With the increase in gas fueled grills, it’s no wonder that many grill companies are making more natural gas barbeque grills. Outdoor gas grills have many conveniences over charcoal grills. How aggravating is it to stand over a charcoal grill trying to get the coals lit? Once they are lit, you have to play the waiting game until they have reached the proper temperature. Then you discover there is no way to control flare ups when grease drops on the hot coals. Choosing between a propane model or a natural gas model will be easy once you know the pros and cons.

The first pro is that a natural gas model will never run out of gas since it is a built-in source of fuel. You will never find yourself in the middle of cooking only to find that the propane tank has run empty, nor would you have to run to the store to refill your tank before things can get started. You also don’t have to heave a cumbersome tank back and forth to refill stations.

Price is another plus of natural gas. Costing just a third of the cost per BTU to use, natural gas beats propane any time. Yes, natural gas does not have the power that propane does, but even using twice as much of it remains a third cheaper than the LP gas. Natural gas is also safer for the environment since it burns cleaner with less exhaust.

Having to be connected to a built-in line leads to some inconvenience as you find you have to keep the grill in a permanent location. If you don’t already have one, the gas line as to come from your house at a convenient location, which may cost you in installation. It is not that difficult since it only takes a contractor a couple of hours to run the line. To find a reputable contractor, contact your gas supplier and choose from several bids to make sure you’re getting the best price. For safety, you may want a quick connection installed so that you just plug your grill or other gas fueled appliance into it. As an extra safety measure, the quick connector allows you to shut off the gas supply if there is a grill fire. It also automatically shuts off if the flow of gas becomes unusually great. You can make sure it won’t have to do that by checking the connection hose regularly for leaks. This can be done with liquid soap and water by brushing the mixture along the hose and turn on the gas. If bubbles appear in the soap, there is a leak that needs to be repaired. Learn more at

Some propane models have conversion kits to change it to natural gas. These types will have a tag showing duel fuel compatibility. If your grill has this, the company provides a conversion kit and allows you to convert it yourself. If there is no tag, it is probably best that you have a professional convert it or consider buying a different model. Check with your manufacturer first before any conversion as converting one that is not labeled as duel fuel may void the warranty. Outdoor gas grills are fast replacing charcoal grills. Even those who argue that charcoal gives flavors the food more as it cooks can’t debate that the accessories that come for gas grills are also designed to give that added flavor. If you are ready to buy a new barbeque grill, you may want to consider gas grills for their convenience.