Gas vs Charcoal vs Pellet vs Electric: How to Choose the Right Grill for Summer

Advancements in outdoor cooking have expanded our definition of “grilling,” and there is a dizzying array of grill types to choose from.

By Sean Tirman and Jack Seemer

Published May 12, 2024

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There are no shortage of grills out there, and not just in the diversity of brands. Advancements in outdoor cooking have expanded the definition of what we call “grilling,” and even within the catalog of a single company like Weber you’ll find a dizzying array of fuels from gas to charcoal to pellets and even electricity. Here, we break down the pros and cons of each grill type.

Charcoal Grills

When most people think of charcoal, they think of lump charcoal — a wood material cooked at extremely high temperatures in a low-oxygen environment (to prevent the wood from combusting). This allows the more volatile components of wood (water, tar and gasses) to either melt or evaporate. What you’re left with are chunks of combustible carbon that we know as charcoal.

steak-on-coals-gear-patrol-slide-2 — To make charcoal, wood is cooked at extremely high temperatures in a low-oxygen environment (to prevent the wood from combusting).

The Pros Charcoal Grills

Charcoal is one of the simplest materials to grill with. It ignites easily, heats up quickly and gives off much less smoke than regular wood. As such, it works well for both expert grillmasters and novices. It’s also relatively easy to clean up and is widely available for purchase at stores around the world.

The Cons of Charcoal Grills

Charcoal, as a combustible material, is not exactly environmentally friendly. For starters, it gives off a lot of C02, a dangerous greenhouse gas, when combusting. And because charcoal is made from wood, it requires a lot of trees to make.

steak-on-coals-gear-patrol-slide-5 — Charcoal imparts a unique flavor onto meat, though studies suggest it comes with carcinogens, as well.

There’s also a link between grilling meats over an open flame and the development of carcinogens in that meat — although this is not exclusive to charcoal; it applies to just about any high-heat open-flame cooking method, including pellets and gas.

Who needs a charcoal grill?

Charcoal, along with being simple, is also one of the cheapest methods of grilling. So if you want quick, easy BBQ, a charcoal grill might be the best option for you. It also helps how widely available it is, meaning you won’t be stuck searching out a source of fuel, as you might with some other methods.

Charcoal is one of the simplest materials to grill with. It ignites easily, heats up quickly and gives off much less smoke than regular wood.

As far as flavor goes, many people also prefer the smokiness afforded by charcoal that’s not present in gas or electric cooking. And while charcoal is not the fastest method, it is still quicker than, say, smoking in a pellet grill.

Gas Grills

Typically, there are two types of gas used in grilling: propane (which comes in those squat, gray cylinders you can get at the grocery store, gas station, etc.) and natural gas (which is typically piped to your home through underground pipes, just like a gas stove or range).

The Pros of Gas Grills

Gas is one of the quickest ways to cook — perhaps the quickest for anyone looking to grill over an open flame. It can reach its highest temperature in seconds flat (as opposed to roughly 20-30 minutes for charcoal and even longer for pellets grills and smokers).

gas grill on a wooden deck — Gas grills are simple, but they’re intuitive to use and easy to control.

Gas is also exceptionally easy to control, as it remains consistent in temperature from start to finish. It’s also very easy to clean and maintain gas grills. That’s because they’re pretty simple — there’s just not a ton of material that needs to be cleaned out after each use.

The Cons of Gas Grills

Gas grills — especially in enclosed areas — can lead to an increase in the buildup of carbon monoxide to potentially dangerous levels. There are also roughly 600 fires or explosions with around 30 injuries per year as the result of gas grilling.

On the less dangerous but annoying side of the spectrum, it can be tough to tell when you’re running low on gas.

On the less dangerous but annoying side of the spectrum, it can be tough to tell when you’re running low on gas (if you use propane and don’t have a permanently installed grill with a direct natural gas line). That can cause frustration, as you may have to make an unexpected trip to pick up more gas — if you’re even near a location that sells it.

Finally, gas grills don’t get as hot as charcoal, for instance, so it’s harder to sear steaks and other foods.

Who needs a gas grill?

For consistency and precision temperature control, gas is pretty difficult to beat. And if you have a natural gas line that feeds into your permanently-installed grill, the convenience is also nigh impossible to top.

chicken and asparagus on a grill top — Winner, winner, chicken dinner. Nothing beats the convenience of a gas grill for weeknight cooking.

Because of the temperature and flame control, gas is also one of the more versatile fuel options. It can be used for, well, cooking just about anything (not just grilled meats and veggies), especially if you have an array of cookware in which to cook.

Pellet Grills and Smokers

Interestingly, pellet grills didn’t actually exist (at least as we know them today) before Traeger invented the category back in 1987. But today, they’re one of the most popular among serious grillmasters for their versatility and the depth of flavor they can bring to anything you grill in them.

pellet grill in a backyard — Traeger invented the pellet grill category in the late 1980s.

Instead of using gas or charcoal, pellet grills depend on compressed hardwood pellets as their source of fuel. And they’ve often been compared more to outdoor ovens than more traditional grills.

