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Best barbecues 2023


Best Gas Grills for 2023: Top 5 Barbecues Most Recommended by Experts

At this time of year, most of us are longing for those summer days when we can be outside with our loved ones enjoying a cookout and some delicious grilled food. But, if it’s time to spruce up your outdoor space, you will likely want to start by knowing more about the best gas grills. After all, those burgers, wings, and dogs aren’t going to cook themselves next summer. 

Speaking of delicious grilled food, a recent study finds that Americans everywhere love grilling, despite the temperature outside. A recent survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Kansas City Steak Company asked 2,000 Americans about their grilling habits and discovered some interesting trends. The survey found that 39% of respondents report grilling in a rainstorm while 56% say they enjoy grilling year-round, regardless of the weather. Moreover, nearly 63% say that grilling is a healthy hobby of theirs. 

You might also be surprised to learn that the same study found that Americans’ grilled food preferences have shifted to chicken over burgers. 56% of respondents say they look forward to grilling chicken while 51% say they’ve experimented with grilling fruits and vegetables such as watermelon, corn, and pineapple on the grill. 

But, grilled foods aren’t the only therapeutic part of summer. According to a survey of 2,000 Americans conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Broil King, 60% of respondents feel that grilling is an activity that defines summer. Likewise, 42% of respondents claim to have had “life-changing” conversations with friends and family while gathering around their grill. If all this doesn’t make the case for upgrading your outdoor space, patio, or deck to include a grill, then perhaps nothing will. 

But, enough of the surveys and studies, you came here looking for the best gas grills and that’s exactly what we’re bringing you. Study Finds did the research, consulting 10 ‘expert’ websites to find the best gas grills available on the market today. Of course, we invite you to give us your own recommendations for your favorite gas grills in the comments section below!

The List: Best Gas Grills, According to BBQ Pros

1.
Weber Genesis II E-335 Gas Grill 

The top spot on the list of expert recommendations for the best gas grills undoubtedly goes to the Weber Genesis II E-335. This baby is a gem of a gas grill as it sat in the top spot across nearly every expert list we consulted. These gas grills are designed to cook your outdoor foods to perfection, but perhaps the best part is they’re built to last. 

“It’s the top gas grill for serious foodies and offers total control over three burners. And, it’s definitely built to last,” writes Gardeningetc. 

Three burners are nice and all, but the appeal of this gas grill is in the technology that Weber delivers. “We enjoyed using the Weber Connect Smart Grilling app for notifications about when our food would be ready. This made it a lot easier to deliver that perfectly medium-rare steak,” adds Gardeningetc.

Weber Genesis E-335 Gas Grill. (Credit: Weber)

Although this isn’t the cheapest option you’ll find for a gas grill, this is a top choice for updating your outdoor space. “This Weber grill is pricey. There’s no denying that. However, if you’re serious about grilling and ready to invest in your outdoor kitchen, this liquid propane gas grill is absolutely a top choice for outdoor grilling,” explains CNET.   

One of the neatest features of this grill has nothing to do with smart technology. Instead, Weber focused on designing the perfect grill racks for generating the best flavor. “The Weber Genesis II E-335 really impressed me with its Flavorizer bars, which are angled stainless steel. They leave delicious sear lines on steak and eggplant with perfectly grilled results,” writes Homes and Gardens.  

2. Char-Broil Gas2Coal Hybrid Grill

The next spot on the list of best gas grills goes to the Char-Broil Gas2Coal Hybrid Grill. With the Char-Broil Gas2Coal Hybrid grill, you can switch seamlessly between gas and coal for your fuel source – extremely rare in the grilling world. 

“The Char-Broil Gas2Coal Hybrid Grill offers the best of both worlds. You can cook on one, two, or all three burners, or use them to ignite coal to achieve a smoky flavor without the typical fuss of getting the grill going. As a hybrid grill, this versatile choice will be popular with just about any user,” writes Homes and Gardens. 

One of the turnoffs for most people when it comes to cooking with coal is the messy cleanup, but it looks like Char-Broil thought of that, too. “It’s also easy to clean, and simple to switch between gas and coal plus it features a warming rack for when your timing is a bit off. Not only is it great for cooking for a crowd, but it even has an in-built bottle opener to make for fewer trips to the kitchen,” explains Gardeningetc. 

