Whenever we think of shopping for a new gas grill, we almost always look for the top propane gas grills. But what about the best natural gas grills? Natural gas grills are becoming popular nowadays that you seriously should consider getting one for yourself as well.
So what’s the difference between the two? It pretty much boils down to how gas is supplied to the grill. Propane gas grills require replacement of gas tanks once they’re empty. On the other hand, you need to install natural gas pipelines first in your home before you can actually use a natural gas grill.
While on the surface, it may be much easier to just buy a liquid propane gas grill for its hassle-free requirements and flexibility. Natural gas grill tends to keep your gas grill always in one place due to its gas connections. Yet, there are still a number of reasons why people would opt for natural gas grills.
First of all, once you install the gas pipelines in your home, you won’t ever have to worry about running out of fuel every time you have a barbecue. Natural gas also burns more cleanly and contains fewer contaminants than propane gas. This, in turn, doesn’t hurt the environment as much, and won’t hurt you, your family, or your food! And the icing on the cake is that natural gas is a lot cheaper than propane gas!
In the end, there are just so many benefits and advantages of natural gas that using it as a fuel makes for a winner choice. I won’t list all the benefits here since I already have thoroughly discussed them in a separate article. So this time, my focus here is finding the best natural gas grills for your needs!
And now without further ado, let’s get on with the list of the best natural gas grills, shall we?!
The Top Gas Grill Picks and Reviews
#1. Weber Spirit E310 Natural Gas Grill
Pros
- Good value for money
- Basic design packed with features
- Can last for many years with routine care
- Comes with a flexible hose
Cons
- Cast irons wear a little bit thin
- Small material compromises have been made to accommodate lower price point
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Here’s a Quick Recap of Weber Spirit E-310 Gas Grill’s Sizzling Features
- Three stainless steel burners put out 32,000 BTU-per-hour
- 424 sq. in. of cooking area and 105 sq. in. for warming
- Porcelain-enameled, cast-iron cooking grates and porcelain-enameled Flavorizer bars
- Electronic Crossover ignition system starts with the push of a button
- Assembled dimensions with the lid open 63″ by 52″ by 32″
Weber Spirit E310 Natural Gas Grill review
Don’t mind the pun, but the Weber Spirit E310 perfectly captures the spirit of a simple and straightforward natural gas grill. While the Spirit E310 sure only has the basic functions of a gas grill, you should never underestimate this thing! After all, it’s a Weber, which just so happens to be a known maker of quality grills.
Plus, its propane counterpart is also a big hit among grill users, including me. It continues to be one of my top choices when it comes to finding the best gas grills. Because with Spirit E310, you can get all the essentials of a grill that is built to last for a fair price.
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This natural gas grill measures in at 63 by 52 by 32 inches which will easily fit almost anywhere with its semi-compact frame. Hence, it’s very fitting for small to medium homes or apartment-dwellers! But despite its quite compact frame, the Spirit E310 has enough cooking capacity to boast.
It has a total of 529 square inches of cooking area, while 424 square inches of that allot for your main grilling action. Its size is suitable for feeding small to medium families, or small crowds in parties. Moreover, it’s enough to fit a 20-pound turkey or grill 15 burger patties in one go! While you can also heat up the buns or keep your cooked meat stay warm by placing them on its 105 square inches of warming rack. Suffice to say, no one will feel too hungry before they can get to their next rounds of meat.
But what use of having a large cooking surface when your grill doesn’t have enough firepower to heat the whole area. Needless to say, the Spirit E310 has efficient power to do the job since it’s packed with 3 powerful burners that produce 32,000 BTUs of heat! However, few people have noted having to wait a bit longer for the grates to get really hot for searing. Nevertheless, it ensures nice and even cooking for almost anything you need. And it can still achieve deep sears with beautiful marks we’ve always wanted.
