Charcoal or gas? The outdoor cooking debate heats up again.

"Because I'm in the authentic barbecue business, I would never recommend using gas," says Geoff Janowski, owner of Blue Ribbon Bar-B-Q. "Propane gas is a good way to heat something, but it's not much better than using a stove at home."

Janowski recommends using hardwood charcoal or, if you can, real wood, "because there's not a lot of additives, compared to charcoal briquettes."

Chris Schlesinger, owner of the East Coast Grill in Cambridge and the author of three books on grilling, offers a more scientific explanation for charcoal's superiority.

"To me, the most important thing about grilling is the high heat, the heat's interaction with the surface of the food, and the ensuing caramelization," he says. "The fire from charcoal or wood can make the food hotter. The caramelization is flavor."

That's not to say a good smoky flavor can't be achieved with a gas grill. You can always pick up a bag of hickory or mesquite wood chips (available where grills and grilling supplies are sold).

"If one of my kids says, 'Dad, can I have a burger or a hot dog or a veggie burger on the grill,' I turn on that gas grill because I'm up and running in four minutes," says Steve Uliss, founder, owner, and chef at local barbecue chain Firefly's, who has both gas and charcoal but prefers the latter. "The ease, cleanliness of gas makes it simple."

Some also find it easier to fire up a gas grill once the cold weather sets in.

"I love to grill on New Year's Eve," says Billy Bartley, general manager of Mr. Bartley's Gourmet Burgers in Cambridge. "I can't see trying to do that with charcoal. . . . A gas grill is going to get you out there more."

At Lowe's in Saugus, for example, you can find a charcoal grill that fits 16 or 18 burgers for between $50 and $60, while a gas grill of comparable size could cost around $90 or more. But whatever your barbecuing ambitions, there's a grill to help you fulfill them.

Then, of course, you need to factor in the cost of cooking fuel. At Lowe's, a 20-pound propane tank costs around $49 filled (subsequent refills cost around $19), and will give you roughly 20 meals. An 18-pound bag of Kingsford original charcoal costs under $9, and should allow for four or five cooks.

"I've grilled millions and millions of things in my life, and charcoal is just so hard to regulate," he says. "You've got to devote your life to it."

Bartley, who cooks just about everything on his high-heat gas grill - pizza, vegetables, and even pancakes, after replacing the grates with a flat top - says successful grilling requires consistency, and that wind and humidity can interfere.

Others argue that the unpredictability of charcoal makes it fun.

"I think some people would say gas is easier, but to me, it's making the fire, tending the charcoal, and running the chance of ruining your dinner that's more exciting," says Schlesinger. "You could put the food in the oven if you don't want the risk."

According to Steve MacDonald, a spokesman for the Boston Fire Department, you can set up a gas grill on a first-floor deck - provided that there are stairs leading directly to the deck from the ground, so that you don't have to pass through the house.

Boston fire prevention codes prohibit charcoal grills from being used on building structures including balconies, fire escapes, porches, and roofs. It's also recommended that grills be kept at least 10 feet away from buildings, and should never be used beneath an overhang that could catch fire.

You can find other safety tips on the Boston Fire Department Web page, www.cityofboston.gov/fire, or the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services page, www.mass.gov/dfs.