Choose what’s under your grate before
you choose what goes on top
By Roxanne Webber
Gas or charcoal grilling: It’s “the grate debate,” according to Steven Raichlen. Gas grills are good for people who like how easy they are to start and clean up, says Karen Adler. Raichlen adds that they are “great for weekday dinners when time is at a premium.” Adler says people choose charcoal grills for the smoky flavor they impart, and because they can reach very hot temperatures for searing and charring. Raichlen says that they are “great for smoking,” which he says you can’t really do on a gas grill.
CHOW spoke with barbecue and grilling experts to find out what you can expect to spend on each type; how long they take to assemble, heat up, and clean up; and more. We’ve summarized the options in a chart to help you figure out whether gas or charcoal will be a better fit for your grilling needs. When you’re ready to fire it up, take a look at some grilling tips.
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Gas |
Charcoal |
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Price Range |
The most popularly priced gas grills are $129 to $299, while grills with more features will run between $700 and $1,500 and well beyond. |
On the low end you can get something for about $20. A basic Weber kettle is around $85, while more deluxe models are upward of $400. |
Temperature Range / BTUs |
Some cheaper models may not get hot enough to sear well (you’ll need to reach about 600 degrees Fahrenheit). But Weber’s website adds that BTUs “are not a measure of cooking power. … Tightly engineered grills use fewer BTUs and cook food more efficiently.” When shopping, ask about the temperature the grill will reach and the burner configuration (the two factors depend on each other). |
A loaded kettle grill with red-hot charcoal can reach 700 degrees Fahrenheit. The type of charcoal used will affect the temperature (lump usually burns hotter than briquettes). Charcoal is king among barbecue pitmasters, who insist that real barbecue is only achieved by cooking with smoke at around 200 degrees Fahrenheit. |
Assembly |
Gas grills are more complicated to assemble than charcoal—you’ll need about two hours for a midrange model. |
With charcoal grills, you’re looking at a half-hour setup, tops. |
Time to Start /
Heat Up |
Gas grills light instantly, and take about 10 minutes to heat up. |
Charcoal grills require time to light the charcoal, and 15 to 20 minutes to reach cooking temperature. |
Cost of Fuel |
At the time of writing, it cost around $18 to fill a standard 20-pound propane cylinder, which yields about 20 hours of cook time. That equals a little over a dollar an hour to cook on gas. |
A large chimney starter holds about six quarts of charcoal. Six quarts of a high-quality sustainably sourced lump charcoal will cost you about $1.70, and the equivalent quality in briquettes would be about $3.35. |
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Upkeep / Maintenance |
You’ll have to check the gas connections and lines, replace the flavor briquettes, and refill the propane tanks as needed. You may also have to replace the ignition or grates now and then, and keep the burners, ignitor collector box, and drip tray clean. If you cover your grill when not in use, you can minimize upkeep. |
The grill grates should be replaced annually, or every other year, depending on wear and tear. There aren’t a lot of other parts to maintain unless you opt for a model with a gas ignition. |
Cleanup |
Clean the cooking grate before or after you grill by simply turning the grill to high until the smoke stops, then brushing the grates. Cast iron grates require more specialized care. |
You’ll have to clean out the ashes often and brush the grates every time you use the grill. |
Taste / Cooking Style |
Gas makes it easy to grill delicate foods like chicken breast, fish, fruit, and vegetables, whose flavors can be overwhelmed by smoke. A smoke box (like a drawer for wood chips) can achieve some of the smokiness of a charcoal grill. |
Guaranteed smoky flavor. A charcoal grill may also double as a smoker with a little practice. |
Features to Look for When Buying |
To be able to do any indirect grilling, you will need at least two burners. If you’ll want to add flavor with smoke, see if the grill includes a smoke box. Other things to think about: Do you want fold-up side tables or a built-in gas gauge or thermometer, and how big of a surface will you need (will you be grilling for parties, or just for two)? Do you live in a damp climate? If so, it may be worth springing for a stainless steel or enamel coating. And does the grill come with a cover, or is one available? |
If you want to do long, indirect cooks or just don’t want to deal with the hassle of ash cleanup, you might want a model with a high-capacity ash catcher. A hinged grate makes it easier to add charcoal. Being able to raise or lower the grate can make it simpler to control how much heat is being applied to your food. Some grills have built-in gas ignitions, but with a good chimney starter this may be a waste of money. |
Miriam Wolf
thank-just ordered a chimney starter-no more pouring a half a bottle of lighter fluid on the coals!
Between the two, I would pick charcoal, despite the extra trouble. Better flavor in general, but with either one, you must use hickory, mesquite, pecan, or some other wood-smoking chips. That brings me to my number one point: Gas or Charcoal? Neither!!! Wood-smoking is the best for flavor by far!!!
I don't agree when they say that you can't smoke on a gas grill, I do it all the time with mine...But I also love my little charcoal grill...between the two, I only choose between them depending on how much time I have to cook something...I agree gas on weekdays, and charcoal for the weekends...
I'm with you pnk.pr. Smoke for special projects such as brisket, charcoal for a nice steak, gas for getting it done. I was fortunate enough to buy a grill with an insert for burning charcoal. Simple, use the gas to fire up the charcoal sear over the charcoal and cook on the gas along with grilled veg etc.
