Grilling outdoors shouldn’t be some kind of exercise of endurance or test of your patience. It should be convenient and easy, which is why it is important to have a great grill.
In this article, we will highlight some of the best natural gas grills that can make cooking on a warm summer’s day a way more manageable task. Instead of sorting through the numerous options on the market, we are bringing the cream of the crop to you to make your search easier.
Note: Are you in a hurry? Check our quick comparison table below or simply click here to jump to our editor's conclusion.
Table of Contents
- 1 Quick Comparison Table for the Best Natural Gas Grills
- 2 What is a Natural Gas Grill?
- 3 Are Natural Gas Grills Safe?
- 4 What are the Benefits of Using Natural Gas over Liquid Propane?
- 5 Reviews of the Best Natural Gas Grills
- 5.1 1. Weber Spirit II E-310 - Best Natural Gas Grill Under $500
- 5.2 2. Weber Genesis II S-310 - Best Outdoor Natural Gas Grill for Beginners
- 5.3 3. Napoleon LEX 485RSIB-1 Natural Gas Grill - Best Overall Pick
- 5.4 4. Lion Premium Grills L75623 - Best Built In Natural Gas Grill
- 5.5 5. Weber Genesis II E-410 Natural Gas Grill
- 5.6 Bonus Pick
- 6 Conclusion
- 7 Which are the 3 Best-Selling Natural Gas Grills of 2019?
- 8 Which is the Most Affordable Natural Gas Grill of 2019?
- 9 Which is the Best Natural Gas Grill for Beginners?
- 10 How to Choose the Best Built In Natural Gas Grill
- 11 Which Features Allow for Better Heat Control?
- 12 How to Properly Clean my Grill?
In a Rush? Here's Our Editor's Conclusion:
Quick Comparison Table for the Best Natural Gas Grills
Grill Name | Cooking Area (in2) | Dimensions (in) | Price Range | Our Rating | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 529 | 52 x 26 x 57 | $ | ||||
| | 669 | 59 x 29 x 47 | $$ | ||||
| | 805 | 28 x 62 x 50 | $$ | ||||
| | 830 | 24.25 x 32 x 21.5 | $$ | ||||
| | 844 | 33 x 39 x 26 | $$ | ||||
| | 1030 | 24.25 x 40 x 21.5 | $$$ | ||||
| | 1140 | 26 x 77 x 51 | $$$ | ||||
What is a Natural Gas Grill?
A Natural gas grill is a grilling device which is powered by natural gas fuel. Natural gas is a fossil fuel comprised mostly of methane, along with small amounts of other gases such as helium, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen. The main advantage of these models over traditional liquid propane models is that the natural gas comes from a continuous hose on your house, so there is no need to remove and refill the propane tanks as the fuel never runs out.
Are Natural Gas Grills Safe?
As long as carefully shutoff the valves when not needed, these models are completely safe to use. It is recommended to have an inside and an outside valve for more security and you should open the valves only when you are ready to cook.
You should have in mind that grill fires occur often, especially if there is a lot of debris and grease which can quickly catch fire. If you educate yourself and take the necessary precautions, there is no major danger on using a gas grill.
What are the Benefits of Using Natural Gas over Liquid Propane?
Although liquid propane is more popular and widely used, cooking with natural gas fuel has its own advantages:
After you have the needed information about natural gas grills and their advantages, now you can jump to the product reviews.
Reviews of the Best Natural Gas Grills
1. Weber Spirit II E-310 - Best Natural Gas Grill Under $500
Technical Details:
Overall
The Weber Spirit II E-310 Natural Gas Outdoor Grill is going to appeal to the budget-conscious grill masters out there. The lower price tag doesn’t mean its lacking significantly though as it still comes loaded with the many modern features associated with Weber’s grills such as the Infinity Ignition and the Flavorizer Bars.
