Gas Grills: A Perennial Favorite

The most popular barbecues Colorado run on gas, and there are several reasons for this preference. One is the availability of grill sizes, while another is that gas fires are far easier to control than charcoal or wood ones. With some grill styles, ease of clean-up is also a factor.

Grill size options may not seem like that big of a deal to someone who doesn't cook outdoors, but for those who do, it can be a very important factor. This is especially true for those who like to hold big barbecue parties. It'd take 100 pounds or more of charcoal to fire a grill that's the size of the biggest gas options, and moving all of that fuel is a big job. It's also expensive to buy that much ready-made charcoal. With gas, running a big grill is as easy as running a smaller one. It just takes turning a few more knobs, and presto, the entire thing is fired up and ready to go.

Natural gas is also fairly cheap, so the fuel cost of running a giant grill for the cooking portion of an outdoor party isn't that much different than the cost of running a small one for the same length of time.

Improved control of the fire is another important benefit that gas-lovers are drawn to. With charcoal, the fire often seems to have a mind of its own. When it gets to an easy-burning part of the wood or the wind hits it, it flares up. Attempting to dampen it with some water usually results in the other extreme, and then nothing cooks until the water evaporates off and it flares up again. With gas, this sort of frustration doesn't happen. The cook just needs to set the knob, and the fire will then stay the same unless the setting is deliberately changed.

Clean-up is something that no one wants to worry about after finishing with a barbecue session, so for some, the fact that gas grills don't produce any ashes is a big plus. With charcoal, the owner must wait until everything is cool and then start shoveling. An amazing amount of ash can be generated from a small pile of charcoal briquettes, and cleaning it up can be messy.

Gas grills often just need to have their cooking surfaces scrubbed in order to be ready to go.

For all of these reasons, gas grills have many fans. They are sure to remain popular in the years to come.