Charcoal or gas?

[BarbaraRose]

I am looking at getting a small grill for camping. I found two I like. One is charcoal and one is gas. Would like your opinions on the pros and cons of each...

Thanks!

[VickieP]

We got a Weber Q this year, our first ever in my life, gas grill. Best thing since slice bread! In my opinion the charcoal/wood pits are great for smoky taste, but can be inconsistent. A lot of other things play a part in your end result, like wind, keeping the heat at the right temperature, etc. not to mention it is messier. I've always used charcoal/wood, even ran a Bar-B-Que restaurant in Texas, but I love the convenience of using gas, when you shut it off, it cools faster so you're able to put it away faster, you don't have to find a place to dump the coals (after they've completely cooled), you don't have to use starter fluid. I guess the downfall would be that you have to have a spare cylinder for backup, but I think since we've got ours in January, we've only used 2 cylinders and we use it quite a bit.

[Paulette]

Gas is quicker. Charcoal you have to wait for the coals to ash over before you can cook on them. Other than that, I think they do the same job.

[OutandAbout]

I prefer charcoal over gas. Had gas and prefer the taste from the charcoal fire. Linda

[Bethers]

Get what YOU like. I can tell the difference between charcoal and gas - much prefer the taste of food on charcoal. Doesn't mean I don't eat food that others cook on their gas grills That said I don't do either. I do, on occasion, cook over an open fire. And otherwise use my stove or my George Foreman. Not what most call camping - but I am full-time - so don't cook outside as often as those doing weekends, etc.

[avalen]

doesn't really matter to me, I like anything anyone else cooks
my own campstove is propane (not talking about the one in my rv)
and up at our cabin we had a firepit, we did have a weber in our
backyard at home but didn't much care for always having to go
buy briquettes and lighter fluid. My hubby at the time was a real
champ at making the bbq fire but the neighbors could never get
it right as they always put way too much fluid on their briquettes
and stunk up the whole neighborhood, made their burgers taste
like fluid. yuk.

[Liz]

I have a Coleman stove with a grill on one side, single burner on the other. I use it when traveling/camping. Quicker, less messy than charcoal, and doesn't heat up the inside of the rv like the stove inside.

[BarbaraRose]

I like the idea of the ease of use and no cleanup of a gas grill, but I also like the extra flavor from a charcoal grill. Is there any way to add that flavor to food on a gas grill? And what are those little bricks (with holes in them) for, that I see in stores for grilling?

[kelpie]

I agree with others - get what you like. I have a tabletop gas grill never used it. Read in Good Sam about little disposable charcoal ones you can buy for around $5 at WalMart. Plan to try those soon. True story. This past Feb, I was staying week at Gulf State park, Gulf Shore AL. signs all over about controlled burn during that time period. One morning see huge clouds of smoke in open swamp type area, think nothing of it due to signs. Suddenly ranger vehicles zooming by, fire trucks with lights and sirens. Seems some day camper had dumped the coals from his grill out there and started quite the little brush fire. Quickly under control so minimal damage but I hate it when campers do dumb stuff like that - makes us all look bad.

[Colliemom]

I'm one of those charcoal people too. Have had a couple of small grills with the legs on them but found them too big to cook just a pork chop or chicken breast for one person. So am looking for a smaller one too. Right now I am using one of those cheap $5 or under table top grills. Somebody left it sitting on a picnic table at the park where I work last year, so I brought it home. It's a bit flimsy in that it has two racks on it that stick into these two slotted things mounted on the back. Let's you adjust the height. But because thats the only place there is any support for the rack, anything heavy tends to bend them down. But I have to say, as crazy as it sounds, it's one of the best cooking grills I have used in a long time. And I use Kingsford Matchlight charcoal so no lighter fluid and it gets the charcoal going pretty fast. No long wait there. Am leery of propane cause we had a fire on a Coleman Stove once. Line running from the cylinder to stove caught fire. Grabbed the fire ex an put it out. But the hose was shot. When I'm done with my grill, I just dump my coals in my firepit. My 4 legged grill crew works on the grill rack while I'm having dinner and then when I'm done all I have to do is put it in soapy water and wash it for next time. No scrubbing needed But the neat part is that I only have to put a litle charcoal one one side if I just want to cook one thing.

[snowball]

I actually use propane but really prefer the charcoal but the ease of the propane far exceeds the other positives of charcoal
the most important thing is to get what you like most
sheila

[BarbaraRose]

I like the idea of the disposable charcoal grill! Maybe I will try one of those. If I don't have to clean anything, I will be very happy!

[Nasoosie]

I have a Coleman stove with a grill on one side, single burner on the other. I use it when traveling/camping. Quicker, less messy than charcoal, and doesn't heat up the inside of the rv like the stove inside.

I just got me one of those exact models, Liz! After battling with charcoal and cheap versions of propane table-top grills for years, I decided it was time to get me a GOOD stove! I love meat cooked over an open flame, and it matters not to me whether it's gas or charcoal. Mine has a piezo lighter built in, too, so I won't have to battle with lighters any more in the wind! I use mine on the table outside the trailer, wherever I may be.

[JanetA]

picture? SOOS?

[cpatinjones]

I love both, but hate fooling with the charcoal and fluid. So, now I use gas for conveinence 99.9% of the time.