Available for less than $500, the Spirit II E-310 Natural Gas Grill is one of the more affordable options currently on the market. Given the lower price tag though, are there reasons to be worried about the features of this gas grill?
In terms of cooking surface - 529 square inches available – it’s certainly not quite as spacious as the other options available. You won’t be able to churn out platefuls of food by the minute with it, but it still offers ample space to whip up a meal for two within a reasonable amount of time.
The porcelain-enameled grates are fine for cooking pieces of meat through, but you may need something more powerful if you’re looking for better searing.
A lower price also doesn’t mean that this gas grill is lacking in the modern features department. If you’ve used Weber grills before and have grown fond of the Infinity Ignition or Flavorizer Bars, you’ll be glad to know that they’re present in this grill.
Moving around this gas grill is easier because of the open cart design. Be careful with those trays as they can cause the grill to slam harder into the ground.
It’s a grill that doesn’t really stand out beyond its price point, but that’s fine because having an affordable option is always welcome.
Pros
Cons
2. Weber Genesis II S-310 - Best Outdoor Natural Gas Grill for Beginners
Technical Details:
Overall
The Weber Genesis II S-310 Natural Gas Grill enables you to save up on fuel because it excels at heat retention. To go along with that, it’s compatible with the iGrill 3 app, and that allows you to closely monitor the food you’re cooking even when you’re busy elsewhere.
Stainless steel is used all throughout the Genesis II S-310 Natural Gas Grill from Weber. It’s worth mentioning because that allows this grill to be more fuel-efficient.
You don’t always have to keep the burners on to finish up the last few burgers. Just let that residual heat work for you and get the temperature where you need it to be.
A 156-square inch warming rack is also added to this grill. You probably want that rack to be just a bit bigger, but you can count on it to keep your food at your desired temperature.
The thing about this grill though is that it’s priced like a premium item but is lacking in a few areas.
If you’re paying nearly a $1,000 for a gas grill, you probably want a cooking area that exceeds 669 square inches. It’s also a good move on Weber’s part to make this grill compatible with the thermometer linked to the iGrill 3 app, but that accessory is not actually bundled together with this item.
It’s an accessory you’ll want as well because it gives you the freedom to move around your home while monitoring your grill the whole time.
Performance is no problem for this Weber grill, but it can feel incomplete in some ways.
Pros
Cons
3. Napoleon LEX 485RSIB-1 Natural Gas Grill - Best Overall Pick
Technical Details:
Overall
The Napoleon LEX 485RSIB-1 Natural Gas Grill is what you’ll want to have around if you plan on showcasing different cooking methods and recipes. Feel free to keep using it even after the sun goes down as well since those glowing knobs make it easier for you to see what you’re doing.
Grills should be useful for more than just their eponymous function. Napoleon’s LEX 485RSIB-1 shows that can be the case.
Different portions of the grill can be working simultaneously, but they can still be utilized for varied cooking applications. You can use the main part of the grill to slowly cook through roasts or braise some meat while searing some more meat on the smaller side burner.
Pull down the lid of the grill to quickly turn it into a convection oven or set up some skewers and cook up some meat on the rotisserie. With 805 square inches of cooking space available, you can also cook plenty of meat in one go.
It’s also easier to cook meat evenly because of the way the grill’s grates have been designed.
During a warm summer day, you can store some drinks in the integrated ice bucket for easy access. You can also continue cooking later into the day or even into the night with help from the glowing knobs.
A possibly critical design flaw does affect this grill significantly however. Because the upper and lower portions of the grill cabinet are open, rain can easily enter them.
You will have to be careful about where you place this grill to counteract that potential problem.
If you have a good spot for this Napoleon creation in your yard, it can turn out to be the grill you use all the time because of its versatility.
Pros
Cons
4. Lion Premium Grills L75623 - Best Built In Natural Gas Grill
Technical Details:
Overall
The L75623 Natural Gas Grill from Lion Premium Grills is really helpful if you want to easily sear off the meats you’re cooking to get that nice char flavor. You’re also getting 830 square inches of cooking area, so feel free to load it up with your favorite grill items.
