Buying gas grills

From Consumer Reports

Best rating: Vermont Castings Signature Series VCS300SSP

Late-season sales are offering some of the year's best deals on grills. Our latest tests (available to subscribers) of midsized and small models found five new picks that begin at just $250. But our picky testers also found that you can spend a lot more than $1,000 and get subpar results.

Among midsized grills, A3 Char-Broil, $400, aced our evenness tests at high temperatures and the low settings needed for fish, chicken, and other delicate foods. It also excelled at indirect grilling, when food is placed next to the burners instead of over them for slow cooking, and has stainless construction and side burners. A2 Weber got excellent scores across the board but cost $850. The much less costly A9 Brinkmann, a CR Best Buy at $250, grills nearly as well.

Need more features? The midsized A11 Jenn-Air, $650, combines stainless construction with an infrared side burner and rotisserie for chickens and roasts. Also consider the midsized Char-Broil Tru-Infrared 500 IR 463269411, $650. This model is below our top picks, but it grilled capably and has two cabinets that attach and detach magnetically for added flexibility.

Among small and portable grills the $250 C1 Char-Broil holds the lead; it an update of a model that has topped this group for two years. 

Here's what else to look for:

Don't buy by price

At $1,500, the Urban Islands 4-Burner by Bull is one of the most expensive we tested. Yet this midsized Costco exclusive heated unevenly on high and was merely so-so at low temperatures. The $1,300 BeefEater Discovery Plus 4 Burner 19845 did better in our tests, but a griddle steals one-third of its grilling area, and swapping the griddle for more grilling space sets you back another $90.

Choose features you'll use

Electronic igniters tend to be easier and more reliable than push-button or rotary starters, and wide stainless or coated cast-iron grates usually sear better than narrow ones.

Give it a safety check

Test any grill's sturdiness by nudging it at several points. Be sure the corners or edges aren't sharp. Grip the handle to see that there's enough space between your fingers and the lid. And check the distance between the grates and burners; the greater the space, the lower the likelihood of flare-ups.

Don't be dazzled by infrared

Claims for infrared grills include fewer flare-ups and more-even heating. Some, such as the A3 and C1 Char-Broils, grill food indirectly by transferring heat through a metal plate between the burners and grates. Others use ceramic burners designed to distribute the flames more uniformly. But our top picks include conventional grills that heated just as evenly and resisted flare-ups just as well.

What to look for

• Premium-quality burners
  They're made of high-quality stainless steel, cast iron, or cast brass, and typically carry a 10-year or longer warranty. Keep in mind that burners are a grill's most-replaced part. Those with a long warranty should last longer than the plain steel burners in most grills.
• Heavy-duty grate
  Stainless-steel and cast-iron grates are best; such grates are sturdy and resist rust. Bare cast iron is also sturdy and sears beautifully, but you have to season it with cooking oil to prevent rusting. Porcelain-coated grates are easy to clean and are rustproof--until they chip. Wide, closely spaced bars sear better than thin round rods.
• Quality construction
  Check the cart, wheels, lid, and firebox. Stainless-steel carts with welded joints are sturdier than painted-steel carts assembled with nuts and bolts. Wheels or casters at all four corners make a grill easier to maneuver. And wheels with a full axle are better than those bolted to the frame, which might bend over time. A stainless or porcelain-coated steel lid and firebox are more durable than cast aluminum.
• Electronic igniter
  We prefer an electronic igniter to a push button or a knob, as it tends to work better. Lighting holes for a match or a lighter on the side of or beneath the grill are useful in case the igniter fails.

Other recommendation

Char-Broil Red 463250511 (Home Depot) @ 400