Best Natural Gas Grill | The Ultimate Guide
What is the best Natural Gas Grill on the market? Jeez what a question. Why don’t you ask me something simple like, what’s the best film ever made, who’s the most beautiful woman on the planet, or how to find Big Foot?
Like all those three questions, you can ask 100 people and get 100 different answers, and they would all be right to some extent. Having test driven a lot of grills – and I mean A LOT of grills, I think I’ve got a pretty good handle on what is out there at the moment, and these three are right up there at the top of the BBQ list. If they aren’t the best on the market, then they’re pretty damn close.
So what makes a grill a great grill? What makes it jump off the shelf and say buy me? And more importantly, what then makes you go and tell everyone who will listen to go out and buy it because it’s just so darned good?
Those same 100 people would probably come up with nearly 100 different answers.
When I look at trying to find the perfect grill, I come at it from a slightly different angle. First of all, does it provide a good experience, and what doesn’t it do?
Bear with me. Let’s start with the second of those questions. Whenever you read reviews of BBQs and grills, or you ask your buddies about their latest 8 burner they’ve just shelled out half their mortgage payments on, they will tell you things that it does that it shouldn’t. It gives you hot spots. Its flare ups look like it comes with its own light show. It rusts after 3 months. The fat drips onto the gas pipe. The wheels break when you try to use them as actual wheels. I could go on, but you get my drift.
If you can find a grill that does none of those things then you’re on the right track.
The second thing is a bit trickier to explain.
Does it provide an enjoyable experience? Yes, I know at the end of the day you’re cooking meat, but there’s a world of difference in driving from A to B in a Porsche, and doing it in a Hyundai.
Does the grill have little features, which will just make you nod and smile?
Does it have the sort of looks that will make people want to have their photo taken next to it? Or want one of their wives draped over it like an Italian sports car?
OK, I may be getting carried away, but you get my drift right?
Finally, all of these grills can also be used with propane, but I’m concentrating on the natural gas versions – and they are different models, and aren’t interchangeable so make sure you know your requirements before diving in. As far as I’m concerned, natural gas is far superior, if only for the convenience. Who hasn’t had they favorite people around; the steaks are looking almost done, before an impromptu trip to the camping store is suddenly called for? Anything that can cut that out is alright in my book.
Top Natural Gas Grills
Weber Genesis II S-340 Gas Grill
Product Name- 4.6Rating
- 43,500 main 12,000 side burner 10,000 rear burnerBTU/hr
- 513 sq. inCooking Area
- 33 x 38 x 52Dimensions
- $$$$Price
Weber Summit S-620 Gas Grill
Product Name- 4.3Rating
- 60,000 primary 12,000 sideBTU/hr
- 838 sq. inCooking Area
- 52 x 30.5 x 47 inDimensions
- $$$$$Price
Dyna-Glo Black & Stainless Premium Grills
Product Name- 3.9Rating
- 60,000BTU/hr
- 667 sq inCooking Area
- 46.46 x 22.64 x 52.76 inDimensions
- $$$Price
#1 Choice – Weber Summit 7420001 S-620 Stainless-Steel Gas Grill
The first on our list of best natural gas grills is one of two Webers, which isn’t a surprise, they’ve been leading the field in grills for as long as I can remember. So what sets the Summit apart from all the others in this range?
Have a look. Just look at it. I was joking about having your photo taken next to it, but this grill’s looks are enough to make you stop and stare.
There will be people out there – and rightly so – asking what does almost $2000 worth of grill give you?
6 Stainless steel burners is what it gives you. 60,800 BTUs is what it gives you. That’s probably in line with what the space shuttle produced! But it gives (or rather it doesn’t give you!) a whole lot more. You are going to want to make more friends just to see if you can try and fill the 800 plus inches of cooking space.
For those of you who haven’t cooked on 6 burners, you haven’t lived. It takes outdoor grilling to a whole new level. But all that heat is no good to man nor beast if you can’t control it, and that is something that you don’t have to worry about here. Each burner is independently controlled, and there’s even a high-powered sear burner. This means you can cook to demand for those who like a little extra heat on their steak without charring everybody else’s food.
The temperature gauge is also the most accurate out there, which is important. The gauge is there for a reason, so use it.
The main thing you get for your money though, is piece of mind. You can get on and cook and you know your day isn’t going to be ruined by your grill not doing what you bought it for, and putting everything else aside, that is the most important thing.
Finally, and I don’t want to get hung up on the money, but it is a valid point, when you get one of these beasts, you’ve got it for life. I’ve heard of people handing down their prized grills to their kids! Replacing your cheaper grill every few years soon negates the initial outlay, so you think you’re saving money, but you actually aren’t.
The 6-620 is often referred to as the crown jewel of the range. Try it and you’ll see why it’s the best natural gas grill. Just make sure no one tries to steal it.
A great place to buy is Amazon and here is why:
- All the reviews are like having hundreds of really good friends give you their personal experience with the grill, then taking all of that personal experience and giving it a star rating. You’re buying quality when there are hundreds of fans of the grill.
- A friendly UPS driver will deliver it right to your door. No waiting in line, no hauling it in your car. No sore muscles or achy back the next day.
- Amazon has the best price 99% of the time. Amazon constantly watches competitor pricing and makes sure you get the best deal. They do a ton of business and take advantage of economies of scale, which means you get the savings!
