Guide
How long does a BBQ take to heat up?
Published
Note: This page contains affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more
In short
As a rough guide, a gas BBQ is ready in about 10 to 15 minutes with the lid closed, a charcoal kettle in 20 to 30 minutes including lighting, a pellet grill in 10 to 20 minutes, and a kamado in 15 to 30 minutes for grilling but longer to settle for low and slow. Electric grills often take 10 to 15 minutes. Cold, wind and a lid left open all add time.
Products for this job
Compare all 6 productsWeber Spirit E-310: three burners, 2,326 cm² grill
Check price on AmazonAffiliate linkWeber Spirit E-425 Mix Griddle: four burners plus griddle
Check price on AmazonAffiliate linkNapoleon Freestyle 4: four burners, 13.6 kW
Check price on AmazonAffiliate link
Knowing how long a BBQ needs to heat up helps you time the food, avoid cooking on a lukewarm grate and spot a fault when something takes far too long. Warm-up time depends on the fuel, the size of the grill, how much metal or ceramic it has to heat and the weather. The figures below are typical ranges rather than promises, and your maker's manual may give its own guidance.
Typical warm-up times
These ranges are for a typical medium-sized grill on a mild day, to a normal grilling temperature with the lid closed.
Low and slow cooks are different: the target is lower, but the cooker needs longer to stabilise so it holds that temperature for hours.
| Type | Typical time | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Gas BBQ | 10 to 15 minutes | All burners on high, lid closed |
| Charcoal kettle | 20 to 30 minutes | Lighting a chimney, then heating the grate |
| Kamado | 15 to 30 minutes | Lighting and reaching temperature; low cooks need longer to settle |
| Pellet grill | 10 to 20 minutes | Start-up cycle and reaching the set point |
| Electric grill | 10 to 15 minutes | Preheat cycle to the chosen setting |
Gas BBQs
Light all burners on high, close the lid and wait. Most gas BBQs are hot enough to sear in 10 to 15 minutes. Larger grills with heavy cast iron grates take a little longer but hold heat better once there. Then turn burners down or off to create zones.
If a gas BBQ takes much longer or never gets properly hot, something is wrong: a tripped regulator, blocked burners or a low bottle are common causes. Our gas BBQ not getting hot and BBQ gas regulator problems guides cover the fixes.
Charcoal kettles and kamados
With a chimney starter, charcoal is usually ready in 15 to 20 minutes, when the top coals are covered in grey ash. Tip it out, fit the grate, close the lid and give it another 5 to 10 minutes to heat the grate. The Food Standards Agency advises waiting until coals are glowing red with a powdery grey surface before cooking. Our how to light a charcoal BBQ guide explains the method.
A kamado lights from a small area of charcoal and reaches grilling heat in 15 to 30 minutes. For low and slow cooks, the ceramic needs time to heat soak and settle, often 30 minutes or more, before you add food. See how to control temperature on a kamado.
- Air in
- Heat rising
- Smoke out
Pellet and electric grills
Pellet grills run an automatic start-up cycle: the igniter lights the pellets, the fan builds the fire, and the controller brings the grill to the set temperature. Many reach smoking temperatures within 10 minutes and higher temperatures within 15 to 20 minutes. Follow your manual's start-up instructions, as some ask you to leave the lid open at first. If yours struggles, see pellet grill not getting hot.
Electric grills such as the Weber Lumin and Ninja Woodfire have a preheat cycle and typically signal when ready. Heavier plates take longer but sear better.
What slows a BBQ down
Shelter the grill from wind, keep the lid closed and keep fuel dry. Our best gas BBQs guide and best charcoal BBQs guide note heavy grates and lids that hold heat well.
- Cold weather and wind, which pull heat from thin steel and blow across burners.
- Opening the lid while heating up.
- Damp charcoal or pellets.
- A low or tripped gas bottle, or blocked burner ports.
- Too little charcoal for the size of the grill.
- Very heavy cast iron or ceramic, which takes longer to heat but holds heat well.
Note:Always light a gas BBQ with the lid open, so gas cannot build up inside. Close it only once the burners are lit. Never use petrol or other accelerants on charcoal.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I preheat a gas BBQ? About 10 to 15 minutes on high with the lid closed for most models.
How do I know when charcoal is ready? When the coals are glowing red with a powdery grey surface, usually 15 to 20 minutes after lighting in a chimney.
Why is my Weber BBQ slow to heat up? A tripped regulator, a low bottle, wind or blocked burners are common causes. See our gas BBQ fixes.
Does a kamado take long to heat up? It reaches grilling heat in 15 to 30 minutes but needs longer to settle for low and slow cooking.
What you need
- Check price on AmazonAffiliate link
Weber Spirit E-310: three burners, 2,326 cm² grill
- Check price on AmazonAffiliate link
Weber Original Kettle 57 cm: One-Touch ash catcher
- Check price on AmazonAffiliate link
Traeger Pro Series 22: 3,690 cm² barrel pellet grill