The electric and gas grills are considered to be grills that are easy to use by the beginner. We are sure that when compared to a charcoal grill, they are both easier to use and maintain. That being said, the debate of electric vs gas grill has been going on for some time. We are going to continue to discuss the differences and similarities between the two grills. We are sure that you will find this to be an interesting read. Have a look.
What’s the Difference?
It doesn't matter if you are here because you want to buy a new grill and can not figure out which one to go for or if you are just here to take a look at the comparison for fun. You are all welcome here as we find out the answer to the question - Electric vs Gas Grill — What’s the Difference? We are sure that the head to head comparison is the highlight of the article.
However, before choosing a grill you might need to consider the fact that which one is better suited for you and your cooking methods. That brings us to the very next part of the article where we provide a general overview of the grill so that the readers can have a clearer perspective of the two grills before we get to the comparison.
Electric Grill General Overview
There are people who have said that cooking on an electric grill is similar to cooking on a griddle indoors. There is no source of combustion needed to operate this grill because it only needs electricity to cook the food. Electric grills are very easy to use and maintain. All you need to do is plug in the grill to an electrical outlet and get cooking. You will not get any flare-ups because of the fact that the food does not touch any flame. The electricity is used to heat up the grill. You can still get grill marks on the food with the help of the ridges. They are very good grilla for beginners.
Gas Grill General Overview
Gas grills are also considered to be the beginners grill but many experienced people also prefer to use this kind of grills. Gas grills might be the most commonly used grill in the market. They cook the food on an open flame and they need propane or natural gas as fuel for the grill. There can be one burner or multiple burners in the grill. You can adjust the flame as the food rests at the top of a grate. You can have a fun cooking and grilling experience in the gas grill. The only thing that you need to do is to have a constant supply of gas.
Contrasts and Comparisons
Now we can go ahead and dive right into the contrasts and comparisons for the electric vs gas grill. Take a look at them.
Quality and Consistency of Finished Foods
Cooking food is very persistent with an electric grill. There are no flare-ups and it can hold the particular temperature that you have set for a very long time. You can cook any kind of food without the trouble of facing any kind of inconsistency. The flat surface is perfect for cooking fish which can be a hassle to cook on the grates. There are no grates on the electric grills so you do not have to worry about the delicate meat. The grill marks is also an added bonus to the food being cooked.
Gas grills are not as consistent as the electric grills but we can not say that they are extremely inconsistent. There are people who find it difficult to manage at first because of the temperature fluctuations caused by the flare-ups. However, you can not compare the taste of the food on the gas grill. The drippings can cause smoke to form that can infuse good flavor to the food. The charred fat, rubs, and sauces can enhance the flavor of the grilled food too. An electric grill does not provide such flavor to the good food. If you want your food to taste like an actual barbecue then it is better to go for the gas grill.
Ease of Use and Convenience
Electric grills are very easy to use. You just need a power supply to start the grill. If you have experience with handling electric griddles or stoves then you know that it is very easy to use because the electric grill works in a similar manner. You can adjust the temperature easily by pushing the valve up and down according to your needs. They are easy to use and they can start the cooking process instantly.
Gas grills are also pretty easy to light up. They do not take a long time to reach the desired temperature either. You can light a gas grill on one try with the help of the ignition system that is present in the grill. Some grills might have faulty ignition system and does not light up in one go. You need to be careful while picking the model. You can adjust the temperature of the grill by turning the knob like the electric grill. However, the level of precision can be low. You might need to work on the grill a few times to understand the working of the grill properly and you will learn to adjust the temperature too. Both are good but we think that the electric grill is easier to use.
Versatility
If you are thinking of having a versatile grill then you need to go for the gas grill because even though the electric grill is easy to use, it is not that good when it comes to versatility. Yes you can get the sear marks and you can cook the food until you think that it is done right, but that's the limit of it. However, you can get a lot more options on the gas grills. Remember that the grill has got to have two or more burners for it to be versatile. You can go for two zone cooking with a hot zone and a cool zone.
There is also the indirect form of cooking that is used by many people and it is such an interesting way to cook food. You csn add a smoke box and get to smoking if you want. There are so many different options that you can explore with the gas grill so we are going to say that they won this round.
Temperature Range — High Heat and Low Heat
When you have a wide range of temperature then you can cook in different kinds of food. An electric grill has a temperature range of about 250 degrees Fahrenheit to 600 degrees Fahrenheit. The lower range of temperature is perfect for cooking delicate food like fish, fruit, and vegetables. You can also reheat cooking. The highest range of temperature can differ according to the model but having a temperature of about 600 degrees Fahrenheit or more is very incredible. You can sear the food that you want.
