Why Wood Grilling Beats Gas

Introduction

While gas and electric grills offer convenience, they often fall short when it comes to flavor and searing power. If you're grilling with gas, you’re likely maxing out around 450°F—woefully inadequate for achieving the Maillard reaction, the scientific process that gives seared meats their mouthwatering flavor and crust. Foods like perfectly seared steaks, juicy hamburgers, brisket, and even flame-kissed skewers of lamb simply don’t reach their full potential without that open flame and wood-fired heat. Only a wood-burning grill like the Arteflame, which heats up to 1,000°F, can deliver that steakhouse-level sear, locking in juices and delivering a crust that gas grills just can’t emulate.

Without that intense heat, your burgers are steamed, not grilled. The Arteflame’s combination of a center grill and outer plancha allows you to achieve crispy exteriors and succulent centers—a culinary result gas grills can’t compete with. Taste the difference fire makes.

Why Add a Wood Grill

Adding a wood-fired grill to your outdoor cooking setup isn't about replacing your gas grill—it's about enhancing your culinary versatility. Gas grills are great for quick and easy meals, but if you’re serious about flavor, temperature control, and authentic texture, a wood-fired grill opens up a world of grilling possibilities you just can’t replicate with gas or electric.

Here’s why upgrading to a wood-fired option like the Arteflame is a game changer:

1. Superior Searing Power

Only wood or charcoal can consistently reach and maintain temperatures above 800°F. The Arteflame’s unique design allows the grill surface to reach up to 1,000°F—perfect for the Maillard reaction, which starts happening above 500°F. That initial high heat sears the outside of steak or burgers, caramelizing natural sugars and proteins, and forming that craveable crust. You’ll get the same flavor experience you expect from a high-end steakhouse, right in your backyard.

2. True Smoke Flavor

Unlike gas grills, wood-fired cooking infuses your food with a natural, smoky aroma that can’t be duplicated. From wood chips to hardwood logs, the types of fuel you use open up numerous flavor profiles—oak for a bold finish, mesquite for definition, cherry for a sweeter edge. Every meal gets a layer of artisanal smoke that transforms ordinary dishes into grilled masterpieces.

3. Versatile Cooking Surfaces

The Arteflame’s design includes both a traditional grill grate and a plancha-style cooktop. This dual-zone cooking style lets you execute advanced culinary techniques like reverse-searing, sautéing vegetables, or toasting buns while searing meat in the center. The even heat dispersion around the plancha makes it easy to manage multi-item meals without constant repositioning.

4. Visual and Social Appeal

A roaring wood fire becomes an outdoor event. An Arteflame grill isn’t just a cooking station—it’s a centerpiece. The circular design invites people to gather around, socialize, and enjoy the process. Especially for entertainers, the visual aesthetic and social pull of a live fire provide a much richer experience than standing over a sterile gas burner.

5. Authentic Outdoor Experience

Cooking over an open flame connects you with timeless cooking traditions. There's something primal and satisfying about stoking a fire, adjusting wood and coals, and feeling the interplay of flame, heat, and food. It brings you back to the roots of real cooking—and the results taste better because of it.

6. Better for High-Quality Cuts

If you’re investing in premium cuts of meat like ribeyes, tomahawks, or dry-aged steak, you need a grill that can do them justice. Gas simply doesn’t deliver the heat needed to sear thick meats properly. With an Arteflame, you can sear at high heat and then move the cut to the outer plancha to finish gently, preserving moisture while achieving that impactful crust.

7. Durable and Weather-Resistant

Arteflame grills are made from Corten steel, which weathers beautifully over time but never corrodes the way standard metals do. It’s built to handle all four seasons and develop a protective patina that makes each grill unique. Your grill ages with you, becoming a piece of art as much as a tool.

8. Eco-Friendly & Charcoal Compatible

The Arteflame isn’t just a wood burner—you can also use natural lump charcoal for a cleaner burn, or hardwood tabs for specific temperatures and aromas. This flexibility makes it easy to reduce your carbon footprint compared to fuel tanks and propane reliance.

9. Easy Cleanup & Maintenance

The circular plancha design means grease and food remnants are pushed toward the center, not all over your deck. Clean-up is as simple as scraping the surface with a spatula and oiling it down—much like caring for cast iron. No burner tubes to clog. No grates to soak overnight.

10. Complements Your Gas Grill

If you already have a gas grill, the Arteflame is the perfect add-on—not a replacement. Use your gas grill during the week for fast dinners, and fire up the Arteflame on weekends for flavor-forward, eye-popping grilled creations. Flexibility is key, and the combination of both gives you the best of both worlds.

Conclusion

Gas grills may offer convenience, but they simply can’t match the flavor, sear quality, or versatility of a wood-fired grill. If you want steakhouse-quality meals at home, adding an Arteflame to your backyard is the ultimate upgrade. With searing temperatures reaching 1,000°F and a cooking surface built for both direct flame and plancha-style precision, you'll elevate your grilling game overnight.

Invest in a grill that looks as stunning as your food tastes. 100% made in the USA and built to last with architectural-grade Corten steel, Arteflame grills bring unmatched aesthetics and culinary results. Don’t settle for steamed burgers and half-seared steaks—bring fire and flavor home with Arteflame, where performance meets art.