BTU ratings are no longer the most important considerations for grills, but you’re still probably eyeing them if you want high heat in a hurry. None of the other items in this article can surpass the L75623 Natural Gas Grill from Lion Premium Grills in terms of BTU rating, which stands at 75,000 BTUs.
Apart from the high heat potential possessed by this gas grill, it also offers 830 square inches of cooking surface.
Stainless steel is also the material used mainly throughout this grill. The inclusion of stainless steel enables you to conserve more fuel even as you make use of the spacious cooking surface.
An adjustable warming rack is there for you to keep everything you’ve cooked so far at proper serving temperature. If you’re in the mood for slow-roasted chicken or pork shoulder, the rotisserie feature will help you with both.
Beyond the rotisserie, you’re getting some other useful cooking accessories together with this natural gas grill. The griddle and smoker box are great for experimenting with different cuts of meat.
You need to be diligent when it comes to using this grill though. Grease can easily fall into the heat source and flare ups happen often.
There’s a chance you will end up with a poorly cooked piece of meat on your plate if you don’t watch it as it cooks on this grill.
Pros
Cons
Technical Details:
Overall
The Weber Genesis II E-410 Natural Gas Grill gives you plenty of space to cook up everything you need – 844 square inches of it. Once you’re done grilling some of your burgers, you can keep them on the large warming rack so that they are ready to serve at any time.
Last up is the Genesis II E-410 Natural Gas Grill from Weber, an item that is definitely not lacking in size. It’s the kind of grill you want to have in your backyard if you’re hosting a Fourth of July party because it features 844 square inches of cooking area.
You don’t have to rush the food to your guests as well. If they want to wait a bit longer before chowing down, you can make use of the warming rack that measures nearly 200 square inches.
As you’ve come to expect from Weber grills, the Genesis II E-410 is equipped with features such as the Infinity Ignition, Flavorizer Bars, and the Burner Tubes.
Notably, this grill also features a grease management system that’s similar to what you’ll find on many other Weber grills, but there’s a big difference. Because the drip tray is located in an open space, the grease it collects can be blown by the wind and scattered all over your yard.
Keep watch over that or else it can turn into a fire hazard in a hurry. You can also safeguard the area around the grill to protect against that potential issue.
This Weber grill has its flaws, but for those with plans to host summer cookouts, it’s a good item to pick up.
Pros
Cons
Bonus Pick
If the reviews of the 5 best natural gas grills models are not enough for you, then we decided to add two bonus picks for you to consider.
The first one is another product from Lion Premium Grills, their 90823 40" Natural Gas Grill model. It is similar to the upper reviewed model but this unit is a bit larger in size, around 8" bigger. It features 5 cast stainless steel burners, who output a total of 90,000 BTUs, which is enough power to cook every type of food for hours. This 40" grill head has around 1030 square inches of cooking surface and come with a XL commercial temperature gauge on the lid and an infrared rotisserie back burner. Overall, this product offers superior performance packed into durable and high quality construction.
The second bonus product you can consider is the Napoleon's Prestige PRO 665 model. It is one of the biggest models available on the market today, with more than enough burning power and cooking space for every occasion. Its 8 stainless steel burners output around 99,000 BTUs, more than any other model on this list. All that power is evenly distributed around the 1140 square inches cooking area which features a stainless steel wave design for unique food searing marks. Other worth mentioning features are the side burner, infrared back burner, and the lighted knobs.
Conclusion
Our Editor's Conclusion:
After getting the chance to work numerous times with the items listed above, we’re going with the Napoleon LEX 485RSIB-1 Natural Gas Grill as our favorite.
Not being able to place it wherever you want because it’s susceptible to rain damage is not great, but that’s really the lone glaring flaw.
