Do you want to buy a grill? Then ask yourself questions like: What is the difference between gas and coal grills? What are the advantages and disadvantages of a gas grill compared to a coal grill? Of course, before buying a grill, would you also like to know which grill firing – gas or coal – the food to be grilled tastes better? And it would also be good to know what is healthier: grilled gas or coal grill? We provide you with the gas vs. gas comparison. Charcoal grill to make your gas or coal grill purchase decision easier.
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Grilling is almost a good thing. Grilling is an integral part of our kitchen and even more: grilling is culture! Because those who fire up the grill usually invite family, friends or colleagues to social get-togethers.
In this country, grilling is done in the garden, on the terrace and on the balcony. Public barbecue areas are also well attended. While the majority of people grill at the start of the gardening season, there are also hard-minded grillers who use their grill all year round.
Is there a (new) grill on your shopping list? Then read our comparison of gas and coal grills here. Get to know the advantages and disadvantages of both types of grill and choose the grill that best suits you!
Gas vs. Charcoal grill – two types of grill in comparison
Of the 95 percent of people who have a grill, the newspaper “Garden-News” reported, the majority grill with coal (71 percent), while 21 percent of those questioned grill with gas grills.
Grilling with a charcoal grill: you should know that
Grilling with coal, meaning the charcoal fuel that is available in grill-friendly, handy briquettes, is a classic. It is, so to speak, the new-fangled version of the wood fire that our ancestors lit in the cave to roast their hunted prey. No matter what you want to put on the grill of your charcoal grill:
– Meat and sausage,
– fish and other seafood,
– Vegetables,
– fruit
– or bread & Co.
everything that is grilled over glowing coal ends up on your plate with an inimitable taste: aromatic, smoky, rustic. And it is precisely because of this unique taste experience that grilling is so popular in Germany. And the operators of coal barbecues accept a number of disadvantages: on average, it takes a good half an hour and longer until the coal has preheated to the point that the food to be grilled is allowed to rust. A grill event must be planned accordingly. And when the coal is ready, the food to be grilled should also be put on quickly, because charcoal burns up very quickly. In addition, a coal grill smokes very nicely – and the neighbors do not always understand their smoke signals as a sign of peaceful neighborhood. If you want to know more about barbecuing and neighborhoods, we recommend our article “Barbecue on the balcony: what is allowed and what is prohibited?”.
Our tip: In order not to create too much smoke, you should definitely pay attention to the quality of the charcoal that you burn. Tested quality has its price, but is characterized by the fact that the smoke development is rather low.
Grilling with a gas grill: you need to know that
You don’t have the disadvantages of the coal grill, long lead time and smoke when you grill with a gas grill. Because you just turn on the valve of the gas bottle (filled with propane or butane gas) and press the ignition button that starts the burner, or ignite the grill gas with a match or lighter. It only takes a few minutes and the grilled food can be put on the hot rack. Sounds comfortable? It is! According to a report by Stern magazine, ten percent of German barbecues are now using gas, and the trend is rising.
But the convenience is not the reason that more and more grillers are switching to gas: rather, a gas grill, unlike a coal grill, allows comfortable grilling at the highest level, both for hobby cooks and for professional chefs. Because with the trend “outdoor living”, in which the garden, terrace or balcony becomes an outdoor living space, everything that goes on inside takes place outside: even the better cookware. And a gas grill meets the high demands of an outdoor kitchen more than a coal grill. You are basically pushing the gas stove outdoors. You also don’t have to worry about excessive smoke if you fire your gas grill according to the regulations. Incidentally, this speaks very well for barbecuing with a low-smoke gas grill on balconies where a neighbor is usually not far away. With all the advantages, there is only one disadvantage worth mentioning: a good gas grill costs significantly more than a simple charcoal grill.
Gas or coal grill – which is healthier?
You should know that when grilling over coal, it is rather difficult to achieve and maintain the best grill conditions for taste and health. This increases the risk of the coal grill that the food to be grilled comes into contact with harmful substances. For example, lighters based on paraffin are often used. If they are not completely burned when you put the food on the grill, there may still be pollutants in the rising smoke. It takes a lot of experience to get the right grilling temperature and keep it even throughout the grilling process. And so it happens quite often that the grilled food burns. Charred food can cause cancer, the cancer society says. Gas grills, on the other hand, allow you to set the temperature precisely. So you have much better control over the grill temperature.
Safety in comparison: gas or coal grill
Fire protection is also a very important criterion when deciding for or against a coal or gas grill. The quality of the charcoal contributes to safe fire protection with charcoal grills: Unpressed charcoal sprays sparks. They sometimes fly several meters and glow afterwards. Everything that catches fire quickly should therefore not be placed near the grill, for example garden furniture upholstery. Accidents happen when the charcoal is lit because consumers do not pay attention to the fact that liquid fire accelerators such as alcohol, petrol, acetone and the like evaporate at room temperature and form cloudy vapor-air mixtures that ignite easily when a match or lighter is lit. Even after grilling with a charcoal grill, you must take fire protection measures: the ashes must cool down completely before you dispose of them.
A commercially available gas grill is quality-tested and therefore offers you a high level of security. It is important that the gas bottle is not exposed to direct sunlight or other heat sources during and outside of the grill operation. Starting up the gas grill is also far less risky than using a coal grill. Ignition aids are unnecessary. Always make sure that gas cylinders always come with a right-hand thread! So you turn up to the right, turn to the left. Even after grilling, handling the gas grill is safer than using a coal grill: you only need to close the gas bottle and let the grill cool down.
Because of its higher security, the gas grill is ideal for barbecue areas on balconies and patios.
Charcoal grill: prices
You can get a simple round grill in normal trade for very little money. A stainless steel column grill costs just under forty dollars – our mini kettle grills are just as inexpensive. For more comfortable models, you have to dig deeper into your pocket. Take a look at our wide range of charcoal grills – there is guaranteed to be something for every taste and budget!
Gas grill: prices
Simple gas grills offer most stores at prices starting at around $ 120. For luxurious models with far more functions, you have to expect prices that are a multiple of this.
Our tip: In some shops you can also get grills that combine the functionality of a coal grill and a gas grill in one device. Then you can decide what you want according to your appetite: grilling over coal or grilling over gas.