One thing I’ve always highlighted and admired Weber for is due to their Flavorizer bars. These porcelain-enameled Flavorizer bars are the unique edge of Weber gas grills. Wherein they catch meat juice drippings then vaporize them back, coating the food you grill. This, in turn, will improve the taste of your meal by infusing smoky flavored goodness! Need I say more?!
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The Spirit line is actually the starter pack of a Weber. With that said, its build quality is slightly inferior to its higher-priced brothers like Genesis. Nevertheless, it still has above average construction that can outlast the others. The body of Weber Spirit E310 has a mixture of coated steel and stainless steel materials.
While the insides have solid built, starting with its stainless steel burners. Then, its cooking grates are composed of porcelain-enameled steel, stainless steel, and cast iron. These 3 work together to provide durability, efficient heat distribution and retention.
The cookbox of this gas grill is made of cast aluminum which will require low maintenance. It can also withstand any heat needed to grill your dishes to perfection. This combined with the shroud, creates an ideal cooking environment which is balanced and properly circulated even if you use direct or indirect heat. There’s also a nice fuel gauge which you can easily monitor to know where you stand with your fuel.
Don’t be fooled by the basic looks of the Spirit E310, it’s definitely still packed with all the handy extra features that every competitive gas grill on the market has. First, you’ve got stainless steel side tables with integrated tool hooks.
Not only do you have an area to organize your dishes and sauces, but you also have handy racks for hanging all the utensils you’ll be using. So everything you need will literally be at arm’s length. While the stainless steel tables make it easier to clean off dirt and spills. It’s also worth noting that the E310 comes with a 10-foot flexible hose for easy hook-up!
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Grease management is also quite well handled with the Spirit E310. The grease that doesn’t vaporize and infuse into your meat is handled by the grease management system which consists of an angled grease tray and catch pan. Once filled, simply remove it from the cabinet, throw away the grease, and keep on grilling!
With a friendly price tag of under 500 bucks and toned features, this grill is bound to look great in all kinds of settings! Moreover, out of all the available Weber gas grills, the Spirit E310 is the most affordable and value for money. It has all the bare essentials covered while being able to serve a crowd. Hence, you get to enjoy the ultimate barbecue experience with more people. After all, barbecues taste better when shared with your loved ones.
#2. Weber 66004001 Genesis II LX S-340 Natural Gas Grill, Stainless Steel
Pros
- Compact design with a lot of cooking space
- High grade built, especially for the stainless steel variant
- Very powerful burners that could get really hot, fast and efficiently
Cons
- A bit pricey
- Grill lights are susceptible to damage, but won’t affect its grilling capacity
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Here’s a Quick Recap of Weber Genesis II LX S-340 Gas Grill’s Sizzling Features
- GS4 Grilling System includes three high-performance stainless steel burners with 43,500 BTU-per-hour input.
- New Grease Management System reduces risk of dangerous flare-ups and makes grease removal easy
- 7mm stainless steel cooking grates with stainless steel Flavorizer bars
- 513 square inches of cooking space with 156 square inches Tuck-Away warming rack overhead
- Flush-mounted side burner produces 12,000 BTUs is perfect for preparing side dishes and sauces
- Built-in lid thermometer
- Infinity Ignition ensures that by turning the knob, the gas will ignite and start each burner with ease, and is backed by a generous warranty
Weber 66004001 Genesis II LX S-340 Natural Gas Grill review
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What else can better compete with Weber Spirit for our list of the best natural gas grill but none other than a Weber Genesis! Taking a notch higher, you’ll take delight in Weber Genesis II LX S-340’s heavyweight features.
There’s definitely something about the Genesis II LX S-340 that screams the outdoors. Just looking at it will instantly take you to the 4th of July and grilling to your heart’s content. It’s not hard to feel like a total barbecue pro when you use this stunning gas grill.
