Any griller on the market for a well-built, feature-rich and high-performing grill will often end up having to choose between Nexgrill and Dyna Glo as they are two of the most reputable brands out there.
Both have various models of grills in the market from the smaller 2-burner models to the larger 6-burner models as they try to cater to all kinds of grilling enthusiasts.
But despite both being quite popular, each appeals to its own set of users and seasoned grillers already have their preferred option. However, for the inexperienced grillers, the choice is not always that obvious.
Here we showcase what each has to offer, highlight their pros and cons and also compare them side by side to help you decide what will work best for you.
Nexgrill Overview
Nexgrill is the younger of the two brands as it has only been in operation for a little over two decades having been founded in 1993 in California, USA.
The company prides in making more affordable grills that try to cater to the low budget segment of the market but despite being more affordable, their grills are still known for being well-built and high performing.
Their 2-burner models are the most popular, but they still have pricier 5 and 6-burner options in the market to cater for the high volume grillers.
And while both Nexgrill and Dyna Glo grills may still require you to call in someone to help with the assembly, the former seems to be relatively easier to set up. But most of their grills seem to take a little longer to heat up when compared to Dyna Glo grills.
Pros:
- Relatively more affordable grills
- More compact and portable
- Grills are typically made with heavy gauge stainless steel and metal components
- Easier to assemble
Cons:
- Not the best heat up
Dyna Glo Overview
Dyna Glo is a highly reputable gas grill manufacturer that operates under the GHP group, and it has been in business for more than a century now.
They currently have more than 15 propane grill models and around 3 natural gas grill models in the market that are available in different sizes from 2 to 6-burner options.
The company also tries to cater to a wide variety of grillers as they will provide everything from the inexpensive basic 2-burner models to the sleek and superior quality 5-burner grills with some fancy stainless steel burners.
When compared to Nexgrill, Dyna Glo also makes their grills with relatively larger cooking areas and many users will love that most of their products use high-quality and efficient cast-iron grates.
The most notable shortcoming with this brand is that despite most of their products being competitively prices, some of their grill models can still be quite pricey.
Pros:
- Larger cooking area
- Faster and more efficient heat up
- Top-quality cast-iron grates
Cons:
- Some models can be quite pricey
Nexgrill vs. Dyna Glo
Nexgrill and DynaGlo have some fantastic grills on the market, and you can almost be certain of getting a high-performing grill regardless of the brand you choose.
But to give you a clearer picture of what to expect from these two brands, here are some of their common differences using their 2-burner grills for comparison.
1. Total Cooking Area
The total cooking area you get with any grill is always a crucial factor as it determines how much food you will be able to cook at a go and hence how many people you can serve at once.
Overall, Dyna Glo grills tend to have a relatively larger total cooking area. Their Smart Space grill will provide a total cooking area of 467 square inches which combines the 350 square inches that the two burners provide as the primary cooking areas with the 117 square inches warming secondary cooking area.
But while the Nexgrill Evolution will offer a slightly smaller cooking area than this, you will get a larger primary cooking area which is around 385 square inches and a 65 square inch warming rack to make a total of 450 square inches.
With the larger grills from the two brands, Dyna Glo still seems to have an edge when it comes to the cooking area, but in most instances, the difference is not very significant.
2. Total Heat Output
With grill models that have the same number of burners from top brands like the Evolution and Smart Space, the total heat output is often almost the same.
The two burners on Nexgrill’s Evolution provide a total of 28,000 BTUs per hour which is only slightly less than the 30,000 BTU’s you get with the Dyna Glo Smart Space. But, given that the later has a relatively larger cooking area, the heat output per square inch is almost the same.
However, it is also worth noting that most Dyna Glo grills will use more efficient heating systems to heat up faster and more evenly which gives them a slight edge.
3. Grill’s Weight
Weight also matters when it comes to grills because at some point you might need to move it from one point to the other, and so a lightweight model will give you an easier time.
