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Al fresco dining
 It's summer and that means its time to take advantage of good weather and get that BBQ burning. A relaxed and easy way to entertain friends or family is to BBQ meals, and that is made even simpler with a steady natural gas supply that means no more empty cylinders half-way through cooking. Rinnai Australia has a great range of BBQs and products to suit a range of needs and budgets.
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Types of BBQs
Your BBQ can be as simple or extravagant as you like. If you don't do much outdoor cooking, then a simple 2 or 3 burner (such as Rinnai's 'Gourmet 3' model) will do just fine. However, if you spend a lot of time outdoors when summer comes, if you entertain often, or you have a very big family, then it is worth planning to purchase the BBQ that meets your needs. The top of the range in BBQs is Rinnai's 'Impressor 10', a new model for the 2005-06 season. The Impressor 10 is stainless steel throughout, has five main and three side burners, an infrared back burner, a fish cooker, an inbuilt smoker box, storage cupboard, four drawers amongst other features.
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Price range
 With so many sizes, shapes and features, the price of BBQs varies greatly. Rinnai's range starts at $1649 for the Gourmet 3 and goes up to $5699 for the Impressor 10. There are many cheaper models, which you can find at your local outdoor living retailer, but you must be aware that the less you pay, the more inferior the quality.
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System requirements
All BBQs, no matter who your supplier, should be certified by the Australian Gas Association. This certification is something you need to be aware of when buying a BBQ, and something that suppliers like Rinnai will always have.
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Get fitted with natural gas
 When you sign up for natural gas for your hot water or heating, your gas fitter can also install a bayonet fitting for a portable BBQ or a hardpipe fitting if your BBQ is fixed in position. If you have a portable BBQ you need to decide where you want your gas outlet to be because once it is installed you do not have the ability to move your BBQ to another location. When you changeover from LPG to a natural gas supply, your gas fitter will need to 'recommission' your BBQ, which simply means changing or adjusting your jets; a simple and inexpensive process.
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LPG vs natural gas
As a general cost comparison, consider that exchanging a 9 kg LPG cylinder is around $19, which works out to be approximately 95 cents a litre. The highest rate you will pay for natural gas is 42.29 cents a litre. This is a saving of around 60%!
As far as mobility goes, when your portable BBQ is powered by LPG, you can safely and easily move it to any location around your backyard or deck. Once you have secured your BBQ to a natural gas bayonet, you will be unable to move it around to cook in different spaces. Additionally, the safety considerations of having a portable BBQ connected to a gas pipe need to be considered: though it can be disconnected and moved for storage or cleaning, it is a good idea to mount a chain with a clip to the wall near the connection. This way, you can't accidentally pull the BBQ away while it is still connected to the wall. Simply unclip it as you need.
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This information has been supplied by Rinnai Australia. For more information about Rinnai's range of BBQs and other products, visit their website: www.rinnai.com.au (external link)
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