The “S” in the Weber Genesis II LX S-340 actually stands for stainless steel. This means that about all of its body and parts are made of stainless steel materials or have a stainless finish. While the stainless variant could set you back an extra hundred bucks, I feel it’s totally worth it and your investment could go a long way. Not only is it more durable, it also has better resistance to rust and the elements. Thereby giving you more grilling seasons to enjoy!
Nonetheless, that doesn’t mean that the Genesis II LX E-340 ain’t tough! In fact, it’s still far superior than other non-stainless steel gas grills. While its exterior surface is made of porcelain-enameled steel that can withstand usual wear and tears.
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While you can find both of their cooking grates to be of stainless steel. And the same goes for the Flavorizer bars which makes them even hotter! Both for cooking and as an expression.
The Genesis II LX 340 has a primary cooking area of 513 square inches which is quite larger than the Spirit. This provides an extra capacity to grill for 2 more empty stomachs! Furthermore, it also comes with a very handy 156 square inches of warming overhead space. Which is great for food that needs to be stored and kept warm, then tuck it away when not in use!
An additional feature you’ll look forward to is the presence of a side burner! Whenever someone asks me if it’s just a matter of having a side burner or not, I’d always prefer to have one with a closable lid. This way, I’ll have a spot for cooking the veggies or crafting my secret BBQ sauces. Or I can simply close the lid and have the extra workspace when not in use! You shouldn’t also underestimate its side burners as it can produce 12,000 BTU-per-hour.
The Genesis models, including this one, are optimizing the GS4 Grilling system. It’s designed to make every grilling amazing and hassle-free. Firstly, the electronic ignition sparks its high performing burners every time. Secondly, these burners ensure consistent and even heat distribution. Its unique tapered-shape burner tubes are made of a durable stainless steel which is resistant to burn-throughs and all sorts of stains and damage.
Then, the Flavorizer bars will work wonders! Not only will it infuse the smoky flavor goodness to your meat, but also help reduce flare-ups. Lastly, you have a reliable grease management for easy cleanup after every use. It handles funneling of the grease pretty well down into the handy catch pan right below the cookbox. Once full, simply take it out, dispose of the grease, and you can go on grilling to your heart’s content!
As for cooking power, the Genesis II LX 340 has a sizable 43,500 BTUs of heat which is more than enough to handle the larger cooking space it sports. Furthermore, it even has High+ heat settings for an added boosts of heat for faster preheat time and hit those high temperatures for the perfect sear.
This natural gas grill measures in at 48 by 59 by 29 inches with a closed lid. This actually makes it slightly bigger than the Spirit E310, which is no surprise given its larger cooking surface as well. Nevertheless, it is still rather compact and easy to store as well as you can fold down its left side table.
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Its enclosed cabinet design provides additional and well-protected storage room. While the stainless steel side tables let you place your plates and bowls full of food to grill. The side tables have integrated tool hooks to hang your tongs, spatulas, and other grill tools at arm’s length.
You also get some extra glow from the Genesis II LX 340, like, literally! While it may not be necessary, the Genesis 340 comes with cool handle lights found on the lid and control knobs that also light up. I say, they’re extra features as the grill is already awesome in itself, but having them now is pretty handy especially for night barbecues.
The handle light on the lid even turns on and off automatically when you open or close the lid. The handle light uses LED to illuminate your cooking area. This will help you properly spot if the meat is grilled to your content!
The Genesis II LX S-340 is also iGrill3 ready! You can now use your phone to monitor your grill’s temperatures. Very Nifty! All you need to do is simply download the Weber iGrill app on your phone. And, well, buy the actual accessory too since they are sold separately. But even if you don’t buy the iGrill3, there’s still a built-in thermometer on the lid to rely on.
The Genesis II LX S-340 may not be for you though if you find yourself among these scenarios: Its price is totally out of your budget range. Having a side burner is not a necessity for you. You need to feed a larger family or prefer a larger cooking surface. But despite all that, you still want the quality of a Genesis, then a Genesis II E-410 may be more up to your alley.
