Preheat a gas grill for 10–15 minutes on high with the lid closed. Charcoal takes 15–20 minutes in a chimney, then about 5 minutes on the grill with the lid on. Pellet grills need 10–20 minutes after startup, and electric grills about 10. Add 5–15 minutes in cold or windy weather.
Then brush the grates, oil them and turn the heat down to what your food needs. Judge the grates, not the lid gauge.
How long does each type of grill take to preheat?
Most grills are ready in 10 to 20 minutes with the lid closed.
The air under the lid heats in a few minutes. The grates and cookbox walls take longer, and they're what sear the food, so wait the full time even when the lid gauge looks ready.
| Grill | Preheat time | Ready when | Target temp at end of preheat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas | 10–15 min, all burners on high | Grates hot | Lid around 500°F |
| Charcoal kettle | 15–20 min in a chimney, 5 min on the grill | Top coals covered in gray ash | About 450–550°F over the coals |
| Pellet | 10–20 min after startup | Controller holds steady | Your setpoint |
| Gravity-fed charcoal | About 10–15 min to searing heat | Controller reaches the setpoint | Your setpoint |
| Kamado | About 15 min to searing heat; longer to settle low | Dome steady | Your target, without overshooting |
| Electric | About 10 min | Ready light on | Set temperature reached |
Our testing lines up with those ranges. The Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050 hit 700°F in about 12 minutes from cold, and the Kamado Joe Classic Joe II passed 700°F in about 15. The Weber Lumin electric grill reached searing heat in about 10 minutes.
Cold weather stretches every number. The Traeger Woodridge Pro took 18–20 minutes to reach its setpoint on a 36°F morning in our testing. Heavy cast-iron grates also need the full time, while thin stainless rods heat and cool faster.
What are you preheating?
Your fuel and your food decide how long to wait.
Find your situation, then jump to the section that answers it.
| You have or want | Answer | Go to |
|---|---|---|
| To know if it's ready | Check the grates three ways | Ready checks |
| A target for steak, chicken or fish | Heat by food | Temps by food |
| To smoke low and slow | Don't overshoot, let it settle | Low and slow |
| A grill that won't get hot | One of four causes | Fixes |
Why should you preheat a grill?
Hot grates sear food, release it cleanly and burn off old residue.
Cold grates bond to proteins before a crust can form, which is the most common reason food tears when you flip it. Our guide to why food sticks to the grill covers the other causes.
A fully heated cookbox also has stored heat to fall back on. When cold food lands, the temperature dips and recovers in a minute instead of crashing. And the heat chars leftover residue so it brushes off easily.
A closed lid and all burners on high is the fastest way to heat cast-iron grates.
What do you need to preheat a grill?
A lid, a thermometer and a brush cover every grill.
- A grill with a lid that closes fully
- A chimney starter and newspaper or lighter cubes (charcoal only)
- An infrared thermometer, or an oven thermometer set on the grate
- A grill brush, tongs, paper towels and a high smoke-point oil
Step-by-Step: How to Preheat a Grill
Five steps take a cold grill to cooking heat.
Step 1 of 5Open the lid and light the grill
Time: about 1 minute
Always light a gas grill with the lid open so gas can't build up underneath. If a burner won't catch, our gas grill ignition troubleshooting guide walks through the likeliest causes.
On a pellet grill, run the startup cycle your manual gives; many call for the lid open until the fire is established. On charcoal, fill and light a chimney; how to use a charcoal grill covers how much to use.
Step 2 of 5Close the lid and go to full heat
Target: all burners on high, vents fully open or the controller at its high setting
The closed lid traps heat so the grates heat up, not just the air. For charcoal, wait until the top coals are ashed over, pour them in, set the grate and close the lid.
Gray ash across the top layer means the whole load has caught.
Step 3 of 5Wait the full preheat time
Time: 10–20 minutes, depending on the grill
Leave the lid shut. Every peek dumps heat and restarts the clock.
