If you don’t have much time and just want to find out what the best natural gas grill is, then I recommend the Weber Summit S-470.
BBQ isn’t the same without natural gas grills.
They’re excellent for various cooking styles, weather conditions, and are an all-around great asset to any BBQ lover.
Purchasing a new natural gas grill can be a tough decision – I get it. That’s why I put together a list of the best natural gas grills to help you along the way.
Let me start with some common questions before I dive into the benefits of the best natural gas grills.
Keep reading for in-depth reviews as well as the pros and cons.
The Great Debate: Gas vs Charcoal
Charcoal grills and gas grills have been feuding since the invention of gas grills. The war rages on until this day. What is the best backyard grill?
There are benefits and downsides to both sides of the battle.
Overall, gas grills are going to give you the best bang for your buck in most scenarios, and the best natural gas grills are indeed very good.
Gas fuel tends to be cheaper. In the best-case scenario, you can hook up your gas grill to the gas line within your home and receive all the cooking fuel you’ll ever need. Charcoal grills will require you to constantly buy fuel to keep cooking.
Gas grills are, by far, the better option if you’re looking to reduce cleaning time as well. You won’t find yourself dealing with embers, ashes, and dirty food.
However, those who love charcoal really love charcoal. The flavor of the smoke charcoal creates is known to add increased flavor to meats.
You’ll also be able to control the temperature of different locations on your grill. Charcoal fanatics will place more briquettes in one spot and leave other spots bare to sear their meat and let them finish cooking in a cooler area.
I love the gas grill, but there are a time and a place for charcoal.
Propane or Natural Gas?
This isn’t nearly as hot of a button as gas vs. charcoal, but there are differences you should note.
Propane is the most popular of the two methods to power your grill. This is because it’s easily accessible and mobile. It’s simply one quick stop at the gas station away.
However, natural gas will provide you with cheaper fuel at the cost of flexibility. Natural gas is most commonly used in permanent areas near a household.
Natural gas grills will need to be powered by a natural gas line, usually installed outside of your home. This creates a permanent residence for your natural gas grill.
Overall, natural gas is cheaper and more efficient for your budget. But, you won’t be able to move it around or use it somewhere else unless you can find another natural gas line.
Propane may be a good option if you can see yourself moving your grill to different locations and don’t mind the increased fuel price. But natural gas is probably the best home gas grill option.
The Truth About Installing a Natural Gas Grill
Installing a natural gas grill is dangerous. There are a lot of things that can go wrong and you could be severely injured or killed if you don’t follow steps properly.
The process will involve you turning off the flow of natural gas, tapping into gas lines and a large array of handyman skills.
If you feel confident, below is the first of a two-part series explaining how to install a Weber natural gas grill.
Here is the second part.
However, I recommend contacting a licensed gas fitter for the average Joe.
Converting Your Grill Into a Natural Gas Grill
It’s also possible to convert a grill into a good natural gas BBQ if you’re looking to keep the same model.
The conversion is relatively simple and in a few quick steps, you’ll be on your way to cooking on a natural gas grill. As natural gas rises in popularity, this is becoming a frequent option for propane users to advance into the new era.
To start, you’ll need a conversion kit. These are affordable kits that will help provide the tools and equipment to complete the conversion. You can find these are multiple places online or in retail stores. Make sure you’re buying a conversion kit from the same manufacturer as your grill.
The instructions to converting your grill will vary depending on the make and model. In most scenarios, you’ll be required to disassemble your grill to remove gas burner orifices to make way for the new natural gas ones.
You’ll also be attaching the gas line and the regulator will need to be installed as well.
It’s typically recommended that conversion be done by a certified service technician, but someone willing to put in the time and effort won’t have much issue installing it themselves.
Natural Gas Grills Review
Since it’s always the best time to buy a grill, I’ve selected five quality gas grills to review. These are some top rated natural gas grills.
Weber Spirit II E-310, model #49010001
Weber is one of the best grill brand and the Weber Spirit is a great option for families and/or the BBQ lover who wants multiple temperatures heated at the same time.
It uses a three burner system so you’ll be able to cook your main course while also simmering down a sauce on the side. It’s ideal to get large meals done in a shorter time span. 529 square inches of cooking space over the three burners gives you plenty of space to cook around.
It uses the GS4 grilling system to power its burners. The GS4 grilling system specializes in optimizing four components of a natural gas grill: the ignition, burners, ‘flavorizer’ bars, and a grease management system. This will help your natural gas grill last longer and become more efficient. The 30,000 BTU of the main burners are not the most powerful out there, but will already get you a great grilling experience.
Pros:
- Three burner surface
- GS4 Grilling System
- 42-inch dropdown table
Cons:
- The open cart will leave your tools exposed
- It lacks any protective coating or tough outerwear
Char-Broil Performance 4-Burner Gas Grill, model #363377319
If you want a natural gas grill that is built to last, the Char-Broil Performance can be an excellent pick.
