Gas barbecue or Kamado barbecue: How to choose the right one?

You want to invest in a barbecue, but you’re hesitating between a gas barbecue and a kamado. How do you choose the one that truly suits your needs? 

Get it wrong, and you risk spending several hundred euros on a device that will end up at the back of the garage. 

So, to help you avoid making the wrong choice, we’ve compared these two barbecues step by step: advantages, drawbacks, budget, maintenance and typical user profiles. By the end of this article, you’ll know exactly which model is right for you.

Gas barbecue: outdoor cooking with no waiting

A gas barbecue is like a cooker: just turn a knob to light it. Almost as if you had your cooking in the garden.

But let’s take a closer look at its strengths and limitations

The drawbacks:

Food cooked on gas has a more neutral flavour—it lacks that smoky taste:

The result: it ends up closer to the taste of oven cooking than true barbecue.

Managing gas cylinder logistics:

 It’s not enough to buy a cylinder—you need to plan the replacement to avoid running out mid-cook. That means finding a supplier and keeping the empty cylinder for the deposit return.

Maintaining a gas barbecue is more complex:

Cleaning the grates and the drip tray is easy, but it’s not enough.
You need to regularly check and unclog the burners (the holes can get blocked by grease, insects or spider webs), clean the flavouriser bars, and check the electronic ignition.
A poorly connected cylinder, a dirty burner, a blocked jet, or a faulty regulator can make the appliance unusable.

A larger footprint: 

Gas barbecues are fairly bulky, especially 3- or 4-burner models. They can be up to 160 cm wide and require storage space because they can’t be left outdoors. On top of that, you need extra room to store gas cylinders.
All in all, you need 2m2 of space to store everything. 

Its use is limited in winter and in bad weather:

Gas doesn’t cope well with strong winds and cold temperatures.
In fact, wind can make the burner flames flicker or even blow them out. 
Butane freezes from 0°C and becomes unusable, which means you have to use propane if you want to cook in autumn or winter. But even with propane, pressure drops and it takes longer to heat up when it’s very cold.

It’s less versatile for certain types of cooking:

For long cooks like low and slow, or to reach very high searing temperatures (350°C and above), a gas barbecue is less effective. You need to invest in premium models with an infrared sear burner or add accessories (smoker box, pizza stone), which drives the cost up even further.

Costly to run and maintain: 

Gas prices are rising: a 13kg propane bottle now costs between €30 and €40 for 36 hours of heating.
On top of that, you need to factor in the cost of replacement wear parts: 

• burners (between €30 and €100, every 4 to 6 years), 

• flavouriser bars (between €20 and €60, every 4 to 6 years) 

• ignition system (between €10 and €30, every 2 to 4 years) 

• regulator (between €10 and €25, every 10 years) 

• gas hose (between €8 and €25, every 5 years)
  
  

Average lifespan:

Depending on the model’s quality, the barbecue can last between 5 and 10 years.

Advantages:

It lights instantly.

No waiting for the temperature to rise or fall.

It’s the ideal barbecue for beginners because it’s easy to use: 

The temperature is precise and constant, and cooking is even.

You can cook foods simultaneously using direct (burner on) and indirect (burner off) heat: 

For example, you can quickly sear vegetables on one side while a joint slowly cooks in the ambient heat of the closed barbecue.

Healthier cooking: 

Without charcoal combustion, a gas barbecue produces far less smoke and therefore fewer polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and carcinogenic compounds that settle on food, compared with traditional charcoal cooking. Fats drip onto the flavouriser bars instead of igniting on contact with embers, which also reduces the formation of harmful substances.

Very little cleaning required: 

• the grill grate, after each use 

• the grease drip tray to clean, less often. 
  
  

Less messy, as there’s no ash to deal with

An affordable barbecue in terms of price: 
On average, a good-quality gas barbecue costs between €600 and €800.

The Kamado: flavour and versatile charcoal cooking 

The Kamado is a ceramic barbecue for enthusiasts who like to take their time. Its versatility and the quality of its cooking make it a tool in its own right. With it, you get outstanding heat control and great flavour.

But before you decide, let’s take a look at its strengths and weaknesses.

Drawbacks: 

A longer preheating time:

A Kamado barbecue takes time to get going. Once the first embers start to glow, you then need to wait for the ceramic to come up to temperature and stabilise. This can take 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the cooking method you want.
That slow warm-up is the main drawback for quick weekday use: an after-work, last-minute meal simply isn’t on the cards.

A long cool-down time if you make a mistake: 

This is the flip side of the Kamado’s famous thermal inertia: once the ceramic is hot, it stays hot for a long time.
That means you need to be cautious and avoid touching the Kamado once cooking is finished to prevent burns. It also means you shouldn’t store the cooker away immediately after use.

Significant weight limits mobility: 

 A medium-sized model weighs between 65 and 85 kg. Large models can exceed 100 kg. This weight comes from the thick ceramic that makes up the body of the cooker.
As a result, it’s difficult to move. It can be moved carefully when set on a wheeled stand.

