A warmer than average winter may have many Australians ready to get grilling. However, you will have to wait until summer arrives. This is due to the wet spring forecast for the country this year. Fortunately, this gives you time to get the most suitable gas bottle for your BBQ.

Why is choosing the right gas bottle so important for your BBQ?

In Australia, it is easy to choose the right gas bottle for your BBQ. That is because all BBQ gas cylinders contain liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Plus, when it comes to LPG in gas bottles in Australia, this always refers to propane. However, this is not the case in other countries, such as New Zealand. Over the Tasman, for example, LPG can refer to propane, butane or a mix of them both.

What size is a BBQ gas bottle?

This leaves the question about the correct size of the cylinder. In Australia, the standard size for a BBQ gas bottle is nine kilograms. More recently, this size has also become known as 8.5 kilograms. Smaller four kilogram (also known as 3.7 kilogram) gas bottles are also available for BBQs.

A nine kilogram gas bottle will last just over a week on a four burner BBQ grill, assuming that you cook one meal per day for one hour. If you have a smaller two-burner BBQ, your gas bottle will last longer – approximately 29 hours.

What gas do you use for a BBQ?

LPG gas bottles are not the only fuel source for BBQs. Some devices run off natural gas. For this reason, these BBQs do not use gas bottles but are connected to your home’s gas supply. So, it is important for safety to use the right kind of gas with your BBQ. Therefore, check the data plate on the side of your device. This will tell you which type of gas is correct.

What is the average price of a gas cylinder in Australia?

Price factors

There are a couple of factors that determine the cost of a BBQ gas bottle, explains choice.com.au. First, there is the size of the gas bottle. The second is whether you buy and refill your own cylinder or use a cylinder exchange system. This involves taking your bottle to an exchange point, such as a hardware store or petrol station. You then leave it there and buy a full one in exchange. Choice.com.au suggests this as the safest option. That is because the exchange outlets take care of the maintenance of the BBQ gas bottles and refilling them.

Average prices

The prices at Australia’ hardware giant Bunnings provide a glimpse of the average cost of a BBQ gas bottle. So, an 8.5 kilogram gas exchange cylinder costs AUD $26.95 (Bunnings hosts the swap and go exchange service). On the other hand, a new 8.5 kilogram bottle filled with gas retails at AUD $59.45. If you want to buy the same size cylinder without gas, that will cost you AUD $36.80. Alternatively, an unfilled four kilogram cylinder is AUD $34.95.

Should I get a gas BBQ or an electric BBQ?

There is another BBQ option that does away with the gas bottle completely. That is an electric grill. These offer many benefits. For instance, most models simply plug into your home electric outlets. Plus, they are safer than gas BBQs. The reason for this is that they do not carry the risk of fire, explosion or leaks.

Electric grills also heat up more quickly than gas BBQs and are more energy efficient. On top of that, they are the easiest BBQs to cook with and produce the healthiest results. Finally, you will be making the environmentally responsible choice with an electric grill. This is especially the case if you have rooftop solar at home to provide your electricity.

So, if you are in the market for a new BBQ, consider swapping out your gas bottle for an electric grill.