Char-Broil Gas2Coal Hybrid Grill. (Credit: Char-Broil)

The versatility of this unit has put the Gas2Coal grill near the top of many expert lists for the best gas grills. “You can use this grill to cook just about anything from halloumi to steak, burgers, and even scallops. It also has a side burner which is perfect for, you guessed it: your side dishes. Assembly took a while but it’s sturdy, reliable, and easy to use,” writes Gardeningetc. 

“It’s also compatible with a huge range of Charbroil Gear Trax accessories, letting you fully customise your grill with stuff like a magnetic toolbar, container bucket, or bottle holder,” adds T3. 

3. Napoleon Prestige Pro 500 Propane Gas Grill 

The next spot on the list of best gas grills as recommended by the experts goes to the Napoleon Prestige Pro 500 Propane Gas Grill. Perhaps best known for fireplaces, Napoleon is also a premium brand in the home heating and cooling and outdoor gas grill industries. The Napoleon Prestige Pro 500 is nothing short of extraordinary. 

“Napoleon describes the Prestige PRO 500 as a ‘work of functional art’ and it’s hard to disagree. This professional-style grill has a huge 900-square-inch cooking surface with infrared zone burners that produce 80,000 BTUs. Propane or natural gas makes its way through thousands of small holes in the ceramic plates of the burners producing temperatures that reach 1800 degrees Fahrenheit in 30 seconds,” raves Homes and Gardens.    

This grill comes in two models, one for propane and one for natural gas. According to Forbes, you can’t really go wrong with either, but the natural gas model is great for anyone with that option. “For the record, you can buy this configured for a liquid propane hookup, but when you go with hard-lined natural gas, you never have to worry about your fuel source again,” writes Forbes. 

Napoleon Prestige Pro 500 Propane Gas Grill (Credit: Napoleon)

And if you’re looking for a permanent fixture for your outdoor kitchen, this grill is probably the choice. “It’s an expensive option and one that will require meticulous maintenance, but we think the Napoleon Prestige Pro 500 [RSIB] is the top choice for those who want to invest in the ultimate gas grill that will be used year after year,” adds Gardeningetc. 

4. Weber Spirit II E-310 Gas Grill 

Yes, Weber made another appearance across most of the expert lists we looked at for best gas grills and this time it’s for the Weber Spirit series. The Weber Spirit II E-310 along with other models across the Weber Spirit line of gas grills are some of the highest-quality grills you can consider for your outdoor space. 

“The Weber Spirit Gas Grill has premium-feel knobs and a stainless steel lid. Its porcelain-enameled cast iron grates are also durable and easy to clean,” writes This Old House. 

Cast iron is a great choice for cooking surfaces, especially grill grates. This Weber gas grill offers more beyond durability, though. “Dual side tables and a half dozen tool hooks help keep you organized as you cook, while the easy push-button ignition system makes turning it on a cinch. And it’s backed up by a 10-year warranty on all parts,” adds Forbes. 

Weber Spirit II E-310 Gas Grill (Credit: Weber)

Although the warranty is one of the best aspects of choosing a Weber product, the Spirit gas grills are ideal for hosting get-togethers in the summer. “This Spirit gives you the quality and performance that Weber is known for at a more moderate price. While it’s smaller than the Genesis, there’s still room on the porcelain enamel cast iron grates for twenty burgers, more than enough for a family get together,” explains Food Network. 

5. Cuisinart 3-in-1 Stainless 5 Burner Grill

Last up on the list of the best gas grills is the Cuisinart 3-in-1 Stainless 5 Burner Grill. This grill simply appeared on too many expert lists to deny that it’s one of the top options out there, and it’s affordable, too. 

“With the Cuisinart you can expand your outdoor cooking options. It comes with a cast iron griddle for frying eggs, bacon, or melted cheese sandwiches or making your famous smashed burgers. It also comes in handy for sautéing small items like veggies or shrimp that tend to fall through the grates,” writes Food Network. 

Cooking eggs, bacon, and sandwiches on the grill? Yes, you can cook most all of your meals on this diverse outdoor gas grill. “It’s called 3-in-1 because it’s a gas grill that comes with a smoke tube and a cast iron griddle. When grilling, the heat profile of 3-in-1 is remarkably even and has an impressively high temperature range,” explains Serious Eats.  

