Gas Grill Buyers Guide

How To Buy A Gas Grill

First of all, forget everything you've heard about gas grills. There are lot of myths out there, and I'd like for you to really think about what I am about to pass on to you. It will make sense when we are done, and hopefully you can make a great gas grill purchasing decision.

To begin, you need to determine your cooking style. Do you prefer to put put your meat on the grill and walk away until it is done, or do you like to cook food fast and hot? Do you cook directly over the flame, or indirectly? Once you have figured out what you want out of a grill, you're ready to go shopping.

A lot of publications suggest that you decide on your budget before you shop, but this is not the way you should do it. You may not have a reasonable idea of the prices of grills these days. Also, remember you do get what you pay for. Benjamin Franklin said, "The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten." If you follow these guidelines, you'll have the tools to make a more educated and confident decision in buying your next gas grill.

1. Make sure the manufacturer has a good warranty. This should keep you from having to spend money on parts that shouldn't have broken in the first place. You'll save money in the long run.
2. Make sure that the burner is a good, proportional size to the grill. A lot of grill manufacturers make a large, impressive looking casting with a little burner, creating lots of hot and cold spots on the cooking surface.
3. Check out the flame taming devices and make sure they cover the entire burner. The salt and grease from the food you cook causes most of the damage to the grill. The more exposed the burner is, the faster it burns out. Always make sure the flame tamer is directly over your gas grill burner - not to the side like some grills do. They put lava rocks to the side of the burner, and it defeats the purpose. To get maximum vaporization, you must have a good, even heat. Stay away from lava rocks. They are irregularly shaped, and do not hold heat evenly. That's why most grills with lava rocks are a flare up nightmare.
4. Meat grids. Whether they are made from stainless, porcelain coated or cast iron, most will work well as long as you know how to clean them properly. For example, most mass merchant gas grills with porcelain coated meat grids tell you brush your grids off when hot. This is wrong. Porcelain is at its most fragile state when hot. Brushing it at that time will cause it to chip. Once chipped, they will rust extremely fast - and most grills only have one year warranty.
5. Most grill housings and frames are pretty good and are usually the last thing to go. Just keep this in mind - your climate plays a big part in determining how well your grill will hold up. If you live on the coast, almost everything you buy is doomed unless you buy copper. Even stainless will rust. It just takes longer, and that's where the good warranty comes in. If you live in a high humidity state, then stainless or a thick aluminum normally will last the longest.
6. Temperature. If you like steaks, the grill needs to reach at least 600 degrees. You need to get that steak on and off the grill as soon as possible so it does not dry out.
7. Consumer Reports. Don't believe everything you read in the consumer magazines.. They typically only rate mass produced products, ignoring higher end and specialty market items. Step up a hundred bucks or so and buy a gas grill that will last for many years.