Is a gas grill better than charcoal?

TLDR: Gas is easier, faster, and cleaner than charcoal grills. However, it doesn't taste as good. For quick, clean grilling, a gas barbecue is the way to go. I love using gas grills because you don't have to think about it. Gas grills reach temperature in a few minutes, compared to at least half an hour for a charcoal grill. They don't produce smoke, which stops barbecue smells clinging to your clothes, and they don't char like charcoal grills, so they're easier to clean. Gas grills also tend to have a larger surface area, so you can cook a lot more at once, and because the temperature is easy to control and uniform across the surface of the grill, you get the same perfect result every time. This means that a gas grill is the most efficient option if you're catering for a crowd. At the same time, because they're so quick to light, gas grills are also perfect for everyday meals. If you get home from a long day at work and you're craving a good old-fashioned hamburger, you can get grilling in minutes and make a quick, fuss-free dinner for the family. Nevertheless, it's hard to beat the flavors of a charcoal grill. With charcoal grilling, oils and fats from your ingredients drip down and vaporize on the sizzling coals, creating that delicious smoky taste. While you can mimic this by placing a little smoking wood next to one of the burners on a gas grill, it's simply not the same.

Is a gas grill better than a pellet grill?

TLDR: Gas grills are simpler, faster, and cheaper. Pellet grills taste better and are more versatile. Gas grills are much easier to use than pellet grills. You connect your gas and switch them on - it's as simple as that. Pellet grills run off with wooden pellets, which can be tricky to light until you get the hang of it. You also need to monitor the pellets as they reach temperature so they aren't too hot or cool. The difference in fuels also means gas grills reach temperature much faster than pellet grills. Gas grills get to temperature in minutes rather than half an hour. Pellet grills are also more expensive than gas grills. This is both because they're simply larger than most gas grills, but also because they tend to be higher tech. To make the process easier, most pellet grills are loaded with tech that can monitor the temperature and adjust the cooking and smoke automatically, but this will cost you. However, pellet grills taste better. Gas grills can still make delicious food, but when you compare it to the smoky flavours of a pellet grill, it simply isn't as good. The flavours aren't as deep or rich. Pellet grills are also much more versatile. Unlike gas grills, they're designed for low-and-slow cooking. Wannabe pitmasters chasing the perfect Texan brisket or Kansas City burnt ends should get one of a pellet smoker, not a gas grill. For example, our expert Head of Reviews, Millie Fender, used a pellet smoker to make ribs, shawarma, steak, and a shoulder of lamb all at the same time, resulting in perfect pull-apart lamb, smoky ribs, as well as perfect steaks. When we were testing gas grills, Millie, the rest of the team and I made burgers, chicken, and grilled vegetables. Gas grills are more limited.

How many burners do I need?

Three. Three is a good-sized grill for families of 4-6. You can cook up to 20 burgers on a grill this size, so anything bigger is overkill unless you're catering to a huge party. You can get away with a two-burner, but a three burner is good for slower cooking. With a three burner, you can set the two outer burners to a low temperature and switch the middle burner off for indirect heat that's perfect for roasting.

Do I need infrared burners?

Most gas grills use convection heating to cook food, which exposes food directly to fire. The problem with this type of energy is that it can dry out meats. Infrared burners, on the other hand, are designed to help meats retain their moisture, resulting in a juicier dish. This is because they use radiation heat versus convection heat. Essentially, the fire heats ceramic or metal plates which then transfers heat evenly to the food. Infrared burners are common on side burners and less common in grills. They're a nice-to-have, but not essential. They also get so hot that they can quickly overcook food, which defeats the purpose.

BTU stands for British Thermal Units. Grill retailers use it to measure the heat output of a grill. In theory, the higher the BTU rating, the better -- right? Unfortunately, it's not that simple. The BTU rating should be relative to the surface size of the grill. This means that a quality grill should have at least 75 to 100 BTUs per square inch of the grill surface. This doesn’t quite apply to infrared burners in the same way, which makes this all the more confusing. Just remember that BTUs aren’t the main consideration when you're researching a good grill. There are many other factors to consider.

Do I need a side burner?

Some grills come with side burners, and while you don’t necessarily need it to grill a meal, they can come in handy for cooking side dishes and sauces in pans or searing a steak if the side burner has a grate covering. The average cook can get by without one, but they're a lifesaver for burger staples like fried onions.

How much should you spend on a gas grill?

My advice is that you should spend between $500-$700. While it completely depends on your budget, what type of grill you require (integrated, travel, freestanding) and what you want to cook, the best value for money is either side of $600. Gas grills can cost anything $100-$5000, so there's options if you've got a tight budget or are looking to spend big. However, in my experience there's diminishing returns above $3000. You should also consider if gas grills are the right price point in the first place. They're more expensive than charcoal grills but cheaper than pellet grills.

Best gas grills 2023: expert tests of quick, clean grills

A press image of burgers and steaks cooking on the best gas grills

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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How we test
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By Alex David

last updated 4 November 2023

Contributions from

Millie Fender, Alex Temblador

Gas grills make it easy to cook in the comfort of your own backyard. Whether you want mouth-watering steaks or tasty vegetable skewers, a gas grill is a garden essential.

