Gas or Charcoal?
The first choice you need to make with your new grill is whether it will be powered by gas or charcoal. There is actually a lot of difference in the way the two work and cook and it will be down to your cooking style which will determine the right grill for you.
Gas Grills
Gas grills cook a lot different to your old-school charcoal patio grill and they work a lot faster. Over 200 million individuals in the US use a gas grill when they cook outside because they are more convenient and can cook a lot more food than your charcoal grill. They also come with a lot more accessories and you can kit it out to keep food warm if you have a lot of mouths to feed. With the flame and the accessories, gas grills become a sort after piece of kit. The only issue with them is that they tend not to add a lot of extra flavors especially when they are compared to a charcoal grill.
Charcoal Grills
A charcoal grill is something that a manly man would use. They are the traditional BBQs and are often used in the great outdoors during camping trips and nice days in the sun. They are a lot slowly to heat up and can often be a pain to light but the main benefit of a charcoal grill is that they add a lot of smoky flavor to the food when it’s cooked. This is also accomplished because it takes a lot longer to cook something on a charcoal grill and this holds in the flavor. These grills do not come with a lot of bells and whistles and are for the families who like to stick to the basics.
Size
Size is a big factor when you are choosing a patio grill because it will determine how much you can cook in one sitting. If you have a big family to feed you may want to get a bigger, gas grill with a lot of accessories to keep the food warm whilst you begin to cook other portions. On the other hand, if you have only a few mouths to feed you may not need a huge expensive grill and may only need to stick to something smaller. Also, measure your patio area and assure yourself that you can fit the grill you’re looking into.
Assembly
Some patio grills need assembling and not everyone is an engineer who can craft and forge an entire grill. Before you go ahead and buy a grill straight away because it looks nice in the pictures you should investigate whether or not you need to put the thing together before you can use it. Sometimes it may be worth getting a model that is already pre-built rather than fiddling around for a day trying to but all the little pieces together.
Accessories
This has already been mentioned a little bit but you may want to look into the accessories available for your chosen grill. Some grills (especially gas grills) come with a lot of different attachments which make cooking a lot easier and sustainable. However, if you do not have a huge family you may not need all the accessories – it depends on how dedicated you are to cooking outside with your family.
Always Read the Warranty
Something that you should always do before buying a patio grill is to check the warranty. Some companies may offer a warranty that allows you to replace the grill if something were to happen in the first month/year or so. This is great because, if you’re a novice, you may break the grill and will need a new one. Some companies do not offer this and it can cost you a fortune to get one fixed so you should always read the fine print.
Conclusion
Having a good grill is needed if you like eating in the open air with your family and friends. However, with so many choices available on the market it can help to have a guide to show you which one to buy. If you like to get things going quickly then you need to choose a gas grill and get the appropriate accessories if you want to feed a lot of people. If you are not fussed about time and size then go for charcoal because you’ll also have better-tasting food. Hopefully, this article will help you choose the right patio grill for you.
