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2024 Buying Guide for Patio Grills

Posted: March 12, 2024 at 04:51 PM

12 minute read | Grills

Installing natural gas or propane patio grills in the common areas of apartments, condos, and other multi-family living environments delivers quality-of-life benefits. Whether property management firms opt for fixed-in-place or portable patio grills, outdoor cooking areas provide the value-added residents desire. However, choosing the best-suited outdoor BBQ grill for your facility can prove challenging.

Fortunately, the PGS Grill line has a variety of high-quality options and accessories to meet the needs of multi-family communities of all kinds. We hope the following information helps owners, developers, contractors, and property managers make an informed decision when selecting the perfect outdoor patio grills for their multi-family properties.

Patio Grills Run on Either Natural Gas or Propane

A patio grill is typically used as the centerpiece of an outdoor kitchen, but what fuel should you use for your grill? When choosing a suitable grill for any multi-family property, it’s essential to assess which fuel is available for your location. Facilities that have or plan to run municipal natural gas fuel lines can use a natural gas grill. If you don’t have access to a natural gas utility line, can’t install a new one, or need your grill to be portable, then you’ll need to install a liquid propane grill.

Natural gas requires a designated fuel line, and the grill must be secured in place. Because the natural gas is piped directly to the patio grill there is no need for a fuel tank, and therefore no fuel tank to swap out periodically. Condominium developers sometimes add space-efficient pedestal grills on larger individual patios. Natural gas grills are not portable.

Liquid propane is carried in a propane fuel tank that is generally stored underneath the grill, hidden from view. Because propane grills carry their fuel in a tank they can be portable. The flexibility of being able to reposition your propane patio grill as needed is an incredible feature. The propane tank will have to be swapped out when it runs out of fuel, which is a quick and easy process.

Every PGS grill has a propane and natural gas version of each grill model, so your choice of fuel won’t affect which grill you can buy. Once you’ve figured out which fuel source will be the best for your grills you can choose which model and mounting option you need.

Variety of Mounting Options to Consider

When purchasing the best-suited patio grills for your apartment, condo, or multi-family property mounting options make a significant difference in your decision. Strategically mounting one or more outdoor barbecue grills can accentuate the space and maximize its usefulness. These are ways T-Series patio grills are commonly mounted. Most of these mounting options are available for natural gas and propane grills(only propane grills can be portable).

• In-Ground Post: A pole securely installed in the ground with a patio grill mounted on top. Also available with a weatherproof base. In-ground posts are great for saving space and are usually the most cost-effective mounting option for patio grills. They are a perfect mounting option for multiple grills in a communal outdoor grilling area at an apartment or condo.
• Pedestal Grill Mounts: The “pedestal” is a base that is securely installed on the ground with a patio grill mounted on top, just like in-ground posts. Pedestal grill mounts are available in stainless steel or powder-coated black, which will match or accent the grill itself. Residents prefer pedestal mounts because the pedestal can hide the fuel lines, fuel tank (propane only), and they are aesthetically pleasing. Also taking up the minimum floor space, pedestal mounts are great for multi-family locations with communal grilling areas.
• Portable Grill Carts: Grill carts are an unofficial term for pedestal grills mounted on wheels instead of being secured to the ground/deck. Because the grill can be repositioned this mount can only be used by propane grills, which hold their fuel in their base. The key benefit of cart-mounted patio grills involves their flexible use. This option allows users to position the portable as needed to accommodate seating arrangements and a variety of gatherings, be used where natural gas fuel lines aren’t available, and be stored out of the way when not in use.
• Custom Outdoor Countertops: Custom-made outdoor countertops are made out of concrete or a similar non-combustible outdoor building material, with a space or enclosure made for a grill to be installed. We supply detailed dimensions for our grills so you’ll know how big of a space your contractor will need when designing an outdoor countertop. Custom-built outdoor countertops can be fantastic, but they can also be cost-prohibitive, time-restrictive, and some locations might have weight restrictions (like a rooftop patio space) which could eliminate them as a potential grill mounting option.
• Patio Grill Islands: The designers of PGS Grills understand that hiring a contractor to build a complete outdoor kitchen can stretch a multi-family facility’s patio renovation budget. A Modano series prefabricated patio grill island can be assembled and secured in place by maintenance crew members or any handy DIYer. Our prefab BBQ island delivers the looks and function of a custom outdoor kitchen at a fraction of the cost and weight/tonnage of a typical outdoor masonry countertop.

Cast-Aluminum and Stainless Steel Grills

The importance of a durable outdoor patio grill cannot be understated. That’s why PGS T-Series grills (the lid/upper casting and pit/basin/lower casting) are built from either cast aluminum or stainless steel. Both of these are extremely durable materials that will last an even longer time with regular maintenance practices. Regardless of whether you pick a cast aluminum or stainless steel grill, all our grills have stainless steel internal components (burners, cooking grids, warming racks, rock grates, etc).

