Masonry vs Portable Barbecues: Which Suits Your Garden?

Most barbecue buying advice fixates on burners and grill area. The more useful question is whether you want a barbecue that stays put or one that does not.

That single decision affects cost, cooking style, where you can put it and how long it lasts.

Masonry barbecues

A masonry barbecue is a built structure, usually rendered concrete or brick, with a fire chamber and often a chimney. Once it is in place, it stays there.

What they do well. They hold heat exceptionally. The mass of the structure absorbs warmth and radiates it back, which gives a steadier cook than thin steel and makes them genuinely good for slower roasting as well as searing. They also become garden architecture rather than garden equipment, and a good one will outlast several portable barbecues.

Many models take inserts too, so the same structure can grill, take a plancha, or accept a pizza oven insert.

What to consider. They need a level, solid base, usually slabs or concrete. They are heavy. Once positioned, moving one is a project rather than an afternoon. And because they are permanent, they need a proper cover to protect the render through winter freeze-thaw cycles.

Our Buschbeck masonry range covers everything from compact units to grill bars with integrated worktops.

Portable and freestanding barbecues

This covers gas barbecues on wheels, kettle charcoal barbecues, and corten steel firebowl designs that can be repositioned.

What they do well. Flexibility. You can chase the sun, move away from a neighbour's washing, wheel into a shed over winter, or take one with you if you move house. Gas models light instantly and are ready in ten minutes, which matters more than people admit for midweek cooking.

What to consider. Thinner materials mean less thermal mass and more sensitivity to wind. Cheaper units corrode. If you buy portable, buy quality materials, because that is what determines whether you are replacing it in three years or fifteen.

What about kamados?

Kamado grills sit between the two. They are ceramic or steel eggs with enormous thermal mass, technically movable but rarely moved. They are also the most versatile cookers we sell, capable of searing, low-and-slow smoking and baking pizza in the same unit. We have covered them properly in kamado grills explained.

A simple way to decide

• Choose masonry if your garden layout is settled, you want a permanent feature, and you value heat retention over convenience.
• Choose portable if you rent, expect to move, have a small or awkward space, or want to cook on impulse.
• Choose a kamado if versatility matters more than either.

If you are building a wider setup rather than buying a single barbecue, it is worth reading our outdoor kitchen buyer's guide first, since a barbecue is usually the anchor point everything else is designed around.

Browse the full barbecue range, or call 020 7038 6255 for a straight recommendation.