Gas Grill vs. Electric Grill – Which Is Better?

Grilling is a fantastic way to enjoy food with friends and family, but it's easy to focus on the food when you pick out a grill. Between gas grills and electric grills, each has a lot of advantages that make them both excellent additions to your backyard.

It’s a conversation that comes up every year when it’s time to buy a new grill, which is better, a gas or electric grill? There are many advantages and disadvantages to owning and using each type of grill, from food quality, how easy it is to use, to how environmentally friendly it is, but which is truly better?

An electric grill is better than a gas grill for many reasons. Electric grills are starting to become more developed and have more and better functions than the traditional gas grill. Depending on what form you have, electric grills can also modify the flavor of the food you’re cooking, just as a smoker will.

Even though there are more benefits to using an electric grill, there are substantial benefits to using a traditional gas grill. Most depend on who is using the grill and how comfortable the person is with grilling on different platforms.

Choosing A Grill

Choosing which grill you want to use isn’t one of the easiest decisions to make. Many people have their own preferences and relationships with different types of grills. When you’re choosing a grill, there are several things you must consider:

Grilled fruits.
Many people have their own preferences and relationships with different types of grills.
  • Do you want to use the grill indoors or outdoors?
  • Will replacing the propane tank be feasible? 
  • Do you have a gas line or outlet to hook the grill up to if it’s used outside?
  • How comfortable are you with using each type of grill?
  • How many people will you be cooking for?
  • If you live in an apartment and have a balcony, can you use a gas grill on it?

Gas Grills

Gas grills have been a traditional staple for backyard barbeques for decades, just behind the charcoal grill. Gas grills are very affordable and can last a long time if you take care of them. You can hook your gas grill up to a propane tank or have a gas line running out of your house to power the grill.

A gas grill with different kinds of meat being grilled.
Gas grills are very affordable and can last a long time if you take care of them.

Types of Gas Grills

Gas grills can come in several forms to meet whatever needs you to have for your backyard or travels. It has been very common to see smaller transportable gas grills at tailgates recently too.

  • A traditional gas grill, where the flame touches the food
  • Tabletop: more affordable and might be able to be used on balconies
  • A gas grill head installed into an outdoor kitchen.
  • Infrared, where the flames don’t directly touch the food, and the food is cooked by hot plates in the unit.
A tabletop gas grill.
Tabletop: more affordable and might be able to used on balconies.

In addition to the types of gas grills, many gas grills offer addons to widen the possibilities of what you’re cooking, such as rotisserie turners and side burners.

Pros and Cons of a Gas Grill

If you want to buy a gas grill, there are many different benefits but cons as well. Most of the decision-making process is up to user preference. Still, if you’ve never had a grill before, a gas grill is very easy to start out and experiment with your grilling experience and preferences with.

ProsCons
Provides better flavor than charcoal.Propane prices are increasing. Propane is also becoming more scarce.
Easier to take apart and clean.Not as environmentally friendly.
Can visualize and control the flame.Ignition can be dangerous if not careful.
Must be used outdoors, even tabletop gas grills.
If you’re not patient, temperature regulation will be difficult.

Additionally, gas grills are usually bigger than electric grills, which makes them an excellent option if you’re grilling for your family or a party. Gas grills do need more space than electric grills because there is an open flame and can be considered a fire hazard.

Electric Grills

Electric grills have become more popular recently. They are very popular in households and even more popular in apartments and on apartment balconies. They can offer a healthier way to prepare your meals and come in many forms.

Electric grill with meat and vegtables.
They can offer a healthier way to prepare your meals and come in many forms.

Types of Electric Grills

Since electric grills made their debut, they have different forms to meet anyone’s needs.

  • Traditional grill
  • Tabletop, which is the most common for indoor use.
  • Airfryer combination: many air fryers now come with multi-functions, where grilling is one of them.
  • Pellet smokers: even though they’re smokers, they use electricity to heat the pellets to cook the food.
A tabletop electric grill.
Tabletop, which is the most common for indoor use.

Depending on the type of electric grill you buy, you can get some additional features. Most electric grills don’t come with rotisserie turners or side burners, but different models can work as air fryers or mini ovens that you can bake in, like the Ninja Foodi.

Pros and Cons of an Electric Grill

When considering buying an electric grill, it definitely is important to notice the pros and cons of your decision. Electric grills can offer many more benefits than gas grills can.