Cuisinart 3-in-1 Stainless 5 Burner Grill (Credit: Cuisiinart)

And this grill comes with plenty of bells and whistles. “On both sides of the grill, you’ll find side tables to rest your tools and in one there’s a burner for keeping a glaze or basting sauce warm. Other extras include a thermometer in the hood and a warming rack for heating,” adds Food Network. 

Sources:

Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations

Tags: Barbecue, Grilling

Best grills in 2023: We tested gas, charcoal and pellet

Content is created by CNN Underscored’s team of editors who work independently from the CNN newsroom. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission. Learn more

Reviews

Jason Cipriani/CNN Underscored

Outdoor cooking over a grill is probably America’s most beloved summer pastime. Whether you prefer burgers and hot dogs, chicken, pork, seafood or vegetables, this highly versatile cooking method makes everything taste better, and it’s always more fun to cook on the deck or patio.

With so many grilling options (you’ll find dozens of charcoal, wood, gas and pellet grills available), we decided to go head-to-head to make your decision a little easier. We cooked a whole range of dishes over charcoal, pellets and gas and figured out the advantages and disadvantages of each approach to help you understand the differences and choose the best one for your lifestyle and your budget.

Weber Original Premium Kettle Grill

The best charcoal grill overall

Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill

Amazon

Charcoal grilling consistently gave us the best results, and the classic Weber Original Premium Kettle Grill is our favorite. It's easy to use, straightforward venting makes temperature control a breeze and it's affordable too.

Read our review

$219 at Amazon

Weber Genesis E-325s

A great propane grill

The three-burner Weber Genesis E-325s offers the clean results of the best gas grills along with an extra-hot searing burner for the char effects that can be hard to achieve otherwise.

$1049 $999 at Amazon

Traeger Ironwood 885

A versatile pellet grill for precision cooking

Traeger

From the company that developed the pellet grill, the Traeger Ironwood 885 can manage temperature precisely, letting detail-oriented cooks do everything from perfectionist convection cooking to smoking, with precision control via a connected app.

$1,599.95 at Amazon $1,599.99 at Traeger

Big Green Egg

A great kamado-style ceramic grill

Big Green Egg

Big Green Egg popularized the kamado-style grill in the United States, and it's easy to see why. Versatile enough for smoking, for grilling, for pizza baking and as an outdoor oven, the Egg's ability to hold heat makes it a great tool for the cook who likes to change it up.

$1,549 at Big Green Egg

Nuke BBQ The Pampa

An affordable way to get into Argentine-style grilling

Nuke BBQ

We tested the larger Nuke Delta grill, but for those looking to experiment with Argentine hearth-style grilling techniques, the smaller Pampa is a more budget-friendly tool, and still gives you plenty of space to feed big groups.

$1,139 at Nuke BBQ

Yak Hibachi Charcoal Grill

A stylish, powerful and highly portable grill

YAK grills

The Yak grill is small enough to use almost anywhere, and can even be used on a tabletop. Plus, the well-designed stainless steel device is not just easy to use but also simple to clean.

$249.99 at Yak Grills

Our test group, from left: Nuke Delta, Big Green Egg, Traeger Ironwood 885, Yak Hibachi, Weber Ultimate Original Kettle, Weber Genesis E-325s

Jason Perlow/CNN Underscored

According to archeological evidence, humans have been grilling — quickly cooking food over a direct flame or radiant heat — for at least 2 million years, and it remains one of the most popular methods of cooking.

Grilling is special because it jump-starts the complex chemistry that gives meats a delicious crust, flavor and texture profile. The intense heat of the grill triggers the Maillard reaction (in which the compounds in food — the proteins, amino acids and sugars in meat, for example — react to create darker colors and more intense aromas and flavors) along with caramelization (where at even higher temperatures the sugars in the meat and rub or marinade brown) and char (in which the burning fuel and the vaporized drippings from whatever you’re cooking impart even more flavor to the meat).

While many people refer to all grills as barbecues, grilling and barbecuing are not the same. Barbecue is a specific style of cooking meat at low heat (under 225 degrees Fahrenheit) over long periods (usually measured in hours), and generally uses wood fuel (typically hardwoods and fruitwoods) to provide indirect heat and the smoke that gives barbecued food its characteristic flavor.

When shopping for a grill, your first decision is the fuel type. Gas, charcoal, pellet and wood grills not only perform differently and let you use different cooking techniques to achieve different flavors, but they vary in start-up time, convenience and ease of cleanup. To add functionality and to make it easier to take care of your grill, you’ll also want to invest in a few grilling accessories. Adding tools like a dependable meat thermometer and a durable grill brush to your arsenal will make the job a lot easier.

