How to choose a BBQ grill – charcoal, gas, or electric?
Summer’s most flavorful memories are made on the grill. Selecting the right type of grill is largely a matter of personal taste. Traditional charcoal grills, powerful gas grills, and convenient electric grills all have their pros and cons. Familiarize yourself with the options before heading to the store!
Grills are primarily categorized by the heating method they use. It’s wise to choose a grill type based on your grilling preferences and needs, and intended location. In apartment buildings, always check the property’s rules, as grilling may be prohibited for fire safety reasons.
Gas grill
A gas grill is quick and easy to use. Heat is distributed evenly over the cooking surface, and the temperature is easy to control. The cooking surface is usually significantly larger than that of charcoal or electric grills.
Gas grill users should learn the optimal temperatures for cooking different dishes, as well as how to use both direct and indirect heat. It’s important to identify the different heat zones of your grill and to learn when certain foods need to be moved on the warming rack to rest.
The efficiency of a gas grill depends on the number of burners. The more burners, the more food you can cook at once. A two-burner grill is sufficient for two people, while grills with three or four burners are suitable for cooking for larger groups. Some gas grills can be equipped with an optional charcoal tray, allowing you to combine the best features of a charcoal and gas grill.
A gas grill always has a special grease tray at the bottom of the frame, where liquids ultimately drip down. Some grills feature a full-width grease pan, while others have a small aluminum foil cup that’s easy to replace as needed.
Gas grills are well suited for both summer cottage and home yards, and even apartment balconies if permitted by the building’s regulations.
Pros and cons
+ Easy to light and ready for use quickly
+ Can be used almost anywhere
+ Easier to control different temperature zones than with charcoal grilling
+ Has a separate container for collecting grease
+ Suitable for long-duration grilling
– Difficult to move due to the heavy gas cylinder
– Requires you to pay careful attention to the gas hoses and the storing of the gas cylinder
– Requires a separate smoker box if you want to use it for smoking
– Often the most expensive option
Remember to ensure the gas valve is closed after each use.
Charcoal grill
A traditional charcoal grill is ideal for leisurely cooking. The hot glow of the coals gives the food a crispy sear. In a charcoal grill, the fat dripping from the food falls onto the coals, creating aromatic steam that gives the food a unique flavor.
A charcoal grill requires some time and patience before it’s ready to use, although the actual grilling is as quick as with gas, for example. You can heat a charcoal grill with either coal or briquettes, but it’s difficult to regulate the heat that is emitted. Special smoker grills allow for both grilling and smoking.
A windless spot is best for all grilling, but charcoal grilling often produces smoke, which should be considered when choosing the location for the grill.
The favorite among grilling enthusiasts is the kamado, originally from Japan and closely related to the Indian tandoor. Kamado grills, which have now found their way to the west as well, are airtight ceramic vessels that stay hot for hours. They are roughly the same price as quality gas grills. Well-known brands include Big Green Egg, Monolith, and Kamado Joe.
Pros and cons
+ Grilling is an event in itself, as lighting and preparing the coals takes time
+ Doesn’t require electricity or gas
+ Advocates say charcoal grilling gives food a more authentic grilled and smoky flavor
+ Small models with wheels are easy to move
+ If you like smoking, you can place wood chips directly on the smoldering coals
+ A relatively affordable option
– Slow to start, as getting the coals ready takes time
– Regulating temperature with air vents is challenging
– When grilling on a grate, fat drips onto the coals
– The resulting ash must be removed and properly disposed of
– The grill’s exterior remains hot for a long time
Electric grill
The smokeless, neighbor-friendly, and fire-safe electric grill is a popular choice, especially for balconies. However, an electric grill is not as powerful or fast as a gas or charcoal grill, so it’s less suitable for cooking thick steaks or meats that require long cooking times.
Electric grills intended for amateur use have a maximum power of about 2 kW, as a standard 10-amp fuse can’t handle higher wattage. A medium-sized, three-burner gas grill can have the heating power of up to 13 kW.
