The charcoal vs gas debate has been going since gas barbecues first appeared. Both have genuine advantages. Neither is objectively better. The right choice depends on how you cook, how often, and what you value.
Here is a practical comparison, no tribalism, just trade-offs.
Flavour
Charcoal produces smoke. Smoke adds flavour. This is the single biggest advantage of charcoal barbecuing, and it is real, not imagined.
The drippings from your food fall onto hot coals, vaporise, and rise back up as flavourful smoke. Gas barbecues produce minimal smoke because the drippings either evaporate on the heat shields or collect in the drip tray.
That said, the flavour difference is most noticeable with larger cuts cooked low and slow: roasts, whole chickens, ribs, brisket. For quick-cooking items like steaks, sausages and burgers, the difference is subtle. Most people would not pick it in a blind taste test on a fast-cooked steak.
Convenience
Gas wins on convenience, no question. Turn a knob, press ignite, cooking in 10 minutes. When you are done, turn it off.
Charcoal requires lighting (15-20 minutes with a chimney starter), managing the fire during cooking, and waiting for coals to cool completely before packing up. Total time overhead: 30-45 minutes per session.
If you barbecue on weeknights after work, gas makes it practical. Charcoal is more of a weekend activity for most people.
Temperature Control
Gas gives you precise, repeatable temperature control. Turn the knob up, it gets hotter. Turn it down, it cools. Consistent every time.
Charcoal requires more skill. You control temperature through airflow (vents), coal placement, and fuel quantity. It takes a few sessions to learn, but experienced charcoal cooks can achieve excellent control. The Weber Kettle's top and bottom vents make this easier than most charcoal setups.
Maximum Temperature
Charcoal gets hotter. A well-loaded charcoal barbecue can hit 350 degrees Celsius or higher at the grate level. Most gas Webers max out around 300 degrees.
This matters for serious searing: the extra heat creates better crust on steaks. For everything else, both reach more than enough temperature.
Cost
Gas barbecues are cheaper to run. A 9kg gas bottle costs around $25-30 and lasts for roughly 15-20 cooking sessions.
Good lump charcoal costs $15-25 per bag and lasts for 4-6 sessions depending on the size of the cook. Over a year of weekly barbecuing, charcoal costs roughly 3-4 times more in fuel.
The barbecues themselves are similarly priced, a Weber Q and a Weber 57cm Kettle are both in the $400-600 range depending on model.
Portability
Both the Weber Q and Weber Kettle are portable, but the Q wins for ease of transport. It has a built-in stand, compact profile, and works with small gas bottles.
The Kettle is portable in theory, but it is round, has no handles designed for car travel, and you need to bring charcoal separately. Doable, but less convenient.
Maintenance
Gas barbecues have more components that can fail: burners corrode, igniters break, gas lines can develop leaks. But day-to-day cleaning is simpler.
Charcoal barbecues are mechanically simple (a bowl, a grate, some vents) but produce more ash, which needs cleaning after each session.
Cast iron grill plates and accessories work on both gas and charcoal Webers. Campaquip makes model-specific plates for the Weber Q series (gas) and the 57cm Kettle (charcoal).
Our Take
Own both if you can. Gas for weeknight convenience, charcoal for weekend flavour. If you can only have one:
- Choose gas if you value convenience and cook often
- Choose charcoal if you value flavour and enjoy the process
Whichever you choose, Campaquip has cast iron and steel accessories for both. Shop Weber Q accessories (gas) and Weber Kettle accessories (charcoal).