The Pros of Pellet Grills

Perhaps the biggest benefit to a pellet grill is the flavors you can get when you cook with one. Wood-fired and smoked meats are among the most popular around the world for their depth and deliciousness — something nigh-impossible to manage with gas and difficult to even replicate on a minor scale with charcoal.

We-Can-Stop-Calling-Pellet-Grilling-a-Fad-Gear-Patrol-fuel — The cost of pellet grills adds up, and not just because of the grills themselves. You also need a lot of pellets.

Many pellet grills are also pretty simple to use — if a tad time-consuming — and have controls similar to a traditional indoor oven.

The Cons of Pellet Grills

Pellet grills also tend to be among the most expensive options on the market and, therefore, are usually a reasonable purchase only for the most dedicated to the grilling craft (or the wealthy).

Smoking meats can take all day (if not multiple days), so you really have to be ready to dedicate a lot of time and effort.

However, they don’t sear as well as other grills. They’re also heavy and require electricity in order to function, meaning they aren’t really portable. If you do hope to travel with one, you’ll need a battery or generator.

Finally, they’re time-consuming — smoking meats can take all day (if not multiple days), so you really have to be ready to dedicate a lot of time and effort if you want to use a pellet grill or smoker.

Who needs a pellet grill?

If you’ve got a lot of time and cash at your disposal, a pellet grill is probably perfect for you. That goes double if you’re serious about becoming a grillmaster.

Due to their size and the necessity for electricity, they’re better for homeowners with some outdoor space.

It’s also worth pointing out that, due to their size and the necessity for electricity, they’re better for homeowners with some outdoor space than they are for apartment dwellers and those looking for campground grills.

Having said that, the investment in space, time and money can be offset by the overall quality of the meals produced, so big-time foodies should definitely consider this category.

Electric Grills

This is the one type of grill that doesn’t require the ignition of fuel in order to function. Rather, these grills use direct electricity fed to heating elements (kind of like a stove or electric heater) either embedded in or directly under the cooking surface in order to produce temperatures high enough to cook food.

The Pros of Electric Grills

Where speed and consistency are concerned, electric grills are tough to beat. They heat up extremely fast and they can maintain exacting temperatures, so long as they’re connected to a reliable source of electricity.

chicken and veggies on a grill top — Electric grills work wonderfully for small outdoor spaces.

They also produce no smoke (other than that which is made by the food itself) and are suitable for indoor and outdoor usage — meaning these are among the best for apartment dwellers, especially those with rules against other types of grills. They’re also very inexpensive and typically easy to maintain.

The Cons of Electric Grills

Of course, because there is no fuel to them, the flavors you can elicit from an electric grill are far more limited — there’s no smoking of your meats to be found with this type of grill.

Electric grills are limited by your access to power — meaning you need an outlet, generator or battery to keep them working.

Electric grills are also limited by your access to power — meaning you need an outlet, generator or battery to keep them working (although this is a limitation shared by pellet grills).

As mentioned, they’re usually easy to maintain. That being said, they require that their heating element remains functional and, should it break for whatever reason, you may need to replace your entire grill.

Who needs an electric grill?

As mentioned, electric grills are ideal for those that want to grill indoors or are limited on their outdoor space, like people that live in apartments. They’re also usually super cheap to buy, run and maintain (especially when compared to some of the other kinds of grills and second only perhaps to charcoal).

cooked burger on an electric grill top — Who said electric grills can’t get hot?

And while electric grills do require power of some kind, there are many that are very portable, which makes them great for road trips or camping in a van or RV.

Flat Top Grills (Griddles)

Whereas the other grills on this list are specific to the types of fuel they use, these actually differ from other types of grills by their heating surface. Instead of a grill — usually a metal grate with gaps — flat tops boast a single piece of flat material without any gaps or holes (more like a griddle stovetop like you might see at a fast food restaraunt).

blackstone griddle — Most flat tops are powered by propane.

Most of the time, flat-top grills are gas-powered (typically propane), but there are examples that use other fuels, like charcoal and electricity.

The Pros of Flat Top Grills

Versatility is probably the greatest strength of a flat top grill. You can cook just about anything you’d cook on a regular grill or in a pan on a flat top.

They also evenly spread the heat across the cooking surface more than some other grill types (we’re looking at you, charcoal). They’re also less smoky than some of their counterparts, and — because of their large, flat surface area — they make it possible to cook a lot of food at once.

The Cons of Flat Top Grills

Because the surface area of a flat top is so large, the task of properly cleaning it between uses is greater, as well. This is all the more true when you consider that the griddle can’t self-drain, as it has no gaps in the surface area. Even griddles with a slight grade to them (some have this to allow fat to trickle into a drain), you still have to diligently clean the surface.

Because the surface area of a flat top is so large, the task of properly cleaning it between uses is greater, as well.

Flat tops aren’t particularly difficult work, per se, but they can be time-consuming. You also need to keep them seasoned, like you would a cast-iron pan — which requires a level of expertise (or at least knowledge) that some beginners might not have.

Who needs a flat top grill?

If you like cooking stuff that might not work on a traditional grill — like eggs, bacon, pancakes, tortillas, diced vegetables, etc. — a flat top is tough to beat. And while meats, like burgers and steaks, might not get that smokiness associated with a traditional grill, they can still also easily be cooked (and properly seared) on a flat top.