You’re not going to complain about space when using this grill and you can also pull off different cooking methods with its help. The additional features including the integrated ice bucket, side burner, and the glowing knobs work to make this grill more useful.
The folks from Napoleon are asking to pay a pretty penny for this gas grill, but it’s worth the price.
Which are the 3 Best-Selling Natural Gas Grills of 2019?
Which is the Most Affordable Natural Gas Grill of 2019?
Which is the Best Natural Gas Grill for Beginners?
How to Choose the Best Built In Natural Gas Grill
There are a few things you should familiarize yourself before buying a built in natural gas grill:
What Grill Size Do I Need?
One of the first things to think of when picking a grill is what size you need.
On most cases, you can get a better understanding of the grill’s size by calculating your family size, how many people are you going to cook for, your garden space, etc.
Doing so will help you get a better idea if you need a very large grill, more than enough to cook food for outdoor parties & feed crowds of people or you only need a regular grill which can easily cook food for 3-4 people.
The amount of people is probably the most important thing to consider as it will help you determine the perfect size for your next grill.
Thankfully, most natural gas grills come in different sizes and are large enough to cook food for a large crowd of people without any issues.
A few questions to ask yourself in order to easily determine the needed grill size are:
How Many Burners Do I Need?
The smallest natural gas grills comes with only two burners, which is suitable for a two to three people family.
There are medium-sized models with 3-5 burners, which can cook food for up to 7 people in one round and there are large models which come with 6 or more burners, large enough to cook food for large crowds and very big families.
I would suggest you go for a medium-size model, with 3-5 burners as it is the best burner-price ratio you can get. You get enough power for an entire family or group of friends without having to spend a couple of thousands of dollars.
Also, another advantage of having 3 or more burners is the ability to cook with different methods such as placing food on one side and using indirect heat to cook it. And if your grill is large enough, you can improvise and try to use it as a smoker.
How High of BTUs should my grill have?
The BTUs are actually measured depending on the size of the gas grill. This means that if the grill has a small cooking area, it will heat up faster and won’t need high BTUs. And, on the other hand, if the cooking surface is large, the heat spreads more, so you should look for a 35,000 BTUs or higher model.
What Type of Burner is Best?
When it comes to burners, they are as important as any other element on the grill. All the models featured in our best natural gas grills buying guide have high quality burners, with long time warranty.
Burner Material & Construction
The best burners are made of high-grade stainless steel, which makes them durable and providing the best results. Any other burner made of different material should be avoided.
Stainless steel material is not only high quality and durable, but it requires minimum maintenance when compared to other types. There are also cast iron burners, which are very popular but if they go bad or break, it can be costly to repair. As for aluminum steel burners, they are more affordable but they are not very durable and won’t last as long as cast iron or stainless steel burners.
All the featured products on this list have burners made of stainless steel, so you don’t have to worry about doing research about the burner’s material.
Burner Shape
When it comes to shape, burners can come as bowties, H-shaped, E-shaped, tubes, etc. The shape is not very important as long as they are properly placed under the surface to spread the heat evenly across the entire surface.
Infrared Burner
Infrared Burners are very popular as they use infrared radiant energy to cook food. They are widely known as a searing burner and can heat up faster and provide more heat than a traditional burner. These types of burners can reach up to 1000-1400°F, which make the surface of the food to create a series of chemical reactions and create the process of ‘searing’.
Other benefits of infrared burners include more efficiency, faster preheating, better searing, higher cooking temperatures.
But, should you buy a natural gas grill with an infrared burner? Well, It is always good to have such burner on your grill, especially if you cook steak and meat often.
Infrared technology is easy to use and will have you cook food faster when compared to traditional burners. For this reason, the manufacturers have started to sell a separate infrared version for their products by calling them ‘sear zones’ or ‘sear burner’. This is mostly because these type of burners don’t have temperature control and such high temperatures can only be used for searing.
