Portable Gas BBQ Grills: Great Food On Location

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With the start of May came the arrival of National Barbecue Month. The long, warm days of spring are here and summer is just around the corner, with everyone enjoying the opportunity to get outdoors. And what better way to extend the enjoyment of warm, sunny weather than with outdoor cooking?

Whether you want to take the cookout on the go for a weekend camping trip, head out for a picnic, or simply enjoy the evening on your patio, a portable gas grill is a good choice – with its compact design, this item offers great flexibility and convenience without any loss of quality. Plus, they are much easier to keep clean than their charcoal-based brethren.

But with so many options available, and with such a wide range of prices, how do you make the right choice to suit your needs?

To answer that question, let’s have a look at some of the features to consider in smaller sized gas barbecues.

Start at the Start

To begin, it’s helpful to determine a few points on how, when, and where your grilling will be done. This applies to all sizes of course, but with a transportable grill, there are a couple of extra variables that come into play that will help you to ascertain the best Q available for your particular purposes.

So, let’s start with questions along these lines:

• How often do you estimate you’ll use the barbecue over the course of a year?
• Roughly how many people will be served when you grill?
• Do you need a unit that’s transportable for camping or tailgating?
• Will it need to fit in the storage compartment of your RV?
• Or are you simply looking for a compact model to use at home? Would a bigger version suit you better?
• How long do you expect your grill to last?
• And finally, what price range are you looking in?

The Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association (1) has conducted a number of polls in recent years and compiled some interesting statistics. Among them, they have found that most gas grills retail for under $300, and last an average of 3 years. This is certainly something to consider if you’re looking to average out the cost over its expected lifetime.

Once you’ve come up with an idea of just how often, for how many, and where your outdoor grilling will be done, it’s time to look at some of the specific features that will aid you in meeting your requirements.

Portable Gas Grill Features

BTUs

British Thermal Units determine the output of gas to heat up your grill. Theoretically, the higher the number of BTUs, the hotter the temperature will be. On a grill, the BTU rating is indicative of the maximum amount of heat available for the main grill area only, or per burner.

It does not cover side burners, warming trays, rotisserie burners, etc. And you’ll want to have a close look at this rating – some product manufactures will lump all the burner output ratings together to make it look like a bigger number.

But the BTU rating doesn’t get the final say in determining how hot the model will get. An inefficient unit, made of thin materials that can’t hold the heat, will lose a lot of those thermal units to heating the great outdoors. As a result, you’ll need a model with a higher BTU output to grill a steak in the same amount of time.

A barbecue with a very high BTU rating for its size may be trying to compensate for lightweight components, such as the grill, lid or open side construction not being able to hold the heat.

And one with low BTUs may take longer than usual to preheat, or it may have slow recovery times after loading the grate with food.

Temperature Control

Most portable units will only have one temperature control, due to their size. But if you’re considering any that have dual burners, look for dual temperature controls as well to accommodate two different temperature zones when cooking.

Surface Cooking Area

As most portable grills don’t have a large warming tray or holding area, predetermine how much surface area you’ll typically need. If you plan to cook your entire meal on the grate, you’ll need more space than you might for grilling up some burgers. And of course, the larger the size, the more expensive they get.

A 200 sq. in. cooking grate will hold approximately 12 burger patties (based on an average patty being roughly 4 x 4”) with adequate room left between them for proper cooking. Or, this is enough space for a meal consisting of 8-10 ounce steaks, with baked potatoes and corn on the cob for two. So, about 100 sq. in. per person is a good guesstimate to help you to determine how much space you might need.

Burners

For gas grills, look for burners that are made out of stainless steel or brass, since aluminum will burn out and cast iron will eventually rust. Stainless with an 18-8 rating, or 304 grade, is the best for corrosion resistance.

To protect the burners from dripping grease, most gas grills will have a metal deflector between the grate and burners. This also helps to produce a more even heat, reducing “hot spots” on the grate.

