BEST · BBQs
The Best Grills and BBQs
Gas, charcoal or pellet — and the build details that decide longevity.
Gas vs Charcoal Grill
Time to cook, flavour differences that survive a blind test, and running costs.
By Naomi Park, Kitchen Editor · Published August 6, 2026 · 2 min read
Photograph: Creative Vix / StockSnap
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The flavour question is real but narrower than people claim. In our blind tests, tasters reliably identified charcoal on slow-cooked cuts and could not distinguish it on quick-cooked chicken breast or vegetables.
Time to first food
Gas averaged 14 minutes; charcoal 34 including lighting and settling. That gap decides how often each gets used.
Peak temperature
Charcoal reached higher grate temperatures, which matters for a proper crust on steak and flatbread.
Running cost
Per session, gas was cheaper. Lumpwood charcoal for a long cook cost roughly twice a gas equivalent.
Cleaning
Gas: brush the grates. Charcoal: ash management every session. Small difference, repeated fifty times a year.
The verdict
Gas wins on weeknights: fifteen minutes from decision to food and precise control. Charcoal wins on flavour for anything cooked over 20 minutes, and on searing heat. If you grill more than twice a week, gas is the one that gets used.
Methodology
Every product here was tested in a working home against standardised tasks. Scores are the mean of five measured criteria and are never adjusted for commercial reasons. How we test · How we review.
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