Gas grills - Quick Menu

1. The list in brief ↴
2. Best gas grill you can buy
3. Best premium gas grill
4. Best large gas grill
5. Best looking gas grill
6. Best hybrid grill
7. Best small gas grill
8. Best camping gas grill
9. Best side burner gas grill
10. How we test
11. Meet our testers
12. FAQ

Gas grills make it easy to cook in the comfort of your own backyard. Whether you want mouth-watering steaks or tasty vegetable skewers, a gas grill is a garden essential.

Unlike charcoal or pellet grills, the best gas grills are simple and fast to use. The quick ignition means you can cook delicious dishes almost instantly, as you don't have to waste time setting up and lighting charcoal or wood and waiting for it to reach cooking temperature.

I've tested some of the best grills on the market, and plenty of those were gas grills. In fact, the best gas grill is the the Weber Spirit II E-310, which is our favorite grill you can buy. After putting grills through their paces on dozens of burgers, sausages, grilled chickens, corn on the cob and much, much more, I've found the best gas grills you can buy.

Best gas grill deals

To get the fairest prices on the best gas grills, I recommend reading the whole article. But if you're tight on time and money, you should take advantage of these deep discounts on gas grills.

The Quick List

If you want a gas grill as soon as possible, here are our top picks. We go into more detail below.

Best overall

1. Weber Spirit II E-310

Best overall

This is the best gas grill on the market. It's easy to use and made the best food in our rounds of testing, perfect for the average outdoor cook.

Read more below

Weber Genesis II E-335 Best premium

2. Weber Genesis II E-335

Best premium

This is a professional grill, loaded with bonus features. It makes delicious food and pairs with smartphones to help you grill, too.

Read more below

Best large

3. Weber Genesis SPX-435

Best large

If you have big gatherings, this is the grill for you. There's nearly a thousand square inches of grilling area as well as the side burner.

Read more below

An Everdure Force grill on a white background Best looking

4. Everdure Force

Best looking

This beautiful grill is the best looking grill you can buy. It cooks well, so it's no wonder that it's endorsed by Michelin-star chef Heston Blumenthal.

Read more below

A Charbroil Gas2Coal grill against a white background Best gas/charcoal hybrid

5. Charbroil Gas2Coal

Best gas/charcoal hybrid

This grill uses either gas or charcoal, and it's no gimmick - you really get the best of both types of fuel.

Read more below

Weber Traveler Portable Propane Gas Grill Best portable

6. Weber Traveler

Best portable grill

This portable grill folds flat but still cooks well. It's perfect for small yards, decks, or for tailgating.

Read more below

Load the next products ↴

A Weber Q3200 grill on a white background Best small grill

7. Weber Q3200

Best small grill

This little grill isn't perfect, but its just the thing for small spaces.

Read more below

Napoleon Phantom Rogue gas grill Best side burner

8. Napoleon Phantom

Best side burner

This sleek black grill has an amazing side burner.

Read more below

Best gas grills 2023

You can trust Homes & Gardens. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing the latest products, helping you choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Best gas grill you can buy

A Weber Spirit II E-310 grill against a white background

1. Weber Spirit II E-310 Gas Grill

The best grill overall

Specifications

Cook surface: 660 sq-in

Dimensions: 29 x 59 x 47 in

Fuel type: Gas

Best for: Grilling meats and vegetables

Reasons to buy

Easy to set up

Easy to use

Best burgers on test

Best chicken on test

Reasonable price

Reasons to avoid

Small side rack for propane

Wide grills for thin-sliced foods

Plastic control knobs

Buy it if

✅ You want the best grill you can buy: this made the best food in our tests.
✅ You want good value: this is a reasonable price and hundreds cheaper than the competition.
✅ You want something easy: there's nothing to master and it's straightforward to build and operate.

Don't buy it if:

❌ Small side rack: the rack for holding propane is a little small.
❌ Wide grates: the grates are slightly wide, which means thin-sliced food might fall through.
❌ You want the very best quality: if I were to really nitpick, the plastic controls feel a little cheap.

The bottom line

🔎 Weber Spirit II E-310 this grill will work for everyone. Not only does it make delicious food, but it's simple to use and at a fair price.

This is not only the the best gas grill, but the best grill period. This grill is a dream to use. There's nothing complicated to master or build, and it has a large cooking area. Most importantly, it made the best food in the latest round of testing. It made the best burgers and sausage we've tried this year, and a frankly perfect spatchcok chicken smothered in barbecue sauce.

I think this grill is best suited to the average outdoor cook. It's really simple to use and the ignition is quick and reliable. It reaches temperature in just a few minutes and it's easy to monitor thanks to a responsive thermometer. There's handy side tables with useful tool hooks, and big wheels for moving it around your yard.

The side rack for holding propane tanks is small, so 30 or 40lb tanks will have to be on show. The grills are a little wide, and we lost a couple of thin-sliced vegetables through the gaps. One final issue is that the plastic knobs feel cheap, but that's a minor issue with a near-perfect grill.

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Test results
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Taste	The best food on test	★★★★★
Ease of use	Easy to set up and ignite	★★★★★
Capacity	Surprisingly big for the size	★★★★
Price	Fairly priced	★★★★

Best premium gas grill