If you love to grill your meat in summer and treat your guests, buying a gas grill is an important investment to consider. Nothing can be better than those elusive barbecue parties held in your backyard, where you get to invite people and have a gala time with tasty food on the menu. However, when buying the grill, you should keep several things in mind to choose the perfect machine, as well as related accessories that help it last for years and serve you without any hassle.
You don’t need to be a grill expert to buy a suitable machine for your use. Just following the suggestions below will help you when shopping for a grill.
Gas grills vs. charcoal grills
Gas grills are high on the popularity charts, because of their inherent convenience, the flavor their offer to the food and versatility. While some people may still prefer charcoal grills, the main difference between the two lies in the flavor. The gas grill gives the meat a bacon-like taste and the charcoal one gives it the traditional wood-burn, smokey taste.
One of the unique benefits of a gas grill is it generates more steam and the cooking process is faster than its charcoal counterpart, which takes a long time to preheat the meat. You can also regulate the temperature of a gas grill and can cook in all kinds of weather.
Last but not least, the gas grills can be cleaned easily, as it comes with a removable ashtray. However, you should be careful while using a grill brush to clean your grill, as the bristles may end up in your food, giving rise to serious health hazards. Refer to the blog at https://palmbeachgrillcenter.com/blog/2020/06/02/bbq-grills-serious-grill-brush-health-hazards-and-solutions/ to know how important it is to choose the right brush for cleaning your grill. As for charcoal grills, the ashes are sometimes quite difficult to remove.
The fuel used in the gas grills also comes cheaper than that of the charcoal ones. As the main difference between the gas grill and its charcoal peer lies in the taste of food, you can invest in a smoke box to get the same flavor from your gas grill.
Now, let’s come to the other factors you need to consider while buying the grill.
The grill material
Generally, cast iron or aluminum, sheet metal, or stainless steel is used to make the body of the grill. Although stainless steel grills are one of the most expensive ones in the market, because of their non-corrosive and rust-resistant properties, the entire machine should be made from it to garner maximum benefits. If any frame or other component of the machine isn’t made from stainless steel, the grill is more vulnerable to rusting.
You can use a magnet to see if any part of the machine isn’t stainless steel, or you can go for cast aluminum blindly. The latter has more strength and is highly durable. But if you choose a reliable manufacturer to buy the grill, you can opt for a stainless steel grill, as they won’t likely take any shortcuts to reduce the manufacturing costs.
Prices matter
Of course, they do! The process of the grills can vary widely depending on their uses, benefits and components that come within the package. You should make a mental note of what purpose your grill will serve and how much cooking you’ll be doing before choosing a machine. It’s best to go for the deal that includes a propane tank, which will reduce your costs of investment to some extent.
The mobility factor
Do you need to move your grill around often? It’s best to go for a mobile grill machine with wheels attached to the bottom then. However, one thing you should consider here is the terrain on which the grill will be moved before you invest in a portable machine. If any of the wheels come off while moving it on rough terrain, the entire system will be thrown off balance, which can also cause severe accidents.
Additional features
These days, you can add so many things to the basic grill system to serve your specific purposes. Create a list of things that you may need like a side burner, rotisserie burner, wood chips, grill racks, BBQ griddles, lights, or multiple cooking levels before you go shopping for your grill. Some things may come with the package itself and some others you may need to buy separately. Also, create a proper budget estimate before you choose the accessories to buy.
Some of the amazing functions of these additional components have been explained below:
- Grill cleaning tools – The right cleaning tools will minimize the chances of health hazards and also help you get rid of stubborn materials with ease.
- BBQ thermometers – The BBQ thermometers can help you prevent overcooking or burning the food besides ensuring that the cooked food is safe for consumption.
- BBQ griddles – This can help you create a wholesome breakfast on the grill and provide your guests with almost professional restaurant experience.
- Rotisserie kits – If you’re in the favor of slow cooking, these kits serve your purpose quite well. It’s an amazing hands-free grilling accessory that cooks the food slowly on its own.
- Smoker boxes with wood chips – If you want the taste of charcoal gas grill, this is an essential component that you should invest in. The wood chips enhance the smokiness of the food, thus giving you the best of both worlds quite conveniently.
BTU rating
The last but not least thing to consider while buying a grill is the amount of heat it takes to cook. Check the BTU rating for the grill and compare it with the size and efficiency of the machine to reach a decision. It’s unwise to only buy grills with a high BTU, as some smaller grills can produce more heat with a lower BTU quite effectively. Talk to an expert if you need to understand this better.
Final words
Buying the grill and cooking delicacies with it is not all you need to be concerned about. You should also take proper care of it and clean it regularly to make it last many summers. You should also invest in proper cleaning equipment and opt for professional services once in a while to ensure its longevity.
