How to choose a gas grill

Most people think all grills work almost the same. But they don’t. You should look for a grill in the same way as you get a good and reliable stove.

I have already done some research about choosing a gas grill which is just one kind of grills. I hope it will save your time to do your own research.

First you have to know how the heat is distributed across the cooking grate. Nowadays, the gas grills use inverted v-shaped metal bars to channel away grease and prevent flare-ups. You should look for ones that are solid, with no holes or cutouts. Otherwise grease could get to the burners. If you don’t like to replace the bars every year, then get the thick stainless steel or porcelain-enamel coated bars. They will be much better. Also take a look at the burners. Because propane contains trace levels of H₂O, they should also be made of stainless steel. Otherwise they could rust.

We mentioned grease above. Because grease build up in your grill can cause flare-ups. So we should know where grease goes? Your best bet is a grill with a system that channels grease into a deep catch pan with a removable liner. This will make it much easier to clean up. Watch out for grills which have shallow pans that look like baking sheets. Once they are filled with grease, they are almost impossible to remove without spilling on the patio or deck. No good. Also I think it is much easier to access to the catch pan from the front of the grill.

Now let’s talk about safety. Usually it’s not allowed to test drive a grill in the store, so sometimes it’s hard to tell how safe it’s going to be to use. Here is my thought. Just imagine that the grill is hot. Lift the lid. Is it designed so that your hand or arm stays clearance on the handle or of the hood? Look underneath the grill. Are the electrical wires and gas-line plumbing set away from hot surface and from the grease catch pan? Give the grill a good shake. Is it sturdy enough? These things always get ignored by the shiny lid or a powerful side burner, but the stuff underneath the exterior really matters.

The common logic of BTUs is that the more is better, but that is not exactly true. A good grill will get up to searing temperature of 500°to 550°F using the least amount of gas possible. Isn’t that nice that you can get less gas to get the performance you want?

The above is just some of my opinions to how to choose a good gas grill. Hope it helpful.