Nexgrill uses heavy-duty and thicker metals for most of their grills, and so despite their grills such as the Evolution being more compact, they tend to be heavier than similar models from Dyna Glo.
From our comparison above, the Evolution weighs in at over 100 pounds, and it is more than 20 pounds heavier than Dyna Glo’s Smart Space.
But, the good news is that the two just like with many other grills from these brands will include some casters which makes both easy to move around.
4. Burner Material
The material used to make the burners on your grill will determine how efficient they will be at distributing heat throughout the grill.
With the Evolution and Smart Space, the two brands seem to tie as both make use of stainless steel burners which besides being more efficient are also more long-lasting and require less maintenance.
But, it is worth noting the burners on most Dyno Glow grills will heat up relatively faster when you compare them to Nexgrill models.
5. Grate Material
The grates are what will hold the food and what will transfer the heat from the heat source to the food and are hence also crucial elements of a grill that you need to consider when trying to pick between these two brands.
Both use cast-iron grates which are what a majority of grillers seem to prefer thanks to the excellent heat retention and distribution properties of this material.
However, the difference between the two here stems from the material used for coating as both grates are coated. Nexgrill coats their grates with porcelain while Dyna Glo uses enamel.
Here what you choose is all up to you. Despite the differences in coating the materials used are pretty much the same and they have similar weaknesses such as being prone to cracking.
6. Warranty
Given that these are top and highly reputable brands, all their grills will come with a warranty, but you will not get a 10-year warranty as some brands out there might provide.
Both brands will offer different warranty terms for the burners and the rest of the grill which for some grillers might be an important factor.
For Nexgrill grills, you will get an 8-year warranty for the burners which is longer than what most other brands provide including Dyna Glo that will cover their burners with a 5-year warranty.
However, it is important to note that with both brands, you will only get a 1-year warranty for the rest of the grill. This does not sound very long, but for budget models like these, it should be okay.
7. Prices
Nextgrill and Dyna Glo are by all standard budget brands as most of their grills especially the smaller 2-burner models will come at a fraction of what you would pay for other top brands like Weber.
But, Nextgrill still offers relatively more affordable grills than Dyna Glo. Their Evolution 2-burner grill will retail for $207.59 which is almost $60 cheaper than the Smart Space which retails at $264.99.
Still on the price, it is also important to know that with these brands, what you pay for a grill will depend on the features that you get. There are still some 2-burner grills by Nexgrill that cost more than what you would pay for the Smart Space.
Comparison Table
Note: For comparison purposes, below we use two of the most popular 2-burner gas grills from these brands which are the Nexgril Evolution and Dyna Glo Smart Space both of which are powered by propane.
Nexgrill | Dyna Glo | |
---|---|---|
Total Cooking Area | 450 sq in | 467 sq in |
Total Heat Output | 28,000 BTU’s | 30,000 BTU’s |
Weight | 100.6 lbs | 81.4 lbs |
Burner Material | Stainless steel | Stainless steel |
Grate Material | Porcelain-coated cast iron | Enamel-coated cast-iron |
Warranty | 8-year for burner and 1-year for the rest of the grill | 5-year for burner and 1-year for the rest of the grill |
Prices | $207.59 | $264.99 |
Conclusion
You cannot go wrong with your choice of a grill if you stick with reputable brands like Nexgrill and Dyna Glo as they have been in the business long enough to understand what grillers want and have enough model options to cater to all preferences.
But given that these are distinct brands that seem to focus on different aspects, they will be suited for different kinds of grillers, and so it is important to know what each has to offer to ensure you pick what works best for you.
Grillers looking for a more budget-friendly grill brand that still offers versatility and sturdier overall construction, Nexgrill will be the better of the two as these are some of its strongest points.
But, if you are one of those that prefer to get a larger cooking area, a relatively faster heat up and higher heat output, you will be better off sticking with Dyna Glo.