Many times people often wonder what type of BBQ grill is the best one to buy. For instance, I sold many BBQ grills at The Home Depot and many customers would ask me if they should go with a gas grill vs. a charcoal grill. Answering some key questions may help you determine what type of BBQ grill best suits your needs. Here are some questions that you may want to have in mind when selecting a particular BBQ grill: cost, taste, ease of use, additional features, and portability. The following is a list of BBQ grills: charcoal grills, gas grills, electric grills, infrared grills, & pellet grills.
Cost: Gas grills generally cost more than electric grills and charcoal grills. So, if cost is the biggest factor in your decision then a charcoal or electric grill would be your best choice. However, charcoal won’t save you money in the long run. Charcoal is more expensive than fuel. You will spend much more money on charcoal than you will on gas down the road when you are having a BBQ. Although electric grills can be quite inexpensive, they take quite a while to generate a high level of heat that is necessary for searing foods on a grill. Most people opt to go with an electric grill usually because they are restricted to a small space such as a balcony or local laws restrict them to only allow that type BBQ grill.
Taste: Taste can sometimes be a bigger contributing factor when you are deciding on what type of BBQ grill to purchase. Electric grills are the worst performers in this category. They offer the least amount of authenticity when it comes to taste. A charcoal grill or pellet grill should be your selection if taste/flavor is at the top or your list. You can either choose a certain type of wood to smoke or a certain type of charcoal that will give you the flavor you are looking for. However, don’t get too caught up in the taste department. For instance, there was a study done where people were presented with hamburgers and steaks cooked on gas and charcoal. No one could tell the difference between the charcoal or gas when it came to the hamburgers, but they could tell the difference with the steak. The charcoal grilled steak had more distinct smoke flavor. So, consider a gas grill for quicker cooked meals and a smoker when you really want to impress your guests. Although charcoal grills have much more authenticity than gas grills, they do not match up to pellet grills. A pellet grill burns hardwood pellets that are made from wood scraps. Pellet grills provide a flavor that outshines charcoal grills. However, pellet grills can be difficult to come by and can be quite expensive.
Additional features: Gas grills offer additional cook spaces that a charcoal or smoker unit cannot. Gas grills can have side burners, rotisserie kits, and multiple burners which allow you more cooking space and the ability to cook other types of food at the same time. As far as electric grills go, they can heat up quickly and don’t require any fuel other than an electrical outlet nearby.
Portability: If portability is the kicker in your decision then gas grills should be your choice. Small propane tanks allow you to easily take your grill to a tailgate party or camping. Also, if you have a small charcoal grill you are left dealing with the disposal of the charcoal briquettes.
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