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Gas vs electric: the 5-year cost
Your cookouts, your prices, your power — the calculator totals both grills over the same years.
★ X VS Y COMPARISON · EVERYDAY · GRILLS
Gas vs Electric Grill: 5-Year Cost Calculator 2026
A $600 gas grill costs $1,293.33 over 5 years against $382.60 for a $250 electric grill at the defaults — electric wins by $910.73. The gas grill costs $350 more to buy and burns $693.33 of propane against $132.60 of electricity. Run your cookouts, prices and power below — then read the branch where gas actually wins.
The 60-second rule
At the defaults the electric grill wins on price and on fuel, and the gas grill’s only edge is the flame. The gap is $910.73 over 5 years — $182.15 a year — built from two pieces: the gas grill costs $350.00 more to buy ($600 against $250) and burns $560.73 more fuel ($693.33 of propane against $132.60 of electricity). The electric grill only loses when the gas grill gets much cheaper and the electricity gets much dearer at the same time.
The worked example, line by line
Defaults: gas grill $600, electric grill $250, 2 cookouts a week, 5 years, propane $24 a tank, 18 cookouts a tank, electric grill 1.5 kW, 1 hour a cookout, electricity $0.17 a kWh.
Line 1 — the cookouts. 2 × 52 × 5 = 520 cookouts over the five years.
Line 2 — the gas grill. 520 ÷ 18 = 28.89 tanks of propane. Fuel: 28.89 × $24 = $693.33. Total: $600.00 + $693.33 = $1,293.33. Per year: $1,293.33 ÷ 5 = $258.67. Per cookout: $1,293.33 ÷ 520 = $2.49, of which $693.33 ÷ 520 = $1.33 is fuel.
Line 3 — the electric grill. Energy: 520 × 1.5 × 1 × $0.17 = $132.60. Total: $250.00 + $132.60 = $382.60. Per year: $382.60 ÷ 5 = $76.52. Per cookout: $382.60 ÷ 520 = $0.74, of which $132.60 ÷ 520 = $0.26 is electricity.
Verdict: $1,293.33 − $382.60 = electric wins by $910.73 — $182.15 a year. The fuel gap alone is $560.73, the price gap is $350.00, and the electric grill wins on both.
Every branch, checked
1 cookout a week: gas $946.67 vs electric $316.30 — electric wins by $630.37. Fewer cookouts shrink the fuel gap, so the win narrows — but the $350.00 price gap stays put, and even at one cookout a week the electric grill wins by more than its own price.
4 cookouts a week: gas $1,986.67 vs electric $515.20 — electric wins by $1,471.47. More cookouts widen the fuel gap to $1,121.47 over the five years, and the electric grill’s cheap energy matters more with every cookout.
Propane $30 a tank: gas $1,466.67 vs electric $382.60 — electric wins by $1,084.07. Dear propane adds $173.33 to the gas bill (28.89 tanks × $6) and the gap grows dollar for dollar with the tank price.
Electricity $0.30 a kWh: gas $1,293.33 vs electric $484.00 — electric wins by $809.33. Dear electricity adds $101.40 to the electric bill, but the electric grill still wins by more than $800 — electricity would have to reach $1.34 a kWh to break even.
Gas grill $300: gas $993.33 vs electric $382.60 — electric wins by $610.73. A $300 cheaper gas grill moves the gap dollar for dollar — and still loses by more than $600, because the fuel gap is untouched.
Electric grill $500: gas $1,293.33 vs electric $632.60 — electric wins by $660.73. Doubling the electric grill’s price costs the electric side $250 and the win is still $660.73 — the electric grill could cost up to $1,160.73 and still tie.
Electric grill 2 kW: gas $1,293.33 vs electric $426.80 — electric wins by $866.53. A third more power adds $44.20 of electricity over five years — the electric grill would have to draw 11.80 kW to break even, which no home grill does.
3-year horizon: gas $1,016.00 vs electric $329.56 — electric wins by $686.44. 10-year horizon: gas $1,986.67 vs electric $515.20 — electric wins by $1,471.47. Longer horizons widen the gap because fuel compounds every cookout while the price gap stays fixed.
The flip: gas grill $300, propane $20 a tank, 25 cookouts a tank, electric grill $500, 2 kW, $0.30 a kWh — gas $716.00 vs electric $812.00 — gas wins by $96.00. The flip needs everything at once: a cheap gas grill, cheap propane that lasts longer, a dear electric grill that draws more power, and dear electricity. Change any one of those back to the defaults and the electric grill wins again.
