Perhaps one of the most beloved American pastimes, (particularly in the summer months) is grilling. Over 80% of households own some form of a grill — and around 60% of those households use their grill all year round! If one were to try and depict a classic American summer, a family eating grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, corn on the cob, potato salad, and lemonade would surely feature in that portrayal! As Americans have started to turn more toward alternative methods of fueling their gadgets, propane grills have become increasingly more popular, especially for those who are new to grilling. For families that are always on the go, a propane grill might be an easy-clean option, instead of spending time scrubbing out a charcoal grill.
When Do People Grill?
Naturally, holidays are one of the most popular times to go out and fire up the grill. Typically, summer holidays, like the Fourth of July, Memorial Day, and Labor Day were the most popular grilling holidays (with almost 70%, over 52%, and over 50% of people grilling those days, respectively). However, in recent years, grilling during colder weather weather holidays has become more popular, such as Super Bowl Sunday, Easter, Thanksgiving, and New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day. Indeed, in 2011, over 30% of people grilled on Super Bowl Sunday, almost 20% grilled on Easter, and 15% of consumers grilled Thanksgiving dinner outside! Even on New Year’s Day/New Year’s Eve, around 15% of people grilled outside. Over 70% of adults will grill for a birthday as well.
What are the Preferred Grill Styles?
Using a propane grill has soared in popularity in recent years, with over 60% of households using a gas grill, over 40% using charcoal grills (the more old-fashioned way), and only 10% of households using an electric grill. Also, almost 50% of those who own grills consider their outdoor grilling space as another cooking area of their home. Around 30% view it as a good entertainment area and over 20% use it as a rest and relaxation space. In line with this, a grill store may be more likely to also sell patio furniture, as well as a moveable grill system — almost 40% of consumers have one of these systems on their patio or deck.
Unsurprisingly, hot dogs still led in popularity for grilled foods (72%), with steak being a close second (71%). Burgers were almost 70% in popularity with chicken not quite making 65%. Some grills now also come with veggie trays that you can pop in your grill for grilled vegetables! Also interestingly enough, almost 40% of grill owners think that cooking food on their grill is healthier than cooking food in their ovens.
What Is Propane and Why Are Propane Grills Becoming More Popular?
Propane is formed from natural gas and petroleum and can be transported either as a liquid or a gas. It burns extremely clean and because it can be transported as a gas, cuts down transportation costs as well. It’s being touted as an alternative energy source in many ways and is just as effective in fueling many different types of machines.
Gas grills have become so popular in part because of their easy to use features. Top features of a gas grill that consumers appreciated were an easy ignition system (almost 50%), a larger area to grill on (almost 40%), easy clean up (35%), well made (over 30%), and a fast heating up time (almost 30%). Funnily enough, as propane grills have become more common, the color of the grill has also become a major purchasing factor — up by almost 40% from 2011. Gas grills are also used more often than other types of grills year round — propane gas grills are used an average of 12 times a year, as compared to charcoal grills, who get used around 11 times a year on average.
If you’re looking for a grill, you should consider getting a new gas grill. It’s easy to use, easy to clean, and easy on the eyes. Grill happier with a new propane grill in your backyard.