How important is BTU when buying a gas grill? teppanyaki gas grill
Grill manufacturers like to chatter about how many BTUs their grill has.
But what is BTU? Is more BTU always better?
In order to clarify the problem, we will decompose the actual working principle of the grill temperature and whether the BTU output of the grill is worthy of attention.
What is BTU?
BTU stands for British Thermal Unit, and a BTU is the exact amount of energy required to heat one pound of water to one degree Fahrenheit.
You will encounter this term in many different household appliances, including air conditioners and heaters, but in this article, BTU is used to measure the output of each burner on a teppanyaki gas grill.
Why you shouldn't pay attention to BTU?
The most important thing you need to know about BTUs is that they are not an accurate method of measuring the temperature of a gas grill.
BTU, or more precisely BTU per hour, only measures the amount of fuel used by a grill in an hour. The calculation also takes into account the gas pressure, the hole diameter of the gas valve, and the type of gas used as fuel.
Think of it as the number of miles per gallon of gasoline. Just because this car consumes more fuel per hour does not mean it will drive faster. In fact, you might get higher speeds from a more fuel-efficient engine.
Gas grill manufacturers like Weber were quick to point out that although some of their models have lower BTU ratings, this is because they are more fuel efficient, not because of their lower heat output.
The BTU rating on the teppan grill is related to the maximum output of the main burner. Most reputable grill manufacturers follow this convention.
However, it is not uncommon for manufacturers who are not too cautious to increase the BTU of the side grill, or accessories like bakeware, to try to increase the overall number.
So how to calculate the heat output of the grill?
Although most manufacturers list the BTU output of the grill, there is a better way to calculate how much heat the grill can produce.
Calculating the heat flux of the grill is actually quite simple. You divide the required BTU by the square inches of the main cooking surface of the grill. The higher the final value, the more heat will be transferred from the burner to the grill surface.
Even so, this is a "best guess" situation. It does not consider environmental factors, the distance between the burner and the cooking surface, or whether the grill is infrared or standard convection.
How important is BTU when buying a gas grill?
So, does BTU make sense, is it worth calculating and comparing the heat flux of competing grills?
Well, the truth is, they are not. At least not anymore.
The construction method of the teppanyaki gas grill has developed by leaps and bounds in the past ten years. Modern grills have become more fuel-efficient, reducing the importance of BTU as a quality measure.
In addition, different heating methods, such as infrared burners, have further muddled the seawater, making it more difficult to convert the BTU into a usable idea of how hot the grill is.
So, if you want to buy a gas grill, and BTU is not a good quality indicator, what should you look for?
Build quality is always the most important when it comes to a good gas grill. Well-manufactured heavy parts and a suitable cover can be said to have a much greater heating effect on the grill than to measure the amount of fuel it uses at random.
If you still want to add BTU to the calculation, as long as the components are well-made and closely matched, the heat flow range between 80 and 100 means that the grill you are looking at will quickly heat up and maintain a constant cooking temperature.
If you are buying an infrared grill, then you can be satisfied with a heat flux rating in the range of 60 to 80, because infrared grills tend to be more fuel-efficient than convection grills.
High is not always better
On the surface, a grill that provides a very high BTU output seems to heat up faster and maintain a more stable cooking temperature. However, the opposite is true.
Very high BTU output is usually a sign of a poorly structured grille whose design and manufacture are fuel-efficient. The heat loss due to poorly installed parts or thin lids means that the grill needs more fuel to heat up.
Since BTU measures the fuel used per hour, these grilles can usually provide an impressive heat output on the surface, but in reality, their performance is disappointing.
Wrapping it all up
BTU is a somewhat outdated method of measuring the heat output of a grill, but it is not particularly accurate.
The convective heat flux output is 80 to 100, and infrared is 60 to 80, which is usually a good sign that a grill will heat up quickly and maintain temperature. However, BTU is often presented in a confusing or completely misleading way, so it is difficult to know exactly how good the grill in question is.
When buying a grill, well-made parts, good design, and good manufacturing techniques are usually more important than any BTU value.
Do you pay attention to the BTU value when you buy a grill? We would love to hear your "hot discussion" in the comments below.