While certain types of outdoor grills (such as kamado-style, kettle-style or pellet-fed) may also be used to smoke meats at lower temperatures with longer cooking times, dedicated barbecue smokers like an offset smoker, a “bullet” or vertical smoker or an electric smoker that burns wood chips or pellets are generally designed specifically for that one purpose.

With some practice and a little attention to temperature management you can get truly great-tasting results from a basic kettle grill like the Weber — the taste is worth the wait.

Jason Perlow/CNN Underscored

The latest refinement of a 70-year-old design, the Weber Original Premium Kettle Grill represents the type of charcoal grill most people are familiar with. A kettle grill is simple to use, effective and affordable. But most importantly, the results are fantastic. With a little effort and experience, a simple kettle can turn out fantastic grilled meats and vegetables, letting you take full advantage of the high heat of charcoal grilling in a very accessible format.

The design — a roughly bowl-shaped basin on tripod legs covered by a lid — is space and fuel efficient, and temperature management is straightforward using vents at top and bottom along with judicious opening and closing of the lid.

Kettles like the Weber can grill at high temperatures (over 700 degrees Fahrenheit), and with some skill can be used for low-temperature tasks, including barbecue or smoking, which makes them incredibly versatile. Maintenance is simple too, with most offering a removable ash hopper at the bottom of the bowl.

If it’s flavor you’re after, the charcoal grills gave us the best results of any grilling method we tested. Because charcoal grills get hotter than any other type of grill, the larger surface area means you get all-over radiant heat you won’t get from gas, and the coals themselves lend food the distinctive taste that most of us associate with grilling in the first place.

The burgers we cooked on the charcoal grills were juicier and better-tasting than the gas grill or even the pellet grill, offering a delicious crust and that distinctive “char” flavor you’ll also get when cooking steaks, pork, chicken, seafood or vegetables.

Cooking over charcoal is simple and can give you a sense of tangible enjoyment no other method can match. And as long as you can pay attention to fire management, you can get a low-temperature burn, perfect for cooking low and slow for smoky flavors.

Whatever type of charcoal grill you choose, they all work on the same basic principle: You get a pile of charcoal fuel burning (for ignition, we highly recommend skipping the old-school lighter fluid and using a chimney starter, a propane torch or an electric heat gun like the Looft Lighter), spread it out in a basin and once it’s white-hot and burning continuously, cooking grates are installed above that and the food placed either directly above hot fuel for direct heat cooking or farther away from it for indirect heat.

The burgers we cooked on the Weber charcoal grill were mouthwatering, with a flavor no other method could match.

Jason Perlow/CNN Underscored

Charcoal generates super-high temperatures and can burn for hours. It can be stored safely, it’s relatively affordable and since the grills typically don’t have any mechanical parts aside from whatever device is used to empty the ash hopper, charcoal grills typically require very little long-term maintenance aside from inexpensive part replacement.

We found two big downsides to grilling with charcoal: time management and temperature management.

First, it takes much longer to get the grill fired up and hot enough for cooking than with any other method — a good 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the grill size. This means you can’t just decide to throw some burgers on; you’ll have to think ahead. The ignition process also takes a little work as well as an extra tool such as a torch or chimney. And it’s much harder (though not impossible) to get a charcoal grill started in windy or rainy weather.

Second, managing the temperature of a charcoal grill takes some work. Once you’ve got everything going, it isn’t a set-and-forget process as with a modern kitchen stove. You’ll need to interact with the pile of hot coals and get used to manual venting to maintain temperature and get the results you want — it can be a wonderfully tactile experience, but it’s more labor intensive than other grilling methods.

Lastly, charcoal grilling produces a lot of ash, so it involves more cleanup than other methods. And because you can’t start tidying up until the grill cools off, there’s even more waiting before you can dispose of the ash left in the hopper.

Beyond the popular kettle grill, you’ll find many types of charcoal grills, so we tested several of the most popular variants. The basic principles are similar, but their varied construction methods and layouts give them a range of abilities that suit different types of cooking

We tested four charcoal grills. Along with the Weber kettle-style charcoal grill, we looked at the Big Green Egg kamado-style ceramic grill, the Nuke Delta Argentinian grill and a Yak shichirin, or “hibachi,” grill.

