Tips for Buying a Grill | How to Choose A Grill?

There are 9 million gas grills sold each year – making them the most popular choice for Americans.

Over the past 2 decades alone, our experts have tested countless grills from dozens of brands, each with its own set of industry-specific terms and marketing jargon.

Preferring the best gas grill isn’t as simple as picking the most important, shiniest, most awe-inspiring model on the market. No, there’s a lot to consider when looking for the best gas grill, but we don’t want you to do it alone.

A gas, electric, or charcoal grill must above all know how to do one thing: cook dishes in such a way as to make them crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.

Depending on the grill chosen, the cooked foods will also have a different flavor.

Here you will find important tips for buying a grill and the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of grill.

Tips for Buying a Gas Grill Grill

The gas grill ranks first among grill models for good reasons: It is simple to use, offers the best results and a high degree of safety, and allows even beginners to grill with ease.

The numerous grill accessories offer a great advantage, as they allow you to prepare, often even simultaneously, the most varied recipes on a single grill.

How to choose Gas Grill

Using a 4 burner gas grill doesn’t provide any difference in the taste of the food. It is just food cooked outside versus indoors, plus grill marks..

With the right grill accessories, you can prepare pizzas, wok recipes, and smoked dishes at any time.

If you are in hurry and loves a clean and passionate environment then you don’t have any other choice except gas grills.

Advantages

  • Ready to use quickly
  • Low smoke emission
  • Constant and adjustable temperature
  • Also ideal for balconies and terraces
  • Suitable for many people
  • Easy to clean
  • Easy to use even for beginners

Disadvantages

  • Rather bulky
  • Slightly more expensive
  • Requires a gas cylinder

Conclusion

The gas grill is the ideal option for those who grill often and willingly or for those who need to be careful not to annoy their neighbors with smoke.

Also read: Top 2 Burner Gas Grill under 300

Checking the safety of gas grills

The gas connections should first be checked at the start of the grilling season, if the grill has not been used for a long time (more than 30 days) or if the gas cylinder has been changed.

Experts use a leak detection spray. Important! There must be no ignition sources nearby during the check. This also applies to cigarettes etc.

Also read: Top 3 Burner Gas Grill under 300 

How to choose Charcoal Grill ?

Using a charcoal grill requires practice, patience, and the right accessories. With charcoal or briquettes, it is a must for many to also use an ignition fireplace, because it takes at least half an hour before the embers are formed.

Connoisseurs assure that the typical flavor that meat takes on when prepared on a charcoal grill is difficult to imitate.

How to choose Charcoal Grill

Charcoal grilling gives food that distinctive smoky taste, especially if you add soaked wood chips to the charcoal.

In simple words, If you love grilling and can face hurdles when you grill, also if you wanna enjoy grilling and make it delicious I think that charcoal would be a better option.

Advantages

  • For the garden, the terrace and the open field
  • The typical taste of grilled dishes
  • The classic grill atmosphere
  • Usage costs generally lower than a gas grill
  • Ideal for several people depending on the size of the grill

Disadvantages

  • Development of smoke and soot
  • Longer preparation time
  • Cleaning

Conclusion

Ideal for traditional grill masters who have no neighbors who might be bothered by smoking.

Charcoal Grill vs Gas Grill Comparison– Which is better?

How to choose Electric Grill?

The biggest advantage of an electric grill is that it doesn’t require any accessories. Just plug the appliance into an electrical outlet and you can start cooking right away.

The electric grill is especially suitable for beginners and for those who cook on the grill only occasionally. When it comes to cleaning and smoke development, no other model can beat the electric variant.

How to choose Electric Grill

However, there are limits as regards the various types of preparation: smoking or indirect grilling is not possible with an electric grill.

Advantages:

  • For use on the balcony
  • Can also be used indoors
  • Easy to clean
  • Heats up quickly
  • Easily adjustable temperature
  • For cooking almost without smells and smoke

Disadvantages

  • Relatively small grill and therefore less space available
  • Limited grill atmosphere
  • Requires an electrical outlet nearby

Conclusion

The alternative for all those who want to grill quickly and frequently while avoiding the development of smoke.

