11 best gas grills for cookouts, according to experts
Gas grills can barbecue almost anything, including meat, veggies, fish and even pizza. Here’s what to know before buying one this year.
Sonny’s BBQ pitmaster Shannon Snell recommended this five-burner gas grill with 645 square inches of total porcelain-coated cast-iron cooking space, including a side burner. “It runs at about $300, which is a great price, and it is very durable,” he said. “I’ve only had to replace a few parts over time, and I’ve never had any mechanical problems with it.” It features porcelain-coated cast-iron grates that the brand says help with heat retention and rust resistance and a cart design for portability.
Grill type: Propane | Number of burners: Five | Total cooking area: 649 square inches | Burner material: Cast iron
This propane grill from Weber — which can also be purchased as a natural gas option — features wheels to help you move it around during backyard barbecues. With three main burners and a smaller side burner that total 529 square inches of porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking area, you can accomplish your culinary work in multiple heat zones. “When it comes to grills, Weber has proven to be one of the best, and [this one] will last you a long time,” Snell said.
Grill type: Propane | Number of burners: Three | Total cooking area: 529 square inches | Burner material: Cast iron
Another option from Weber, a favorite brand among the experts we spoke to, this portable grill weighs in at 42.5 pounds and sports two folding side tables. Due to its compact size, it can be easy to take on camping trips or tailgating adventures but still has enough cooking space and power to prepare a meal for four, according to the brand. It comes with one steel burner, has porcelain-enameled cast-iron grates and uses liquid propane cylinders that you’ll need to purchase separately.
Grill type: Propane | Number of burners: One | Total cooking area: 280 square inches | Burner material: Stainless steel
If you prefer a portable grill with legs, consider this option from Coleman, which has a 4.6-star average rating from 1,900 reviews on Amazon. With a push of a button, you can fold this grill up and wheel it wherever you need to go. With 285 square inches of cooking space, you can cook about 8 burgers at a time on this grill, according to the brand. This grill uses liquid propane cylinders that you’ll need to purchase separately. You can also purchase a swappable griddle cooktop for this model, making it easy to cook breakfast while camping.
Grill type: Propane | Number of burners: Three | Total cooking area: 285 square inches | Burner material: Cast iron
For those who want to invest in a luxury grill, this Hestan model has a motion-activated light under the hood and a ceramic infrared sear burner for perfecting thick cuts of meat, according to the brand. “It’s cooler than cool with signature Hestan design and colors,” Moore said. “It has tons of workspace and halogen lighting to make cooking in the dark fully transparent — and the built-in rotisserie makes this an all-encompassing beauty that never stops working.”
The Hestan grill can be fueled with your choice of propane or natural gas and has 774 square inches of cooking space. It also equips a hot-surface ignition system, which means it has an igniter rod that glows hot enough to light the gas in the burners and provides consistent lighting whenever you turn your grill on.
Grill type: Propane | Number of burners: Four | Total cooking area: 774 square inches | Burner material: Stainless steel
Snell called this grill “beyond amazing” thanks to its large cooking space and 36-inch steel griddle station, which lets you “cook more cool items that you couldn’t on a traditional grill, including Hibachi and breakfast items,” Snell said. The grill comes with four independently controlled cooking zones, a cart-style with side shelves to store condiments and accessories and an integrated front accessory tray for additional storage space.
Grill type: Propane | Number of burners: Four | Total cooking area: 720 square inches | Burner material: Stainless steel
For a smart grill option, Moore recommended this one from Weber that can send alerts to your phone about the temperature of food and when your meats are done to your taste, according to the brand. It can fit up to 20 hamburgers, as detailed on the brand’s website, and it comes with backlit control knobs and an LED handle light that can make it easier to grill at night. Weber also offers this model with a natural gas fuel type.
Grill type: Propane | Number of burners: Three | Total cooking area: 787 square inches | Burner material: Cast iron
If you have big backyard parties, this grill is a great option. It has nearly 900 square inches of cooking space. “When my husband and I moved from the city to the suburbs, this big grill was one of our first purchases,” says NBC Select contributor Bethany Heitman. “It has a ton of cooking space, so we can invite all our neighbors over for a cookout and fit 25 or so burgers on it at once.” Stainless steel grates provide steady heat distribution to cook your food evenly, according to the brand. In addition to the grill, it has a side burner, allowing you to heat up sauces, baked beans or anything else you want.
Grill type: Propane | Number of burners: Six | Total cooking area: 848 square inches | Burner material: Stainless steel
If you’re short on space, consider this 2-burner gas grill from Char-Broil, which has a 4.6-star average rating from 4,136 reviews on Amazon. The cooking surface measures 15.9 inches wide by 18.5 inches deep, giving you room for about 8 burgers at a time, according to the brand. It features an electronic ignition and two metal side shelves for added workspace. If you are super tight on space, these shelves can be folded down for an even smaller footprint.
Grill type: Propane | Number of burners: Two | Total cooking area: 300 square inches | Burner material: Porcelain-coated cast iron
This dual-fuel grill has two separate grilling compartments—one that is fueled by gas and another fueled by charcoal. The former is great for cooking quick and easy meals, while the latter is ideal for low and slow cooking, according to the brand. Not only that, this grill comes equipped with a side burner and a side box smoker, allowing you to use wood chips to slowly smoke meat. This model has a 4.4-star average out of 1,145 reviews at Home Depot.