A kamado-style grill like the Big Green Egg we tested is capable enough for charcoal grilling, smoking and — because its ceramic liner holds heat so well — even bread and pizza baking

Jason Perlow/CNN Underscored

A kamado, or “egg-style,” grill is similar in appearance to a kettle grill, except that it is usually made of thick ceramic material. The cooking style traces its lineage back to clay-pot cooking techniques used in China and India (the word “kamado” originates from a Japanese adaptation of the same method). Modern kamado-style grills are available from many companies, though the most well known is Big Green Egg, which popularized the concept in the US in the 1970s.

Because their ceramic casings are so heavily insulated, kamado-style grills can capture and hold a lot of radiant heat, making them great not just for grilling but for low-temperature cooking tasks such as barbecuing and smoking or brick-oven style pizza and bread baking at temperatures up to 700 degrees Fahrenheit. Fueled with lump hardwood charcoal, larger kamado-style grills include multiple racks that can be stacked vertically for baking or to let them double as a vertical smoker, giving them a considerable capacity in a relatively small space.

The Yak hibachi/shichirin-style grill is small enough to be used on a tabletop, and did a great job grilling delicate foods like shrimp.

Jason Perlow/CNN Underscored

Known popularly in the US as a hibachi (a term which in Japanese actually refers to a small stove used for heating; small cooking stoves are referred to as shichirin), this style of charcoal grill is very simple — a small metal box topped by a metal grate, suitable for use almost anywhere, and perfect for travel, camping, tabletop use and so forth. Like most charcoal grills, they can use briquettes or lump hardwood charcoal, and they’re very versatile.

There are dozens of variations on the design, ranging from the stainless steel Yak grill we tested to disposable, single-use charcoal hibachis meant for camping trips, tailgating or bringing to the beach.

An Argentine-style grill like the Nuke Delta shown here is a portable take on hearth cooking, with plenty of room to feed a large group with traditional South American asado (or anything else you want to grill).

Jason Perlow/CNN Underscored

Sold under many names, this style of rectangular grill has its origins in the style of cooking known in South America as asado, done on a simple grill known as a parrilla — basically a portable hearth. To use it, you ignite your coals (lump hardwood charcoal is suggested) in a firebox, or brasero, which sits next to the grilling area, then once they’re white hot you dump them onto and spread them out on the main surface, above which a grill grate is suspended; to control the temperature you raise or lower the grate or change its angle.

Cooking on a parilla is a slow process with a learning curve, but it’s great for large proteins or just preparing food for large parties. Modern versions of these grills are often made out of heavy-duty carbon steel, and are not designed for portability or even to be moved around your backyard easily — the Nuke Delta we tested weighs 284 pounds, but that supports a massive 40-inch-wide cooking grate with some 547 square inches of cooking space on it, so it has a huge food capacity.

A great gas grill like the Weber Genesis E-325s three-burner model we tested gives you a level of control that rivals a kitchen range. It doesn't get as hot as charcoal and doesn't produce the characteristic char, but it gave us clean, satisfying results every time.

Jason Perlow/CNN Underscored

If you want to grill but you don’t want to wait, a gas grill is the ultimate in outdoor cooking convenience. There’s no fussing with fire starters or babysitting hot coals; just open the valves controlling the burners, hit the ignition button and within 10 minutes, the grill will be above 600 degrees Fahrenheit and ready to go. You can have dinner ready any night of the year within 30 minutes, bad weather be damned

Gas grills are also much simpler to manage than charcoal. Cooking on a gas grill is nearly as easy as cooking on the stovetop. Gas burners give you precise temperature control, from around 300 on up to 700 degrees Fahrenheit, and individual control of multiple burners lets you adjust for small or large meals, or create cooler and hotter zones for indirect cooking and convection effects. You can, for instance, run with a single burner if you need to cook just a couple of burgers or chicken breasts for dinner, or if you want to cook a protein longer with indirect heat.

So long as you set up everything correctly (and have an instant-read meat thermometer to check your proteins for doneness), you can come out looking like a grilling superhero every single time.

With gas, we got solid Maillard reactions when cooking meats such as burgers and steaks — nice crusts, but with a cleaner flavor because that “char” was not present. We found ourselves using more marinades, sauces and seasonings with gas-grilled foods than charcoal-grilled proteins and vegetables, and the food tasted lighter. We do not view this as a negative simply because gas grilling tends to lend itself well to healthier cooking overall.

