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Which Grill is Right for You? A Comparison of the Three Most Popular Grilling Styles

With so many grills on the market today, it can be a little confusing when you're ready to buy one. We understand. That's why we put together an easy-to-read guide for you can compare the the most popular grilling methods. In the end, it's all about helping you find the grilling style that's right for you.

What's the best grill for you?
That depends on what's important to you. Generally, it should be a grill that satisfies your taste, lifestyle and falls within your budget. Whatever you decide, happy grilling!

Gas Grills
Pros: If convenience is a priority, then a gas grill may be your best choice. It's the most common grill and offers multiple burners, warmers, side shelves and a number of accessories for specialty cooking like rotisserie attachments. Start up and shut down is quick and temperature control is easy with a low cost per use. Cleaning is fairly easy, although cast iron grates require a little more care. Gas grills are attractive and come in a variety of stainless steel designs. A good quality gas grill will cost $500-$1,500 and upwards of that for commercial outdoor versions.

Cons: As convenience goes up the flavor goes down. You will sacrifice some level of taste by using gas, because the grilled taste can only come from the vaporized drippings of the food. Space is another consideration if you have a small patio or deck. Also, you may unknowingly run out fuel in the middle of cooking if you don't check your tank prior to cooking. All metal grills become very hot while grilling, so they pose a burn hazard. The real drawback to metal grills is that they radiate great amounts of heat, which pulls the moisture from food very efficiently. It's likely that the driest chicken breast you ever ate came from a gas grill.

Briquette Charcoal Grills
Pros: These grills offer a good charcoal taste and are generally inexpensive compared to other grilling styles-as low as $20 with average pricing of $75-$150. Briquette charcoal is widely available and is offered in a variety of brands and features such as mesquite flavored and "ready-to-light" versions. They typically have a large grilling area for direct and indirect grilling and you can even use them as a smoker on a limited basis by controlling the air vents. They are also a good choice if you have limited space.

Cons: Briquette charcoal grills typically take 20-30 minutes or more for start up. There is no thermometer on basic models so these grills take quite a bit of guesswork when it comes to temperature. Once again, all metal grills pose a burn hazard, and they radiate great amounts of heat which pulls the moisture from food very efficiently.

Kamado Charcoal Grills
Pros: If you are a serious outdoor cooker and put a priority on taste, then a Kamado-style grill is likely your best choice. These grills use a combination of ceramic shell, natural lump charcoal and air flow to offer a superior charcoal taste and the ability to cook food at high temperatures and have it retain its moistness . You can cook as low as 225°F or well over 750°F, so you can use it as an oven, a grill or a smoker. They have a small footprint and costs range from $850-$1,000. A wide range of accessories are available. Kamado grills are ready to use in 15 minutes.

Cons: Kamado grills have an initial learning curve when it comes to adjusting the airflow to achieve the desired temperature. The weight of these grills averages around 150lbs, so you may need help placing it in the cart or moving it up stairs to a raised deck or balcony. Kamado grills are ceramic and while not fragile, they are susceptible to chipping or breaking if dropped or hit with significant force.

Comparison by Criteria

TASTE
Gas grills: Allows for some level of grilled taste by allowing dripping to vaporize on hot lava rocks and burner covers. A smoker box with wood chips can add a modest level of smokiness.
Charcoal Grills: Adds charcoal smoked flavor to grilled food; even more if used in a smoker. Briquettes contain additives like borax, starch and sawdust from waste lumber. "Ready to Light" briquettes can leave an after taste to food.
Kamado Grills: True charcoal flavor. Natural lump charcoal is made from charred hardwoods like oak, hickory and maple. Excellent for grilling and especially for smoking meats.

EASE OF USE
Gas grills: Very convenient for start up and shut down after cooking. Great for "last minute" grilling.
Charcoal Grills: Less convenient than gas and requires a little guesswork to achieve the desired temperature.
Kamado Grills: Less convenient than gas and the desired temperature is achieved adjusting the air flow. Easy-to-read thermometer.

START UP TIME
Gas grills: Lights immediately and ready in 10-15 minutes.
Charcoal Grills: The longest start up time at 20-30 minutes.
Kamado Grills: Ready to cook in 15 minutes.

TEMPERATURE RANGE
Gas grills: Low temperatures can be easily achieved. Entry level units average 500°F for the highest temperature, while more expensive models are required to go above 600°F to properly sear meats. Low temperatures can be achieved.
Charcoal Grills: Depending on the amount of briquette charcoal, you can achieve temperatures near 700°F. Average high temperatures hover around 500°F for most models.
Kamado Grills: Consistent temperatures as low as 225°F and as high as 750°F+ can be achieved easily. Low temperatures can be retained for 12 hours or longer for smoking.

