Pros and Cons of Infrared Gas Grills

Pro -- Temperature Control

• Infrared gas grills use a direct heat source unlike traditional charcoal or gas grills. A stainless-steel burner or ceramic tile inside the grill is heated after the grill's flame is ignited. Food placed on the burner tile receives heat directly. With charcoal or gas grills, the air is heated and applied to the food, so the heat is indirect. It is easier to control the temperature when cooking food because the infrared grill uses direct heat. Food cooks more evenly, and the direct heat also allows you to sear meats and create those attractive char marks.

Pro -- Faster Cooking

• An infrared gas grill's direct heat also means that food cooks more quickly than traditional barbecue grills. The infrared radiation makes the grill much hotter, which means food can be cooked at higher temperatures. Food requires less time on the grill as a result, so you can enjoy more time with family and friends at your next barbecue and less time standing in front of a grill.

Pro -- Moist Meat

• Because an infrared grill cooks more quickly than traditional grills, meat is less likely to become dried out. The direct heat spreads evenly across the meat's surface so no one spot receive more heat than another. Meat also is able to retain its natural juices because of the grill's high and evenly spread temperatures, which means that meat won't have to sit on a grill for long periods for sufficient cooking.

Con -- Less Versatility

• The intense heat of an infrared gas grill is designed for searing meats, so the outside of meat is charred while the inside remains juicy. This is ideal if you prefer a rare or medium-rare steak. However, for meat that must be cooked all the way through and larger pieces of meat, the infrared grill actually might burn the meat's exterior before it is cooked all the way through. Seek an infrared gas grill that offers the greatest range of temperature controls if you plan to use it to cook chicken and more delicate meats such as fish.

Con -- Limited Flavoring

• Like a traditional gas grill, an infrared grill's burners also do not produce wood smoke. Some homeowners enjoy the flavor that this smoke provides, so you might miss the smoky flavor traditionally associated with barbecued food with an infrared gas grill. It also is not advised to add a wood smoker to an infrared burner either, which means you might have to concede on flavor if you decide to buy an infrared gas grill.