On our list, there are a couple of models which have an additional infrared burner on the side or an infrared rotisserie burner over the cooking surface for better space management.
- Also Read: Best Infrared Grills
Side Burner
Side burner will always come in handy when you don’t want to go inside the kitchen to prepare, warm or cook a side dish while your steak is grilling.
Some of the benefits of having a side burner on your natural gas grill are:
- Perfect for Preparing Side Dishes
- Don’t Need to Use the Stove on the Kitchen
- Increased Efficiency
- You can check your grilling food while cooking the side dish
- It works with pot, pan or wok.
- Can be used as back up when the power goes out
Reliable Ignition
Having a reliable ignition system will save you tons of headaches. Two of the most used ignition systems on modern grills are the Quartz or Piezo ignition system and Alkaline battery system.
The Quartz based ignition uses a small hammer to strike a quartz plate and create a spark to light up the gas while the battery system uses the voltage of the battery to complete a circuit and create a spark.
Both systems can be found on either push-a-button or turn knob type.
Conversion
If you are unsure if natural gas grills are better than liquid propane, then you can pick a model which offers the ability to convert to the opposite fuel type.
It is not uncommon for propane grills to easily convert to make use of a natural gas line by just using a simple kit and watching an online tutorial.
Most popular brands, such as Weber, Char-Broil, Broil King, etc. offer their products in two versions; liquid propane or natural, so converting to the other version is pretty easy.
In the last years, there has been a tendency to convert liquid propane models to natural gas as it is much cheaper fuel to be used, especially if you do a lot of grilling.
Extra Space and Side Tables
As most natural gas grills are usually used for large crowds or grilling enthusiasts, having some extra working space and side tables are always enjoyable. You can organize your grilling tools on the side shelves so you won’t need to go inside when you need something.
Also, having one or two side tables to prepare your food before putting it to grill is always appreciated by most people.
Additional Features to Consider
The additional features and the other components are as important as the burners and the cooking size.
Cooking Grate Types
Another thing you should consider is the cooking grates material. They are going to be heavily used and should be made of very durable materials. Some preferred materials are welded stainless steel, porcelain enameled steel or cast iron. All these materials are very durable and will provide a very good heat distribution across the surface is being properly maintained.
We think that the best type of cooking grates are stainless steel models. They are mostly used on high-end models and are rust proof, easy to clean and offer great performance.
Also, one additional feature you should consider is the Flavorizer bars. They are used to vaporize and funnel away juices and drippings falling from the cooking grates, so there is no risk of fire or flare-ups. In addition to this, the vaporized juices contribute to increasing the flavor of the food and making it more delicious.
Last but not least, is the thermostat or the built-in thermometer. Most models have an included thermometer, either located on the hood or inside the control panel, which will give you the temperature of the grate and the cooking temperature. Knowing the cooking temperature is a feature which most will enjoy as it will tell you if your food is properly being cooked. Remember that most meats need to be cooked at certain temperatures for maximum flavor and juiciness, so a built-in thermometer would be ideal.
Which Features Allow for Better Heat Control?
If you want to have total control over the grill’s heat, then you should look for models with features like infinite control valve settings and separate ignitions for each burner. The infinite valve feature will allow you to play with direct and indirect heating methods as you can control the exact amount of heat your meat is getting. Generally, dual-tube burners also provide more precision and even heat distribution.
How to Properly Clean my Grill?
One of the main concerns with natural gas grills is that you should continuously clean and maintain them in order to get the best possible results. Some models are harder to maintain than others but in general, stainless steel material and parts made of porcelain enameled finish are easier to clean.
Also, brands such as Weber have advanced grease management systems which catch all the extra grease in a disposable pan for easier cleaning. You just simply have to remove the tray and throw away the grease.
As for cooking grates, a lot of grills are designed to have removable cooking grates, so you can easily scrap the food residue from the surface.
