Steerpike

One of my future housing options includes a condo that has a rule against 'open flames' on the decks - so no charcoal or gas bbqs (this is actually a city-wide ordnance, so 'any' condo I buy will have the same restriction). I personally LOVE gas bbqs, and don't find any meaningful difference between charcoal and gas - for me the essential element of the bbq is the charring that occurs due to flames which are created by the fat dripping onto the hot surface below - and gas+lava rocks has the same effect as charcoal in that respect.

So - the question is - can a high-powered outdoor electric bbq come close enough to the performance of a gas bbq? I have seen one or two units with a 220V outlet on the deck, possibly for this purpose. And can you add 'lava rocks' to an electric BBQ to enhance the performance?

If you are a charcoal purist, don't bother replying

md95065

FWIW - I'm not sure if this is in California or not, but those restrictions have been in the California Fire Code for about 10 years now. While there may be some localities that haven't adopted that part of the code, I would expect that it is pretty much state-wide by now.

tom169

My city has similar for balconies. The apartment complex i used to live in had a lot of shared gas BBQs for people to use in communal areas.

Is that an option?

Rete

Why not buy a townhouse option with a small patio area so that you can still use your grill.

I googled gas grill vs electric and hands down, while the electric has improved, it doesn't give the flavor that gas does.

Steerpike

Strangely, I'm renting an apartment in Concord, CA right now and they allow gas bbq's on the wooden deck! I was shocked but take advantage of it. The Condo I'm looking at is in Fountain Hills, AZ but I know the same applies in (at least) Scottsdale, AZ.
I've seen shared gas bbq's in various places. For my style of bbq cooking, the timing is critical. I like popping in and out of the sliding glass door to the deck every few minutes. If using a shared grill near the unit, I'd have to pretty much park myself out there for the duration. I also bbq year round, in pouring rain ... so I really need to have the bbq on the deck.

I'm looking at houses, townhouses, and condos, and may end up in one of the former two, but the absolute winner overall so far in terms of views and interior brightness (my top two criteria) is a condo, so I'm trying to decide whether I can live without my gas grill!

ddsrph

Go to Home Depot site and look up Cuisinart portable gas grill. Not sure how it is recommended to be used but could possibly work for you. It's only $69.

Nutek

I call bias.

Don't listen to Tom.. he sells Propane and Propane accessories.

Nutmegger

That conjures unappetizing visions of other people’s old baked-on food remnants. . .

tom169

You got me

Adds to the flavors.

Steerpike

I've always taken a rather cavalier attitude towards outdoor bbq grill cleanliness. I tend to assume that running the grill on full heat for about 30 minutes will kill any stuff from previous use.

Nutmegger

I agree -- with my own leftovers. I'm a little leery of other people's yuck on a communal grill, however much it is blasted with heat!

caretaker

You may be able to enhance the flavours from your grill the way I do with my little propane one; I gather twigs from the apple orchard next door and make foil packets with slots in to drop in around the burner so it gets some smoke while it's cooking.

Rete

So you are favoring apartment building condos rather than a two story townhouse (condo). Gotcha!

We rarely use our gas grill since we have converted to a gas stove as opposed to the electric that came with the house. I'm thinking that if you go with an electric grill it is really no different than cooking on or in your electric stove just as cooking on my gas stove is no different than cooking on my gas grill. Yup, you can use wood additions or the lava rocks, but guess you like giving the appearance of being an outdoor's man

SpoogleDrummer

Have you checked to see if they have grills in the communal areas?

ddsrph

The reason I mentioned this grill is the possibility of using it on top of electric stove and under vent hood.