If this is your first grill, the honest answer is: buy the one you will actually use, and that is usually gas for weeknight convenience — with the understanding that a charcoal grill is the flavor upgrade you may want second. Gas grills light in minutes, hold steady heat and clean up fast, which makes them the realistic choice for regular cooking. Charcoal grills take longer to light and manage but deliver the smoky flavor and high heat that many grill lovers consider the point. This guide compares the two across convenience, flavor, cost and skill so you can match the first grill to your routine.
Convenience and daily use
Gas is the convenience winner without contest. Turn the knob, press the igniter, and the grill is ready in about ten minutes; temperature control is a dial, and cleanup is scraping warm grates and emptying a drip tray. That convenience translates directly into frequency — owners grill more often when starting is easy. Charcoal asks for a different commitment: lighting, waiting for coals, managing heat without a dial and cleaning ash. None of it is hard, but it takes twenty to forty minutes of attention before the first steak hits the grate, which is why charcoal grills tend to be weekend tools and gas grills become the weekday workhorses.
Flavor and heat
Charcoal's advantage is flavor. Burning charcoal — especially lump charcoal — adds a smoky character that gas cannot reproduce, and charcoal grills can reach higher temperatures for a stronger sear. Gas grills cook cleanly and predictably, but the flavor is the fuel's absence rather than its presence; smoke comes only from accessories like smoker boxes. For cooks who grew up on charcoal, the flavor difference is the whole debate. For cooks who grew up on gas, the convenience usually matters more. Neither preference is wrong — they are different experiences of the same food.
Cost: purchase and fuel
Cost comparisons are estimates that depend on where you live and how often you cook. Charcoal grills are often cheaper to buy than comparable gas models, and charcoal is inexpensive per cook, but the fuel is a consumable you buy repeatedly. Gas grills cost more upfront, and propane tanks need filling, but the per-cook fuel cost is typically low. Over a season of regular grilling, the difference is usually modest — the bigger cost driver is how often you grill, which brings the argument back to convenience. Buy the grill whose use pattern you can sustain, and let the per-cook math follow.
Skill and learning curve
Gas grills are the easier teacher. The dial gives you repeatable heat, so you can learn searing, indirect cooking and timing without also managing a fire. Charcoal teaches fire management — how coals look when ready, how to build two zones, how to control heat with airflow — which is a valuable skill but a steeper first hill. Many cooks buy gas first, learn the techniques, and add a charcoal grill later when they want to learn fire. If you enjoy the process itself, start with charcoal; if you want good food with the least friction, start with gas.
Gas vs charcoal: match the grill to your week
| Priority | Better first grill |
|---|---|
| Weeknight convenience | Gas |
| Smoky flavor | Charcoal |
| Fast learning curve | Gas |
| Learning fire management | Charcoal |
| Lowest upfront cost | Charcoal (usually) |
| Regular use, minimal effort | Gas |
Run the table against your actual week. If you grill once a week on weekends and enjoy the ritual, charcoal rewards you; if you want to grill twice a week after work, gas is the tool that will actually get used. Many households eventually own both — the gas grill for Tuesday burgers, the charcoal for Saturday ribs — so the first purchase is a starting point, not a lifetime commitment.
Big Horn's range covers both endpoints of this decision: the stainless steel island gas grill for the convenience side, and the portable Santa Maria charcoal grill for live-fire cooking. The grills and griddles collection shows the range — match the fuel to your routine, and the first grill becomes the start of a habit rather than a regret.
Space, safety and rules
Before either grill arrives, check the space and the rules. Both grills need a stable, level, non-combustible surface with clearance from structures, deck rails and anything flammable; gas grills add propane tank storage rules, while charcoal grills add ash handling and the risk of stray embers. Many apartment and condo buildings restrict charcoal or open-flame cooking on balconies while allowing gas, so check your lease and local fire rules before buying — a grill you cannot legally use on your property is not a bargain at any price. Measure the patio space too: a large gas island needs room to open its lid and work around it, while a compact charcoal kettle fits tighter corners.
What about kamado and other styles?
The gas-versus-charcoal question often hides a third option: kamado-style grills, which burn charcoal inside a heavy ceramic shell and can sear, smoke and bake with remarkable temperature control. A kamado delivers charcoal flavor with more precision than an open kettle, but it costs more, weighs more and has its own learning curve. If your priorities are smoky flavor plus versatility and your budget allows it, a kamado is worth adding to the comparison; if you want the simplest possible first grill, gas still wins on convenience. The decision framework stays the same — match the fuel and the cooker style to how often and what you cook.
The upgrade path
Think of the first grill as the start of a sequence. Many households buy a gas grill first, learn the techniques, and add a charcoal or kamado second for flavor and low-and-slow cooking; others start with charcoal, enjoy the ritual, and add a gas grill later for weeknight speed. Buying both at once is rarely wise — the accessories, fuel and learning curve double before you know which style you prefer. Buy the first grill that matches your current routine, cook on it for a season, and let your actual habits — not the marketing — decide what the second grill should be.
If you are still torn after reading the matrix, test both before committing. Cook one meal on a friend's gas grill and one on a charcoal grill, using the same cuts and a thermometer, and notice which process you enjoyed and which food you preferred. The flavor difference will show in the food; the convenience difference will show in your mood while cooking. That single comparison tells you more than any review, because it measures the two things that matter — the result and the experience — against your own preferences.
Whichever you buy first, the accessories carry over to the second grill: a good thermometer, long-handled tongs and a quality brush serve both fuels, and a grill cover protects either investment. Buying tools that transfer means the second grill costs less than the first, which makes the "buy both eventually" path more practical than it sounds. Start with the fuel that matches this season of your life, keep the tools transferable, and let the first grill teach you what the second one should be.
Product details and prices in this guide were verified against official Big Horn Outdoors listings during the September 5, 2026 review; re-check prices and availability at checkout.
