The Basics Of Portable And Natural Gas Grills
It's grilling season and you want to buy a gas grill. What do you need to know other than the price? All gas grills will have burners, some type of heat dispersing system such as lava rocks, and a grate for the cooking surface. Other than that you will need to look at the quality of construction, assembly needed, the cooking system, BTU rating, and satisfaction in the extras, service, warranty, and safety.
The first thing to check on any new purchase is the construction quality. You should not feel like the gas grill of your choice is wobbly. Portable gas grills, especially, should feel quite solid since they will need to be moved. The last thing you want is to have your grill fall apart as you are rolling it from one spot to the next. Check the frame and wheels for sturdiness, making sure that quality steel is used to make it strong. The finish will also need to be able to handle outdoor weather, so look for a porcelain-enamel finish that has been baked on. Charmglow by Nexgrill has a new all stainless steel grill that is supposed to stand up well over the years. Also examine the cooking grates. You may find anything from a chrome-plated aluminum to a heavy steel grate. The heavier grates are less likely to break over the years so if you can opt for the more expensive porcelain-enameled cast iron or steel grates, you will have a sturdier cooking grate.
|
|
The next thing to look into is the amount assembly that will be required. If it is going to take hours for you to put together or skills that you may not possess, you may need to pay the store to assemble it for you prior to pick up. Typically, the higher end brands have minimal assembly required.
When you are ready to grill, you will want a cooking system to fit your needs. You can choose a one burner grill which will not cost as much, but it also limits your ability to control the heat. This may cause some areas to remain hotter than others, which makes grilling a nice steak a little more difficult. It is better to have two or more burners with separate controls for more even cooking. You also will need to consider how the system deals with the drippings to prevent flare-ups. Most lava rock and briquette systems allow pooling, which will cause more flare-ups. To prevent these, look for a cooking system that uses a bar to channel the grease drippings away from the burner such as the ones Weber first designed. You may wonder what a BTU is when comparing the grills. Generally, a higher BTU rating means it can burn more gas, whether natural or propane. The larger grills will need more BTU's, but too many can also be detrimental to the burners causing them to burn out more quickly. Once you have determined which gas grills are built to the standard you can afford, you will then want to compare the extras. For example, do you want a huge cooking surface with extra large side tables like Ducane's new Affinity series? If you have late night grilling parties, you may prefer the automatic lights on the hood of the Weber Summit S-650 that turn on when you open the lid and off when you close it. If you want it to remain portable, your gas grill will need to use propane tanks rather than natural gas that requires being hooked into your home's gas lines. Also, investigate the quality of customer service, safety, and warranty information. You don't want to end up with 10 year old grill that is no longer made, like some of the Sunbeam grills, with no way to get parts or service for it. Going with a company that has a long history of manufacturing gas grills is a wiser investment than buying the cheapest on the market.
Privacy Policy
|
