I’ve recently invested in a country home, and have been contemplating whether to buy a 2 burner or a 3 burner gas grill since I will be welcoming a large crowd often.
It goes without saying that a 3 burner grill will cost me a bit more than a 2 burner model, but what I am more interested in are things such as cooking time, fuel efficiency, and more!
Table of Contents
- 1 2 Burner vs 3 Burner Gas Grill: Multi-Factor In-Depth Analysis
- 2 Pros of 2 Burner Gas Grills
- 3 Cons of 2 Burner Gas Grills
- 4 Pros of 3 Burner Gas Grills
- 5 Cons of 3 Burner Gas Grills
- 6 2 Burner vs. 3 Burner Gas Grill – Which One Should You Go For?
- 7 Top Choice for 2 Burner Gas Grill
- 8 Top Choice for 3 Burner Gas Grill
2 Burner vs 3 Burner Gas Grill: Multi-Factor In-Depth Analysis
Before getting into the factors to consider when choosing between a 2 burner and 3 burner grill, it’s important to understand the science behind gas burner grills, and how they work exactly.
First things first—when discussing burners, I am referring to the main or primary burners found on gas grills.
These aren’t your side or rear-mounted burners, but provide the primary heat source to your grill, and are responsible for controlling the cooking temperature.
1. Cooking time & capacity per hour
Cooking time is faster on a 3 burner grill simply because you can fire up all three burners simultaneously. With 3 burners fired up, your food will cook quicker, so you will spend less time cooking.
With regards to capacity, 3 burner gas grills can also cook more meat per hour, because you can place food items over 3 burners.
2. Burner Size and Temperature & (BTU) Range
The burner size and temperature range in both 2 burner gas grills and 3 burner gas grills depend on the brand and model of the appliance.
But most 3 burner gas grills generate more BTUs compared to 2 burner gas grills, owing to the extra burner.
3. Grilling Surface Area
3 burner gas grills typically offer a larger grilling surface, again due to the extra burner. However, these extra square inches are mostly minimal, and there are few 2 burner gas grills that do offer a larger grilling area than some 3 burner models.
If you’re cooking for a small family, but many different types of meat in one go, choose a 2 burner grill with a large cooking surface. But, if you’re cooking for a large crowd, a 3 burner grill is an ideal choice for you.
4. Feature Comparison
The best 2 burner and 3 burner gas grills come with similar features such as porcelain-coated cooking grates, a lid-mounted temperature gauge, wheels to easily move the grills around, and an electronic ignition for quick and reliable startups.
5. Fuel Efficiency
The more burners the grill has, the higher the fuel consumption. The fuel efficiency of a respective 2 and 3 burner grill also depends on the BTU rating of the model, where the higher the number, the more propane it will use.
With regards to fuel efficiency, you also need to consider the fuel used by the side burner.
Even if you have a 3 burner grill, you can turn a burner or two off to save propane, especially if you’re grilling just a couple of burgers.
6. Ease of Use
Gas grills for the most part are easy to use compared to other types of grills. Whether you have a 2 burner or 3 burner gas grill, you can easily control the temperature of the individual burners with the knobs located at the front.
Plus, most top-of-the-line 2 burner and 3 burner gas grills come with a lid-mounted temperature gauge, so you avoid the guesswork as to when your food is ready to be served.
7. Maintenance & Cleaning
Propane grills, regardless of whether it’s a 2 or 3 burner are easy to clean. But the fewer burners you have, the easier the grill is to clean.
Furthermore, if you have a large grill surface, you will have to put in a little extra elbow grease to clean the grill.
You can clean both a 2 burner and 3 burner grill with a grill brush after cooking, and be sure to empty the drip pan at the bottom.
8. Weight & Portability
The weight of a 2 burner and 3 burner grill varies across models. The number of burners doesn’t affect the weight of a gas grill. In terms of portability, there are 2 burner and 3 burner gas grills that you can carry and take with you on the go such as the Cuisinart CGG-608 Portable, Professional Gas Grill, and Royal Gourmet PD1301R 24-Inch 3-Burner Portable Table Top Gas Grill.
