Welcome to our special feature on gas grills. Let’s face it: having a backyard gives you the opportunity to relax and enjoy leisurely moments even more.
You are reading your favorite novel in the sun, having breakfast, or having a glass of wine when you return from work everyday situations that are much more pleasant in the open air. And we cannot forget one of the greatest pleasures: have a barbecue! Do you have one?
In this article, we will tell you about one of the most interesting models: gas barbecues. These products offer several advantages over other options, but the most important of all is that you won’t have to wait too long to enjoy your food!
Here we had selected some of the best models of gas grills that are listed below.
Buying Guide to Select the Best Gas Grills
If you have never had a gas barbecue and are thinking of buying one, it may be that you feel a little lost. These are not particularly complicated appliances.
It is still worth knowing some details for better and safer use because don’t forget that they run on gas. Here are some of the most frequent doubts about their respective solutions. Take note!
What Exactly Is a Gas Grill
The classic charcoal barbecues inspire the gas barbecues, but with the difference that they operate precisely on gas. This means that they operate exactly like a gas stove: you need to turn the knob to let the gas out.
Bring the lighter or a match nearer and wait for the flame to ignite. The curious thing is that, at first glance, they look like traditional barbecues, and instead, they are characterized by these details that we have just mentioned.
A separate discussion concerns the design since manufacturers usually try to remain faithful to the origins of barbecues. For your gas barbecue to work, you will need butane or propane gas, depending on the model.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Gas Barbecues?
Gas barbecues are an increasingly popular choice, thanks to their many advantages. However, it is also fair to talk about their drawbacks. Here are the pros and cons of gas barbecues.
Advantages
- They are easier to use
- Since they don’t create ash, cleaning them is easier
- They immediately reach the right temperature
- With the most innovative models, foods obtain the characteristic flavor of coal-cooked food
Disadvantages
- They have an environmental impact
- They are a little more expensive than other types of barbecues
- If they operate in a cylinder, they are heavy and unwieldy
Where Can I Install a Gas Barbecue?
We talk about barbecues, and we immediately think of a garden or an open space. In general, it is in these environments that they are installed, although some models are also suitable for being placed indoors.
It is no coincidence that gas barbecues usually have a lid, and they do not emit dense smoke like coal-fired ones.
What Is the Taste of Food Cooked on A Gas Grill?
It is one of the most common doubts among users understandably because the main objective of cooking food on a gas barbecue is to ensure that they enjoy that characteristic “country” flavor.
So will a gas barbecue meet these expectations? Yes, as long as you make sure that the gas residues during the process do not affect the taste of the food.
What Precautions Taken While Using a Gas Barbecue?
Currently, gas barbecues are usually equipped with safety systems to prevent a small mistake from causing big trouble. However, don’t forget that some precautions should be taken if you want your day to pass smoothly. Here are some tips for 100% safe use:
- Draw a safety perimeter, that is, install the barbecue at least 1.50 meters from the furniture.
- Keep it out of the reach of children. Although it seems like a pharmaceutical warning, the ideal is for children to run and play away from the barbecue, as well as animals.
- Always check the barbecue. If you have to go away for a few minutes to go to the bathroom or for any other reason, entrust someone with the surveillance task.
- Keep a fire extinguisher handy. We don’t want to be alarmist, but prevention is never too much. During cooking, it is normal for sparks to blow so that a fire extinguisher may spare you some fright.
- Keep gas bottles away from the flame. It is obvious, but remember, it costs us nothing.
- Stop gas delivery when you finish cooking.
What Is Better for The Grill: Butane or Propane Gas?
We mentioned earlier that gas barbecues could work with both butane and propane gas. Do you know the characteristics of each? There is no better or worse one. Below, we summarize the qualities of each one so that you can choose the most suitable option for you.
- Butane gas barbecues: Butane gas barbecues are the most common on the market in their sector. You know the classic orange bottles, don’t you? With this, we are not saying that barbecues require these huge cylinders because there are more manageable alternatives in the form of lighter cylinders. It is the cheapest and easiest choice to find.
- Propane gas barbecue: Propane gas is less common than butane, although it can still be bought on the market in small cylinders. If you plan to use your outdoor barbecue all year round, the idea is to focus on this type of gas.
How Do You Clean a Gas Barbecue?
Making a barbecue is a wonderful idea, especially when the time comes to enjoy food, but don’t forget that you will have to clean it! This is undoubtedly the most boring phase, but it is inevitable. If you don’t know where to start, we suggest you take a look at these tips:
- During cleaning, the so-called pyrolysis process must be carried out. This consists of turning on the barbecue with the lid down for 10 or 15 minutes.
- The goal is to burn all the residue.
- Moisten a dish towel and remove larger residues from the grill.
- Spray a degreasing spray on the grill and wait a couple of minutes.
- After such minutes, clean superficially with kitchen paper.
- Rinse with warm water.
How to Choose the Best Gas Grill?
Now that you are a little clearer about what gas barbecues consist of and how they work, the time has come to make a purchase decision. So, we recommend that you consider the following aspects.
In the next few lines, we will tell you about the criteria not to be overlooked when choosing a gas grill. Before that, we had shared a proper video guide on that.
Dimension
Size is one of the main purchasing criteria, especially for two reasons first, because the size of the barbecue will depend on the number of diners you invite.
Secondly, because you will have to evaluate the space, you have in the garden or at home. Choose a large, medium, or small model depending on these aspects.
Burners
In addition to choosing a gas grill of the right size, you will have to take into account the number of burners you need. For example, if you usually organize rather intimate meals, a two-burner device will suffice. Remember, however, that there are also models with six burners, suitable for the most crowded events.
Maintenance and Cleaning
The fact that your gas barbecue guarantees finger-licking food is as important as the fact that it is easy to clean. So, it is advisable that it has removable accessories. If you have doubts about how to take care of your product so that it lasts as long as possible, take a look at this video.
Accessories and Extras
Sometimes, the functionality of a gas barbecue (as well as that of a good number of household appliances) depends on the number of accessories it includes.
Indeed, these will contribute to making food preparation more satisfactory. For example, check that it is equipped with a thermometer for cooking food to perfection.
The lid is another of the most useful accessories because it not only has the task of avoiding splashes but also adds a different touch to the dishes through indirect cooking. It is also advisable that the barbecue has an additional burner on one side. Furthermore, the presence of wheels will facilitate movement.
Fuel
Last but not least, it is necessary to ascertain the type of fuel that the gas barbecue requires. Further up in the article, we have seen that basically, there are two types of fuel: butane gas and propane gas.
It is advisable to check if the device can work with small gas cylinders, which are lighter than large ones.
