There’s a reason the best gas barbecue costs a little more. It is built to last a lifetime. If you want the best gas barbecue grill to be made, here are the features to look for.

stainless steel construction

What makes stainless steel special is not that it is made of steel or that it is stainless. Because that is not it. Metals labeled “stainless steel” will discolor, dull, tarnish, rust, and pit. The fact is that there are dozens of varieties of stainless steels available on the market, and they are not the same.

There are two basic grades of stainless steel used in today’s outdoor gas grills: magnetic (400) stainless steel and non-magnetic (300) stainless steel. (400) grade magnetic stainless steel is less than (300). It is not as durable or rust resistant as (300), does not conduct or retain heat as well, warps when exposed to high temperatures, and generally produces an inferior product.

The typical gas barbecue grill from a box store uses stainless steel (400). The best gas grill uses only commercial grade 304 stainless steel. That’s why they can be backed by a 100% lifetime guarantee.

So if you’re shopping for a quality stainless steel gas grill, take a magnet with you. If the magnet sticks to the grill, walk away. It is not a quality stainless steel grill.

Fully welded seams vs. spot welding

The next time you’re at your local store, take some time to inspect your gas barbecue grills. What you will find is that the seams are not fully welded, they are spot welded. And spot welding will not withstand the extreme temperatures that occur on a gas barbecue grill. These seams will eventually open and split, ending the life of the barbecue grill.

If you want the best outdoor grill available, make sure the seams are fully welded. These grills will last a lifetime.

BTUs

So what is a BTU? It is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water from 39 to 40 degrees. So, in its simplest terms, the BTU measures heat production.

And how does that translate to outdoor gas grills? Taken alone, the number of BTUs a gas barbecue grill can produce is meaningless. What is significant is the number of BTUs produced per square inch of cooking surface. The best outdoor gas grills produce 100 BTUs or more per square inch of grill surface.

Why does this matter? It’s important because this is the level of heat needed to properly sear a steak, producing rotisserie-quality meat every time. So if you want to become a legend for your grilling skills, you need to know the BTUs per square inch of grilling surface before you buy your next barbecue grill. That’s what will set it apart from the rest of the neighborhood.

Infrared Cooking

An infrared burner is no longer a fad when it comes to producing wonderfully tender steaks. is a must. Infrared heat is radiant heat, and radiant heat cooks meat without drying it out. Gone are the days of hockey puck burgers.

When considering your next outdoor gas grill, make sure it comes equipped with an infrared burner.

Flavor zones and heat separators

Flavor zones were first introduced by Weber Grills. The concept was to produce separate temperature zones along the length of the grill, so you could have one side on full for browning meat while the other side was set on low for tender vegetables.

Today premium manufacturers like SUN Gas Grills have done better. Your flavor zones have holes that allow heat to escape as you turn the various burners on and off. And they’ve introduced heat separators between the flavor zones to shield the heat of one burner from the rest of the grill, allowing for precise temperature control throughout the entire length of the gas barbecue grill.

This technology is the best available today. Make it part of your next gas barbecue grill.

smoker box

The best outdoor gas grills on the market today incorporate the old fashioned smoker in the form of a smoker box. The smoker box is designed to infuse your food, especially your meat, with the flavor of hickory (or other hardwood) smoke at the same time you grill your meat.

100% unconditional guarantee

Regardless of the gas barbecue grill model you choose, the person selling it should be willing to back it with an unconditional 100% guarantee. If they are not willing to do so, you have to question the quality of the grill you are about to buy. Great quality gas barbecue grills will last a lifetime and the dealer should be willing to back that up with his warranty.

So what is the end result?

The bottom line on gas barbecue grills is that the purchase price is a fool’s game. In gas grills, like many other things in life, you get what you pay for. The most important measure is the cost per year of use. Buying a premium quality stainless steel gas grill will give you many, many years of use and enjoyment. The same cannot be said for grills that do not offer the features discussed in this article.

This is especially important if the gas barbecue is to be incorporated into an outdoor kitchen. Imagine changing the grill every 3-5 years. What a nightmare. But 3-5 years is the average shelf life of store grills. So when you’re replacing the gas barbecue grill you already have, make sure you’re buying the best quality you can afford. You will not regret!

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Until next time, Happy Grilling…