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How to use a gas BBQ in the UK

Updated: 23 October 2026

Saturday afternoon, a new trolley on the patio, and a cylinder from the supermarket. You want the burners lit without guessing which knob comes first. How to use a gas BBQ in the UK is an outdoor sequence: match the regulator, leak-test the joints, preheat with the lid down, cook in zones, then turn the gas supply off before the controls. Stay until the grill is cool, and cover it only when the steel is dry. Which trolley fits your garden is on the [stainless steel gas BBQ comparison](/hub/grills-and-barbecues/stainless-steel-gas-bbq). This page stays with the first cook.

Saturday afternoon, a new trolley on the patio, and a cylinder from the supermarket. You want the burners lit without guessing which knob comes first.

Our top picks

CosmoGrill CosmoGrill Platinum 4+2

Best overall

CosmoGrill CosmoGrill Platinum 4+2
8.0/10about £502.55
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CosmoGrill CosmoGrill Pro Deluxe 6+1

Rank 2

CosmoGrill CosmoGrill Pro Deluxe 6+1
8.9/10about £299.99
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Onlyfire Onlyfire 2-burner

Best value

Onlyfire Onlyfire 2-burner
7.7/10about £189.49
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On this page
  1. 1.Before you light
  2. 2.Lighting and preheating
  3. 3.Cooking with zones on a multi-burner
  4. 4.Shut down, cool, and cover

Before you light

Set the barbecue on level paving, clear of the house wall, fences, and anything that can drip onto the lid. GOV.UK says not to use a barbecue indoors, in a tent, under an awning or fabric gazebo, or in a caravan, and Liquid Gas UK says the same even for butane. Check flat-pack panels for transit dents before you bolt the cart. The CosmoGrill Pro Deluxe both names a 37 mbar propane kit and describes the regulator as missing, while several Platinum listings include that kit. Buy the matching fitting before you light if yours did not arrive. The buying guide lists what each box contains. Patio gas and propane fittings here are often a 37 mbar clip-on. Butane sits nearer 28–30 mbar, and Campingaz 901, 904, or 907 needs a Campingaz screw-on. With the knobs off, seat the regulator, then open the cylinder valve slowly. Brush soapy water on the nut, hose ends, and any joint you can reach. Growing bubbles mean gas is escaping, so shut the cylinder and do not light. If a second test still bubbles, get advice or return the unit. Store cylinders outdoors.

Lighting and preheating

Open the lid before you press the igniter, because gas under a closed lid can flare when it catches. Light one burner at a time and wait until you see flame along it before you open the next knob. If the button clicks and nothing catches, turn that knob off, wait a minute, and use a long-stem lighter at the port your manual names. Broken ignition wiring is a stop, not a reason to hold a match in a cloud of gas. Close the lid once those burners are alight. About 10 to 15 minutes is a weekend rule of thumb, not a certified time. If the bottle ices while you chase heat, a small cylinder cannot feed a cooker stated around 21.2 kW, or around 27.7 kW on the larger models. Turn the burners down and sort the fuel on the propane or butane page.
CosmoGrill CosmoGrill Platinum 4+2

Testsieger

CosmoGrill CosmoGrill Platinum 4+2
8.0/10about £502.55
View offer

Cooking with zones on a multi-burner

Keep one or two burners higher for colour, and leave another low or off so food can finish without burning. Lid down holds heat for chicken and thicker cuts. Lid up suits food that flares. A side sear burner is for short bursts. Heat one side, leave the other off, and oil the food rather than flooding cold grates. Sear for a few minutes, then move the food to the unlit side with the lid closed. If fat flares, slide the food to the cooler zone and turn that burner down. Do not throw water into the cookbox. If the flare keeps growing, turn the cylinder off and stand clear.

Shut down, cool, and cover

Turn the gas off at the cylinder first, then the burner controls. That is the GOV.UK order. Knobs first leave gas in the hose if a joint weeps. If a burner stays lit after the valve is closed, keep the lid open and stand clear until it dies. Leave the grill outdoors until the grates and lid are cool to the touch. Do not wheel a hot trolley into the kitchen or the garage. If you smell gas after shut-down, do not relight and do not search with a flame. Put the cover on only when the steel is cool and dry. A wet cover holds salt on the metal. Stainless is not rust-proof in coastal air.

Common questions

What order do I connect the regulator and open the valve?
Turn every control off, fit the regulator and hose that match the cylinder, and only then open the valve slowly. If the carton has no regulator, as one Pro Deluxe line says, fit the right millibar part first. Test that joint with soapy water before you light.
How do I leak-test with soapy water?
With the burners off and the valve open, brush soapy water over the regulator, both hose ends, and any joint you can see. Growing bubbles mean a leak. Shut the cylinder, reseat only what the manual allows, and test again. If bubbles remain, do not light.
How long should I preheat?
Allow 10 to 15 minutes with the lid closed after the burners you need have lit. That is a weekend rule of thumb, not a certified figure. If the bottle ices, more time on full blast will not fix a mismatched regulator.
How do I use two zones on a multi-burner trolley?
Light one side for colour and leave the other low or off. Sear for a few minutes, then slide the food across and close the lid. Use a side sear burner in short bursts rather than for the whole cook.
Do I turn the knobs off before the cylinder?
No. Turn the cylinder off first, then the knobs, which is the GOV.UK order after cooking. Knob-first leaves the hose charged. If a burner stays lit with the valve closed, keep the lid open until the pipe empties.
When can I put the cover on?
Wait until the lid and grates are cool and the panels are dry. A cover on a hot, wet barbecue traps steam and salt against the steel. If you still smell gas, leave the cover off, do not relight, and get advice.

Related pages

How to clean a stainless steel BBQ

Stainless steel gas BBQ

Best stainless steel gas BBQ: portable, trolley, party

Stainless steel gas BBQ buying guide: kit and steel

Propane or butane for a gas BBQ: millibar and bottle

Sources

Public UK sources on outdoor fire safety, BS EN 498, cylinder use, and regulator pressure, plus buyer notes on cleaning stainless. Prices, stars, and review counts are the amazon.co.uk lines saved with this comparison, shelf date 19–21 October 2026.

  1. GOV.UK — fire safety outdoors (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  2. BS EN 498:2012 — outdoor LPG barbecue type test (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  3. Liquid Gas UK — safe use of cylinders (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  4. Hamilton Gas Products — which regulator (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  5. Weber UK — cleaning gas barbecues (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  6. Riverside Garden Centre — cleaning the outside (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  7. Which? — gas barbecue care (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  8. HSE — LPG legal framework (retrieved 22.10.2026)