Propane and natural gas (gas grills can run on either, with the appropriate fittings) are clean-burning and generate excellent levels of searing heat; not quite as hot as charcoal, but hot enough for good results from most anything you’d want to grill.

While cooking with gas has a lot of advantages, making it a great choice for many, the technique has some downsides, the first being that it just doesn’t taste like charcoal; because the clean-burning fuel doesn’t impart any intrinsic flavors, you get neutral and natural-tasting grilled food rather than a smoky or charbroiled flavor. You can enhance the flavor or even get smoker-like effects at low temperatures by using foil packets of wood chips or wood pellets placed above the burners’ heat deflectors, but the results are different than cooking over charcoal.

Since the burners are a smaller, cooler heat source than a pile of burning coals, less of the cooking in a gas grill happens by radiant heat. This means that more heat is distributed to your food via the grill itself, so you get distinct lines on your chicken breasts with relatively paler meat in between rather than the all-over crispiness you get from charcoal.

Finally, while there is no ash buildup and gas grills are easier to care for on a daily basis than their charcoal-burning cousins, gas grills require a little more long-term care and maintenance. You will have to periodically clean up grease and particle accumulation on the deflectors, burners, air shutter screens, catch pan, grease tray and firebox itself.

Gas regulators, which control the amount of gas pressure going into the grill, have a life span of five to 10 years (these cost around $50; plus, you may occasionally have to purge them if they are clogged by “vapor lock”). Electric igniter batteries need periodic replacement as well, and the gas burners themselves may eventually require replacement, as they wear and can eventually crack (a set of three tubes usually goes for about $50).

Additionally, you’ll want to buy a cover for your gas grill to keep it out of the elements, as weather can cause the mechanical parts to deteriorate. And if you’re using propane cylinders, keep them outside in a cool, shady place. (Never store them in your home or an enclosed area such as a garage, shed or basement, and keep them away from flames, sparks and temperatures above 120 degrees Fahrenheit).

The digital controls on a pellet grill like the Traeger Ironwood 885 give perfectionist cooks precision control over temperature whether they want to grill, slow cook or smoke.

Jason Perlow/CNN Underscored

Pellet grills are ideal for anyone who wants slow-cooked, woody barbecue flavor without the fuss of charcoal. They are also perfect for aspiring grill masters who love nerdy, high-precision cooking. Pellet grills function much like pellet stoves: An electrical ignition system fires up a fuel supply of hardwood pellets, then a series of fans (much like as in a convection oven) let you manage temperature very precisely using either onboard electronic controls or a connected app.

Pellet grills can’t get as hot as charcoal or gas grills, but they can maintain stable low temperatures (under 225 degrees Fahrenheit) for barbecuing or to double as smokers, and can also sear quite nicely at their limit of around 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Burgers, chicken thighs and sausages pleased the crowd we fed using the Traeger 885 we tested, and there was not a single complaint about anything being over- or underdone. We cooked many items on the pellet grill, including pork shoulders, chicken thighs, moinkballs (bacon-wrapped meatballs), shrimp, stuffed jalapeño poppers, pastrami-wrapped hot dogs and all kinds of vegetables.

Everything came out perfectly cooked and juicy, but we were particularly impressed with the shrimp — a protein that is easy to overcook. We were able to do this because the Traeger, like many pellet grills, features computer control over temperature, letting us cook the shrimp at a stable 225 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s a perfect setup for cooking tasks that require low temperatures and long cook times.

While pellet grills give you some of the flavor of charcoal grilling, they can’t hit the same high temperatures, so while you get the woody, smoky flavor, you won’t get that quick sear and distinctive grilled taste. While pellet grills do burn wood fuel, they are fundamentally electric appliances. And though you’ll get the precision control they are noted for, there can also be some discrepancies in performance.

During the times we ran it at maximum temperature with steaks and burgers, the Traeger 885 gave us more of a perfectly even convection oven-cooked effect rather than the kind of direct heat sear you would find with a charcoal or gas grill, with a hint of smoked fruitwood flavor rather than a charbroiled flavor. And though we didn’t see the “crust” on meats that you would see with a charcoal or gas grill, the computer temperature control ensured that we never overcooked anything. If you’re a purist, however, this may not satisfy you in the same way.

