And the dampers allow you to fine-tune the temperature for cooking. More air fuels burning coals, creating hotter temperatures, and a grill with at least two vents gives you the flexibility and control you want. Gas grills that hover close to the $500 mark usually have some cool features, such as smoker trays and flavor bars that allow you to soak herbs and add them to the cooking process. They also come with a longer warranty. Small grills: can hold 18 or fewer burger patties Because of these differences, we test each type differently. Stainless steel carts with seamless construction and welded joints are usually sturdier than painted steel carts assembled with nuts and bolts. Instead, use our temperature-range score to guide you toward models that can reach high searing temperatures as well as low temps for indirect cooking. A perfect bring-along for camping trips and tailgate parties. The product features an easy twist-start ignition which does… We wire the surface with thermocouples, and test for evenness across the grates, indirect cooking, and temperature range. And we collect data from more than 38,000 CR members about their gas grills to see which brands are more likely to last. Deciding When It's Time to Upgrade Your Child's Car Seat. Ignore these burners when shopping. Charcoal grills rely on airflow to regulate heat. (Look for “Class ABC” on the label, which means the extinguisher is suitable for wood, electrical, and grease fires.) Our tests have shown repeatedly that infrared burners don’t sear any better than typical gas burners. For more, watch our interactive buying guide below. Many have locking latches to seal the lid to the body of the grill. While extra features are nice to have on a gas grill, they can make or break the experience of cooking on charcoal. Coleman Propane Grill | RoadTrip LXE Portable Gas Grill. Show full articles without "Continue Reading" button for {0} hours. Cuisinart Searin’ Sphere | Portable Gas Grill. For searing, you’ll want a model that has a dedicated searing zone, which allows you to remove the heat deflector, so foods such as steak can be directly exposed to the flame. Adjustable-height cooking grates let you raise and lower food—the equivalent of turning down a burner on a gas grill. More air moving over the coals lets a fire burn hotter, while limiting the flow keeps coals just lit, for low-and-slow cooking. Finally, we look at how easy it is to clean each model and dispose of the charcoal ash. Blackstone 1554 Propane Gas Burner Grill Below is more detailed information about gas, charcoal, kamado, and pellet grills, including factors to consider when deciding which type of grill to buy and the various features of each. Certain features may help you to choose a grill. Models cost less than $200 and are sold at Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart, and online. Readers gave high marks for ease of use and appearance but were lukewarm on grilling performance, durability, and ease of cleaning. Lots of gas grills come with infrared burners, which are meant to use intense heat to sear steaks or chops. The higher the score, the better the grill is at cooking a variety of foods. Most grills use propane, but some have dual-fuel valves for conversion to natural gas. Consumer Reports has no stake in the age-old debate over which form of fuel is the best … 1.1 Weber 45010001 Spirit II E-310 Black LP Outdoor Gas Grill; 1.2 Weber 51210001 Q1200 Liquid Propane Grill; 1.3 Weber 50060001 Q1000 Liquid Propane Gas Griller ; 1.4 Weber 57060001 Q3200 Liquid Propane Grill; 1.5 Blackstone 1554 Station-4-burner-Propane Gas Griller; 1.6 Cuisinart CGG-180TB Petit Gourmet Portable Tabletop Gas Grill Adjustable Coals or Cooking Grates Special upgrade offer for magazine readers. Burners with a warranty of 10 years should last longer than those with no guarantee. Char-Broil is one of the top-selling brands and has a wide product range that includes a hybrid grill that allows you to cook with charcoal and gas. Pellet grills, which use wood pellets, are meant to offer the taste of cooking with wood, plus unmatched precision—they have digital thermostats that allow you to dial in a precise cooking temperature. If you need to replace them, it’s a 10-minute job. To see how each model cooks, we wire the surface with thermocouples to record the temperature across the grates. ​ 2. A basic gas grill is fine for cooking burgers and hot dogs, but if you also enjoy grilling fish and sizzling steaks with sear marks, look at the temperature-range score in our gas grill ratings. Get it close to the coals for searing, or farther away to, say, cook a skin-on chicken breast all the way through without charring the skin. These models are more versatile because they can sear at high temperatures and slow-smoke foods at low temperatures. When shopping, you’ll want to carefully look over the construction of the grill. Even though the walls aren’t as thick as ceramic, these grills are generally made from multiple layers of metal, helping them hold on to heat. Many kamado grills have a gasket on the lid, and even locking latches, to create the tightest seal possible. Readers gave high marks for grilling performance, ease of use, and appearance but were lukewarm about durability and ease of cleaning. Also, it should be lightweight for easy transportation. Cook a kettle of corn or keep the baked beans warm while grilling the main course. Cost: $50 to $400. ... Let Consumer Reports help you buy right every time. But they use more charcoal than kettle grills, and you’ll need to add a lot of coals to build a layered bed for prolonged cooking. Here are some of the best portable gas grills from CR’s tests. The grill surface is big! And while they hold a lot of charcoal, the usable cooking surface is often smaller than that of kettle or barrel grills. They’re also heavy, anywhere from 170 to 300 pounds, making them harder to assemble, transport from the store, and move around your yard. This product was presentation was made with AAWP plugin. We also assess how evenly each model heats—if you’re cooking a giant batch of burgers, you want them to finish at the same time. Look for a model with a tight-fitting lid and solid dampers or vents. We spread the layer of coals evenly across the base of the grill and wire the grates with thermocouples to measure how evenly the coals provide heat across the surface. 1.Cuisinart CGG-180 Petit Portable Gas Grill with VersaStand, red. It has inspired a number of copycat cookers from other brands. Readers gave Napoleon grills top marks for appearance and ease of use, and high marks for grilling performance, durability, and ease of cleaning. These rectangular grills offer an alternative to the classic kettle grill. The tapered shape lets you build a deeper bed of coals than you can in a barrel grill, so you can sear or cook for a longer time without adding coals. Models with a removable ashpan are easiest to clean. The versatile Blackstone Tailgater (about $174) is equipped with adjustable … We skip the preheat test that we perform on gas because we’ve found that most pellet grills heat up quickly. These iconic grills have developed a cultlike following, with devotees (who call themselves Eggheads) who swear nothing cooks better. Look for Solid Construction The following is a list of the 10 best gas grills based on reviews by consumer report. You’ll see brand reliability information in our gas grill ratings. Hopper: The hopper size determines how many pellets a grill can hold, and in turn, how long the grill will run before you need to add fuel. Price at Amazon! Best Tabletop Gas Grill – Reviews by Consumer Reports Cuisinart CGG-059 Grillster 8,000 BTU Portable Gas Grill This model comes with 146 sq inches of enameled steel cooking grates to offer ample cooking space to cook more than a family-sized meal and big slabs of meat. It makes turning the tank on or off a snap and simplifies changing the tank when you run out of gas. Copyright © 2020, Consumer Reports, Inc. Like us on Facebook to see similar stories, Why the defunct South Vietnam flag was flown at the Capitol riot, Pro-Trump rioters who stormed the Capitol came within seconds of seeing Pence and his family, report says. Large grills: large enough to hold 28 or more burger patties. It’s worth noting that they generally can’t get as hot, or sear as well, as the best gas, charcoal, and kamado grills. Airflow We also perform these tests at low and moderate temperatures and capture the range of temperatures at which every single model can cook. 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