Difference of Gas Grill vs Electric Grill– Which Is Right for You?

Best way to choose a grill before buying

It depends on what kind of cooking you’ll be doing. Remember smoke is a flavor – the flame is not so it matters more what favor the smoke your flame produces tastes like not so much how you produce the flame.

If you will be cooking meat longer than about an hour on a daily basis you want to go for charcoal grills under 200 or an offset smoker – otherwise, the gas will impart off-flavors on the meat.

This mostly only applies to larger cuts (thicker cuts of steak, ribs, brisket, pork shoulders, etc.).

However – for shorter time periods the temperature control of a propane grill wins out.
If you’re more thinking of cooking cuts of chicken, steaks, burgers, etc. you might be better off with a propane grill and a small woodchip box.

These cuts won’t be on the grill long enough for you to detect an off-flavor – and you can add a woodchip box (available at any hardware store) so that you can still get a solid smokey flavor.

If you go propane make extra sure you have nice heavy grates – preferably cast iron.

Tips for cooking on the grill correctly

Cut thicker slices

Meat or fish dry quickly on the grill. Cut the slices of meat a little thicker and use both the direct and indirect methods for perfect results.

Don’t be impatient

The art of the grill requires patience. When cooking particularly large pieces of meat with the indirect method, you must not open the lid during cooking as this will cause the heat to escape from the grill.

Add the right spices at the right time

Marinades or spices give the ideal touch to meat, vegetables, or fish. The recipes are very easy to prepare and certainly more delicious than ready-made products.

Marinate dishes 24 hours before cooking and dry them well before placing them on the grill. The spices burn quickly and should be sprinkled on meat and fish only towards the end of cooking unless the dishes are cooked in a few minutes.

Perfect accessories for perfect grilled dishes

If anything other than beef steaks or sausages is placed on the grill, then aluminum foil will be your best friend. On aluminum foil, you can cook delicate foods such as prawns or some varieties of vegetables.

To ensure that the dishes do not stick together, just brush a little oil on the film and, if necessary, sprinkle a little grated garlic to give a final touch.

Direct or indirect cooking? Various methods

Grilling directly

When grilling directly, the dishes are cooked directly above the heat source. Between the food and the flame/heat source, there is only a possible firewall.

This method can be used without or with a lid. Direct grilling is ideal for dishes with a relatively short cooking time of max. 25 minutes such as eg. steaks, sausages, etc.

Ideal temperatures: 280 – 290 ° C. As a rule, you can grill directly on (almost) all grills, provided there is enough heat.

Here’s how to grill with the indirect method?

When they want to prepare refined dishes, experts cook with the indirect method. In this case, the grill (with the lid closed) turns into a hot air oven.

The heat source is located next to the food and the air circulates inside the cooking compartment. The dishes are then cooked slowly and evenly, thus allowing even a roast beef or whole turkey to remain juicy.

In addition to cooking chicken or roast, this method is also suitable for cooking pizza on the grill: the ideal temperature is in fact between 180 and 200 ° C.

The cooking method seems more complicated than it is and can be used with a gas or charcoal grill.

With a charcoal grill

In the charcoal grill, the embers are placed under the dishes, on the sides. At a relatively low temperature, roasts, pizzas, etc. can be perfectly prepared.

I recommend starting with charcoal due to its low cost and ease of control. Since you are early in the grilling game, you will pay attention to what is happening.

A grill is not a microwave oven. Charcoal is easy to store and I recommend using a charcoal chimney rather than a liquid fire starter.

Start with ground beef to develop your cooking technique.

Grill tip

Always make sure that the grill is closed to allow air to circulate the meat. This way you get a perfect oven effect.

Did you know that it is possible to grill directly and indirectly with a single appliance?

Modern grills such as the Sunset BBQ models with the HLS system have levers through which it is possible to switch from the direct to the indirect cooking method (without having to open the lid).

These appliances allow you to experiment with various recipes giving you the chance to become a real grill expert.

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