Charcoal vs. Gas Grills

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We’ll just say it: We’re fans of both.

Serious Eats

Our favorite gas grill is the Weber Spirit E-310. It boasts three burners, two side tables, and a price we think many grillers will appreciate. For a charcoal grill, years of testing have taught us you can’t do better than the Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill.

Many charcoal grill fans would never dream of swapping their briquettes for propane tanks. But gas grills have their merits, too. Namely, they’re convenient as heck, and a reported 60% of households go with gas. If I’m grilling—especially on a weeknight—I’ll almost always fire up my Weber gas grill over my charcoal kettle.

The question then becomes: Which grill is better for you? We’ve tested both gas and charcoal grills, and below, you’ll find our general thoughts on how they compare in areas like flavor, ease of use, and versatility. Hopefully, it’ll make your decision easier.

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If you want to quickly cook food with minimal smoky flavor, gas grills will just do that. And to be clear: There is some smokiness with gas-cooked grub, thanks to fat dripping onto the grill’s bars and igniting. The high temperatures that gas grills achieve (225°F to 600°F) make them well-suited for the quick blast of heat needed for burgers, chicken thighs, salmon, and the like. We’ve found that with fast-cooked food, the flavor imparted by gas and charcoal grills really is indistinguishable.

That said, everything gas can do, charcoal can do too…and then some. Its temperature range goes as low as you want it to, but can also rocket as high as 1200°F. Charcoal grills are the best option for low, indirect cooking, and you can stack the coals on one side when something needs to go for hours for optimal tenderness and flavor, like pork shoulder or ribs.

By tossing wood chunks onto their coals, you can also easily turn a charcoal grill into a smoker. Then, you can close the lid and dampers for a fairly airtight environment that restricts oxygen, allowing smoke to really penetrate food. Gas grills just aren’t that airtight—and for good reason. If they were, they’d be liable to explode. (No flame + gas still flowing = a scary situation.)

It’s easy to change the temperature on a gas grill by just adjusting its control knobs. Basically, gas grills are fairly “set it and forget it.” You can also close the lid of a gas grill to trap heat, allowing it to burn hotter, and open the lid to lower the temperature.

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Charcoal grills, on the other hand, burn hotter when the lid is open, with more oxygen feeding the coals. Controlling the temperature of a charcoal grill is also trickier and depends on many factors, including fuel type (briquettes vs. lump charcoal), fuel configuration, and even how windy it is outside. You’ll need to open and close the dampers to adjust the airflow when needed and add more fuel if the temperature drops. If a charcoal grill gets too hot, it’s like a runaway train, and it’ll take time and oxygen deprivation to bring it down.

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Undoubtedly, gas grills are easier to use than charcoal ones. You just have to attach a propane tank, turn on the grill, and give it 10 minutes or so to heat up before you’re ready to cook. With a charcoal grill, setup will take at least 30 minutes and involves a charcoal chimney and handling hot coals.

Similarly, extinguishing a gas grill means merely adjusting a dial and shutting off the fuel tank. With charcoal, you’ll have to wait for the coals to go out on their own or add the lid, depriving them of oxygen.

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With either type of grill, a grill brush will easily keep the grates clean. Gas grills have grease trays that will occasionally need to be emptied, too. But charcoal has ash. You’ll need to clean the ash collector after every cook, and it’ll never not be messy.

There’s no getting around it: You can get a good charcoal grill for way less than a worthwhile gas grill. A basic Weber kettle is about $220 (at the time of writing), whereas our favorite three-burner gas grill is around $450. That said, you can certainly spend more on either type of grill. This Weber charcoal grill has a cart, charcoal storage, and a propane start, and it costs as much as many gas grills.

Serious Eats

Annoyingly, the answer is: It depends. If you prioritize convenience and mostly do high-heat, fast grilling, you’ll be happy with a gas grill. If you want a grill for longer cooks (think brisket and ribs) and are a smoke fiend, a charcoal grill is likely the answer. And if you have the space for both, we say go for it.