Grill type: Propane | Number of burners: Three | Total cooking area: 1,389 square inches | Burner material: Porcelain-coated cast iron
Gas grills dominate the backyard barbecue game because they can be portable and easier to operate with the click of a switch. “Gas grills are convenient — they’re quick to start and stop with just a turn of a knob,” says Thinh Phan, chief editor of BBQInProgress.com. While gas grills may not provide that same outdoor smoky flavor that you typically get by using charcoal or pellets, “other grills do require more time to start and get to the desired temperature,” Phan added.
You also don’t have to worry about playing a temperature guessing game when grilling with propane — it’s a constant heat source. “I would say precise temperature control is a major benefit because it's just as simple as moving a dial,” Moore said. “You can cook all day at the temperature that you want.”
Considering their popularity in the grilling space, Moore added that it can be easier to find replacement parts for gas grills when you need them, especially at local stores like Home Depot or Lowe’s.
Before setting out to buy a gas grill, experts recommended understanding the two main types:
Propane tank gas grills are usually smaller and portable, but the tanks need to be replaced regularly.
Natural gas grills use a dedicated line that you can connect to your home’s natural gas line.
Our experts also recommended looking at various other components of gas grills, including the number of burners, ignition types, grill grates and accessories.
Experts recommended at least two burners so you can set up different heat zones — that way, meat can be cooked on the highest heat and veggies can cook on medium heat simultaneously. But the number of burners a grill has isn’t the only consideration: It’s just as important to be aware of the distance between the burners.
“The closer [the burners] are, the more even the heat is, eliminating any cold or hot spots,” Phan said.
Although the size of the grill (and how much room it takes up) should be taken into consideration, it’s also important to think about how many people you’d typically be cooking for. Look at the number of burners, total cooking area in square inches or square feet and the serving size to gauge how much you can cook at once.
“Bigger gas grills can have as many as six burners, while the smaller ones can have as few as two,” Snell said. “I have a family of six, and I prefer a four-burner gas grill — it has plenty of surface to cook food for all of them.”
Unless you’re opting for a portable grill that’ll naturally have a smaller cooking area, Moore recommended looking for at least 500 square inches of cooking space. And if you’re in between sizes, our experts recommended going up a size “for that once-a-year larger cookout,” he said.
Another consideration, Phan noted, is how a gas grill starts. There are two types of ignition used in gas grills: electronic and piezo.
A battery-powered igniter requires a battery to fuel the supply source. “About 90% of gas grills are equipped with battery-powered starters — they generally work efficiently and start easily,” said Snell.
A piezo igniter will supply a spark continuously based on the ignition of the reaction. “[This] is usually good for 10 or so years,” said Moore.
If either version is “low quality” or slow to produce a spark, it can be potentially dangerous. Pushing the ignition button pumps gas into the burners until a spark ignites — the longer this takes, the more gas that's released. “Once the spark hits, all the gas buildup can explode into a fireball,” Phan said.
The two most common materials used for grill grates are stainless steel and cast iron. Although stainless steel is rust-resistant (which means the grates are easier to clean), it doesn’t conduct heat as well as cast iron.
“You can sear steak better on a cast-iron grate, but one caveat is that you have to spend more time caring for it or else it will rust,” Phan said. “If you cook a lot of steaks, go with cast iron, but if you cook a lot of burgers, brats and seafood, stainless steel is a better choice.”
Snell noted that cast iron if properly taken care of, will last you a very long time. “Not to mention, it is encouraged not to clean cast iron, as it helps develop flavor — stainless steel over high heat for long periods of time can break down and [will] need to be replaced.”
Though not all gas grills come with lids, Phan emphasized that it’s important to buy one that does. “With a lid, you can turn your grill into an oven, meaning that you can cook food with convection heat,” he said. “It will cook your food more evenly than conduction and radiant heat.”
If you’re investing in higher-end grills, Moore recommended looking for added accessories, like rotisseries (great for grilled chicken that cooks the meat in its own juices), built-in lights for night cooking, side burners, warming doors for finished foods, searing stations, smart connectivity and storage features.
Before buying a new gas grill (or anything, for that matter), experts recommended researching how past users feel about it. Snell recommended checking for a grill’s structural integrity, and especially over time. “Grills are normally stored outside, and depending on the region of the country you live in, that will alter the condition of your grill,” he said. Pay attention to reviews about metal rusting, paint peeling or controls malfunctioning after only a few uses, too. “That’s a big red flag, since the grill may not last very long after purchase,” Snell said.
Here are a few questions regarding safety features our experts say to keep in mind during your search:
Does the grill handle have any heat shields to protect your hand?
Can you lock the wheels if you want to, limiting the grill’s potential movement while you cook?
How does the ignition system work, and can you turn it off easily?
Since there’s no ash to remove from gas grills, cleaning them is much easier. But if you’re looking for a grill that equips an efficient system to make cleaning even easier, Phan recommended looking for accessories like V-shaped flavorizer bars, which “will protect the burners from fat dripping down from the food above.” He also suggested looking for a grease tray for quicker cleanup.
At Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and with no undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
Matt Moore is a professional chef and author of “Butcher on the Block” and “Serial Griller.”
Shannon Snell is the pitmaster and brand ambassador at Sonny’s BBQ.
Thinh Phan is a pitmaster and the chief editor of the barbecue blog BBQInProgress.com.
Mili Godio is an editor at Select who has covered a variety of kitchen and cooking articles in the past two years, including meal delivery services, rice cookers, stand mixers and more. For this article, Godio spoke to three grilling experts and researched dozens of gas grills on the market. To recommend the best gas grills, we selected options that align with expert guidance or were directly recommended by experts.
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