Step 4 of 5Brush and oil the grates
Time: about 1 minute
Brush off the residue the heat has loosened, then wipe the grates with a lightly oiled paper towel held in tongs. For a deeper clean, see how to clean grill grates.
Step 5 of 5Set your cooking temperature
Done when: the grill holds the temperature you need for about 5 minutes
Turn burners down or set up a cooler zone before food goes on. Steaks want full heat; chicken pieces and sausages usually want medium with a cooler side to finish. Our guide to direct vs indirect grilling shows the burner and coal layouts.
How do you know the grill is ready?
Check the grates, because the lid gauge reads air, not metal.
Use one of these, from most to least precise:
- Infrared thermometer: point it at the grate bars and read the surface temperature directly.
- Oven thermometer on the grate: leave it there during preheat and read it through the lid gap or when you open up.
- Hand test: hold your palm about 5 inches above the grate. At high heat you'll pull away in about 2–3 seconds; at medium, about 5–7.
The simplest check is food itself. It should sizzle the moment it touches the grates.
Watch out: infrared thermometers read shiny stainless bars poorly, because polished metal reflects infrared. Aim at a darker, seasoned spot or use a probe at grate level.
How hot should the grill be for each food?
Steaks want high heat; chicken and vegetables want medium.
| Food | Heat | Grill temperature |
|---|---|---|
| Steaks and chops | High | 450–550°F+ |
| Burgers and fish fillets | Medium-high | 400–450°F |
| Chicken pieces and vegetables | Medium | 350–425°F |
| Pizza on a stone | Very high | 500°F+ |
| Low and slow smoking | Low | 225–275°F |
Crosshatch marks this dark only form on grates that were fully preheated.
Grill temperature gets the outside right; a thermometer in the food tells you when it's done. Our meat temperature chart lists safe and done temperatures by cut.
How do you preheat for low and slow?
Bring the grill up gently and let it settle before the meat goes on.
Don't blast the grill to 500°F and then try to bring it down. That's hardest on a kamado, where thick ceramic walls hold extra heat for a long time.
Light a smaller amount of fuel instead. Close the vents partway about 25–50°F before your target, then let the grill hold steady for 15–30 minutes. Our charcoal grill temperature control guide gives vent settings for 225–275°F.
Small vent moves and a wait between each one keep a kamado from overshooting.
Pellet grills handle this for you: set the controller and wait for it to settle. In our testing the Woodridge Pro held 213–237°F against a 225°F setpoint through a 12-hour overnight brisket.
Why is your grill slow to preheat?
A weak flame, starved fire or dirty fire pot is usually to blame.
Most slow heat-ups trace back to one of these. Find your sign, apply the fix and test again before you change anything else.
Gas grill stuck around 300°F
Sign
all burners are on high, but the lid won't climb past about 300°F and the flames look low.
Fix
- Turn the burners and tank off, disconnect the regulator, wait a minute, reconnect and open the tank valve slowly.
- Clear blocked burner ports with a stiff brush or paper clip.
Expect
tall, mostly blue flames and a lid near 500°F within 15 minutes.
Charcoal never gets hot
Sign
the coals stay half black and the grill barely reaches medium.
Fix
- Open the bottom and top vents fully.
- Light a full chimney and wait for gray ash before pouring.
- Store charcoal in a sealed, dry bin.
Expect
a hot, even bed of coals within 20 minutes.
Pellet grill takes 30 minutes or more
Sign
the controller climbs slowly or stalls short of the setpoint.
Fix
- Vacuum ash from the fire pot once the grill is cold.
- Swap damp or dusty pellets for a fresh, dry bag.
Expect
setpoint within about 20 minutes in mild weather.
Any grill in cold or wind
Sign
preheat runs 5–15 minutes longer than normal.
Fix
- Turn the grill so wind hits the back, not the burner ports or vents.
- Keep the lid closed and add the extra time instead of cranking the heat.
Expect
normal cooking temperatures, just a little later.
Still not heating up?
A few last checks catch most remaining problems.
- Low propane: a nearly empty tank gives a weak flame, especially in cold weather.
