Gas vs Charcoal Grills
Gas and charcoal grills are two of the most popular ways of barbecuing. Gas grills are gas-powered and lit with a gas starter, while charcoal grills are started by lighting coals in the firebox. Both gas and charcoal grills have their pros and cons - some people swear that gas is the only way to go, while others prefer the added flavor dimensions that come with charcoal fires. It can be difficult to completely understand the difference, so here's a breakdown of both types so you can get your next barbecue off on the right foot!
Gas grills
The main advantage of cooking on a gas grill is convenience. You simply hook up a gas tank, press a button and you're cooking. Gas grills also heat up faster than charcoal ones, as they're pretty much ready to go as soon as you start them up. They allow for much greater control over the heat too, as it is done with just the turn of a knob. Gas grills are cleaner than charcoal grills too, as gas doesn't create smoke like charcoal so you won't have to scrape off carbon deposits like you would from a charcoal grill. Of course, the grate on your gas grill will still need scrubbing after a decent cooking session though.
Things to consider with gas grills, however, is the number of burners the grill has and how powerful the flames are the the burners create. If you want to do anything other than the most basic types of grilling, you should look for grills with more than one burner because it'll allow you to create different heat zones for cooking with direct and indirect heat. Also, gas grills are likely to be more expensive than charcoal grills too, which is something else to consider.
Charcoal grills
Cooking with charcoal is a bit of an art, but there are some clear advantages to going this route that gas just can't compete with. The main one being taste - food cooked on a gas grill simply doesn't have as much naturally cooked in flavor because gas doesn't create the smoke that charcoal grills do. Charcoal is also cheaper than gas, and can be used in combination with wood chips to add even more smoky flavor (although you can smoke food on a gas grill too, if you know how).
Another advantage of using a charcoal grill is its versatility. Charcoal allows you to get an extremely hot flame going for searing meats which gas grills usually cannot compete with, while still offering the versatility to create different cooking zones through the placement of the charcoal once they are lit.
Of course, this advantage also comes at a cost - charcoal grills are messy and will require constant tending throughout the cooking process as coals burn out one by one. You'll also need an ash tool so that you can dispose of the ashes in order to keep things safe and clean.
Maintenance and cleaning
Although the firebox on a charcoal grill will require more cleaning than one on a gas grill, you can’t get away from having to scrub no matter what BBQ fuel you use. This is where Grillbot comes in. Grillbot takes all the hassle out of gas and charcoal grill maintenance. It's a robot that will automatically clean the grates on both gas and charcoal grills for you, freeing up your time to enjoy yourself instead of scrubbing away at dirty surfaces!
Grillbot makes the perfect gift!
Conclusion
It's been a gas...er, fun learning about gas and charcoal grills. Gas is more convenient but it doesn't have the flavor that you get from cooking over an open flame - while some people prefer this, others enjoy having control of how much smoke their meat has. Charcoal grills are less expensive than gas ones and allow for greater versatility when cooking too; however they can be messy to clean up after use which is something to consider.