Grates

A good grill is important for a couple of reasons. It will help to hold the heat within the cooking area, and it conducts the heat into the food for cooking – which leaves the characteristic char marks.

Chrome and nickel plated grates usually have a wire core, they’re lightweight and therefore don’t hold the heat well, the plating can chip, and they tend to rust. Cast iron grates are excellent for holding and conducting heat, but will rust without a treatment of oil (a shot of cooking spray on both sides after cleaning is an easy solution).

Stainless grates work very well and are easy to clean, and heat-treated porcelain on cast iron is superb. But, they’re very heavy and porcelain can crack or chip. If portability is an important factor, you may want to reconsider in favor of a stainless grate.

Ignition

Most gas grills are now equipped with spark ignition systems. Some of these run on a battery and others will use the friction of a push button or dial to kindle a spark. Plus, for the times when the starter fails, there’s usually a “Plan B” in the form of a manual ignition hole on the side, which will take a candle lighter or long, wooden fireplace matches.

Quality of Construction

Lightweight materials and parts are important for transporting portable grills; however, sometimes lightweight can also mean flimsy in terms of construction. Because we’re dealing with flammable liquids, safety is a top concern. So, the more stable the barbecue and stand, the better.

Test the model for stability by gently pushing against it from different angles, to see if it’s unstable or prone to tippiong. Units that are welded will have greater stability than those held together with nuts and bolts or cotter pins.

Check working areas and all surfaces for sharp edges and corners that can cut or get snagged on clothing, oven mitts or aprons. Test the handle to ensure that there’s enough grip room – you don’t want to burn your knuckles on the lid when you’re opening it.

The best materials for gas grills are cast aluminum, cast iron, enameled steel and stainless steel. A few points about the metal used will help to clarify:

• Regardless of the quality of the stainless steel or aluminum, after time it will discolor from the barbecue heat and exposure to the elements. And the thinner the material used, the quicker it will lose its good looks.
• Cast iron is extremely durable but will rust if not properly painted, and its weight can make transportation a bit of an issue.
• Enameled steel won’t rust, but it can chip. Again, this is perhaps a question mark in terms of changing locations often.

In terms of construction, you often get what you paid for. So have a look at the quality of the painting, the heft and gauge of the metal used, and the welds or nuts and bolts.

If you’re buying an accessory cart, is it sturdy enough to get bumped against without a disaster? How many plastic parts are there? And what about hinges or any moving parts – do they look durable enough to last a few years?

Transportation Features

For compact models in particular, look to see how easily, and how small, the unit will be to get in and out of your trunk or RV.

• Does the lid have a latch for secure travelling?
• Will it sit flat or does it have to stand on end?
• Does it come with a travel case?
• Is any disassembly required to move it?
• Do you need a model with wheels for easier movement?
• Will the collapsed dimensions fit in your trunk or stow compartment?

Fuel Tanks

Most portable model barbecues come with small camping size cylinders of propane, which is great for a couple of meals. But in the long run, it’s often more economical to purchase a conversion kit for a 20-pound propane tank. The conversion kit is often an extra that can run up to $100, so factor in that cost if it’s not included in the purchase price.

Shelves

On portable units, the shelving is often detachable or slides in and out of the way when it’s not in use. Check to see how sturdy the shelves are. You probably won’t need them to hold a 20-pound turkey, but they need to be able to withstand the weight of a plate of food, and hold the sauce and utensils as well.

Accessories

Accessories may or may not be included, so you might need to consider this extra cost to stay within budget. Utensils, BBQ recipe books, and a stand or cart will all add to the final cost.

Assembly

If you have to do some assembly yourself, is it going to be a hassle?

Consider the country of origin, how much of the unit is pre-assembled, and whether there’s a good manual written in clear language by a native speaker of that language. You don’t want to be drilling holes to make it fit together… particularly if you don’t know how to use a drill!