ProsCons
A healthier way to cook food and drain fat.Must be near an electric power source. If you take it tailgating, you might need to bring a generator.
It can be used indoors and on most apartment balconies.Searing food might be difficult due to the heating mechanisms used.
Better temperature control.You can only easily clean the removable parts because the electric coils cannot be submerged.
Can utilize the drip pan if you want to use the drippings to make gravy or other things.
Shorter time to heat up than other grills.

In addition to these, electric grills tend to be smaller than gas grills. If you’re cooking for one or two people, a smaller electric grill is more ideal than a gas grill. Some larger models work well for feeding larger groups of people that are typically like a traditional outdoor grill.

Electric grills also don’t need as much space as gas grills since they aren’t as big of a fire hazard.

Other Grill Types

If an electric or gas grill isn’t for you, there’s no need to worry that you’ll be sacrificing the amazing flavor that grilling food can give. Some other popular types of grills are:

Conclusion

Electric grills offer many more benefits than gas grills, including health benefits and not needing much of a learning curve. Whether you decide to buy a gas grill or an electric grill, it is entirely your decision. The most important thing is to consider what you’ll be using the grill for and what is more accessible to you.

Last update on 2023-01-31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Related stories

read this next

Your kitchen is the heart of your home, and it can be used to cook dishes that warm you not only physically, but emotionally. The comfort of a warm meal at the end of a long, cold day is one thing few think about until they no longer have an outdoor kitchen. Here are 5 tips on how to build an outdoor kitchen for cooler climates.
Which woods are best for your smoker or grill? Hickory and charcoal are commonly used, but which ones do you choose? These 9 woods listed all have unique flavors, and use, and will add that signature smoke to your meats for a delicious taste.
An outdoor kitchen is an accessory structure to a home that most often includes features such as a grill or stove, cooktops, refrigeration and some sort of wet sink. While the traditional definition of an accessory property does not actually include kitchens or cook spaces on this list, the term has widely been broadened for the purpose of describing outdoor kitchens.
Reheating pizza in the oven is a simple and tasty way to enjoy your favorite snack. If you’re wondering which heat settings are best for reheating a frozen pizza, or how long it will take for your frozen pizza to heat through, then this guide is for you.
There is a debate over which type of pizza oven (wood or gas) tastes better. Wood generally gives a more authentic and tasty flavor to your pizza, but it does take longer to heat up than gas. It also requires more maintenance in terms of cleaning and maintaining the temperature, so it can be more of a hassle than using gas.
It is usually better to keep your pizza oven outside, as it will allow the coals to burn longer and the heat to dissipate. However, if you live in an area that has many strong winds or heavy rains, it might be best to keep it inside.
The battle of BBQ vs oven has been debated for years. Which is better for grilling meats out in the great outdoors? While both are excellent choices for cooking meats, there are pros and cons for each. If you’re still undecided about which style you prefer, compare the features and benefits of both types to help you determine which one is best for you.
One of the most common questions when building an outdoor kitchen is the best way to protect your outdoor kitchen from the sun. You will want to remove or protect your outdoor kitchen from direct sun light, especially early and late in the day from 11am-3pm (sun is strongest during these hours) to prevent your interior surfaces from becoming too hot and baked on with grime.
There are a lot of reasons you may have a refrigerator outside. Maybe because you often grill out and need cold beverages close to the action. Maybe because your garage isn’t climate controlled, and it can’t fit in your basement refrigerator. Maybe you just love to have friends over and need that extra space. Reasons aside, keeping a fridge outside means learning how to take care of it properly so that it lasts as long as possible
A gas pizza oven is a great way to make authentic pizzas outdoors. This type of oven is self-feeding, meaning it is continuously fed the fuel source automatically. Gas is the preferred option because it gives pizza oven owners a more consistent heat source and doesn’t require attention when using.
An outdoor pizza oven can be used to cook your favorite pizza and give it that perfect crunchy crust. It takes about 20 minutes to cook a large pizza at 700˚F. The specific time will vary depending on the size of your pizza, the thickness of the crust and the temperature you use.
Grilling is a fantastic way to enjoy food with friends and family, but it’s easy to focus on the food when you pick out a grill. Between gas grills and electric grills, each has a lot of advantages that make them both excellent additions to your backyard.
Cooking outside has grown in popularity. There are many advantages of cooking outside over cooking inside of your home. It is an activity that has been happening forever and yields great results. Cooking outside can be fun and can be done by kids. There are six benefits of cooking outdoors over cooking inside that are listed below.

Receive the latest news

Get Our Cacti Newsletter

Stay updated with the latest facts, tips, advice, and more!

Your privacy is important to us.