to 3 people
- Two burners for up to 6 people
- Three or more burners for more than 6 people
What Type Of Grill Is Best
When buying a new outdoor grill, the two biggest players are gas and charcoal 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:
- Doubles as a smoker
- Heavy
Your Grills Temperature Gauge
Understanding and using your Weber grills temperature gauge is critical to effective grilling. Different meats and foods cook best at different temperatures, so youll want to give your grill the chance to heat properly before you jump into grilling. Weber temperature gauges are designed to be ultra-accurate, giving you real-time information about the internal temperature of your grill. That way youll know exactly when its time to throw on the meat or whatever you happen to be cooking up that day. And of course, these temperature gauges are built to last with highly durable lenses and stainless steel construction.
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Weber Genesis Special Edition Se
Some people love to consider colors and design when they’re buying Weber grills.
If you’re one of them, perhaps this Weber gas grill is for you!
This beast of 669 square inches wide have:
- 3 burners
- A side burner
- A sear station
Above all that, it holds its own against the best gas grills because of these high-end features:
- Stainless steel cooking grates
- Flavorizer bars
- Electronic crossover ignition system
There’s no need to worry about any flavor dripping out or any inconveniences with keeping this operating!
Still not yet sold? This model also contains a handle light for your campfire, Weber gas grills, and the ever-perfect barbeque grills!
Pros:
- Stainless steel grates and stainless steel burners for even heat retention
- The cooking surface illuminates once the hood is open
- The black grill model works on both liquid propane and natural gas
- Wide cooking surface and sear station
- Hood with a porcelain coating
- Has porcelain enameled cast iron grates
Cons:
Gas Grill Vs Charcoal Grill
If youre buying a grill, your first decision is which type of fuel: charcoal or gas.
Gas grills offer three big benefits:
- Control: Adjusting the heat is a simple matter of turning the burner knobs, so you can easily prevent burning or undercooking, as well as create different heat zones by shutting down one or more burner . You can do the same with charcoal, too, but it takes workyou need to move the coals around and adjust the vents.
- Convenience: Gas grills turn on with the press of a button and heat up fast. Charcoal grills require 20 minutes or so to light the coals and another 10 minutes or so for the grates to heat up.
- Cleanliness: Gas grills dont generate much smoke and dont produce ash or embers the way charcoal grills do, so cleanup is simpleyou just have to brush and wipe the grates and empty the grease trap after youre done cooking.
That said, charcoal grills have several upsides of their own. Charcoal burns hotter than gas, so you can get a superior sear on burgers and steaks. You can buy an exceptional, do-everything charcoal grill for $150 gas grills start at around $200, and youll spend at least twice that on a really good one. Lastly, theres the romance factor: For some people, its more fun to play with fire than to twiddle a few knobs.
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Argos Home Deluxe 3 Burner Outdoor Kitchen Gas Bbq
Best value BBQ
Cooking area:60 x 41cmWeight: 45kg
Argos has packed a lot of value into its own-brand Deluxe 3 Burner Outdoor Kitchen Gas BBQ. This BBQ comes on four wheels, with a base that makes it look built-in to any outdoor space. It has three burners and a side burner, which is great for boiling corn on the cob or frying off any extras that may fall through the grate. Theres an in-built space for the gas tank and the cooking area is 60 x 41cm, making it one of the largest BBQs you can buy. All great value for money when you consider that this BBQ is under £250.
Other extras we love include a drip tray and the trusty warming rack to keep your hot dogs hot. It does come flat packed and can be a hassle to assemble, but grab a family member and set aside some time ahead of use and you can reward yourself with a delicious grilled meal when its over.
The Negatives Of A Gas Barbecue
This pinpoint precision has its pitfalls, reducing the overall radiant heat . Because they lack the even blanket of heat of a traditional charcoal barbecue, many gas barbecues try to compensate with added tech . However youll still struggle with heat retention and find it difficult to build flavourful crusts on larger cuts.
