Before you BBQ: Buy the right grill for yourself!

Charcoal or Gas? This is the most common question I get from family and friends looking to get a BBQ grill. There is also an eternal debate over the pros and cons of each. Now, I am not about to get into the middle of the “grate debate” that has not a known end or will there ever be one. So I am going to break this down into one word for you: Lifestyle. BBQ is a “lifestyle”. It is a great way to enjoy food so the right grill for you is the one that fits into YOUR daily/social life. The last thing you want is to spend money and try to adapt yourself around the grill’s limitations!

For those of you with impatient to finish reading this article or no time to finish this article you can stop right here and go buy yourself an electric grill or a gas grill. Why? Simply put, a gas grill is for people who have “lives” to get back to and time is always a “premium”. It is for people with no patience or time to wait around till the charcoal is heated “just right” for cooking. All you want to do is to buy your BBQ stuff, ignite the gas grill and start cooking /entertaining in a few minutes. The gas grill gives you the convenience to BBQ as and when you want to without too much hassle.  

Now for everyone else with a little bit more time on your hands and can afford to finish this article let’s consider some factors that you many want to weigh before choosing the right grill for yourself.

1)      Space, Space and Space! Ok the first thing to consider is always where do I leave the grill? Decide where you are going to sit the grill and if the grill flares up is it going to burn your house down? Space determines the size of the grill you buy and most good gas grills have the footprint of a small refrigerator… If you live in a shoebox apartment buy an electric grill or go east coast to BBQ. If you have a large patio, you can consider a large high end gas grill with infra red cooking and smoker box. Yes, it is pretty much common sense here…

2)      Cost. It is all about $$$, no point talking about buying a nice gas grill if it is way out of your budget right? Charcoal grills are usually cheaper than gas grills so if you don’t want to spend a huge amount on your grill, charcoal or electric grill may just be about your only option. You can also make your own charcoal grill but that is for another time. =) Do remember that when it comes to gas grill it is better to “invest” a little more now than to realize down the road it does not live up to your expectations. At the very least, you want to know the highest temperature the grill can reach as well as burner configuration. You need to reach 350C or 600F+ to sear steaks properly. Make sure there is a thermometer as well.

3)      You have the space and money is not a factor so what about taste? Generally speaking charcoal and wood grill imparts a smoky flavor and can reach very high temperatures for searing and charring. A study done long ago have shown that most people can’t tell the difference between a gas grill cooked hamburger to one done by a charcoal grill but a good number can tell the difference between gas and charcoal with a piece of steak. So to a varying degree, charcoal does impart that smoky BBQ flavor to different meats and it boils down to how particular you are about your BBQ. That being said, the less smoky gas grill does better if you are grilling delicate meats or vegetables/fruits that you don’t want to taste like ash (aka smoke).

4)      Convenience again… Yes back to convenience again. You have to ask yourself if you are the kind that enjoys that spontaneous spark to go to supermarket after work buy a nice piece of steak and grill for dinner. If so, the time to light up your charcoal gill will surely douse that spontaneity. If you grill frequently or intend to grill frequently a gas grill may be more suitable for you.

With a gas grill it is also easier to set up indirect zones of fire to cook those difficult to cook through chicken wings! (Make sure your grill has at least 2 burners) With charcoal you need to physically set up these zones provided that your charcoal grill is large enough to do so. Gas grills usually comes with a cover as well so you can turn down the heat cover the BBQ and let things slow cook like an oven if you don’t have one at home. The Charcoal grill can double as a smoker (to smoke meats) if you are into it and adding woodchips (flavors) to your BBQ is much easier than a gas grill (need a smoke box).

5)      Cleaning up. Yes someone has to do it… If you have a maid or someone else who does it then it is no issue. Otherwise it is a factor to consider. With a charcoal grill you have to clean out the ash as well as brush the grate every time you use it. Yes you can use a disposable mesh but make sure you remove the grate because it can get a little bit disgusting after a while. With a gas grill you can clean the grill before or after usage. There is no ash to clean up instead you need to ignite the grill to maximum heat, wait for the smoking to stop then brush the grates with a metal brush. Though it will be hygienic to wash with soap once a while…

6)       Environmentally Friendly? Ok it is hard to argue for charcoals here since they are one of the dirtiest of fossil fuel. You could probably buy “recycled charcoal” but all charcoal gives off soot and ash period. Gas burns cleaner but electric is the cleanest.

Consider the factors and weigh what fits into your lifestyle the most easily and do you research on individual grills. Not all grills are built equal so check out a few before deciding. If you are getting as gas grill don’t rush the process. Gas grills are so expensive in Singapore, you want to find out all the possible accessories / features that you may want to have before going out to buy the grill.

Personally, I prefer the gas grill as it allows me to cook a steak any time of the week or day. I am not limited by the requirement to “plan” my grilling so I get a steak when I feel like having one without needing to crouch by a charcoal pit for 20 minutes like a caveman. I don’t have that kind of time but I still want to enjoy some steaks or grilled chicken breast on a weekly basis but that’s just me.