Grilling is a fun and healthy way to prepare food. Grilled food contains less fat than food prepared in other ways, and there is nothing like cooking outside on a warm summer night. If you’re considering purchasing a grill, your main options are gas, charcoal, or electric. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using an outdoor electric grill?
Advantages
Electric grills are easy because they require no fuel, just an electrical outlet. You do not have to bother with making sure you have a full propane tank or remembering to buy (and carry home) big bags of charcoal. Electric grills are easy to start and clean-burning. With an electric grill, you do not have to wait for charcoal to be ready or risk flare-ups from gas grills. In just a few minutes, your grilling surface is ready for cooking and you don’t have to deal with removing ash or returning propane tanks.
Electric grills offer versatility in their placement. Since they do not share the same fire risk as gas and charcoal grills, you have more flexibility in where you can use them. Some apartment and condominium communities have banned gas and charcoal grills because of the fire hazards they pose, so an electric grill may give you the experience of outdoor cooking without many of the dangers of traditional grills.
Disadvantages
When you use an electric grill, you have to set it up near an electrical outlet. This means you are limited as to where, in your yard, you can place the grill. You can always run a grounded extension cord in your yard, but you cannot take an electric grill on a camping trip like you could a gas grill or charcoal grill.
Some people love the flavor of charcoal- or gas-cooked foods, and electric grills do not offer that smoked flavor. Electric grills are also smaller than gas or charcoal grills, so unless you are a small household or want to cook just one thing at a time, you may not be happy with the size of the grilling surface on an electric grill.
Charcoal and gas grills are more widely available than electric grills, so you may have to search for a wide selection of electric grills. Decreased availability may mean less competitive pricing, too.
Depending on your needs and preferences, an outdoor electric grill can be a great choice for your grilling needs. If you want to cook quickly, easily, and with little mess, they are ideal. Larger households or chefs who want to cook several items at a time may find the size limitation a deal-breaker.