Stainless Steel Patio Grills

The S27T, S36T, and S48T grills are constructed with stainless steel inside and out. These three sizes allow you to find the stainless steel patio grill that you’re looking for. The S27T is our smallest stainless steel grill, but its two burners pack a punch at 45,000 BTUs and 540 square inches of grilling space. Our S36T patio grill boasts three burners with 67,000 BTU output over 720 square inches of grilling surface. Our largest stainless steel grill the S48T has a massive output of 90,000 BTUs over 960 square inches of grilling area.

People love the look and feel of stainless steel appliances, and patio grills are no different, but stainless steel isn’t only useful for its aesthetic appeal. Stainless steel is a metal alloy that is resistant to corrosion, specifically rust caused by oxygen interacting with iron (a chemical reaction called oxidation).

Rudimentary stainless steel was discovered over two hundred years ago and has been refined and improved upon since then. Now there are many different types of stainless steel created with various mixtures of different metals. The most effective stainless steel for patio grills to resist rust and corrosion is 304 stainless steel. The protection comes from the 10-20% of chromium and nickel, mixed in with the iron, preventing oxygen from interacting with the iron on the molecular level, which prevents rust from building up.

Cast Aluminum Patio Grills

The T30 and T40 grills are comprised of a cast aluminum exterior that stands up to intense weather conditions and high temperatures. We still use stainless steel for important internal components such as the cooking grids and burners, and for our side shelves. The T30 patio grill delivers 30,000 BTUs over 330 square inches of grilling space. It comes with one stainless steel side shelf, and a second can be added. The T40 patio grill is slightly larger with 40,000 BTU output and 434 square inches of cooking space. The T40 comes with two stainless steel side shelves standard.

Because our cast aluminum patio grills are smaller than our stainless steel grills, they work great for communal grilling areas at apartments and condos where multiple families might want to use the grills at the same time. The T30 and T40 patio grills are large enough for any family to cook their meal, but small enough to save space where ever you insall them. These grills are commonly installed side by side or even in a half circle for larger multi-family properties.

If cost is a consideration, our cast aluminum grills are less expensive on average without sacrificing any durability or usability. Cast aluminum is extremely durable while being resistant to corrosion because of the process of casting the aluminum-based alloy, the mixture of metals in the alloy, and aluminum’s natural corrosion resistance. Cast aluminum, especially the perfected alloy we use, is much stronger than regular aluminum, and much more resistant than iron.

Standard PGS T-Series Grill Accessories

One of the reasons that PGS grills are mainstays in the multi-family living sector can be attributed to the high-end accessories that come as standard accessories for all T-Series grills. Designed to accommodate BBQs, birthday parties, graduations, or any sized social events these are grill accessories that come standard.

• Gas-Flow Shutoff Grill Timer: This feature delivers two critical benefits. It ensures that liquid propane and natural gas do not go wasted by users who fail to turn off the grill. The gas-flow shutoff grill timer can also prevent a potential fire safety hazard if a grill is accidentally left on.
• Anti-Theft Control Dials: Replacing grill knobs is a hassle and annoying expense. That’s why PGS T-Series grills come with anti-theft knobs. Don’t give a young prankster an opportunity to be mischievous at your expense.
• Laser-Etched User Instructions: The number of multi-family residents who have never used a patio grill can be surprising. To make sure everyone uses the patio grill safely and efficiently, T-Series models have step-by-step operation instructions etched into the control panel. So they’ll never fade from sun exposure.

Optional PGS T-Series Grill Accessories

Although the standard accessories distinguish PGS Grills from other lines, it’s the optional items that deliver specialized benefits. These optional T-Series accessories are another reason why PGS produces industry-leading patio grills.

• Lift-Assist Grill Handle: Not everyone who enjoys grilling their meals to perfection has the physical capacity to lift lids. The lift-assist grill handle makes opening and closing the hood relatively seamless. Adding a lift-assist to a T-Series natural gas or propane patio grill helps everyone enjoy grilling, even if wheelchair-bound.
• Emergency Gas Shutoff with Timer: Installing an emergency gas shutoff allows anyone, in the event of an emergency, who pushes this button to immediately shut down the flow of fuel to the grill. This accessory also has a dial that is a 60-minute fuel shutoff grill timer.
• Infrared Rotisserie Burners: The popularity of the supermarket rotisserie chicken has not been lost on multi-family property developers. Our T-Series stainless steel patio grills can be outfitted with an infrared rotisserie burner. This value-added accessory allows users to expand their menus to large cuts of beef, whole chicken, kabobs, pineapples, and many other opportunities.
• Side Burners: Adding side burners to a grill station allows users to prepare side dishes not easily cooked on a grill like boiling water, soup, a wok, stir fry, and many more. Being able to be used in tandem while cooking on the grill can also be a huge advantage for an outdoor chef.
• Patio Beverage Centers: Adding stainless steel patio beverage centers is a sure way to make outdoor kitchen areas convenient. Residents no longer need to schlep heavy, leaky coolers, or mess with ice to enjoy cold drinks. With a stainless steel beverage center, you have a dedicated space to keep some drinks cold while you are grilling.

We hope this 2024 PGS Grill buying guide helps you make an informed decision about the best models and available accessories. If you have any questions, fill out the online form, and someone will get right back to you.