YOUR AGENDA

Charcoal vs. gas grills: Which should you get?

For those who love to grill, the debate over gas grills versus charcoal grills creates frequent arguments that sometimes become more heated than the grill itself. It really boils down to personal preference for most people. The smoky flavor and quick sear of charcoal grilled food may be preferable for you. Or you may appreciate the precise temperature control and lack of mess found with a gas grill.

Charcoal grill pros

➤ Ability to generate higher temperatures than most propane grills for perfect searing of meat

➤ Delivers a natural, smoky flavor to food

➤ Small, inexpensive models made for portability are easy to find

➤ Cooking with a charcoal grill is a traditional method, which some people prefer

➤ Small, inexpensive models made for portability are easy to find

Charcoal grill cons

➤ Takes longer to grill than with propane, including the time taken for the charcoal to heat up

➤ Costs for charcoal fuel will be higher in the long run than propane fuel costs

➤ The ash that the charcoal generates while grilling creates a mess

➤ Harder to cook vegetables or fruit than on a propane grill

Gas grill pros

➤ Greater control over the amount of heat than charcoal and you can control the temperature for each individual burner

➤ They don’t create ash, which results in messy cleanup

➤ Propane cooking adds fewer carcinogens to the food than charcoal cooking

➤ Better for the environment than a charcoal grill

➤ Quick startup and immediate heat means you’re cooking fast

Gas grill cons

➤ When you run out of propane, replacement tanks are only available in limited retail locations

➤ If you want a smoky charcoal-like flavor, you’ll need to purchase extra items

➤ A leaky propane grill or tank could lead to an explosion

GAS: The side burner on the Nexgrill five-burner propane gas grill allows for side dishes to be quickly grilled, and its built-in thermometer means the temperature of your grilled food is perfectly regulated. The angled flame tamers prevent dripping and flare up. $249, nexgrill.com

CHARCOAL: Char-Griller’s Akorn Kamado Kooker charcoal grill is perfect for high-temperature grilling. It has cast-iron cooking grates to help to cook food evenly, and it has an easy-to-remove ash pan for a less messy cleanup. $338, amazon.com