9. Price
The prices of 2 and 3 burner gas grills also vary across manufacturers, where sometimes 2 burners can be more expensive than 3 burner gas grills.
The price of a gas grill depends on its features and brand. But you should steer clear of cheap 2 burner and 3 burner gas grills because they don’t usually offer a long service life.
Pros of 2 Burner Gas Grills
1. Compact Footprint
2 burner grills are typically smaller than 3 burner grills, making it easy to fit into tight spaces.
2. Easy to Use
2 burner grills are a great choice for novice grillers since you only have two main controls to work with.
3. Easy to Clean
Most 2 burner gas grills are easier to clean than 3 burner gas grills because there’s one less burner assembly to remove and clean.
4. Portable
2 burner gas grills, especially to take and go models are a joy to carry around. Most 2 burner gas grills come with wheels at the bottom to easily move them across spaces.
Cons of 2 Burner Gas Grills
1. Ability to Grill less
Due to one less burner, you will not be able to cook for a large party on a 2 burner gas grill.
2. Can be expensive
Even though there’s one less burner, some 2 burner models cost more than 3 burner models, so you want to consider an upgrade.
Pros of 3 Burner Gas Grills
1. More burners
With more burners to work with, you will be able to cook more food in one go and quicker than a 2 burner grill.
2. Larger cooking area
3 burner gas grills generally come with a larger cooking area, so you can grill more food on the grates.
Cons of 3 Burner Gas Grills
1. Uses more fuel
If you turn on all three burners of a 3 burner gas grill, you will use more fuel compared to a 2 burner gas grill.
2. Can be heavy
3 burner gas grills can be a bit heavier and bulkier than 2 burner models, but on a brighter note they do come with wheels at the base.
2 Burner vs. 3 Burner Gas Grill – Which One Should You Go For?
Choosing between a 2 burner and 3 burner gas grill truly boils down to personal choice. If you’re going to cook for a larger crowd, then opt for a 3 burner grill, but if you’re cooking for a small party of three or four, then a 2 burner grill should suffice.
Top Choice for 2 Burner Gas Grill
1. Char-Broil 463673519 Performance Series 2-Burner Cabinet Liquid Propane Gas Grill
For starters, it offers 300 square inches of primary cooking space, and a separate 100-square inch sway away rack.
Adding to this, the Char-Broil Performance 2-burner grill features 24,000 BTU intense heating power and is fitted with a stainless steel lid for enhanced style and durability.
The lid of this Char-broil model is embedded with a temperature gauge, so you can cook without opening the lid frequently.
The Char-Broil Performance 2-burner grill features electronic ignition for quick startups, and a convenient storage cabinet to store the propane tank, and your grilling essentials.
To top things off, the Char-Broil Performance 2-burner gas grill comes with four wheels to easily move the appliance around.
Pros:
- 300 square inch cooking area
- 100 square inch sway away rack
- Electronic ignition
- Four wheels
- Porcelain-coated cast iron grates
- Lid mounted temperature gauge
Cons:
- Limited to 1 color option
- Assembly required
Top Choice for 3 Burner Gas Grill
1. MASTER COOK 3 Burner BBQ Propane Gas Grill
It is fitted with a full stainless steel front panel and chromium-plated control knobs for easy control over the temperatures. Furthermore, it comes with the industry-leading piezoelectric ignition system for easy and quick startups.
The Master Cook 3-burner propane grill features three stainless steel burners that generate an impressive 30,000 BTU heat power.
Adding to this, it is fitted with a stainless steel handle, two wheels, and an integrated stainless steel thermometer ton the lid.
The Master Cook gas grill comes with porcelain enamel wire cooking grates, and two foldable tables and two heavy-duty wheels to move the appliance to your desired area.
Pros:
- 339 square inches of primary cooking space
- 132.8 square inch warming rack
- Full stainless steel front panel
- 30,000 BTU heat power
- 3 stainless steel burners
- Porcelain enamel wire cooking grates
- Stainless steel handle
- Integrated stainless steel thermometer ton the lid
Cons:
- Comes with only 2 wheels
