Things to Consider Before Buying a Gas Grill

Let's just say you know all the brands by heart and can quote manufacturers verbatim. Yet, you still don't know which grill to choose! You might want to consider the following points before buying a gas grill.

Price - you tend to get what you pay for. On the other hand, an expensive grill doesn't necessarily result in a good barbecue experience. A gas grill can be cheap (the Weber Go-Anywhere: about $60) or expensive (a Solaire InfraVection Cart Grill: almost $4000), so it can become mind boggling when checking out the range at a store.

You need to decide how much you're willing to spend on a grill. The larger the grill, the higher the price, so you'll also need to determine the following: what you intend to cook on the grill, how many people you're cooking for, and how much space have you allowed for the new purchase. Features like side burners and rotisseries can push up a grill's price too.

Fuel Type - gas grills can run on natural gas or propane; former costs more than the latter. For example, the Weber Genesis E-310 Natural Gas Grill costs $669 whereas the Weber Genesis E-310 Propane Gas Grill is $649.

While grills usually run on propane, natural gas is a cheaper alternative that won't run out in the middle of a cookout. Conversely, propane tanks are convenient and portable. Some gas grills can run on both or convert to run on natural gas. The conversion may be expensive initially, but if you only plan to entertain at home, the savings will add up in the end.

Material - once you've found a likely-looking grill, you should evaluate the material from which the body and frame. Cast aluminum and stainless steel are common materials. Stainless steel is more expensive (the Weber Genesis S-320 costs almost $840), although its quality may vary. A magnet sticks to lower grade stainless steel, which rusts more easily than that of a higher-grade. Stainless steel also tends to last a shorter time than cast aluminum. Beware of painted steel in grill frames, which can rust over time.

Timing - you'll probably pay less if you shop before the beginning of summer or during fall. Off-season is when gas grills are in least demand, and prices will dip as retailers attempt to lure potential buyers. Buying a grill off-season may also mean you will enjoy discounted or free shipping.

Heat - larger grills usually come with higher BTU ratings. A BTU rating (British thermal units) measures the heat generated by the burner(s) per hour. However, this doesn't directly translate into the heat generated by the grill itself. Rather, it indicates the amount of fuel a grill uses in an hour; a 40,000 BTU grill means you'll be running through propane tanks pretty quickly! Grill size, heat distribution and retention come into play for the actual heat a grill produces to cook food quickly and evenly. That's why smaller grills can outperform larger ones when you compare cooking temperatures and durations.

Grilling novices may be surprised to find that it isn't the grill, but the experience of the cook, that makes a cookout memorable. The grill is a medium through which a good cook channels his or her skills for the benefit of the guests. That said, a good grill makes cooking more enjoyable, while a bad one will have a hand in making a cookout a rare event in the household.

Features to Investigate When Buying a Gas Grill

If you've already budgeted a decent amount for it and picked out a likely spot to situate your new grill, congratulations! However, the search for a new grill isn't over even after you've decided how often you're going to grill; you'll also have to check out the following features to ensure you'll be happy using it summer after summer.

How Great Are The Grates?
The most preferable cooking grates are made from porcelain-enameled cast iron or thick, stainless steel slats. These incredibly durable materials provide fantastic heat conduction and retain heat well. One thing to remember is that stainless steel needs less maintenance than enameled cast iron. You should always oil the latter after using it to prevent the porcelain from flaking off and the iron beneath from rusting.

Where Are The Controls?
Many people gripe when the burner knobs are located on side tables, and not merely because they take up space that could be used to hold another dish. If you keep your grill outside, uncovered (which you probably shouldn't), you'll find that you'll have to clean off whatever has fallen onto the horizontal burner controls. It could be leaves, bird poop or worse, snow. Horizontally mounted controls can be a nuisance to access too, so you can save yourself the stress by getting a grill with front-mounted burner knobs.

How Hot Do The Burners Get?
You need to take into account the heat output rating when evaluating the burners on a grill. The more heat they produce, the higher the British thermal unit rating, or BTU, of the grill. More heat promises, but doesn't guarantee, quicker cooking and good sear marks, or that cooking surfaces will evenly heated.

In fact, smaller grills can sometimes compensate for lower BTU ratings with better heat retention and distribution qualities to supply more heat than larger grills. You can ignore the BTU ratings for side burners or rotisseries, as the heat output for the main grilling area is your chief priority.

What Add-ons Does The Grill Have?
The majority of hinge-lidded large grills come with warming racks to keep food warm or heat pre-cooked food. It comes in handy if you're cooking for a large gathering and want to keep guests happy. On the other hand, you might never use it, and its presence may be a hindrance if you need a clear cooking area.

Side burners and rotisseries can come in helpful for many cooks who intend to multi-task. These features can be great time savers and help avoid trips in and out of the kitchen, but also tend to push up the price of the grill. Tool hooks and side tables are useful too, but only as long as they're made from sturdy materials.

One thing to remember when you're shopping for a new grill is that you get what you pay for. A grill constructed from durable materials and a design optimized for grilling is likely to cost more than a flimsy grill that costs a third of the price but doesn't last beyond the summer and burns your food to a crisp to boot. It's also best to get a grill that meets your basic requirements instead of splashing out on accessories you may never use.