Gas Grill Vs Pellet Grill

Which Is Better Gas Grill Vs Pellet Grill

The answer to this question can be subjective. For some, the simplicity of gas grills, their low cost, clean-burning fuel, and ease of use remain king and their only option.

However, many more people have realized that pellet BBQs are just as simple to operate as gas grills, but they yield far more flavor. Not to mention the sophistication and automation inherent in pellet BBQ smokers and grills.

Lets go over a few factors, similarities, and differences between these two types of grills and see which is better.

Is Wood Pellet Grilling Healthy

But many people are asking, are pellet grills healthy as a grilling option? The short answer is yes, food grade wood pellets are no riskier than other cooking fuels.

Do pellet grills take longer to cook?

What are pellet grill cooking times? Pellet grill cooking times are longer than grilling with propane. Pellet grill cooking times can vary based on several factors, such as mass of the food, frozen vs fresh, bone in or out, fat content, and whether marinade was used.

Are pellet grills expensive to operate?

Pellet grills set at 225 degrees burn pellets at around one pound per hour. For that same one hour cook as in the above examples, the cost of pellet grilling is about $. 76 per cooking session. The resulting flavor of your meat is smoky, juicy, and spot on.

Gas Grill Vs Pellet Grill Which Cooks Better & Quicker

Cookouts have been a staple of the American summer for decades and the central figure of the American cookout is, of course, the grill. In the modern era of grilling, there are many options for personalization and versatility. Versatile grills are key to being able to pack your purchase with all of the customizations you want, while still being able to fit into your budget.

When it comes down to versatile grills that are also easy to use for beginner grillmasters, gas and pellet grills are the two grill types that stand out. Each has its advantages and drawbacks, but can be used to make great tasting food all summer long.

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Additional Notes On Charcoal And Wood Pellet Grills

If youâre not familiar with pellet grills you should check out our âWhat is a Wood Pellet Grill?â page. For the purposes of this post, however, weâll provide a quick overview. A pellet grill will usually have the standard look of a gas grill or charcoal cart or barrel grill , with the addition of a pellet hopper on the side to holds quite a few pounds of pellets for fuel. Thereâs an electric powered auger at the bottom of the hopper that pulls the hardwood pellets into the fire pot where they are lit. From there, you simply set your pellet grill to the temperature you want and the pellet grill will use fuel as needed to maintain that temperature with convection-style cooking that makes for an even, smoky cook.

Gas Grill: At A Glance

Gas grills are designed to use either propane or natural gas depending on the brand and model of the grill you choose. Because of this, they are most commonly used when high temperatures are called for.

Since gas grills are used for high-temperature cooking, whatever you are grilling will finish in a shorter amount of time. Although the temperature can be adjusted if needed for more indirect cooking needs, most people use a gas grill to save time.

A gas grill operates by using a container that is typically located under the grill to feed gas through a hose up to the grill itself. Whether your grill uses infrared burners or open flame, you will typically not place food directly on top of the heat source.

In some cases, especially when the grill uses an open flame, you may find that they require the use of briquettes. These are used to take in the direct heat of the flame and therefore pass the heat to your food.

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Features Of A Pellet Grill

Size:

Although the size may vary depending on the manufacturer, most pellet grills are about 16 x 16 x 33 inches in dimension. This is big enough to contain a small turkey or roast for an entire family.

The size of pellets is required to depend on the desired result of roasting meat and the time spent cooking it. Meat such as chicken and ribs tend to require more energy than sausages and steaks.

Price:

The price of a pellet grill ranges from $200 to over $2000. You will require a strong determination and a lot of pocket money if you wish to have the top models which have high performance and advanced features.

Design:

A pellet grill has a sleek design that can be small enough to place on a tabletop or large enough to cook for a whole family. Most grills are made with heavy-duty steel, making them durable and able to handle large amounts of meat at once. Style:

Pellet grills come in many different styles such as classic round designs, shiny silver ones, and stainless-steel Victorian-looking covers such as Texan Joes .

Warranty:

Most pellet grills come with a one-year warranty where the manufacturer will fix or replace any faulty parts free of charge. However, if the grill is dropped and broken within that time, it may not be covered by this guarantee.

Customer Service:

Material:

Ease of use:

Accessories:

Temperature Control:

Smoke:

Power Consumption:

Temperature Range:

Maintenance:

Run Time:

Can You Cook Hamburgers On A Pellet Grill

Yes, you can cook hamburgers on a pellet grill. Pellet grills are perfect for cooking burgers because they produce a nice, even heat that will ensure your burgers are cooked evenly all the way through.

Simply place your patties on the grill, close the lid, and wait until they’re done. It usually takes about 10-15 minutes to cook a burger on a pellet grill. You’ll know they’re done when they’re nice and charred on the outside and juicy and pink inside.

