I found the ultimate 10/10 gas BBQ – it's perfect for unpredictable weather and has space for 14 burgers
With pretty unpredictable weather in the UK, the ability to turn a knob and be ready to cook al fresco in minutes is definitely a good option.
6
A gas barbecue also allows you to control the heat and some have useful side burners for warming sauces or searing a steak.
Some models can be expensive - but there are some budget friendly gas options available.
Lynsey Hope shares her verdict on the best gas barbecues under £150.
Uniflame 2 Burner Gas BBQ
6
For less than £70, this is a very wallet-friendly gas barbecue.
It didn't take long to assemble - less than 30 minutes - and it looks stylish with a black control panel and stylish chrome control knobs.
The cooking area is easily big enough for 14 burgers and there was plenty of room to cook enough food for about seven people on this.
It seemed robust and hard-wearing and lit easily.
It cooked burgers evenly without charring them and it comes with a warming rack.
For the price, I was really impressed with this. It was easy to wipe clean and it's a relatively compact design so easy to store, too.
Performance: 5/5
Value: 5/5
Overall score: 10/10
B&Q Black 2 Burner Gas BBQ
£100, diy.com
6
Difficult to put together, taking over an hour. The instructions were quite tricky to follow.
Once up, it did a pretty decent job.
It lit easily and seemed to cook food pretty evenly.
It's not huge, but can cook enough food for around six people.
It is compact so a great option for smaller gardens and it is resistant to rust if you need to keep it outside.
For the price, it's a generous cooking area.
No bells and whistles, but a basic model at a fair price that did a decent job.
Everything that came off this grill tasted pretty good.
Performance: 4/5
Value: 4/5
Overall score: 8/10
George Foreman Portable 1 Burner Gas BBQ
£149, dunelm.com
6
A single burner gas barbecue that is ideal for camping or trips to the beach.
It's easy to assemble though you will need a screwdriver for the lid and you have to screw in the thermometer.
The fiddliest bit is putting together the regulator yourself.
It's a bit of a faff as you have to lubricate the hose with water onto the regulator and the barbecue and then you use small hose clamps to tighten everything.
The instructions were simple and clear, though it took me a while to get it done.
Once set up, it's a dream to use.
It gets to temperature in just five minutes and the temperature control is smooth.
There were a couple of cool spots in the corners but otherwise it provided pretty even coverage, allowing you to cook food evenly no matter where it was on the grill.
It's easy to move around and lift on to a table top for use.
The cooking was pretty average but it produced good char lines and though everything was delicious some of the others cooked faster than this.
Performance: 4/5
Value: 3/5
Overall score: 7/10
Argos Home 2 Burner with Side Burner Gas BBQ
£72, argos.co.uk
6
This took ages to put together, around 90 minutes, and the diagrams were unclear.
Once up, it looked pretty flimsy and I felt the structure was wobbly.
It's not very sturdy and though it's a wallet-friendly price, I don't think it will last long.
The manufacturers say it's big enough to feed six to eight people but I thought the grill size was quite limited.
I struggled to cook enough food on here for a family of five.
There were hot and cold spots too. Only one section of the grill really got hot enough to sear on.
The side burner was a great feature and I found it really handy for whipping up side dishes.
But there is no higher warming grill, either.
There is a storage shelf for keeping ingredients close at hand.
The compact size does make it easier to store and the wheels mean you can move it around the garden with ease.
Performance: 2/5
Value: 3/5
Overall score: 5/10
Outback Omega 250 2-Burner Gas BBQ
£129.99, robertdyas.co.uk
6
A superb gas barbecue with easy-to-use controls and good cooking ability.
It still took a while to put together but it seemed robust and has two wheels, making it easy to move to the perfect spot in your garden.
It has a handy foldable side table and I loved the side burner, which was really handy for side dishes or cooking onions.
It has a push-button ignition, a grease collection cup and a metal storage shelf at the space.
It was light and easy to clean, perfect for both amateur and seasoned outdoor chefs.
What I liked most was its ability to lightly cook sirloin steaks to a medium-rare consistency - nothing was overcooked.
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