Understanding Grill Fuels

Charcoal

The oldest, most common method of powering your grill. Some things to keep in mind with charcoal grills are that they take a bit of time to start up, temperature control takes some skill to manage, and charcoal can be more expensive than natural gas or propane. Charcoal does, however, provide the most classic, smoky taste of any fuel type. This is an inexpensive, classic-feeling option to power your grill.

Electric

Grills have the major benefit of its ease of use. You just plug it in, set your temperature, and get to grilling. There's no worrying about setting up or running out of fuel, and there is nothing to clean up after you grill, apart from food. These grills use convection to cook, so food is cooked quite evenly. They are a great option for those living in apartment buildings or communities that do not allow gas or charcoal grills. Electric grills are best kept under a patio or similar structure to avoid them getting wet from rain.

Gas (Natural Gas or Propane)

Grills refer to grills that use propane or natural gas to generate heat. As a result, they tend to be less expensive fuel-wise, but the grills themselves can often be more expensive than charcoal. They are easier to use than charcoal, and they can cook truly gourmet-quality food. Natural gas is generally used as a permanent hook-up for built-ins, while propane comes in tanks and is thus more portable.

Pellet

Grills use wood to cook food, as opposed to gas or charcoal. This naturally lends itself to an unrivaled smokiness in flavor. They are easy to use, coming in somewhere between charcoal and gas. They take a few minutes to start up, but they offer good temperature control. They also cook via convection, which means even cooking and less flipping. There are pellets available in many different wood varieties, allowing for a lot of customization of flavor. Pellet grills are best at cooking "low and slow", bathing food in delicious wood smoke over long cooks.