The gas grill will have similar low limit of temperature but that can be harder given the temperature of the gas grill seems to fluctuate. You might need to set up a two zone area to start with the slow and low cooking on a gas grill. The highest temperature can be around 500 degrees Fahrenheit or around 550 degrees Fahrenheit at most. There are models that can go higher. If you want high flame then you can go for an infrared model that can reach temperatures of about 700 degrees Fahrenheit. There are models that have gone above 900 degrees Fahrenheit! It is crazy to think about it.
Size, Footprint and Space Required
Electric grills tend to be smaller than the gas grills. They are said to be so small that the largest electric grill is equal to the size of the smallest gas grill. You might need a small space of around 2 square feet for one. This is indeed something that can be very shocking to a lot of people who did not check the dimensions of a grill when they ordered it online.
Gas grills can be small and they can be big. You can decide on one depending on your needs and preference. The smallest one is going to need only few feet to each side. There should be more space needed when you purchase a bigger grill. Make sure that you check the dimensions of the grill before you buy it. We do not want to give you a shock.
Cooking Capacity
The biggest electric grills are also very small when compared to the other grills. We have already established this fact so the cooking area that you can get on this grill is around 240 Square inches on a good grill. You can not host a barbecue party on the electric grills. The grill is perfect for a family or taking with you on a tailgating trip with a few friends. They are not meant to cook for larger crowds.
A gas grill has a wide range of choice for you. You can choose a smaller grill with small cooking capacity if you only like to cook for yourself and your selected group of people. If you want throw a barbecue party and named the king of the neighborhood then you need a big grill with a lot of cooking space to cook for a whole lot of people. We are sure that you will find such grills with ease. No matter what size you are looking for, the gas grill market has it all.
Reliability
This comes down to the fact that “you get what you pay for.” This is the best way to put it. Electric grills do not have much reputation but if you are buying it from a well known company like George Foreman, Weber, and Cuisinart then it gets some credibility because they are made in the best way possible. You will get the best features and the least problems on these grills. The same goes for the gas grills.
They are available in plenty but we advise you to go with the branded or well known ones because we know that they are reliable. The parts of the grill will be easy to get and replace in case of something going wrong with a popular grill. Electric grills have a hard time servicing so you need to be very careful with them and you might need to locate a service center as soon as possible.
Bad Weather Effects
Many people have given up on electric grills because you can not use them outside when it is raining or when it is too cold. You know that it can be horrifying to match electricity with rain water. You need to have common sense for this. The grill can not function in cold weather too because the components are not made for such a thing.
On the other hand you can take the electric grill to the garage or the kitchen and start cooking. Many electric grills are made to be both indoor and outdoor grills. So even in a cold weather you are going to get the food that you have been waiting for. This is possible only with electric grills because they do not release any noxious fumes and the smoke is also minimum from the grill. We do not want to trigger the smoke alarm in your house.
Gas grills are very harsh grills and even work in rain or snow. They will only stop when the condition becomes arctic outside. If you can bear the cold and snow then you can cook on the gas grill outside. We do not understand who in their right might would like to grill in heavy down pour but if you want to cook in cold temperatures or in drizzling rain then the gas grill can work for you. Have a note that they might have some trouble heating up when the temperature drops outside so that grill will be using more gas.
It is hard to say which one is winning here. The gas grill can withstand bad weather conditions for a certain amount but it can be irritating to sit in the rain or snow with your friends and family. You can not bring the gas grill inside to cook the food so you need to stop if there are no other options. However, you can bring the party inside with the electric grill which seems like a more useful thing to us.
Maintenance Required
There is not much effort required to taking care of an electric grill. You just need to wipe down the cooking surface. You can easily scrap away the coating or any debris given the fact that most of the grills come with a nonstick coating. A gas grill does need more attention than an electric grill but they are not that hard to clean. The things you need to to is scrape off food residue, wipe away any kind of moisture, check out the gas connections for safety purposes, ensure burners are secure and intact, watch out for rusting if your grill is not made of stainless steel, and check for spider webs in the tubes.
Conclusion
Thank you so much for giving this article here a read. We do hope that you have had fun reading the article and that it has been very good to look at the comparison and facts about both kinds of grills. We know that the debate of the gas grill vs the electric grills is never going to end. If you want to join in the conversation then you can definitely join the forums on the internet. There are quite a few there. At the end of the day, the choice is yours. You can go for either of the grills. It solely depends on your cooking style and preference. Make sure to eat lots of grilled food with your loved ones!
