Outdoor Gas Grills: What to Look For

Shopping for a new gas BBQ grill often involves checking out your local hardware shop or big-box home improvement store. Most of us have bought gas grills this way at some point! But after purchasing that shiny new gas grill, you may have ended up replacing parts fairly early and often, or even replacing the entire grill. At BBQGuys, we believe that when you buy a grill, it’s a big investment that should be reliable for years to come.

Since 1998, it has been our passion to help grillers find the best gas grill, at the best price possible. We’re pleased to offer many of the top brands of high-end gas grills in the industry. Here are a few tips on how to find the perfect gas grill for your backyard:

Gas Type - The first decision you need to make is what kind of gas you will be grilling with. If you have a natural gas line in your home, you may be able to tap into it and run natural gas to your grill location (please consult a licensed plumber). If not, liquid propane will probably be your best bet. Either type of gas will do the job for you, but most grills are configured to use one or the other (some grills offer an accessory gas conversion kit, but others don't). You can filter our list of grills by gas type to limit your selection to the gas you plan to use.
Configuration - Built-in grills are intended to be installed in an outdoor kitchen or BBQ island and do not include a cart or stand. Freestanding grills don't require a permanent or semi-permanent structure and come equipped with a cart (often a cart with many cool features). Finally, portable gas grills let you take your cooker with you and are great for camping, tailgating, and the beach.
Cooking Surface - While most traditional gas grills employ some type of grill grate, gas griddles and flat-top grills are becoming increasingly popular. For the best of both worlds, BBQGuys offers a selection of accessory griddles that will work on many gas grills.
Value - A grill's value shouldn’t be based solely on price. We believe value is a combination of features, design, functionality, engineering, quality of materials, and price. Make sure you shop for the best gas grill for the money, not just the cheapest price.
Durability - The construction of a grill should be a major factor you consider when shopping. Typically, the best quality gas grills are made of stainless steel, which is “graded” by material composition. Keep in mind that not all grades of stainless steel behave the same. The most common high-quality stainless steel used in gas grills is 304-grade, a type that holds up extremely well to the elements and will continue looking great for years. 316L-grade is an even more corrosion-resistant version of stainless steel, especially in salt-rich areas like coasts or where salt is used to de-ice roads. Marine-grade grills use this type of stainless steel, making them the ideal choice for seaside outdoor spaces. Some grills incorporate 443-grade stainless steel into the parts that are most susceptible to heat-stress. While the high chromium content of 443-grade stainless makes the steel expand less when heated, it remains as corrosion-resistant as 304-grade. Any of these stainless steel grades will help your grill resist the elements for years to come.
Performance - Cooking performance is determined by a number of factors including BTU, flame tamer design, burner design, and more. Gas grills that cook the best have wider temperature variances, more even heat distribution, and fewer flare-ups. We don’t live in the perfect world where you can try all of these grills before you buy, but you can check out our expert gas grill reviews to see how they fare in these important cooking performance categories.
Style - Your backyard patio or outdoor kitchen will likely be home to many gatherings with friends and family. When you have guests over, you’ll want a grill you can show off and be proud of! Gas grill designs have evolved over the years, and there are several styles available today. You might want to consider grills with sleek features like mirror-polished edges and control panel LED lights, just to name a few.
Burners - We offer gas grills in a variety of burner configurations. Small and portable gas grills usually are configured as 1 or 2 burner grills, and we have many 3 burner and 4 burner models -- and some of our larger gas BBQ grills can have 8 or 10 burners and are big enough to cook for a good-sized crowd of hungry friends and family, Some models include an infrared sear burner (or can accommodate one to replace a standard burner), others include a rear infrared burner to support rotisserie cooking, a few use all infrared burners, and some freestanding grills come equipped with a side burner.
Service - Don't forget to consider warranty and customer service when deciding on your gas grill. The grills we sell have a reputation for durability, but should one of their parts fail, you’ll want to have a strong manufacturer’s warranty to fall back on. Check out our gas grill warranty page, as well as the customer service scores within our gas grill expert reviews to help guide your decision. Still need help deciding which grill is right for you? Read our Gas Grill Buying Guide, and our BBQ experts are always standing by at 1-877-711-6860 to answer all your outdoor living questions.

For more answers, check out our longer Gas Grill FAQ page

What can you cook on a gas BBQ?

In short, anything not susceptible to catching fire on its own. Just about every single meat or vegetable you can think of will be right at home on a grill — and plenty more that you wouldn't think of at first!

How do you cook on a gas BBQ?

Gas grills require either propane or natural gas for operation, then use that gas through knob control to spark fire. Generally, you'll cook for several minutes on either side while flipping food. For more information, check out our Grillabilities articles.

Where should I put my gas grill?

For storage, it's best to keep it in a climate-controlled garage or other similar space. If that's not an option, the next best choice is to store it out of the path of rain with a cover on. For use, it should go wherever it's not in violation of clearance requirements and where smoke can safely billow away.

Do you have to let a gas grill heat up?

Ideally, you would preheat a gas grill to temperature before cooking (just like you would with an oven). Pushing heat into the grill grates, flame tamers, and oven walls isn't instantaneous! Food will brown, dripping will vaporize into delicious smoke, and grill marks will imprint if you do. Those don't tend to happen if you start with a cold grill instead.

What kind of grill grates are best?

The best and longest-lasting cooking grids available for grills is cast stainless steel (such as on DCS gas grills). They combine the quality of stainless steel with the infallible durability of the single-piece casting process. Barring cast stainless steel, thick-welded stainless steel is second-best.

How long should gas grills last?

Depending on environment and use, a well-maintained grill built with great materials should last for many years. Brands stand behind their work to varying lengths of time, and you'll find the warranties reflect that.

Which gas grills last the longest?

The longest-lived grills are those constructed with quality material and backed by longer warranties. Cast burners tend to move the notch into the green as well. With that said, routine maintenance will add to the longevity. Occasional service may also be required on a model-by-model basis.