Further, gas burns cooler than charcoal, restricting the efficiency of the heat.
You will be limited when it comes to indirect cooking and/or smoking. Imparting wood smoke will also be slightly more tricky, with soaked wood chips above the flames being your only real option.
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The First Wood Pellet Smoker From Weber
Rumors have been floating around about this new grill for a while now so we were excited to finally get some details from Weber
- Weber connect smart grilling technology
Were happy to say that the only difference between the two grills is the size of the grill grates so you dont get punished for buying the cheaper option.
It always annoyed us that Traeger reserve some features for their more expensive models.
At first glance, the design of this grill looks similar to the Traeger Ironwood series. Its clear that Weber are looking to compete with Traeger who is currently dominating the pellet grill market.
The Weber looks competitively priced, with the more expensive model offering more grilling space than the Traeger Ironwood 650.
Price comparison:
- Weber SmokeFire EX4 672 $999.00
The SmokeFire offers a few features that look to set it apart from the rest of the competition.
You can see an overview in this marketing video from Weber , and well go into more detail in the sections below.
Gas Grill Lid And Exterior
First of all, the first thing we see: the stainless steel or porcelain-coated cast iron exterior!
Ventilation
Since we’re working with fire, we cannot stress enough how important it is to have good ventilation, regardless of whether you’re using natural gas or a propane tank.
Ventilation ensures that your cooking is safe. After all, SAFETY is the first step to ensuring great quality cooking!
Don’t forget that fire needs to have just enough oxygen to power up the combustion reaction and into your choice of meats.
Thermometer
The temperature at which you cook your meat pretty much entails the quality and flavor of your food itself.
We firmly believe that the best grills, whether gas grill or not, are those that have a built-in thermometer in them so you could monitor proper cooking temperatures.
This also helps you out with seamless preparation and cooking during your grilling party.
After, we’re certain you wouldn’t want to serve burnt or uncooked meat!
Control Panel
We just have to admit it cooking and grilling can get MESSY.
No one wants to see their grills breaking down or losing control of everything they’re trying to do while grilling.
A stainless steel control panel basically ensures your grilling baby holds under pressure, ESPECIALLY when trying to cook a ton of food all at once.
You should also ask about the quality of stainless steel control panels when buying your model!
Exterior Surface Space
Wheels
Portability is KEY!
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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.
Shelf/prep Area And Storage Features
Theres no other way to describe Weber s design here than a complete failure.
The shelf area to sit plates or get food ready on the SmokeFire is pitiful.
Im told there is going to be a front shelf accessory sold in the future which is a joke. Why should people have to pay more for basic functionality when you are already paying a premium price point?
I would have much rather seen an additional shelf instead of where the grill handle is on the left side of the grill. Why does it need a handle??? How often do grills get moved?
I typically never move my grills once they hit the back deck.
One small positive: it does have two knobs to hang grilling utensils.
As far as grill storage goes, you can go ahead and forget about that. This grill has none.
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A To Z List Of The Best Bbq Wood Pellets
A pellet grill/smoker is only as good as the BBQ pellets you put into it. The type/quality of the BBQ wood pellets you use will impact temperature performance and smoke flavour. There are many pellet flavours including Apple, Hickory, Mapel, Oak and Walnut to name but a few. However, some brands are hardwood blended pellets whereas others are 100% single wood species.
In this article, I provide details on over 20 brands of BBQ wood pellets, their range of flavours, whether they are 100% single wood species or hardwood blended pellets, their typical price and where they are available. I also provide tips on how to get the best deal when buying BBQ wood pellets and how to test pellet quality. Finally, I discuss the new kid on the block, charcoal pellets and their special attributes compared to all other hardwood BBQ pellets.