On a quick note, the Genesis II E-410 has 646 square inches of cooking space with 198 square inches of a tuck-away warming rack overhead. While its 4 burners produce 48,000 BTUs to keep the reversible cooking grates hot and able to hit high temperatures.
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Nonetheless, if you can afford the Genesis II LX S-340, I highly recommend it. You won’t regret having a powerful gas grill that is built to last. Not to mention, it looks cool and refined in your backyard. Having the Genesis II LX 340 will totally up your grilling game. Every barbecue cookout makes for an awesome experience that you’ll never need to look for any other grill!
#3. Weber Summit 7270001 S-470 Stainless-Steel 580-Square-Inch 48,800-BTU Natural-Gas Grill
Pros
- Super solid build
- Packs with heavyweight features
- Comes with a flexible hose
Cons
- Premium price tag
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Here’s a Quick Recap of Weber Summit S-470 Gas Grill’s Sizzling Features
- 580 square inch cooking area
- 4 stainless-steel burners produce 48,800 BTUs
- With stainless-steel cooking grates and Flavorizer bars
- Front-mounted controls with Snap-Jet individual burner ignition system
- Packs a side burner, sear station burner, smoker burner, and rear-mounted infrared rotisserie burner
- Enclosed cart with thermometer, 2 work areas, Grill Out light and 6 tool hooks
- Measures 30″ long by 66″ wide by 57″ high with 5-year limited warranty
- Uses Natural Gas fuel with 10-foot flexible gas supply hose included
Weber Summit 7270001 S-470 Stainless-Steel review
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Anyone who takes a look at the Weber Summit S-470 will immediately know that this natural gas grill means business. There’s definitely no-nonsense here, but just some good old-fashioned grilling. So here are some reasons why I think that the Summit S-470 definitely is the summit of natural gas grills!
The Summit S-470 is by far the most versatile among our best natural gas grills list. It has a total of 580 square inches of a cooking area which is suitable for feeding medium to large families. Thus, throwing BBQ house parties will be your thing! You can cook 20 burger patties or about 4 whole chickens on the 468 square inch standard cooking surface at once on this without any problem. While the 112 square inch warming rack is ready to keep anything warm for you while you grill everything else.
Now to the juicy details! The Weber Summit S-470 is everything but a basic grill. When I say it’s versatile, it clearly is the whole package. You get your main cooking area, a side burner, a sear station burner, a smoker and a rotisserie burner. How freaking cool is that?!
The main burners pack 48,800 BTUs of cooking power which is more than enough for its size, so expect it to get really hot. But if you need further oomph in the heat department! You can switch to its 10,600 BTU Sear Station burner to get hit 100 degrees hotter than just closing the lid. Hence, you can achieve that desired sears without making a sweat!
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And of course, a flush-mounted side burner with a 12,000 BTUs of cooking power is also present. On the other hand, you’ll have more reasons to say thanks for Thanksgiving when your grill has its own 6,800 BTU smoker burner, and 10,600 BTU rear-mounted infrared rotisserie burner! It’s a tuck away rotisserie system with a flip-up motor. While there’s a separate storage area for the spit and fork inside the cabinet. Packed with features is definitely an understatement!
This natural gas grill measures in at 66 by 57 by 30 inches which are slightly sizable and will require quite a bit of space so watch out for that. The body is constructed with a mix of luxurious metals. It is dominantly stainless steel for the cart, lid, burners, cooking grates and doors. While chrome-plated cast aluminum is used for handles and, accent colored painted side and rear panels give some variety to the look.
Our beloved Flavorizer bars are also made of stainless steel! Although with so much the Summit S-470 can do, the Flavorizer bar almost looks more like an accessory instead. Still, it’s just as an integral part of the grill that requires proper care to last. This involves regular cleaning from you. You can do so by burning the grill at high temperature then brush off the remaining debris with a grill brush. You can also wash it with warm water and soap instead while scrubbing it with a steel wool pads. Just avoid using Citrus dishwashing soap.
