Barbecue Buying Guide

Owning a barbecue is a pleasurable way of enjoying the summer weather, as well as creating an a great outdoor atmosphere at your family and friends gathering. Garden Buildings Direct offers a wide range of barbecues to suit all requirements and we sincerely hope that this brief guide will help you in choosing the best one to suit your individual needs.

Barbecue Types

There are two main types of barbecue to choose from, these are gas or charcoal.

The benefits of a Gas barbecues are that they offer a quick a hassle-free option. The are extremely easy to light via the push-button ignition which then provides an instant flame so that you can start your cooking in around 10 minutes.

Charcoal barbecues are the original traditional option, these have to be lit by hand which then causes the charcoal below the grill to glow providing the cooking heat. These charcoal barbecues give the food that classic barbecued flavour and appearance. The only down side to this type of barbecue is that you have to wait for the charcoal to reach its optimum cooking heat which can be around 40 minutes.

Barbecue Features

All barbecues whether gas or charcoal are supplied with the same types of features and can include the following:

Grills

Chrome Plated

These look very smart and stylish, but care must be taken to clean them thoroughly after use to keep their appearance. Stainless Steel - Very easy to clean and maintain and you will find that they are more durable than chrome-plated grills, although in use you will not notice any difference.

Cast Iron

These are heavier that the two options above but are an excellent heat source because as they hold the heat in really well. A good tip in use is to wipe the grill section with a light cooking oil prior to cooking and after use to help prevent rust from forming on the grill surface. Porcelain Coated - Again fairly weighty but easy to keep clean. The best feature is that the porcelain coating stops rust forming on the surface. These types of grills are usually found on the top end range of the barbecue market.

Griddles

Some barbecue models feature a griddle section as well as a grill for the cooking surface. A griddle section is a basically a solid metal plate surface which enables you to cook foods which might otherwise fall through the standard grill type cooking surfaces. As well as cooking ordinary items like burgers or fried onions it can also be used to fry food such as eggs and bacon so you can even use it for your breakfasts.

Trolleys

Nearly all barbecues supplied by us will feature some sort of trolley, these can be as simple as holding the barbecue body such as on the smaller charcoal barbecues to the larger trolleys with side shelves or even cupboards for storing all of your barbecue accessories. Side shelves are often provided which allow additional preparation and usually some tool storage. Most will feature wheels for easier manoeuvrability.

Barbecue Safety

Barbecuing is great fun but it needs to be done in a safe environment to make sure that your outdoor dining goes off without any hitch. The following notes will assist you with this and please refer to your barbecue instructions for any additional information or safety advice.

Always choose a suitable location for your barbecue, this includes choosing a level surface away from any combustible materials and must always be in the open air.

If you have a gas type barbecue check that it is properly connected to your gas bottle and that the gas supply hose is not cracked or perished in any way., check this each and every time you use your barbecue. Make sure you are using the correct regulator for your type of gas cylinder. Replace your gas supply hose on a yearly basis.

If you have a charcoal barbecue only ever light this with a barbecue firelighter or barbecue fuels which are specially made for this purpose. Always read the instructions from the manufacturer carefully and fully prior to use.

Please keep any matches or firelighters or barbecue fuel away from any lit barbecue, whether it be gas or charcoal.

NEVER use petrol or any other flammable products to light a barbecue.

NEVER try to move a barbecue once lit.

Once your barbecue is lit, never leave your barbecue unattended and please make sure that children and pets are kept away during its use and following its use as the unit will still be hot for a while during its cool down process.

Do not overload you cooking surface as fat from the food may flare up.

FINALLY, always leave the barbecue to cool down fully before cleaning, moving, covering or storing away.