Weber Smokefire Pellet Grills
There are currently two models within the Weber SmokeFire pellet grill range, the smaller EX4 and the larger EX6. I discuss the features/capabilities of the Weber SmokeFire range in this article. Below Ill just briefly discuss their features to compare them against the Pit Boss Platinum Series. In terms of cooking area, the EX4 provides 672 square inches and the EX6 provides just over 1,000 square inches.
Therefore while the Weber Smokefire EX6 and Pit Boss KC Combo are comparable in cooking area, the Pit Boss Lockhart is significantly larger than either Weber pellet grill. However, both the Weber EX4 and EX6 provide a higher cooking temperature of 600 degrees. Thats 100 degrees higher than the Pit Boss Platinum Series can manage.
The EX4 is the smallest Weber SmokerFire pellet grill, available for just under $1,000: Image BBQGuys.com
The internal components of the Weber SmokeFire range are DC powered. Hence, very similar to the Traeger D2 Direct Drive system. I should also note that both the Weber EX4 and EX6 are WiFi pellet grills. Originally the Pit Boss Platinum Series grills just offered Bluetooth connectivity, however, they are now also WiFi-compatible.
The EX6 is currently the largest model in the Weber SmokeFire range: Image BBQGuys.com
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Who Should Buy This Grill
If you are an early adopter and dont mind going through some teething pains, the SmokeFire has the potential to be a great grill.
I believe that Weber will get all these issues ironed out, and the grill will eventually become one of the best pellet grills on the market.
I also believe that the App will evolve into something more useful. But its not quite there yet. If you are willing to go on that ride, then go for it. If not, I would look at another grill or wait a while.
Use A Grill Cover To Extend The Life Of Your Grill
The first piece of advice is that you definitely need a grill cover. A grill cover will help keep your grill looking good for years to come. You should cover your grill after every use once it has cooled down. While some worry that a grill cover will encourage rusting, this is a myth. Stainless steel grills must be kept covered between uses to ensure lawn chemicals and other corrosive agents won’t act on the metal and tarnish it.
Avoid felt-lined or flannel-lined grill covers because mice and squirrels will use the fabric for nesting material. They will tear away at it, and the cover will soon enough be in tatters. Instead, look for unlined vinyl, polyester, oilcloth, or weather-proof nylon covers.
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Temp Control And Accuracy:
I have struggled to maintain the temps Im aiming for and have found the grill internal temps to not be very consistent with what the grill displays.
Temperature accuracy
I tested the grill internal temps using the highly reliable Thermoworks Signals with 3 ambient temp probes.
When the grill setting was a low temp, the internal temp would tend to be about 30-40° hotter than the temp on the display.
Example: I set grill to 210°F. Grill internal temp would be about 240-250°. When grill setting was higher, it would tend to be off about 50-65°.
Example: I set grill to 450°. Internally temp would be 500-515°. . Currently, the grill display cant be trusted.
Temperature consistency
The temperature from minute to minute on the grill is actually very good. There are very little temperature swings or drops.
The consistency is conditional though. I noticed very quickly when grilling at higher temps, you have to open up the lid, get in, and get out as quickly as possible.
The grill loses a ton of heat very quickly and cools down fast. It also takes several minutes to get the heat building back up again. I believe some of this is due to the large size of the grill and the fact that all of the heat is coming from 1 single source, unlike a gas grill that would have multiple burners.
Hot and cold zones
I monitored left, middle, and right sides of the grill during testing.
The impact of these temperature issues will vary based on how you are using the grill:
Using as a Smoker
The Benefits Of A Gas Barbecue
Ease-of-use and speed is the name of the game here, as youll be able to get cooking in under 10 minutes .
The accuracy of a good gas grill will allow you to set temperatures with precision, allowing better overall control.
The heat is very direct and consistent, usually coming from 2-3 set of burners, allowing you to sear with ease, which is perfect for barbecue staples.
The speed and instant adaptability are great for summer midweek cooking, as well as churning out the goods for larger groups.
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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
