How to use a gas barbecue
Updated: 23 October 2026
You have the carton open on the patio and you want the first light to be uneventful. This is how to use a gas barbecue in the UK: place it outdoors on level ground, match the bottle to the regulator, leak-check with soapy water, light with the lid open, then shut the cylinder before the knobs. A trolley that arrived without a hose does not start like a cartridge grill. Peter F. edits DIY and tools at Products Compared. We did not run a lab cook. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Burner counts and prices sit on the [gas barbecue comparison](/hub/grills-and-barbecues/gas-barbecue).
You have the carton open on the patio and you want the first light to be uneventful.
You have the carton open on the patio and you want the first light to be uneventful. This is how to use a gas barbecue in the UK: place it outdoors on level ground, match the bottle to the regulator, leak-check with soapy water, light with the lid open, then shut the cylinder before the knobs. A trolley that arrived without a hose does not start like a cartridge grill. Peter F. edits DIY and tools at Products Compared. We did not run a lab cook. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Burner counts and prices sit on the gas barbecue comparison.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Fuel | Ignition | Weight | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Campingaz Campingaz Party Grill | CV470 / R907 | Piezo | 4.92 kg | 9.2 | about £96.01 | View offer |
 CosmoGrill CosmoGrill Original 4+1 | Patio bottle | Piezo | 22 kg | 8.8 | about £199.99 | View offer | |
| Alternative |  Weber Weber Q 1100N | Canister | Push-button | 9.1 kg | 8.8 | about £289.00 | View offer |
On this page
Set the barbecue up before you connect any gas
This grill is an outdoor LPG appliance, whether it is a trolley, a lidded portable or a cartridge model. GOV.UK rules out use indoors, in a tent, under an awning or in a caravan. A balcony is the same stop. Stand it on firm, level ground, clear of fences. Check the carton before you fetch a bottle. Many trolley sets, including CosmoGrill-style grills, leave out the hose and regulator. A Party Grill takes a CV cartridge, not a 27 mm patio clip-on. If the fitting does not match, stop. Do not force an adapter. The propane or butane guide is where you match the bottle. Store the cylinder outside, upright, away from sun and frost.
Connect the bottle and leak-check every joint
Start with every control off and the cylinder valve closed. Green Patio Gas uses a 27 mm clip-on. Push until the regulator clicks, and do not open the valve on a half-fit. Never unclip while a control is open or the valve is live. Change a bottle outdoors with the grill off. Leak-check with soapy water. That is the GOV.UK method, and a match is not a substitute. Mix washing-up liquid into water, open the cylinder with the knobs still shut, and brush the collar and both hose ends. Growing bubbles mean gas is escaping, so shut the valve and do not light. A still film is a pass. Check both ends of any hose you added.
Light the burners, then shut the cylinder first
Open the lid before any gas reaches a burner. Open the cylinder, then one burner, and use the piezo or the push-button. If the igniter is dead, use a long-reach lighter at the port, with the lid still open, and only after the leak check. If the burner does not catch, turn that control off, leave the lid open, and wait for the pause your manual gives. Wind will blow a weak flame out, so block the gust without a cover or an awning. Close the lid once it is alight. Shut the cylinder first, then the controls. That is the GOV.UK order. Let the hose empty, then turn the knobs off. Closing the knobs while the bottle is still open leaves the hose charged.
Cartridge grills, and when you should stop
A Campingaz Party Grill is not a small trolley. It stays outdoors. It takes a CV cartridge such as the CV470 or R907, and the 400 CV uses a water reservoir instead of a Patio Gas hose. Seat the cartridge with the control off. UK reviews describe the Weber Q on small canisters, so this page will not show an adapter onto Patio Gas. Fixed pipework is Gas Safe work. Call a professional if you still smell gas after the cylinder is shut, or if a hose or valve is cracked beyond a replacement the maker allows. The buying guide orders the checks before you buy.
Common questions
How do I connect a patio gas bottle to my BBQ?
Use green Patio Gas with a 27 mm clip-on only if that is your inlet. Leave the controls off and the valve closed, then push until the regulator clicks. Open the valve after the click and leak-check before any burner. If the carton had no hose, buy a 37 mbar kit that matches the thread. Unclip it outdoors only, once the valve and the controls are shut.
How do I leak-test a gas BBQ hose with soapy water?
Leave the knobs off, open the cylinder, and coat each joint with washing-up liquid in water. Watch the collar and both hose ends. Growing bubbles mean a leak, so close the valve and do not light. A match is not a leak test. A flat film means you can light with the lid open.
Do I turn the cylinder or the knobs off first after cooking?
Turn the cylinder off first, then the barbecue controls. That is the GOV.UK order. Let the burners empty the hose and go out, then close the knobs. Closing the knobs while the bottle is still open leaves the hose charged. Never unclip the regulator while a control is still open.
What if the gas barbecue will not light?
Check that the valve is open, the regulator clicked, and the hose matches the inlet. Cold butane near −2°C can look like a dead burner, while propane still vaporises in a British winter. If you smell gas, or the soapy water bubbled, stop clicking. A dead igniter can be a long-reach lighter with the lid open. A smell that remains after the cylinder is shut needs a professional.
Can I change the cylinder indoors?
No. Change cylinders outdoors, with the grill off and the old valve already closed. That is the GOV.UK line. A shut garage, a tent, or the space under an awning is the same mistake as lighting there. If a balcony is the only place you could stand the bottle, do not use this barbecue. Keep spare cylinders outside, upright, and out of strong sun and frost.
When should I call a professional?
Call a Gas Safe engineer for a permanent gas supply or a built-in outdoor kitchen. Also call if you still smell gas after the cylinder is shut and the burners are out, or if the hose or valve is damaged beyond a user kit the maker allows. Reseating a 27 mm clip-on and repeating the soapy-water test is ordinary owner work.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources used for this comparison. Listing prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures for these ASINs. Retrieved 22 October 2026.
- GOV.UK: fire safety outdoors (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: LPG general information (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- legislation.gov.uk: Regulation (EU) 2016/426 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- legislation.gov.uk: Gas Appliances (Enforcement) Regulations 2018 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- BSI: BS EN 498:2012 outdoor LPG barbecues (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- Calor: gas bottles for BBQs (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- Calor: Universal BBQ Kit (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- London Fire Brigade: easy-read fire safety booklet (retrieved 22 October 2026)