HEAT SOURCE
Gas grills: LP Gas, Natural Gas
Charcoal Grills: Briquette Charcoal
Kamado Grills: Natural Lump Charcoal

FUEL COST

Gas grills: Depending on current LP gas prices you can expect it to cost about $1.00 an hour to operate. Natural gas cost is lower, but a new regulator will need to be installed as well as a main line connection.
Charcoal Grills: Using a volume of six quarts of briquettes, you can expect a cost on average of $3.00-$3.50 per cooking depending on the brand.
Kamado Grills: Using a volume of six quarts of natural lump charcoal for one cooking, on average you can expect a cost of about $1.50-$1.75 depending on the brand.

ASSEMBLY
Gas grills: They can be complicated to assemble; especially the high-end models. You should expect a 2-3 hour assembly time.
Charcoal Grills: Pretty straightforward when it comes to assembly. Depending on the model you can expect a 15-30 minute assembly time.
Kamado Grills: Comes fully or partially assembled. Typically, it's a matter of inserting the internal parts and placing it in the cart. Average time is 15-30 minutes.

MAINTENANCE
Gas grills: Carries the most maintenance and monitoring time. You'll need to refill the tank, check the lines, venturi tubes and replace the grates as needed.
Charcoal Grills: Typically a very simple design, so there is not a lot to maintain other than replacing the cooking grate if it begins to chip or rust.
Kamado Grills: Annually check the tightness of the band screws that hold the base and lid and connect to the hinge. Replace felt gaskets as needed; generally every 2-3 years.

CLEANING
Gas grills: Regularly clean the burners, igniter collector box, and drip trays. Clean the cooking grate before grilling by turning the grill to high for 10-15 minutes, then brush the grates. Cast iron grates require regular oiling. and ceramic coated grated should not be scraped to prevent flaking of the coating.
Charcoal Grills: Briquette charcoal produces a lot of ash residue. If you grill often, consider a model with an ash catcher can. Brush or scrape the cooking grate before cooking and occasionally clean the outside.
Kamado Grills: Produces one-third the ash of briquettes, however an ash tool is usually provided that can be used to remove it. Brush or scrape the cooking grate before cooking.

SPACE
Gas grills: Typically needs the most space, and should only be considered for good-sized patios and decks.
Charcoal Grills: A small area is needed and they are a good choice for limited outdoor space like an apartment balcony. Check your rental agreement for restrictions.
Kamado Grills: Works well in a limited outdoor space. They can also be inserted in a grill table for an additional working surface and storage.

PRICE RANGE
Gas grills: Entry level gas grills can be as low as $100, expect to pay $500-$1,500 for a durable grill with with decent features. Commercial grade outdoor grills can cost in the thousands.
Charcoal Grills: You can get a tailgate style grill for as low as $20. Standard models will run around $75-$150 and up to $500 for deluxe models.
Kamado Grills: Standard size Kamado grills range in price from $850-$1,000. Depending on the desired accessories you can spend $50-$250. If you add a grill table plan to spend $250-$750 more.

PURCHASING CONSIDERATIONS
Gas grills: If you prefer added flavor you should consider a model with a smoker box. Consider how much working space you need on the grill itself and if you will regularly need side burners to keep food warm. Determine how much you plan to cook and the maximum amount of food you will grill at any one time. This help you determing the cooking area needed.

Charcoal Grills: The model and features you need depends on how much you grill. If you're an infrequent griller look for a basic model with enough capacity for your needs. If you grill often an ash can catcher will be invaluable. The more expensive models allow you to adjust the cooking grate for flexible cooking and some offer fireboxes for indirect cooking and a propane gas feature for starting.

Kamado Grills: All Kamado grills are not the same. Some use inferior ceramics and cheap hardware. Choose a manufacturer with a full line of accessories for the types of cooking you plan to do. Heat deflectors are a good choice for indirect cooking whether your grilling, baking or smoking. If you're looking for working space and/or storage space, consider a grill table.

About the Author

Derald Schultz is Marketing Director of Kamado Joe grills and accessories. Kamado Joe manufacturers ceramic Kamado grills that allows users to bake, roast, grill and smoke food from temperatures as low as 225°F to over 750°F. Kamado Joe grills use natural lump charcoal as a heat source.

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