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Cooking On A Gas Grill

Gas grills are a popular choice for those who want the convenience of a grill without the hassle of charcoal on charcoal grill. Gas grills use either propane tank or natural gas to cook food, and they can be used for a variety of cooking styles, including indirect cooking, direct grilling, and smoking.

Gas grills have the advantage of being very easy to control, as you can simply turn the gas on and off. Additionally, gas grills heat up quickly, so you don’t have to wait long before you can start cooking.

Reasons To Love Our Gas Grills

Performance

Gas grills can reach a scorching temperature in a matter of minutes. They also offer precise temperature control when grilling any kind of breakfast, lunch, or dinner. No need to wait, just fire it up, preheat quickly, brush, and start grilling. Broil King gas grills make it easy to get the perfect sear marks and the ultimate in vaporization every time. For performance you need power and our gas grills have plenty of power. Think of your gas grill as the reliable Monday to Friday workhorse that delivers peak performance in a hurry when you want grilled flavour without having to put on a show.

Variety

Gas grills come in a wide variety of prices and sizes. Lets be serious, not every griller is looking for 1000 square inches of grilling fury in their backyard. We offer everything from portable camping grills to a professional line of built-in island grills or grill heads. We offer grills from 1 to 6 burners with an array of extras which well get to next. All you need to do to pick the right grill for your space & lifestyle. Remember, no matter which Broil King you choose we dont cut corners on quality, although a 3 burner Monarch is smaller than our Imperial series its made of the same heavy quality materials. With a stylish and distinct look, carefully sculpted curves, Broil King gas grills will complement any outdoor environment.

Extras

Cooking System

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What Are The Similarities Between Pellet Grill And Gas Grill

Both pellet grills and gas grills use fire to cook food. You put the food on a grate over the fire, and the heat cooks the food. Both types of grills also have temperature control, so you can cook the food at the temperature you want. And both pellet grills and gas grills come in different sizes, so you can find one thats the right size for your needs.

Pellet Grill Vs Gas Grill: The Winner

When you consider all of the features listed above, it is obvious that the pellet grill is the better overall choice. Even though the pellet grill is more expensive than a gas grill, the additional features make it the most versatile.

The gas grill, on the other hand, is best suited for those who want to save on the initial and overall costs. This is because a gas grill is much less expensive to purchase even for those with greater features.

No matter which you pick, you will have some amazing BBQ food!

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Temperature Range And Control

Gas grills hit the ground running by achieving a temperature of about 500°F without much time or effort. The higher-end gas grills can ace temperatures of 700°F in about 15 minutes. These higher temperatures grant grillmasters those beautiful sear marks everyone looks for when their steak is ready to come off the grill. This also makes gas grills a great option for grilling items like pizza.

The problem comes in when grillers want to keep the temperature on the lower end. Gas grills really struggle to maintain their temperature at around 250°F because theyre not built to retain heat, especially the less expensive models. Better quality gas grills may have an easier time with consistently low temperatures, but youll still need to carefully monitor the temp.

If youre looking for that low and slow setting to perfectly char ribs or brisket, then youve found your cooker in a pellet grill. These grills excel around 200-350°F, which is perfect for most meats and even baked goods or some pizzas. At over 400°F, pellet grills begin to struggle to maintain the temperature, and they usually cant reach a temperature of 450°F.

Smoked Turkey Rub Recipe

Once the turkey brine process is complete, we can now focus on seasoning the turkey before the smoking begins.

Turkey takes on flavor easily. Using spices and rubs on a turkey adds a great texture to the skin. Plus, there are more spice combinations than we can offer here. But to get you started, here is a simple spice rub recipe:

• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage

Add all ingredients to a small bowl and mix into a paste. Use a basting brush or your hands to cover the turkey. Show the bird some love by spreading the rub all around. As always, wash your hands after handling raw turkey.

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Disadvantages Of Gas Grills

Safety when using gas grills isnt always the best youre dealing with gas. This is true if youre dealing with natural gas from your mainline.

Theres always the very serious risk of spills and explosions. Therefore, keep this in mind, especially when you have kids around in the house. Knowing about the health risks of using gas grills will allow you to make an informed choice.

Unfortunately, the flavor you get from a gas grill will not be as awesome as what you get from pellet grills.

Nonetheless, youll still get some tasty food out of your gas grill.

Temperature control when dealing with these grills can be an uphill battle. This is because its difficult to maintain a precise temperature when using these grills.

Setting the temperature you want when using this grill is a learning process.

A To Z List Of Pellet Grill/smoker Brands

Back in 2007 when I first become aware of pellet grills and smokers the only brand I was really aware of was Traeger. Traeger is really where this whole concept of cooking with pellets started in the 1980s. It was a slow burner but since the 2010s is really when pellet grills and smokers started to get mainstream awareness, discussed alongside gas and charcoal grills. There are now over 30 pellet grill/smoker brands that Im aware of, and the link above goes to my A to Z list of brands article.