It comes with a stainless steel finish to increase the ruggedness of its outer components. It doesn’t look too bad on the eyes either.
You’ll also find that its grease pan is coated in porcelain. This will make wiping down the grease off your grill a breeze. It’ll last longer as well.
The grates are made from cast-iron and coated with porcelain. This is a bit different than the standard cast-iron grates. Because they’re covered in porcelain, you’ll find that they’re more rust-resistant and will last for a longer time. It makes cleaning easier, too.
In regard to cooking functionality, it’s a bit lackluster. That doesn’t mean it won’t give you a great steak and a fine cooking experience, you’ll just lose some of the more extravagant perks that natural gas grills can offer. In terms of pure performance, it offers 36,000 BTU’s of heat across the 425 square inch cooking surface.
In the end, the Char-Broil Performance is a great grill for a family or someone who wants a long-term, simple grill. It provides everything you need for a quality cooking experience while still being able to handle the dog knocking it over because of steak-excitement.
Pros:
- The stainless steel finish increasing the ruggedness of your grill’s outer shell
- The grease pan is easily cleaned and will last longer than others
- Porcelain-covered grates increase durability
- Four burners for added flexibility
Cons:
- No added benefits to increase cooking performance
- Relatively simple grill (although that may be a bonus for some)
Weber Summit S-470, model #7270001
If you want excellence in a grill, Weber Summit’s 727001 delivers and doesn’t hold back.
Weber hit a home run with this grill. It comes with a ton of wonderful amenities and useful features that will make your grilling experience one to envy.
These features include burners to handle all of your needs. There are four burners, each is designated for a specific type of food. Having a side burner, smoker burner, sear station burner, and a rear-mounted infrared rotisserie burner is hard to beat.
Other user-friendly features include an enclosed cart to keep all your tools in, two separate work areas, tool hooks, and a light to keep it bright even in the dark.
If you don’t mind purchasing a higher-end natural gas grill, this Weber grill will certainly help you grill in style.
Pros:
- Lighted control knobs
- Four burners for different needs
- Six tool hooks
- Stainless steel side tables
- 48,800 BTUs, perfectly adequate for whatever your grilling
Cons:
- Doesn’t output as much heat as other high-end natural gas grills
Bull Outdoor Outlaw Grill Head, model #26039
Bull Outdoor’s Outlaw is one of the best outdoor grills. It is made for those who need heat and they want it now.
This natural gas grill provides an outstanding 60,000 BTUs (British thermal units) per hour. BTUs are a measurement of total heat output made by grills.
I can assure you that 60,000 is a number you won’t find often associated with a burner. This range of heat will help provide the best temperature for whatever you’re grilling.
In my experience, higher heat output is better. This is because you can reduce the total amount of heat down to the ideal temperature, but it provides more flexibility in being able to be hotter. Great sears and delicious steaks will be a strong bonus with this grill.
It also includes a warming rack and generous space of 810 square-inches of cooking surface. More surface, more foods on the grill, less time until eating. It’s a great feature to have.
Pros:
- The main burner can output 60,000 BTUs
- Warming rack
- 810 square-inches of cooking surface
- Sleek design
Cons:
- Doesn’t include many user-friendly features such as side panels or lighting controls that other high-end natural gas grills provide
Broil King Baron S420, model #922557
Broil King’s Baron S420 won’t get as hot as the Outlaw, but it makes up for it with its variety of features and accommodations.
This grill provides 644 square inches in the cooking area and 40,000 BTUs from the main burner, a moderate amount of heat.
It makes up for its shortfalls by providing quality of life features for us consumers.
It comes with reversible cast-iron cooking grids to make cleaning easier and more friendly to use. It also incorporates a Flav-R-Wave cooking system and linear-flow valves. These come with a sense-touch feature that will allow you to control them by the touch of your fingers. Hi-tech meets modern grilling all in one.
You’ll also be happy to note that this grill provides you with two cooking spaces, one on either side of you. These shelves fold down and are made from stainless steel. Stabilizers are used so that the shelves will be even at all times. It’s a handy perk that many avid grill-lovers often overlook.
Pros:
- Sensi-touch controls
- Stabilized prep areas
- Quality cooking system
Cons:
- Only a moderate amount of heat is produced for a high-end natural gas grill
- A moderate amount of cooking space
In Summary
Overall, I’d be hard-pressed to pick anything other than the Weber Summit S-470.
In my opinion, it’s one of the best gas BBQ grills. It provides all the user-friendly features you’d want to make your grilling experience easy while not sacrificing any of the essentials such as heat or durability.
The 48,800 BTUs will be almost-certainly adequate for whatever your grilling and you still get all the features you want. It’s a win-win scenario in my book.
