Charcoal Grill or Gas Grill, Which is the Better Choice?

Grilling season is here. Are you ready to buy a new grill? Are you wondering which grill type is best? In this post we will break down the pros and cons of charcoal grills and gas grills.

To help you pick the perfect grill for your needs, we'll explore the charcoal vs. gas grill debate.

Grill Cost

There's little doubt that a charcoal grill, generally, is an inexpensive outdoor grill. Of course, a high-end charcoal grill costs more, but can really be worth the money.

Advantage: Charcoal grills

Operating Cost

Gas grills run on either natural gas or propane canisters. A 20-lb. propane gas tank will cost around $30. A 20 pound tank will last about 20 hours. This translates to $1/hour of grilling after the purchase of the tank.

Meanwhile, the chimney starter in a charcoal grill can hold up to six quarts of bricks; six quarts of sustainably sourced charcoal costs about $1.70 per cookout, while briquettes cost roughly $3.35.

Advantage: Gas Grill

Flavor

Most dedicated grillers will say that you cannot get the same flavor on a gas grill that you can with charcoal. However, adding flavored wood chips like mesquite, apple, and hickory should get your taste buds going. However, nothing will caramelize a fine cut of steak or chicken like a charcoal grill using natural wood lump charcoal.

But for hamburgers and hot dogs, a gas grill does its job well enough that most folks can't determine the difference in grilling. What's more, it takes some experience to learn how to tame a charcoal grill just right, whereas finding the right temperature on a gas grill is as simple as dialing up a knob.

Advantage: Charcoal Grill

Portability

Lugging a gas grill to a park or beach cookout is going to be a headache, unless you have a big minivan and some able hands to help. That said, lots of folks like cooking in their backyard or back deck, and no one is going to steal your large, gas grill if it's a pain to move. But for ball games and rooftop cookouts a smaller Charcoal Grill is an ideal portable choice.

Advantage: Charcoal Grill

For more information on gas or charcoal grills, contact Monnick Supply or come to our grill event on April 28!

CS Monitor