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It's Summer - There Are Gas Grills on Sale But How Should You Choose One?

Rob Brylls

It's that time of year again. The sun comes out and our thoughts turn to barbecues and eating outdoors to make the most of the great weather. For many of us, we unearth the old charcoal grill, still covered in old dirt, grime and grease from the last barbecue of the previous year and wonder whether to try and clean it up for one more season's use or whether we should just go out and buy a new one.

More and more buyers are turning to gas grills as a quicker, cleaner and more convenient way of cooking outdoors.  Dealing with bags of charcoal, special lighter fluid and erratic cooking temperatures isn't something that appeals to very many of us. Well, you'll be glad to hear that there is a solution. Gas grills have been around since the 1960s but it's only in the last few years that they have been developed into the user friendly cooking powerhouses that they are today.

The main benefits of gas grills compared to charcoal versions are:

• Venue - Many places simply don't allow the use of charcoal grills. Plus, what happens with a charcoal grill when you've finished cooking - do you pour a bucket of water over it to extinguish it or leave it dangerously hot to cool down by itself over a period of hours? Gas grills are simply switched off the moment you've ended your cooking and cool down in minutes.
• Timesaving - Some people say they enjoy the ritual of getting a charcoal grill going and ready to cook. If you've got time to spare and nothing better to do, you may think that way. For most of us though, it's a real pain and a waste of our time. With a gas grill you can decide to have a cook-out, hit the starter button and be cooking just five minutes later.
• Greater Convenience - Cooking with charcoal is terribly messy. Who hasn't ended up with black hands like a coal miner after setting up a charcoal bbq and struggling to get it lit and up to temperature!
• Greater Control - With a gas grill you can have precise control over the cooking temperature so you can time the food to be ready when you need it and also have less ruined food that is overcooked or burned to a cinder.
• More Features - Gas grills often offer you convenient features such as side burners where you can cook sauces or side dishes whilst your main items are grilling.

Ok, now you're convinced that a gas grill is the type you want, how do you choose between them? There are so many types on the market at vastly different prices.

First, decide whether you need a large unit with lots of grilling area, side warmers etc that will stay at home either in one spot or be wheeled around but won't ever be taken on trips with you.

If you plan to take your grill on camping trips, tailgate parties or in your RV, you will need a portable gas grill.

Think about the construction. The more expensive grills will be made of stainless steel. This is easier to clean and will last many years. Less expensive grills will be steel with a baked-on enamel finish. This is second only to stainless steel. Enameled grills are still tough and easy to clean but are prone to the enamel getting chipped and corrosion getting at the steel underneath. The cheapest gas grills will be made of painted mild steel. They look nice when new but the paint soon burns off and rust sets in, meaning that the lifespan of these grills is not much more than a charcoal grill.

If you want a portable gas grill, you'll have no choice but to buy one that runs on bottled gas. Buy a spare bottle so there is never any risk of running out of gas at an inconvenient moment. As soon as possible after you use up a bottle of gas, get it changed for a full one.

If you're going for a grill that is located in a permanent position at home, you could consider a natural gas version that runs off your home gas supply. The gas is much cheaper and you'll never run the risk of running out at the wrong time. The only downside is that you'll need a certified gas engineer to run the pipe work from your home to the grill.

Brands to look out for.

Quality brands with a solid reputation for their gas grills are: Weber, Camco, Brinkmann, Coleman, Magma and Char-Broil. 

Rob Brylls is a big fan of barbecueing and all forms of cooking outdoors. A large range of gas grills at discount prices can be viewed at http://www.gasgrillsonsale.com