Since pellet grills are electric, you’ll need a weatherproof electrical outlet wherever you want to grill (or you’ll need a generator or power station with an inverter to supply power). Pellet grills are also much more mechanically complicated than either a charcoal grill or a gas grill because of the feed motor for the hopper/auger, heating element, electronic thermostats, fans, and computer control system.

Pellet grills do require periodic cleaning to prevent malfunction, which requires replacing the grease trap, emptying out the pellet hopper and removing residual sawdust, removing and cleaning grill grates, removing and cleaning the drip tray, removing and cleaning the heat deflector and cleaning out the entire interior of the grill, including all of the ash accumulation below the firepot.

We cannot stress enough that because this is an electrical appliance, you want to have a weatherproof cover on the grill when it’s not in use. Ideally, it should also be kept in a shed, covered patio or balcony to keep it away from the elements. Additionally, pellets should not be stored in a hopper for longer than a week because if they absorb too much moisture, they begin to crumble and become soft, which causes issues with temperature consistency and can cause clogs in the auger or firebox.

High temperatures are the key to grilling, providing char and unlocking the chemistry of the Maillard reaction that contributes to the mouthwatering flavor of grilled meats.

Jason Perlow/CNN Underscored

To assess the relative strengths and weaknesses of each cooking method, over eight weeks, we dedicated the entire patio of our home to testing six grills — a Weber kettle-style charcoal grill, a Big Green Egg kamado grill, a Nuke Delta Argentinian grill, a Yak hibachi/shichirin grill, a Weber Genesis gas grill and a Traeger Ironwood 885 pellet grill.

Multiple flavors of Traeger-brand pellets were used as fuel for the Ironwood 885. Propane was purchased for use with the Weber Genesis. For the Weber Kettle, we used Kingsford Original briquettes as fuel. For the other charcoal grills, we used Brazilian eucalyptus blend and Argentine quebracho lump charcoal purchased from local supermarkets in south Florida.

Various proteins were cooked on each grill, including hand-formed burgers (typically 80% lean ground beef), New York strip steaks, Brazilian tri-tip, filet mignon, chicken thighs, pork sausages, hot dogs, bacon and shrimp. Various types of vegetables were also cooked, including onions, peppers, eggplants, tomatoes and corn. Proteins were seasoned with a variety of rubs from different manufacturers, including Traeger and Weber. BBQ sauces from these companies were used as glazes during the final minutes of cooking at high heat.

Each grill was fired using manufacturer instructions, and cooking was done after the recommended preheating period. Charcoal lighting on the kettle was done using Kingsford and Weber chimney starters with crumpled newspaper as kindling, and the Looft Lighter Classic was used for the lump charcoal grills.

For instant temperature readings on grill heat, we used an infrared thermometer, and we used a Thermapen MK4 for determining meat doneness.

Note: The prices above reflect the retailers' listed price at the time of publication.

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st. Arbat, 38/1
Restaurant "Natakhtari"

Cozy restaurant on Maroseyka. The menu includes classic dishes of Georgian, Tbilisi cuisine. Lula kebab and shish kebab of chicken, lamb, veal, pork ribs are traditionally cooked here on the coals. It will be interesting to try the karski shish kebab, for which they use special marinated large pieces of lamb cut from the lumbar. Well, in order to increase the desire to try all the dishes of the cuisine, the restaurant makes a 20% discount on the entire menu from 11:00-16:00 from Monday to Friday.

st. Maroseyka, 6/8, building 1 Bolshoi Cherkassky lane, 13, building 4 Sretenka, 24/2, bldg. 2 Shchelkovskoe sh., 75 (Shchelkovskiy mall, 5th floor)
Cafe "Pita & Souvlaki"

Souvlaki, small kebabs on wooden skewers, are a great alternative to traditional kebabs. This small Greek cafe offers chicken, pork and veal souvlaki, as well as grilled halloumi, with a homely atmosphere. And if you're in the mood to fill up all day, take the measure with chicken: two skewers of chicken skewers with french fries, pita, tzatziki sauce, onions and tomatoes.

st. Sadovaya-Samotechnaya, 13
Restaurant Smoke BBQ

The restaurant occupies two floors of an old mansion with its own courtyard, where a terrace opens in summer. And local chefs create real magic with Texas barbecue: they smoke, fry and simmer over a live fire. Here, even for an aperitif, something meaty is served, for example, vitello tonnato or bull carpaccio. And in the “Barbecue” section there is definitely a place to roam: you can safely try brisket, filet mignon on fire and much, much more. A large BBQ breakfast is served here until 4:00 pm.

