Gas Grills

A good barbeque is one of those American traditions, like Baseball, apple pie, and Fourth of July parades, that people from any generation can appreciate.  Whether you are American or not, a good grill is an extremely useful tool that can turn the tedious routine of cooking dinner into a fun event. 

Throughout the history of the grill, wood burning grills have been the most popular.  In the 20th century, charcoal replaced wood as the most popular fuel.  Today, with natural gas lines and compressed gas tanks, gas grills have made a charge into the market and there is now a growing rivalry between charcoal and gas grills. 

This rivalry has sparked an ongoing debate between the merits of gas and charcoal.  Charcoal loves argue that charcoal conveys a better flavor to the food, while gas lovers argue that gas is a cleaner and more efficient form of fuel.  So who is right?

Well, they’re both right.  Charcoal does confer a certain unique flavor that you don’t get with gas.  For this reason, charcoal remains the most popular fuel today, being virtually the only fuel used in major cook-offs or grilling competitions.  This said gas is definitely a cleaner and more efficient fuel for grilling.

Personally, even though I grew up accustomed to charcoal, once I tried a gas grill I was sold.  Gas grills are so easy to use, setup, and clean that it outweighs any loss of charcoal flavor.  Before I bought my gas grill, barbeques were only events that would take place on holidays or weekends for me, as it’s just too much of a hassle to deal with lighting and cleaning up charcoal every day.  My gas grill is so convenient that I use it all the time. 

Gas grills tend to be a little more expensive, but natural gas is a very cheap and efficient fuel.  A plumber or other professional can tap into your home’s main gas line so you can hook up your grill directly, and not have to worry about refilling a tank.  Once you’ve gotten past these initial costs, you’ll eventually save money in charcoal and starter fluid, especially if you use your grill a lot.  To add more flavor, you can use various wood chips such as mesquite in the grill.

Gas grills are a great, clean, and efficient alternative to charcoal, and I recommend them to anyone that grills a lot.