- FREE shipping. Enough said.
- Returns are easy. Amazon recently shipped a car, and they ship a ton of large items, all day, every day. If they can ship a car, rest assured, you will get your grill in perfect condition. BUT if for any reason it comes damaged, it is super easy to return. Just print out a UPS label, slap it on the box and a friendly UPS driver will pick it up, free of charge. This is way easier than waiting in a return line at Home Depot and talking with a bored, angsty teenage sales clerk.
Product Details for the Grill Geeks:
- This barbecue is a Natural Gas unit and you must have Natural Gas plumbed out to your patio or deck to be able to use this grill; If you do not have Natural Gas plumbed, please look at our selection of Propane barbecues
- Front-mounted controls; 6 stainless-steel burners; Snap-Jet individual burner ignition system
- 12,000-BTU side burner; 2 stainless-steel work areas; 2 Grill Out lights; 6 tool hooks
- Enclosed cart; built-in thermometer; 10-foot flexible hose for natural-gas installation included
- Measures 30 inches long by 74 inches wide by 57 inches high; 5-year limited warranty
#2 Choice – Weber Genesis II S-340 Stainless-Steel Natural-Gas Grill
The little brother of the Summit, this may be, and it comes in at half the price, but the Genesis is a fantastic outdoor grill, perfect for those not quite ready to shell out for the S- 620 (despite my comments!) or for those who haven’t got the space for the larger models.
So, are you settling for second best by going this route? No, not at all. Yes, you are switching from 6 burners and everything that provides, to three burners, but these provide you with 43,500 BTU. It’ll reach 600 degrees in under five minutes which is pretty damn speedy in anybody’s book. The sear burner even pushes the temperature up above 700 degrees.
OK, you are also reducing the amount of cooking space you have to play with, but you’ve still got more than 500 inches of primary cooking area, and the side burner is way big enough to accommodate a 12” frying pan, so don’t start thinking you’re going to have to start making compromises with this.
My one criticism, and maybe that’s too strong a word for it, is that though the overall design and construction is very solid, the steel in parts is thinner than some of the other models, especially on the hood. That said, this grill is still going to be around in a couple years time and cooking strong.
When you cook with this, as with all Weber’s, you know you are going to get the same results every time, which, at the end of the day, makes you look good. And that’s what it’s really about right?
Product Details for the Grill Geeks:
- GS4 Grilling System includes three high performance stainless steel burners with stainless steel Flavorizer bars
- New Grease Management System reduces risk of dangerous flare-ups and makes grease removal easy
- 7mm stainless steel cooking grates provide 513 square inches of cooking space with 156 square inch Tuck-Away warming rack overhead
- Infinity Ignition ensures that by turning the knob, the gas will ignite and start each burner with ease, and is backed by a generous warranty
- Flush-mounted side burner is perfect for preparing side dishes and sauces
#3 Choice – Dyna-Glo Black & Stainless Premium Grills, 4 Burner, Natural Gas
Last, but by no means least, is this fantastic little number by Dyna-Glo. This isn’t here simply as a cheap option, and the fact that I’ve included a grill that you pick up for a little over $400 bucks shows just how good it is. It would have been one of the best gas grills under $500 as well if it weren’t for its bigger brother, the Dyna-Glo DGE 5 Burner Gas Grill.
For a four burner grill, the Dyna-Glo produces a lot of heat and quickly, so you don’t feel you are compromising with power, if you are used to a larger model. Most grill masters like to sear their meat and this grill does that perfectly, and you don’t have to feel that you are limited when it comes to space. There is more than enough for the a solid party, but at the same time the grill doesn’t take up your entire patio.
I couldn’t help myself, but I spent a lot of time trying to figure out where they had compromised and saved money. And I’m still looking. This gives you the feel that you are cooking on a very high quality piece of machinery. The grill cover, for example ,would be more than at home on a model three times the price, and that’s often something that lets models at this price range down. The ignition is fantastically solid, the temp gauge is spot on. I could go on, but you get my drift.
I haven’t even mentioned how good this grill looks. I’m not going to compare it to the Weber, that would be unfair, but it is still a fine looking machine that you would be more than proud to show off in your backyard on summer afternoons.
Down sides? OK you’ve twisted my arm. It suffers very slightly with the occasional hot spot, but that isn’t across the board.
Judge this on its quality alone, and you can’t fail to be impressed.
Product Details for the Grill Geeks:
- 4 Stainless steel commercial grade straight tube burners (12,000 BTU’s each) and side burner (12,000 BTU’s)
- 60,000 Total BTU’s of cooking power heat with electronic ignition and infinite setting control valves power a Total of 667 sq. Inch of cooking space
- 2 pc heavy gauge 7 mm enameled cast iron cooking grates, enameled steel warming rack and 4 enameled steel heat tents under a double wall lid
- Cabinet style two-door cart with 4 heavy duty casters
- Integrated temperature gauge for accurate grill zone temperature measurement
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About the Author Todd Crichton
I am a grill freak! It's hard to pick my favorite thing to grill, but if I had to choose... it is still a tie between pork ribs and a juicy beef burger. I am currently grilling on a Weber S210(I live in a small space) but my dream grill is definitely a summit. Those things are bad ass. Anyways I would love to hear from you, leave a comment or question below!