Now, you may already be aware of a few of the other brands such as Pit Boss, Camp Chef, Z Grills and Im sure you are aware of Weber, though you may not have known they have entered the pellet grill game. However, they are now many, many more brands to look into. Some may be what are commonly referred to as Traeger clones, but many others are offering their own unique designs and features.

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Is A Pellet Grill Better Than Gas

There is no clear answer as to whether a pellet grill is better than gas. Each type of grill has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Pellet grills are usually more expensive than gas grills, but they also require less maintenance. Pellet grills also have the advantage of being able to produce smoke, which can give your food a unique flavor.

Gas grills, on the other hand, are usually less expensive and easier to set up. They also tend to heat up more quickly than pellet grills.

Ultimately, the decision of which type of grill to buy depends on your personal preferences and needs.

Are Pellet Grills Safer Than Gas

Pellet grills are definitely safer than gas grills, for a few reasons.

First and foremost, pellet grills produce hardly any smoke, whereas gas grills produce lots of smoke . Second, pellet grills are much slower to catch on fire than gas grills, so they’re less likely to cause a dangerous kitchen fire. And finally, pellet grills don’t require any kind of ignition mechanism , so there’s no risk of starting a kitchen fire by accident.

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Already Own A Gas Grill Keep It

If you already own a gas grill and its in perfect working order I would personally not sell it or god forbid scrap it. Personally, I would give it a BBQ sibling, a vertical pellet smoker.

The main reason most people want a pellet grill is to get a better flavour into their food. Well, if you already own a gas grill you have got the high-temperature grilling/searing side of things sorted, we just need to get you some flavour!

In that case, a vertical pellet smoker is likely your best option. As you will get the best bang for your buck in terms of cooking area compared to a horizontal pellet grill/smoker.

I have a separate article on the best vertical pellet smokers currently on the market. I currently believe the best option in most cases to be the Camp Chef XXL WiFi Vertical Pellet Smoker.

Already got a working gas grill and sufficient space? Then a vertical pellet smoker can be the perfect accompaniment: Image Campchef.com

The main reason this is my favourite vertical pellet smoker is it has been updated and fitted with a Gen 2 WiFi/PID controller. Hence, it will have the most accurate temperature control of any domestic vertical pellet smoker on the market.

Also, the WiFi functionality with Camp Chef Connect means you can monitor/control the cook remotely. Using the meat probe to see how its actually cooking from your phone. You can also set the smoke setting from 1 to 10 depending on your preference.

Pros And Cons Of Gas Grills

A gas grill is also easy to use and maintain. A gas grill is a convenient way of cooking over fire, says Mike Tomkins. A gas grill is a good choice if youre looking for a convenient and quick option. Gas grills also come with a lot of customizable options including rotisseries and cast-iron plates this makes them a good option for someone looking for versatility as well as convenience.

Gas grills are excellent for you guessed it grilling. In other words, they can produce great results when higher cooking temperatures are needed. Gas grills are perfect for food that needs to be cooked hot and fast, says Jack Rowbottom.

Bear in mind that you can also smoke on a gas grill, and some gas grill models even have smoker boxes that go onto a dedicated burner. Our guide on how to use a smoker box on a gas grill has plenty of tips on using this cooking method.

They also have accessories that can be added to enhance your cooking experience, Jack adds. The Char-Broil gas barbecue range has a TRU Infrared system that helps stop grease flare ups and uses less gas whilst cooking the grill holds temperature using less fuel which is a bonus.

A gas grill is also ready to use at speed and lighting a BBQ with this fuel type is straightforward. One of the big draws for a gas BBQ is that it heats up pretty much instantly these BBQs can go from cold to searingly hot in a matter of minutes, says Mike.

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The Bottom Line It Depends

A pellet grill can do most of what a gas grill can do and more, but itâs not right for every chef. In many cases, the pellet grill can replace the gas grill. But there are some deal breakers. If you canât live without a griddle, donât have access to electricity or donât like a smoky flavor, then you shouldnât replace your gas grill with a pellet grill. Ask yourself the following questions before wheeling your old gas grill to the curb.

• Do you mind having to plug it in? If you donât have a safe outdoor space with access to electricity, a pellet grill probably shouldnât replace your gas grill.
• Do you enjoy a smoky flavor? Gas grills are great at cooking without any strong flavors or odors, letting the ingredients shine through for themselves. If youâre not a fan of smoky flavoring, stick to gas.
• Do you want a griddle? One of the biggest reasons our customers invest in gas grills is for the amazing griddle feature. If this is non-negotiable for you, donât replace a gas grill with a pellet grill.