- Lid gap or warped lid: heat escapes faster than the burners can add it.
- Blocked venturi tubes: spiders and insects nest in them over winter and choke the gas flow.
- Thin cookbox: some budget grills simply can't reach searing heat in wind.
If none of these fix it, our full guide to a grill not heating up properly covers gas, charcoal and pellet grills in depth.
- Short on time: use gas or a gravity-fed charcoal grill and preheat on high.
- Searing steak: wait the full time on high, then sear before turning anything down.
- Smoking: heat gently and let the grill settle for 15–30 minutes.
- Cold or windy day: add 5–15 minutes and keep the lid shut.
Frequently Asked Questions
01How long should I preheat my gas grill?
Preheat a gas grill for 10–15 minutes with every burner on high and the lid closed. That's long enough for the grates and cookbox walls to heat, not just the air, so the lid should read around 500°F. Then brush and oil the grates and turn the burners down to the heat your food needs. Add 5–15 minutes on a cold or windy day.
02How long does it take a charcoal grill to heat up?
About 20–25 minutes in all, from lighting to hot grates. Most of that is the chimney: 15–20 minutes until the top coals are covered in gray ash. Pour them in, set the grate and close the lid for about 5 more minutes, and you'll have roughly 450–550°F over the coals for searing. Keep both vents fully open while the coals catch so the fire gets the air it needs.
03How long does a pellet grill take to heat up?
Usually 10–20 minutes after the startup cycle. The controller is ready once it holds steady at your setpoint. Cold weather pushes it to the long end: the Woodridge Pro took 18–20 minutes on a 36°F morning. If yours takes 30 minutes or more, vacuum the fire pot and swap in fresh, dry pellets. Store pellets in a sealed, dry bin.
04Do you preheat a grill with the lid open or closed?
Both, in order: open to light, closed to heat. Lighting a gas grill with the lid open keeps gas from building up underneath, and many pellet grills want the lid open until the fire is established. Once it's lit, close the lid so the grates and cookbox heat instead of the air above them. Every peek after that dumps heat and restarts the clock.
05How do I know my grill is preheated?
Food should sizzle the moment it touches the grates. For a number, point an infrared thermometer at a darker grate bar or set an oven thermometer on the grate. Without either, use the hand test: at high heat you'll pull your palm away from 5 inches above the grate in about 2–3 seconds. At medium heat, it takes about 5–7 seconds.
06Can you preheat a grill too long?
On gas or pellet, a longer preheat mostly wastes fuel. On charcoal, waiting too long burns the coals down, so cook once the grates are hot. For low and slow cooks, heating too hot is the bigger mistake: a kamado's thick walls hold extra heat, so close the vents about 25–50°F before your target. Then let it hold steady for 15–30 minutes before the meat goes on.
07How long do you preheat an electric grill?
About 10 minutes, or until the ready light comes on. Cold electric grates stick just like gas grates, so give them the full time before food goes on. The Weber Lumin reached searing heat in about 10 minutes. Keep the lid closed while it heats, and add time on a cold or windy balcony. Then brush and oil the grates.
08Why does my grill take so long to preheat?
A weak flame, a starved fire or a dirty fire pot is usually the cause. On gas, reset the regulator and clear blocked burner ports; on charcoal, open both vents and wait for gray ash; on pellet, vacuum the fire pot. Cold or wind adds 5–15 minutes on any grill, so turn its back to the wind. If none of that helps, check the propane level.
The Takeaway
Preheat with the lid closed, give the grates time to catch up with the air, and judge readiness by the grates rather than the lid gauge. Then brush, oil and set your cooking heat before food goes on.
Written by
Tom Bricker
Consumer Research Analyst & Lead Tester
Tom Bricker has 10+ years of grilling on every fuel type and a consumer-research background. He leads SmokyHQ’s gas, portable, electric and flat-top testing, so if you’re weighing price against how long a grill will last, his reviews show which ones are worth the money.
- Gas Grills
- Portable Grills
- Electric & Indoor Grills
- Griddles
- Value & Durability
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