With hundreds of seemingly similar grills on the market, finding the best gas grill is no easy task. Why are they so popular? Although traditionalists will tell you that barbecuing can only be done over charcoal or aromatic wood, there are several reasons for this gas is king.
Although gas grills are typically more expensive than charcoal barbecues (the ones we reviewed ranged in price from £300 to almost £2,000), they're more convenient once assembled and light up quickly and easily with no fuss. There is no hassle trying to get the coals going. You also reach the cooking temperature much faster maintain even heat distribution without requiring expertise.
As an added bonus, gas bottles can last a long time – so you're not likely to run out during a cooking session – and cleaning is much easier once everything is done and dusted. That said, there is so much variety that it can be difficult to choose the best gas grill for you. To help you out, we've reviewed four of the best gases Barbecues below from brands such as Weber and Landmann. If you're in a hurry, here's a quick overview:
Which is the best gas barbecue for 2024?
How does a gas barbecue work?
Gas grills use propane or natural gas, usually from a canister connected to the grill, similar to the gas that powers a barbecue. patio heater. You can then control the amount of gas used to fuel the fire and stoke the fire. Although gas grills take less time to heat up, you should still make sure you preheat them; 10 to 15 minutes is sufficient. This allows the grill to heat up, leaving grill marks and preventing food from sticking.
But is the end product also as tasty?
Although some claim there is no smoky taste, gas, especially when cooking slowly, provides much easier control, which is crucial for slow cooking. Charcoal produces more smoke than gas, but with a gas barbecue you still get smoke from those fatty meat drippings. Gas provides more steam than charcoal, which many say keeps the meat moister but possibly less crispy. Of course, neither option will have a major impact on the intensity of your life BBQ sauce of your choice – that's your marinating method.
How we tested the best gas barbecues
The BBQs below have been tested by a number of lifestyle writers from The Telegraph, all BBQ enthusiasts, with a number of cuts of meat, vegetables and even salads. They were looking for the effectiveness of the BBQ burners (and how many there are), the size of the grill cooking area, whether the side shelves are collapsible and the heat distribution across the entire grill. As for materials, they wanted cast aluminum or stainless steel enclosures with a heavy lid to show quality, and cast iron grills. There also had to be a proper grease drainage system away from the gas source.
Here's what our lifestyle writers found, starting with their favorite. (And for other ways to cook outdoors, read our best guides portable barbecues And pizza ovens.)
The best gas barbecues
1. Weber Genesis EPX-335
Best gas grill overall, 10/10
We love: completely intuitive cooking
We don't like: it takes a few hours to put together