There are many types of gas grills from which to choose, though, for the most part, there are only two basic styles. It is recommended that beginners concentrate on performance over convenience. As a result, one’s primary choices should center around the size of the grill, its construction and its performance.

Size - Select a grill that will be large enough to cook for a decent-sized party, because once you get the hang of outdoor cooking, you are going to want to invite your friends. A nice feature of most gas grills is that they have multiple burners and as a result, are always capable of cooking smaller quantities just nicely.

Construction - Gas Grills are available in several different types of materials, including stainless steel, solid steel and cast aluminum. The most often recommended options are stainless steel and cast aluminum as both of these materials resist rust, corrosion and general deterioration. Both provide for long life and superior performance.

Performance - Look for a grill offering a minimum of two to three gas burners which will allow for greater control of the heat -and be sure to select a grill capable of generating at least 35,000 Btu's of heat. With two or more burners, you can utilize indirect heating by using a gas burner on one end of the grill and placing the meat on the other end. You can also add a water pan directly beneath the meat so it can perform similar to a water smoker/grill. If your grill is unable to generate enough heat, you will find it sorely lacking in performance.

The portability of the grill is also important, as it will allow you to move the grill in the event of inclement weather. Lava rocks, flavored briquettes and metal deflectors all serve the same purpose – that of preventing fat dripping from the meat reaching the flames and creating flare-ups that torch the meat.

Prices on today’s gas grills can vary from $200-$1000 and more, though a good quality grill that will last 10 to 15 years, with proper maintenance and care, can be purchased for $300 to $400.

Propane vs Natural Gas - Propane gas grills (those with gas bottles as the source of gas) and natural gas grills (those with gas being delivered from the local natural gas company) are the two most common types of gas grills, though propane grills have become much more popular today. Propane is under a higher pressure and uses smaller orifices on the burner jets. Natural gas is under much lower pressure and a larger orifice is necessary to obtain the needed gas flow to heat the grill. Though some grills have adjustable orifices, most do not. However, most gas grill manufacturers offer replacement orifices to convert from propane to natural gas. Contact your manufacturer should you decide to convert from one type of gas to the other.