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How to use a gas BBQ

Updated: 23 October 2026

The trolley is built and the bottle is on the patio. This is how to use a gas BBQ outdoors: where it may stand, how you prove the joints, how you light, and which control to shut first. Public pages disagree, so the manual in the box wins. The [black gas BBQ comparison](/hub/grills-and-barbecues/black-gas-bbq) is the buying table. Bottle choice is on [propane or butane](/hub/grills-and-barbecues/black-gas-bbq/sub/black-gas-bbq-propane-or-butane). Peter F. used GOV.UK, the London Fire Brigade, Gas Safe Register, and Weber UK on 20 October 2026. This is not a lab test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The trolley is built and the bottle is on the patio. This is how to use a gas BBQ outdoors: where it may stand, how you prove the joints, how you light, and which control to shut first.

Our top picks

Weber Weber Q 1200N

Best overall

Weber Weber Q 1200N
10.0/10about £389
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CosmoGrill CosmoGrill Pro Deluxe 6+1 with cover

Rank 2

CosmoGrill CosmoGrill Pro Deluxe 6+1 with cover
9.0/10about £299.99
View offer
CosmoGrill CosmoGrill Original 4+1

Best value

CosmoGrill CosmoGrill Original 4+1
8.8/10about £199.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Where a gas barbecue is allowed
  2. 2.How to test the hose before you click the igniter
  3. 3.Lighting and preheating
  4. 4.Turning it off when the pages disagree
  5. 5.When to stop

Where a gas barbecue is allowed

Use it outdoors, in the open. GOV.UK says a barbecue does not belong indoors, in a tent, under an awning, or in a caravan, and that cylinders are stored outside. The London Fire Brigade leaflet from April 2024 adds the garden: not on a balcony, not on decking, and away from sheds and fences. A covered deck is the same problem as an awning. The Pro Deluxe bullets say not to put the canister inside the cabinet while you cook. Brake the wheels, keep the hose off the hot body, and do not drill the gas pipe to make a bracket fit.

How to test the hose before you click the igniter

Knobs off, then open the cylinder outdoors. Brush washing-up liquid and water on the regulator joint, both hose ends, and the point where the hose meets the barbecue. GOV.UK points at soapy water when you suspect a leak. Growing bubbles mean a leak. A flame is not the test. No bubbles and no persistent smell, and you can light. Bubbles mean you shut the cylinder, reseat that joint, and test again. If they return, stop. Gas Safe Register treats uncertainty about the gas parts as a job for a registered engineer. Cracked or taped hose is a replacement, not a cook. Repeat the check on a new hose, after a bottle change, and after winter storage. The clip itself is on gas BBQ hose and regulator.
Weber Weber Q 1200N

Testsieger

Weber Weber Q 1200N
10.0/10about £389
View offer

Lighting and preheating

Lid open. Weber UK states that, because gas can collect under a closed hood. Light one burner at a time, the way that manual describes. If a burner does not catch, knob off, lid still open, wait, and try again. Piezo igniters here are a click, not a guarantee. One Original 4+1 review describes burners lighting only part-way, so the front of the grate stays cooler. Once the burners are alight, close the lid to preheat. A retail figure of about 10–15 minutes is an example, not a legal time, and not a time to invent for the Weber Q.

Turning it off when the pages disagree

GOV.UK says the gas supply off first, then the barbecue control. Gas Safe Register says the cylinder before the controls. Weber UK says the barbecue first, then the cylinder, because shutting the cylinder while burners are open can trip a flow limiter. Follow the manual in the box. Do not blend the two public wordings into a third ritual. On a Weber, use the Weber order. The lid stays open while anything is still burning down. Let the grill cool before the cover goes on. A cover on a damp barbecue traps moisture.

When to stop

Stop if soapy water still bubbles after you reseat the joint, if you still smell gas once the valves are shut, or if a knob, valve, or injector needs repair. Those are Gas Safe jobs. The cart and the grates are the DIY part. The gas train is not. A lasting smell is not a reason to burn it off with the lid down. Keep flames away and leave the cylinder closed. A hose adapted with tape is not ordinary assembly. If you are still choosing a burner count, start with the gas BBQ buying guide.

Common questions

Can I use a gas BBQ on a balcony?
No. The London Fire Brigade says not on a balcony and not on decking. GOV.UK adds indoors, tents, awnings, and caravans. A small patio at ground level in the open is the setting these rules describe. If the only space you have is a balcony, a gas cylinder barbecue is the wrong appliance.
How long do I preheat?
Use the manual for that barbecue. A retail four-burner manual’s figure of about 10–15 minutes is an example, not a universal time, and it is not a legal requirement. A lid thermometer shows hood temperature. It does not guarantee an even grate if a burner is only lighting along part of its length.
Do I turn the bottle off first or the knobs?
GOV.UK and Gas Safe say the supply or the cylinder first, then the barbecue controls. Weber says the barbecue first, then the cylinder, because a flow limiter can trip the other way. Follow the manual in your box. Do not invent a compromise order that neither source printed.
Can the cylinder live in the trolley cabinet while I cook?
Not on the CosmoGrill Pro Deluxe pages in this set. Those bullets say gas canisters should never be placed inside the grill cabinet during use. A cupboard that looks like a bottle store is still closed for the cook. Store the cylinder outside when the barbecue is put away, which is the GOV.UK storage point as well.
What if I still smell gas?
Turn the cylinder off, keep flames away, and do not keep testing with the igniter. If the smell remains, that is no longer a DIY adjustment. Gas Safe Register points you to a registered engineer for the gas parts. Assembly screws and a crooked shelf are a different problem from a joint that will not stop passing gas.

Related pages

Gas regulator

Black gas BBQ

Best black gas BBQ: the listing that fits your patio

Gas BBQ buying guide: burner count and patio width

Gas BBQ hose and regulator: which boxes include it

Propane or butane BBQ: which gas suits a UK garden

Sources

Public UK sources used for this comparison. Listing prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures for these ASINs. Retrieved 20 October 2026.

  1. GOV.UK: gas types and supply pressures (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  2. GOV.UK: fire safety outdoors (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  3. London Fire Brigade: barbecue safety leaflet, April 2024 (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  4. BSI: BS EN 498:2012 outdoor LPG barbecues (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  5. Calor: gas bottles for a barbecue (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  6. Calor: which hose and regulator (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  7. Gas Safe Register: barbecue safety (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  8. Weber UK: barbecue safety (retrieved 20 October 2026)