Natural gas grills are a popular choice for all, especially for their overall ease of use. Because natural gas grills can be hooked up to an existing natural gas line at your home (rather than requiring tanks that need to be changed), “convenience will always be a huge advantage to owning a natural gas grill," says Paul Sidoriak, cookbook author and grilling expert of Grilling Montana. “Not having to mess around with changing or filling propane bottles is a luxury, and the reliability of natural gas is hard to beat.” After researching the top-rated natural gas grills, I found the Weber Genesis II E-335 3-Burner Gas Grill is the best choice for most people. If you’re ready to introduce a natural gas grill to your BBQ routine, here are the best natural gas grills to have in your backyard. What We Don’t Love: Might be too large for small backyards and patios, requires some assembly Weber is one of the best brands for gas grills, and its Genesis II E-335 model has much to recommend for any aspiring home grill master. It features a 513-square-inch main cooking area with 274 additional square inches on the expandable top rack. While the Genesis II E-335 isn’t a cheap grill, it does offer remarkable bang for the buck, considering its incredibly high quality. “This 3-burner unit is built sturdy, comes with a 10-year warranty, and offers a seamless cooking experience from start to beginning,” says Joonas Jokiniemi, the grill expert behind Grill Smoke Love. “The Genesis II E-335 has three powerful main burners that provide consistent heat across the grilling surface. It also comes with an extra sear burner to put out even more heat and a side burner that is great for preparing sauces and side dishes. And when it’s time to clean up, the excellent grease management system makes it a breeze.” This also has a grill locker to hold large grilling tools in between sessions, and it’s compatible with the Weber Crafted Outdoor Grilling collection. That means you can change the right burner into a pizza stone, a roasting basket, or even a rotisserie. Price at time of publish: $1,400 Cooking Area: 787 square inches | BTUs/hour: 39,000 | Number of Burners: 3 | Warranty: 10 years What We Don’t Love: No smart-tech capabilities, requires some assembly This inexpensive, compact, and powerful grill is a favorite of Adam Ng, consumer product reviewer and CEO of Trusted, who says that “this 3-burner grill is offering you a reasonably spacious total cooking area of 529 square inches, which is ideal for small families or a cookout with a couple of guests.” The Spirit II E-310 also includes porcelain-reinforced “Flavorizer” bars that are designed to catch drippings and transform them into smoke, which will then infuse the food with flavor. Plus, Ng mentions that the Spirit II E-310 has “a thermometer baked into the lid so you can monitor the temperature at a glance without needing any third-party kit." The grill’s setup includes six hooks for tool storage, an open design for easy accessibility, and the left side table folds down when you need a bit more extra space. Price at time of publish: $639 Cooking Area: 529 square inches | BTUs/hour: 30,000 | Number of Burners: 3 | Warranty: 10 years What We Don’t Love: Doesn’t get as hot as some other models, smaller surface area One of the most affordable barbecues available, this well-designed and highly rated natural gas grill is ideal for smaller yards and patios. The Dyna-Glo Premier 2-Burner offers enough surface space and BTUs to grill enough food for a decent-sized gathering (you can fit up to 15 burgers on the grill at a time), and the porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grates enable even heat distribution. In spite of its small size and lightness, the Dyna-Glo Premier includes 2 fold-down side panels that provide enough space for basic prep and for tool and plate storage. For city-dwellers, novice grillers, and others who want a powerful grill without a major financial (or spatial) commitment, the Dyna-Glo Premier 2-Burner is an excellent choice. Price at time of publish: $429 Cooking Area: 445 square inches | BTUs/hour: 24,000 | Number of Burners: 2 | Warranty: 1 year (grill), 5 years (burner) What We Don’t Love: Expensive, very heavy Anyone who wants a grill that they can monitor from their mobile devices will love the Weber Summit S-470. This easily integrates with Weber’s Connect Smart Grilling Hub to provide remote notifications about food readiness and cooking time. The 468-square-inch main cooking area features stainless-steel main grates that sit above four 8,800-BTU burners, each with its own ignition. In addition to these techie perks, the Summit S-470 includes “infrared, an electric rotisserie, a smoker box, and high-intensity searing burners," says Rick Mac, executive chef of Tropical Smokehouse in West Palm Beach, Florida. “For a built-in natural gas grill with all of the options, it is at the low end of the price range for its category.” If that’s not enough, there are two stainless steel side tables and a stainless steel grease tray, plus everything is lit by LEDs when you find yourself wanting a second helping after dark. Price at time of publish: $2,749 Cooking Area: 580 square inches | BTUs/hour: 48,800 | Number of Burners: 4 | Warranty: 10 years What We Don’t Love: Very large, very expensive If your BBQ passions extend beyond burgers, grilled veggies, and hot dogs, you may be interested in a home grill that can handle more ambitious grilling projects, like rotisserie cooking and smoking. The Alfresco LXE can handle both of these tasks, with its clever design keeping all of the necessary elements well-contained and usable at the same time. Though this may seem small with only 2 main burners, they each pump out 27,500 BTUs. When you want to use the ceramic infrared rotisserie, you’ll be impressed by its quiet motor and the accompanying cold-smoke herbal infusion system (we won’t tell your guests your secret!). If it’s still cocktail hour when the cooking’s done, this features a warming rack to keep everything hot. If, on the other hand, it’s starting to get dark