st. Trubnaya, 18
Cafe "Mask" 0+

The family cafe is located in the picturesque territory of the Fili park. Here guests are offered a varied menu, consisting of modern and original dishes according to the restored recipes of the old cuisine. As a special spring offer - a large number of dishes on the coals, including shish kebabs of all kinds and stripes. Adult visitors will appreciate relaxing on the outdoor terrace or in separate pavilions for companies, while children will appreciate a special playground and a play area. On holidays there are concert programs.

st. Novozavodskaya, 27, building B
Chito-Ra Restaurant

In addition to khinkali and traditional Georgian snacks, Chito-Ra is famous for its extensive barbecue menu. Classic kebab, grilled dorado, rack of lamb, kebab in pita bread and assorted kebabs "Chito-Ra" for those who want to try everything - there is definitely something to please yourself here. Meat can be served with traditional Georgian sauces.

st. Kazakova, 10 st. Lesnaya, 30
Restaurant "Acha-chacha"

In the network of restaurants of Abkhazian cuisine "Acha-chacha" there is a vacation atmosphere, as if you are again (or for the first time) relaxing in Gagra. The chef chooses good meat and makes sure that the marinade does not overwhelm all the flavor. On the coals, they will roast and serve still sizzling the loin of a young lamb, veal shish kebab, kebab and other meat pleasures.

st. Pyatnitskaya, 82/34, building 2, Staropetrovsky pr-d, 2, building 3, Leningradskiy prospekt, 9B, building 1
Gayane's Restaurant

Gayane Breiova's restaurant, the first floor of which is decorated in the style of an "Armenian village", and the second one invites you to sit comfortably on oriental sofas. Here, almost all types of meat are cooked on coals, from pork pulp to amber trout. Meat is also worth taking vegetables cooked on coals. In summer, a small but cozy veranda opens here.

2nd Smolensky lane, 1/4
Restaurant "Honest Kitchen"

The restaurant specializes in game and oven dishes, but the Grilled section of the menu is definitely worth a look. Here you can indulge in taste experiments with steaks (Ribeye, Denver, Machete and others), as well as expand your barbecue horizons with such things as “kebab from Kashirsky rooster with sweet tomatoes” and “lula from pike and Sakhalin scallop”.

st. Sadovaya-Chernogryazskaya, 10/25
Cihan Restaurant

For Turkey, meat is something sacred, so the local chef Cihan Deniz, who was born and raised in Istanbul, personally selects each piece, monitors the aging, lights the grill on birch coals and brings the dish to perfection. There are more than 15 varieties of kebabs alone! Plus, you can taste filet mignon, beef kebab, entrecote, lamb loin and many, many more meats.

st. Novy Arbat, 21
"Genatsvale on the Arbat" 0+

One of the most famous Georgian restaurants on the Arbat attracts guests with its interior and varied menu. Veal, lamb, pork, chicken, juicy lamb ribs are cooked on coals. Fans of fried, but not meat, are advised to take trout on the grill and dorado.

st. Novy Arbat, 11, building 2

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🥇10 Best BBQ Restaurants in Moscow - Restaurants 2023 - Zoon.ru

10 seats

Shish kebab is the first food in history cooked on fire, a common denominator of the traditional cuisines of all fraternal republics and just a very appetizing and satisfying dish. It is absolutely impossible to resist its sight and smell. We have selected for you the ten most delicious kebabs in the most remarkable places in Moscow.

A complete list of barbecues can be found here

Barbecues in Moscow

Ratings of restaurants with the best barbecues in Moscow


🏆 Rating About the institution
No. 1 Shu-Shu (barbecue lamb, pork neck and veal) 4.6 based on 113 reviews details
No. 2 Forest Lounge (lamb rack) 4.3 based on 67 reviews details
No. 3 Chaikhana Fig (barbecue of lamb, veal and veal liver) 4.2 based on 113 reviews details
No. 4 Merchant (sturgeon barbecue) 4.3 based on 289 reviews details
No. 5 Birch grove (from pork, lamb, veal ribs) 4.1 based on 64 reviews details
No. 6 Elite (delicacy viscera skewers, classic) 4.1 based on 29 reviews details
No. 7 Smile (potato skewers with fat tail, classic) 4.

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