The Summit S-470 also doesn’t go easy on the extra features despite the crazy amount of cooking tools it already has. Firstly, you have two stainless steel side tables with a total of 6 tool racks to keep everything handy and near you.
Secondly, the grill itself is also super portable with wheels so you can move it around if you need to store it during the winter season. While the cookbox is made of cast aluminum, this only requires minimal maintenance and is pretty much able to handle any type of heat you throw at it. Then combine all these with the shroud will create a great cooking environment with an equal balance of heat distribution for optimized cooking.
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The burner tubes are made of high-grade stainless steel which can stand small amounts of water found in natural gas. They’re incredibly sturdy and durable and free of welding and weak points. You can also fine-tune the heat with the many control systems so this natural gas grill is perfect for the most perfectionist cooks.
And much like the Genesis, it has one handle light, 4 control knobs that light up and it’s compatible with iGrill3. So you can just sync and cook away! Lastly, grease management works just as great thanks to the funnel system directing the grease down to the grease tray and catch pan.
The stainless steel grease tray is at a safe distance from the burner tubes to prevent the grease from catching fire. It’s also large, so it won’t fill up quickly and make a mess while you’re still in the middle of grilling. There’s a front access to the grease tray and pan to easily remove and replace them.
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The Weber Summit S-470 is an absolute stunner! Anyone who catches a glimpse will know you really mean business when it comes to your grill. Nothing gets more serious with their grill when it’s complete with features, shows off a stainless steel body and comes with a hefty price tag of not more than two thousand bucks. Weber Summit S-470 is a total knockout! It has all the bells and whistles you could ever want for a natural gas grill.
The Round-Up
Before you can actually use a natural gas grill, you’ll have to install natural gas pipelines to your home. So for you to commit to that, you might as well invest on what’s best out there and maximize the experience. You’ll be getting your money’s worth from them seasons after seasons. Hence, I’m here to help you find the best natural gas grills perfect for your needs.
The Spirit E310 is for the shopper on a budget but still wants some solid quality. It’s a natural gas grill that’s simple, easy to use, and well-designed. It’s also perfect for those who like to grill for small crowds and small families.
But if you have a little extra cash, and looking to invest in a fancier natural gas grill without splurging, the Genesis II LX S-340 is a solid choice. It has better grade materials to last and has more grilling capacity that you really need. So, it will most definitely work like a charm for every barbecue.
Lastly, arguably one of the best natural gas grills out there, the Summit S-470 is a heavy-duty champ for the biggest grillers and those who’re in the market for something high-end. Definitely, the Summit S-470 is a premium choice and justifiably so with the sheer number of features it packs into its premium build frame.
All in all, a budget will most likely dictate the choice, because you’ve got three amazing natural gas grills here. The only question is if you’re going for a base model, mid-range model, or high-end model. One thing’s for sure though, you can’t go wrong with any of these as you’re in good hands of Weber.
Notable Mention
While my top choices for the best natural gas grills are all under Weber, it’s because they have the most extensive selections in this segment. It’s also undeniable that their models of natural gas grills are performing very well. Nothing comes close to the quality Weber has produced in this segment.
The only natural gas grill that caught my attention and worth mentioning aside from Weber is probably the Dyna-Glo Premium Grill. So, if all of my above choices are still beyond your budget, then you might want to consider checking the Dyna-Glo.
When it comes to just cooking size and heat capacity alone, the Dyna-Glo looks best on paper. And it’s even cheaper for about $120 than the Spirit. But when it’s a question of longevity and experience, investing the extra hundred bucks on a Weber does sound more appealing. As a matter of fact, Weber even offers 10 years limited warranty on its grill parts.
If you got more suggestions and other thoughts, feel free to fire those comments below. Because I’d love to hear them all!