out, there’s halogen lighting inside and LED lighting on the front panel. To keep everyone safe, there’s a “cooling curtain” to keep the front panel cool to the touch and a hood-assist system. The Alfresco LXE also features a sleek stainless steel exterior, side tables for prep, and spacious storage cabinets beneath the grill top. Price at time of publish: $5,635 Cooking Area: 542 square inches | BTUs/hour: 55,000 | Number of Burners: 2 main burners, 1 rotisserie burner, 1 smoker burner | Warranty: Lifetime What We Don’t Love: The ceramic rods beneath the grates are prone to breaking if something heavy falls on them This professional-grade natural gas grill offers the best of every category, save smart technology. For home grillers who are determined to take their culinary ambitions to the next level, the DCS Evolution makes a worthy investment. Most importantly, it has a large cooking surface. Its 1164 square inches is broken up over the 630-square-inch main cooking area and 534-square-inch secondary area. The main stainless-steel grates sit above four burners, each capable of 25,000 BTUs for powerful, even heating. When it comes to extra cooking adventures, this packs a 14,000-BTU infrared rotisserie that can turn up to 50 pounds, and there’s a charcoal smoking tray. If the party goes late into the night, there’s integrated intuitive lighting that changes color when there’s a flame. Add to all of this, the easy-to-close hood, and a clean stainless steel aesthetic, and you’ll have the grill everyone wants. Price at time of publish: $6,400 Cooking Area: 1164 square inches | BTUs/hour: 89,000 | Number of Burners: 3 | Warranty: Lifetime
How We Selected
We put our list of recommendations together based on several priority and comparison points for home grills. First, we looked at the British Thermal Units (BTUs) to compare the power of each grill and to determine which are most capable of producing properly grilled meats, proteins, and vegetables. We then evaluated the prices of each grill and how they stacked up to the grill’s features and cooking quality. That was done in tandem with comparing the extra abilities each grill has in addition to standard grilling, like rotisserie attachments and smart programming. Lastly, we considered the skill level required for each grill, asking whether a complete beginner would feel comfortable using the appliance or whether only more seasoned grillers could make use of it.
What to Look for in a Natural Gas Grill
BTUs
BTUs, or “British Thermal Units,” are the traditional units used to measure the thermal output of a gas grill. Specifically, 1 BTU should be enough to raise the temperature of 1 pound of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit. Most shoppers assume that the higher the BTU rating, the more powerful the grill. However, the numbers can be deceiving; some brands only measure the BTUs per hour for the grill’s main burners, excluding side burners and attachments. Therefore, there isn’t an industry-wide standard for using these units to figure out the actual power potential of the device. Essentially, BTUs can be a helpful general tool for evaluating natural gas grills, but they shouldn’t be the sole deciding factor for a discerning buyer.
Maintenance
Natural gas grills are, as a whole, much easier to keep clean than charcoal grills. To clean your grill grates, you’ll want to keep a stiff-bristled brush and dishrags on hand, along with vegetable oil and gentle dish soap. Use the brush to remove residue from the grill grates, then rub the grates with vegetable oil, using the rag, to keep them lubricated. Use water, dish soap, and a steel brush or scrubber to clean the inside of the grill lid, then dry the grill with another dishrag. As far as the outside of the grill goes, make sure to buy specific stainless steel cleaners and products if you want to maintain the shininess of your stainless steel grill. For a ceramic, porcelain, or painted steel grill, you can use regular soap and water.
Special Features
Natural gas grills often come with an array of bonus features that make the grilling experience easier and more enjoyable. These can include storage hooks for grilling tools, under-grill cabinets, side tables for prep, side burners, rotisserie systems, smoker drawers, and more. These extras can drive up the prices of the grills, so be sure to carefully review your options and stick with the features that make the most sense for your personal grilling needs.
Can you convert a propane gas grill into a natural gas grill?
It is possible to convert a propane grill into a natural gas grill, but it requires some know-how. First of all, you’ll need to determine whether your particular propane grill model is eligible for conversion. To do that, consult your owner’s manual (or contact the manufacturer if you’ve misplaced said manual) and see if the grill is a “dual fuel” model. If so, you’ll be able to convert it into a natural gas grill with the help of a conversion kit, which can be purchased at hardware stores. Be sure to buy a conversion kit that is specifically compatible with your grill brand. If you’re unsure, contact the manufacturer, as conversion mishaps related to incorrect kits can damage your grill and could cause a dangerous fire.
Do you need a professional to install a natural gas grill?
If you already have a natural gas line at your home, then you likely won’t need a professional’s help to install your grill. However, if you don’t have a line, then you’ll need to get one installed, which absolutely requires a professional to survey your property and ensure that you can connect to the main gas supply and to install the line itself. This process can be very expensive and will depend on your home’s proximity to a natural gas supply, so it’s important to figure out whether your budget and home location can sustain the installation.
Why Trust Simply Recipes?
Taylor Tobin is an Austin, TX-based freelance journalist who specializes in recipe testing and deep dives into popular dishes, drinks, ingredients, and pieces of kitchen equipment. Read Next: The Best Propane Gas Grills