The thermostat of an electric grill aims at maintaining the set temperature by periodically turning off the heating elements. When that happens, the cooking surface cools down quickly. Therefore, the grill is best suited for preparing foods that are easy and quick to grill.
Pros and cons
+ An affordable option
+ Hassle-free; electricity rarely runs out
– Doesn’t give your food that authentic smoky flavor
– Lacks power and has uneven heat distribution
What makes a quality grill?
Whether you choose a gas, charcoal, or electric grill, make sure you get good value for your money. Affordable grills bought on sale will last you only a few years, but brand-name grills can last up to a couple of decades.
You can recognize a quality grill by:
- The availability of spare parts
- The length of the warranty
- The materials used
Quality grills often have spare parts available, such as burners, valves, regulators, and grates. The warranty period is also longer than with cheaper alternatives.
Grill cooking grates are made of cast iron, stainless steel, or enameled cast iron. All of these are good materials. The enameled surface is the easiest to keep clean, but it can get scratched easily. A cast iron grate is also easy to maintain, as long as you season it before first use by brushing it with lard and heating it to a very high temperature. Some grills come with a built-in griddle alongside the cooking grate. A griddle can be handy in some situations, but for grilling convenience, it’s better to get a separate griddle that sits on top of the cooking grate.
Quality of steel
The single most important quality factor in both charcoal and gas grills is the quality of the steel. This quality often can’t be seen; you need to obtain the information in another way.
In practice, there are three ways to make steel withstand outdoor conditions:
- Add chromium to make stainless steel.
- Enamel the steel, which means coating it with opaque glass.
- Galvanize the steel, which means coating it with zinc.
The cheapest grills don’t use stainless steel or enameling; instead, ordinary steel is coated with powder coating. Such structures will rust through in a few years.
Using stainless steel doesn’t guarantee a long life for the grill as such, as there are vast differences in stainless steel grades. A common grade that resists corrosion quite well is type 304. It’s known as austenitic steel and uses nickel as an alloying element. However, nickel is quite an expensive metal, so many manufacturers use the cheaper and less corrosion-resistant 430-grade ferritic steel.
You can distinguish between austenitic and ferritic steels using a magnet test. If a magnet sticks weakly to the steel surface, the steel is most likely austenitic. On the other hand, a magnet will stick firmly to ferritic steel. While the test should be taken with some reservation, it provides some guidance when assessing the quality of a grill.
Grill accessories
- Whenever you’re not using your grill, it’s good to protect it. Water and dirt are a grill’s biggest enemies. Protective covers are available in both plastic and fabric. Plastic can be susceptible to breaking due to exposure to sun or subzero temperatures. Silicone-lined fabric is an excellent cover material.
- Various spatulas, tongs, grates, and other tools make grilling smoother. Handling food is easy with utensils specifically designed for grilling.
- When grilling, it’s also advisable to use appropriate protective gear, such as gloves and an apron.
Grill maintenance
Even the highest-quality grill won’t remain usable for long if not properly maintained. Therefore, cleaning with a brass brush or a cloth after use is important. For thorough cleaning, you can use oven cleaning spray. For cast iron surfaces, hot water and a dishwashing brush suffice, followed by treatment with lard after cleaning. Additionally, it’s a good idea to regularly replace the grates and burners. Before storing the grill for winter, it should be thoroughly cleaned and covered.
Checklist for grill buyers
- Consider the kind of grill you prefer in advance. Gas, charcoal, and electric grills are suitable for different users. Your choice will also depend on what the grill will be used for and how many people you’ll be cooking for.
- Choose a grill based on your previous experience as well—if you’re not experienced at grilling, it won’t be worth investing in the most expensive and largest model immediately. It’s good to practice for a few years with a small and simple grill.
- Invest in quality if you want a grill that lasts for many years. Spare and additional parts for cheaper models often cost almost as much as those for more expensive models—if they’re available at all. The most expensive grills are quality gas grills; quality charcoal and electric grills are available at a lower cost.
- Make sure to place your grill far enough from any flammable materials, such as walls. Charcoal and gas grills may only be used outdoors in areas with good ventilation.
Expert: Sales Director Kimmo Sundholm, Landmann Finland
