Square Shaped BBQ Grill Vs Round
Datetime:2014-09-24 Hits:
Barbecuing and barbecue grills heat up more than food. They often spark debates over which is better -- gas or charcoal or a square-shaped grill versus one that’s round. Square-shaped grills beat out round shaped grills in terms of variety of styles and applications. However, round-shaped grills are entrenched in the minds of many as the classic and symbolic shape for portable outdoor barbecue grills.
Square
Square-shaped grills come in portable styles for outdoor use, drop-in cooktop styles for custom-built outdoor kitchens, and electric styles for indoor and outdoor grilling. The grill can be fueled with gas, charcoal or electricity. The square-shaped grill grates, which hold the food above the heat source, are made from materials such as stainless steel, solid cast iron or enamel-coated cast iron. Portable grills come in freestanding models with wheels so the grill can be moved to different locations. Portable tabletop square-shaped grills are also available for home use and for camping. Hibachi grills are a rectangular cousin to square-shaped grills, with cast iron bodies and two square grill plates or one long rectangular grill plate. Electric square-shaped grills make cooking quick and easy because no charcoal is required, and the grill can be used indoors and outdoors; cooktops used to create outdoor kitchen islands typically have square-shaped grilling grates.
Round
Round-shaped grills are commonly referred to as kettle grills. The familiar shape of a round grill is an iconic symbol of outdoor grilling. And for many, the shape is associated with the Weber brand name even more than with the kettle category name. Weber grills are the father of kettle grills used in the U.S., and the brand name is synonymous with round-shaped portable barbecue grills. Like all round portable grills, they have a half-circle-shaped lower compartment used for placing and igniting charcoal and a solid round-shaped grill plate as well as a removable, half-circle, dome-shaped lid. Round grills can be used to cook foods using the direct, over-the-flame cooking technique and to cook foods with indirect heat to smoke foods.
Similarities
Whether square or round, grilling gives foods a distinctive aroma and flavor that is impossible to replicate on a stovetop or inside an oven. And both shapes attest to the longstanding design principle that form follows function. You cannot distinguish a difference between a steak, slab of ribs or any type of food grilled on a square grill or round-shaped barbecue grill. You can wheel and port a square or round grill from the garage to the patio and back again, and you can take sides and join the great debate on the virtues of charcoal versus gas grilling with a square or round barbecue grill. At the end of the day, the shape of the vessel that holds the fuel or heating element and the shape of the grill grates consequently define a grill as being square or round. The square or round format is inconsequential to the ability to achieve the desired function and result: delicious barbecue.
Differences
Square grills and grates have more variety in terms of application. The square shape is used indoors, outdoors, on portable grills and electric grills. However, the round shape is rarely seen in outdoor grill islands, and the number of square or rectangular-shaped portable grills far exceeds the number of round-shaped portable grills. From a manufacturing cost standpoint, constructing a square-shaped item is less expensive, and there is less leftover scrap material involved in making a square-shaped grill in comparison to constructing a round or circular-shaped grill.