Reverse — the break-evens: the electric grill must cost no more than $1,160.73 to tie at the defaults; electricity breaks even at $1.34 a kWh (exact 1.3376); electric power breaks even at 11.80 kW (exact 11.8024); hours per cookout break even at 7.87 h (exact 7.8683). And even a free gas grill loses: its fuel alone is $693.33 over five years against the electric total of $382.60 — so no break-even gas price or propane price exists.
Output · formula · meaning
| Output | Formula | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Gas total | grill price + (cookouts ÷ cookouts-per-tank × tank price) | $1,293.33 at the defaults. |
| Electric total | grill price + cookouts × kW × hours × $/kWh | $382.60 at the defaults. |
| 5-year gap | |gas total − electric total| | $910.73 — electric wins at the defaults. |
| Cost per year | total ÷ years | $258.67 gas vs $76.52 electric. |
| Cost per cookout | total ÷ cookouts | $2.49 gas vs $0.74 electric. |
| Fuel per cookout | fuel ÷ cookouts | $1.33 gas vs $0.26 electric. |
| 1 cookout a week | same model, 1 a week | $946.67 vs $316.30 — Electric wins by $630.37. |
| 4 cookouts a week | same model, 4 a week | $1,986.67 vs $515.20 — Electric wins by $1,471.47. |
| Propane $30 a tank | same model, $30/tank | $1,466.67 vs $382.60 — Electric wins by $1,084.07. |
| Electricity $0.30 a kWh | same model, $0.30/kWh | $1,293.33 vs $484.00 — Electric wins by $809.33. |
| Gas grill $300 | same model, gas $300 | $993.33 vs $382.60 — Electric wins by $610.73. |
| Electric grill $500 | same model, electric $500 | $1,293.33 vs $632.60 — Electric wins by $660.73. |
| Electric grill 2 kW | same model, 2 kW | $1,293.33 vs $426.80 — Electric wins by $866.53. |
| 3-year horizon | same model, 3 years | $1,016.00 vs $329.56 — Electric wins by $686.44. |
| 10-year horizon | same model, 10 years | $1,986.67 vs $515.20 — Electric wins by $1,471.47. |
| Flip: cheap gas, dear electricity | same model, flip inputs | $716.00 vs $812.00 — Gas wins by $96.00. |
| Max electric grill price to tie | gas total − electric energy | $1,160.73. |
| Break-even electricity rate | (gas total − electric price) ÷ (cookouts × kW × hours) | $1.34/kWh (exact 1.3376). |
| Break-even electric power | (gas total − electric price) ÷ (cookouts × hours × rate) | 11.80 kW (exact 11.8024). |
| Break-even hours per cookout | (gas total − electric price) ÷ (cookouts × kW × rate) | 7.87 h (exact 7.8683). |
| Free gas grill | fuel alone vs electric total | $693.33 fuel vs $382.60 electric total — the free grill still loses. |
Who uses this
- The buyer choosing between a gas and an electric grill: they learn the electric grill wins by $910.73 over 5 years at the defaults — so they know the $350 price saving is real, and they check the $1,160.73 maximum electric price before paying for a dearer model.
- The weekend griller (1 cookout a week): they learn the electric grill still wins, by $630.37 — so they know the win is not just about heavy use, and they check the $1.33 of propane per cookout against the $0.26 of electricity.
- The daily griller (4 cookouts a week): they learn the electric grill wins by $1,471.47 at their pace — so they know cheap energy is worth more to them than to anyone, and they check the $515.20 electric total against $1,986.67 for gas.
- The gas fan hunting for the flip: they learn gas wins by $96.00 only when the gas grill is $300, propane is $20 a tank and lasts 25 cookouts, and the electric grill is a 2 kW model at $0.30 a kWh — so they know exactly what has to line up, and they check the $1.34-a-kWh break-even before they bet on dear electricity.
Accuracy & limitations
The math is exact for the numbers you enter: each total is the grill price plus the fuel or energy over the years, and the gap is the difference of the two totals. What the model cannot do is price your actual grills for you: the $600 and $250 defaults are typical prices, and your dealer’s price, your propane exchange and your electricity tariff move every number. It leaves out charcoal grills (a different fuel entirely), natural-gas hookups (no tanks, but a plumber’s bill), grill lifespan (a gas grill may outlast a cheap electric one, or the reverse), weather (electric grills struggle in wind and rain), flavour (no number for the flame), and fuel-price changes — it assumes one propane price and one electricity rate for the whole period. For the charcoal comparison, see gas vs charcoal grill; for the stove version of the same question, see electric vs gas stove.