In a perfect world, we'd all have at least one good example of each.. We do, and I thought my husband was daft to consider adding a gas grill at first, but now it's hard to imagine being without either one, and I hope I never have to.
Charcoal period. I enjoy the extra attention that the charcoal grill requires. I also enjoy smoking the meat and using indirect heat. If I do not have time to do these things...I do not grill.
I agree with Adam. Grilling is an art. I also think if you're going to use a gas grill, you might as well just stay inside and use your broiler. I love my Weber.
Charcoal, lump or regular, or wood beat gas hands down.
The chimney starter is a must, once you use one you will never go back to lighter fluid.
I grill or roast 4 times a week year round with a Weber Kettle rain or shine. The biggest enemy of the kettle is wind! Wind causes a wind shear which can greatly reduce temperature by starving the fire of air. To deal with this I use a second Weber lid (from my last 10 year old BBQ) and balance it on the top of the other lid.
I always use hardwood lump, briquettes have too many toxic additives and you will have too empty your ash catcher much less frequently with lump as it almost all burns whereas briquettes are about half clay binder which doesn't burn.
Also I use an electric starter. Just plug in and set a cheap electronic timer to 5-6 minutes and pull the plug. The electric starter will last a lot longer this way and is way cheaper (about 1 cent per light) than fluid.
Raichlen is just plain wrong about not being able to smoke on a gas grill. I use a three-burner Weber, turning on only the front burner and placing the meat toward the back. A couple of shallow metal trays full of good pre-soaked hardwood chips placed directly over the lit burner give the food plenty of great smoke, and it's much easier to keep the gas set to a steady 250° than it is with charcoal.
Call me a heretic, but I serve up some MEAN back backs and brisket!
Er, baby backs that is!
I smoke all the time on my Napoleon grill. It's about as effective as a Weber Kettle, but less effective than a true smoker.
I want to see a Rainford vs. Raichlen celebrity death match.
I use a Weber Q propane grill for quick weekdays, tailgates and camping.
But when I really need to cook something I use my Weber kettle. Charcoal is the way to go when you need high heat.
I use kingsford charcoal with apple or cherry wood for flavor since I live in an area with lots of orchards.
I used to be totally devoted to charcoal and still preferred it even after I started writing a web log for Char-Broil (www.sizzleonthegrill.com) I liked the convenience of gas - when I was in a hurry to fix dinner or a small meal - but the overall experience of cooking with hardwood charcoal (not briquettes) was and is a substantial influence in my flavor meter. BUT I recently started cooking on the new Char-Broil RED - and found all the convenience of gas with the ability to actually and truly add chips to the infrared tray and honestly smoke a pork shoulder....at a constant temp of 220F degrees.....unparalleled in my experience. - CB
No preference here, I've owned both and they are both good in different ways. I have a really great Char-Broil gas grille that I got at Lowes's for $249 but looks like it should have cost ~$800. I like it because of its versatility, quick starting, doesn't stink up the neighborhood and it looks great.
I live in Seattle, famous for its rain, but I can grille year-round - I've turned steaks in the dead of winter while juggling an umbrella and a flashlight. My special Seattle-style BBQ recipe has a secret ingredient - rainwater!
Nothing beats the flavor of lump charcoal. I use a Big Green Egg. It doesn't take long to light - 20 mins or so. You can take that time to soak the wood chips. It's an investment up front, but think of how many metal grills rust out and need replacement. My BGE has been going solid for 7 years. It's a beast!
Why did you even bother mentioning briquettes? They are the worst material ever invented for cooking food. They produce much more ash than natural charcoal, cost more and contain potentially dangerous chemicals.
As for actual grilling equipment, I have one of each. The gas grill for quick burgers and for the spit. For real cooking I've got a Kamado, great for smoking and grilling. Another advantage of the Kamado is that it's very efficient for charcoal use.
I get the best of both worlds. I have a Home Depot version of a Vermont castings gasser that I use for grilling. If I want a bit of smoke, I add some soaked chips to a smoke box and all is well. For serious smoking I have a Weber bullet. I've made many fine meals on each. If I had to choose just one, it would be the gasser because for weekday cooking, it's perfect.
For people who enjoy smoking, go to www.webervirtualbullet.com It's a great site and the discussion boards are both useful and entertaining. I've found the people who contribute to be very helpful.
Hey, how come CHOW didnt evaluate the grills based on safety??
It just seems that Safety would be just as big an issue as all else, especially for families. I've never trusted Propane tanks with anything!!!
GrenadaChef
Hey, how come CHOW didnt evaluate the grills based on safety??
It just seems that Safety would be just as big an issue as all else, especially for families. I've never trusted Propane tanks with anything!!!
GrenadaChef
If you look and statistics you'll find that more injuries are caused by charcoal grills than gas grills. Propane systems are actually very safe while charcoal grills inherently have several safety concerns. Safety concerns come from the use of fuels to ignite a charcoal as well as the handling of the hot coals for the distribution as well as fires caused by the disposal of hot ashes. Also when you turn off a propane grill it's off, a charcoal grill does not have an off switch.
Charcoal is probably better if you like to smoke your foods. I don't. Gas is thus much better for me.