Most grilling experts look askance at gas grills, which don’t impart the flavor that charcoal- or wood-fired grills do. But for many people that loss is countered by convenience. The original gas grill was created in 1958 by Walter Koziol; six years later he reengineered it into the rectangular shape with the hinged lid we’re now familiar with. Backyard grillers love the fact that they no longer need kindling, charcoal, or starter fuel and that firing a gas grill is as easy as turning a knob and hitting a button. And they like the precise heat that gas delivers, thanks to separate controls for each section of the grill.