Cite this calculatorBright Side Kit. “Gas vs Electric Grill: 5-Year Cost Calculator 2026.” brightoolbox.com, 2026. Method: cookouts = cookouts/week × 52 × years; gas total = gas grill price + (cookouts ÷ cookouts-per-tank × tank price); electric total = electric grill price + cookouts × kW × hours-per-cookout × $/kWh. Defaults: gas grill $600, electric grill $250, 2 cookouts/week, 5 years, propane $24/tank, 18 cookouts/tank, electric 1.5 kW, 1 h/cookout, $0.17/kWh → 520 cookouts, 28.89 tanks, gas fuel $693.33, gas total $1,293.33, electric energy $132.60, electric total $382.60, electric wins by $910.73; per year $258.67 vs $76.52; per cookout $2.49 vs $0.74; fuel per cookout $1.33 vs $0.26. Gap: price $350.00 + fuel $560.73. Branches: 1/wk → electric by $630.37; 4/wk → electric by $1,471.47; propane $30/tank → electric by $1,084.07; electricity $0.30/kWh → electric by $809.33; gas grill $300 → electric by $610.73; electric grill $500 → electric by $660.73; 2 kW → electric by $866.53; 3 yr → electric by $686.44; 10 yr → electric by $1,471.47. Flip: gas grill $300, propane $20/tank, 25 cookouts/tank, electric grill $500, 2 kW, $0.30/kWh → gas $716.00 vs electric $812.00, gas wins by $96.00. Reverses: max electric grill price to tie $1,160.73; break-even electricity rate $1.34/kWh (exact 1.3376); break-even electric power 11.80 kW (exact 11.8024); break-even hours per cookout 7.87 h (exact 7.8683). Even a free gas grill loses: fuel alone $693.33 against the electric total of $382.60, so no break-even gas price or propane price exists.
Bright Side Kit. "Gas vs Electric Grill: 5-Year Cost Calculator 2026." https://brightoolbox.com/gas-vs-electric-grill-calculator/ Accessed October 25, 2026.Frequently asked questions
Is a gas or electric grill cheaper over 5 years?
The electric grill is cheaper — at the defaults. A $600 gas grill costs $1,293.33 over 5 years against $382.60 for a $250 electric grill: electric wins by $910.73, or $182.15 a year. The gas grill costs $350 more to buy and burns $693.33 of propane against $132.60 of electricity.
How much does a gas grill cost per cookout?
$2.49 per cookout at the defaults — $1.33 of it is propane and the rest is the grill itself spread over 520 cookouts. The electric grill costs $0.74 per cookout, of which only $0.26 is electricity.
How much does an electric grill cost per cookout?
$0.74 per cookout at the defaults — $0.26 of electricity and $0.48 of the grill itself. Over 520 cookouts the electricity is only $132.60 in all, which is why the electric grill wins so clearly.
When does a gas grill actually win?
When everything lines up at once: a $300 gas grill, propane at $20 a tank lasting 25 cookouts, a $500 electric grill drawing 2 kW, and electricity at $0.30 a kWh — then gas costs $716.00 against $812.00 for electric, gas wins by $96.00. Change any one of those back to the defaults and the electric grill wins again.
Does grilling more often change the winner?
It widens the electric grill’s win. At 1 cookout a week the electric grill wins by $630.37; at 4 cookouts a week it wins by $1,471.47. More cookouts make the cheap electricity matter more, while the $350 price gap never changes.
What if propane gets expensive?
At $30 a tank the electric grill wins by $1,084.07 — dear propane adds $173.33 to the gas bill over five years. Propane would have to get far cheaper, not dearer, for gas to win: there is no break-even propane price, because even a free gas grill loses on fuel alone.
How expensive would electricity have to be for gas to win?
$1.34 a kWh — about eight times the $0.17 default. At $0.30 a kWh the electric grill still wins by $809.33. The electric grill would also have to draw 11.80 kW, or run 7.87 hours per cookout, to break even — none of which a home grill does.
What does this calculator leave out?
Charcoal grills, natural-gas hookups, grill lifespan, weather and flavour. A natural-gas grill has no tanks but needs a plumber; a gas grill may outlast a cheap electric one; electric grills struggle in wind and rain; and no number prices the flame. It also assumes one propane price and one electricity rate for five years.