Gas BBQ Grills

Gas BBQ grills using propane are a step removed from cooking over a wood or charcoal fire.

Plenty of serious barbecuers regard this is a form of heresy!

Despite this, and the higher initial cost over that of a charcoal grill, there are plenty reasons to go get a gas grill.

Gas BBQ Grills vs Charcoal Grills

• A Gas BBQ lights and is ready to go instantly, unlike a charcoal grill which will take 30 minutes plus before it is ready.

• A gas grill will cost a lot more to buy than the equivalent sized charcoal version by the same manufacturer.

• Charcoal cost at least ten times more than gas to cook the same amount of food.

• Because they are "clean burning", gas grills don't flavor the food in that special smoky way that charcoal does. But with some foods, like burgers you can't tell the difference.

• Something else worth noting is that gas grills contain parts - regulators, burners, pipes, manifolds, etc that need maintenance and replacement.

• Whatever manufacturer you choose, spare parts will be available - but this requires extra cost and extra effort to deal with.

Propane Gas vs Natural Gas

Here is a summary of the differences between the two:

• Propane gas is supplied at around twice the pressure of natural gas and produces the same BTU/hr for half the volume of fuel.

• In other words, liquid propane gas effectively produces twice the amount of heat energy of natural gas.

• A propane gas BBQ grill is portable - the gas is self contained in a bottle - a natural gas BBQ needs a pipe connected to your local supply and therefore portability is limited to the length of the hose.

• Natural gas BBQs have one major advantage however - you'll never run out of gas! This is the deciding factor to some buyers.

• You cannot just attach a LP gas BBQ to a natural gas supply, or vice versa - the internal components are different due to the varying properties and supply requirements of the two gases.

• It is possible to convert one type to the other though - many manufacturers produce a kit with the necessary parts.

• Both fuels are burn relatively cleanly and are considered environmentally friendly.

Components and Operation of a Gas BBQ Grill

The gas bottle is connected by a hose to the regulators, which control the amount of heat in a predictable way, unlike charcoal.

They are easy to light and have a piezoelectric starter or igniter that produces a high voltage spark to light the gas, usually first time.

Another component that is likely to be present is a means of distributing heat more evenly. This could be lava rocks - which are arranged in a specific way on a grate above the burners.

Ceramic briquettes do the same job but cost more, however they do last longer.

Where to Find Gas BBQ Grills

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