Ceramic fragility:

Ceramic withstands thermal shock very well, but is far less resistant to physical impacts. Dropping the lid or a hard knock from a tool can cause hairline cracks that compromise the seal, and therefore the cooker’s proper performance. 
Good brands warranty the ceramic for several years (10 years at Forest Grill) and replace cracked parts.

Time A learning curve to stabilise temperatures and tame airflow: 

 You need to understand and control several factors: how much charcoal to put in the firebox and how to arrange it, opening/closing the lid, and above all adjusting the two vents (the air intake at the bottom and the chimney at the top).
It generally takes between 5 and 8 cooks to get a proper feel for the cooker, and 2 to 3 months to truly master every technique. 

A higher purchase price:

A Kamado costs between €500 and €1,500 depending on the model and size.

Its drawbacks: 

An authentic wood-fire flavour, with customisable aromas:

 Food absorbs the natural aromas of the charred wood, creating a deep, smoky grilled flavour.
It also lets you play with flavours by adding large wood chunks or flavoured chips directly onto the embers during cooking.
Lastly, the Kamado’s slow, steady charcoal burn produces clean, light, well-balanced smoke.

Excellent thermal insulation, so you can cook in summer and winter alike: 

You can use a Kamado all year round, because the thick ceramic keeps combustion stable whatever the weather.

It’s the most versatile barbecue on the market: 

 It lets you use 6 different cooking methods: 

• Grill directly vegetables, skewers, steaks, etc.

• Cook indirectly like an oven (roasts, poultry, in a casserole)

• Smoke low & slow ribs, pork or salmon at low temperature

• Bake pizzas at 350–400°C

• Cook on a plancha with a cast-iron plate
  
  

Incredibly juicy meat: 

A Kamado is designed as a closed chamber that locks almost airtight. During cooking, the moisture naturally released by food stays trapped inside instead of evaporating. This humid atmosphere surrounds the meat and prevents it from drying out.

The Kamado’s thick ceramic radiates an enveloping, steady and even heat. Meat cooks slowly and evenly, in an environment similar to a traditional terracotta casserole.

Adjustable temperatures, from cold smoking to pizza baking: 

A Kamado can operate from 20°C to over 400°C. By comparison, a standard gas barbecue often tops out at 250–300°C, and a traditional charcoal barbecue at 200–250°C.

Lifetime durability thanks to ceramic: 

A Kamado is a very long-term investment. Ceramic doesn’t rust, doesn’t warp, and withstands thermal shock. A well-maintained Kamado can last 20, 30 years or more—more than paying back the initial purchase price.

Very low charcoal consumption

The Kamado makes it possible to halve the use of charcoal compared with traditional charcoal barbecues.

Why? Because its airtight, insulated construction limits heat loss, and airflow is precisely regulated via vents.

Cook without bothering the neighbours: 

Once it’s up to a stable temperature, a Kamado releases very little smoke to the outside. The slow, controlled burn of the charcoal—combined with precise airflow control—produces far less smoke than a traditional charcoal barbecue. A real plus for your neighbours.

Design

Its oval shape and refined finishes (coloured ceramic, a wooden stand or crafted metal frame) make it a beautiful piece that fits perfectly into a garden or an outdoor kitchen. A Kamado is as much a lifestyle statement as it is a cooking tool.

Point-by-point comparison table:

Verdict: Which model do you need? 

There’s no wrong optionIt’s a choice based on your lifestyle, your cooking preferences and your budget. To help you decide, here are the typical profiles for each model.

Choose a gas barbecue if...

• You want to use it several times a week, especially after work, and eat in under an hour.

• Your approach to cooking is “quick and good”:
  You want to eat quickly without having to manage vent settings or temperature control.

• You’re just starting out and want an appliance that’s easy to use.

• You want healthy, clean cooking, with no smoke or ash to deal with.

• You’re planning your purchase over 5 to 10 years with a limited upfront budget, even if it means replacing it later.

• You mainly cook in summer.

• You have space to store the barbecue and gas cylinders in a ventilated area.

Choose a Kamado if...

• You mainly want to use it at weekends and on special occasions, taking the time to prep your cook.

• You’re passionate about cooking and you enjoy experimenting with different cooking methods (smoking, low-and-slow, pizzas, plancha, casserole dishes, etc.).

• Flavour matters more than speed:
  You’re happy to wait 30 minutes for preheating in exchange for juicy, flavourful meat.

• You want to cook all year round, even in the depths of winter, without any loss of performance.

• You’re thinking of this purchase as a lifetime investment. 

• You have an outdoor space where it can stay permanently (it’s not affected by bad weather).

• Looks matter:
  You want a beautiful piece that fits seamlessly into your garden or outdoor kitchen.

• You’re ready to learn to master the appliance.

If all your answers point the same way, you have your answer. If they are mixed, the Kamado that suits you best is probably the right choice: its versatility covers both quick cooks (once you’ve got the hang of it) and long weekend sessions.