The BBQ decision usually gets made twice. Once in the showroom, where the biggest model looks magnificent, and once eighteen months later on a Tuesday night when you're cooking two pieces of fish across a hotplate built for twelve. Choosing a Coleman BBQ is really about that second moment.
This guide compares the two sizes most Australian households end up choosing between: the Revolution 2 Burner and the Revolution 4 Burner with Side Burner. We'll weigh them on cooking space, price and the features you'll actually use each week. The full line-up sits in Coleman BBQs, and the decision is simpler than the range makes it look.
Burner count is about space, not heat
A four-burner BBQ does not cook hotter than a two-burner. It cooks wider. Each burner adds usable cooking area and, just as importantly, another independently controlled zone — which is what lets you sear on one side while something rests gently on the other.
That matters most when you cook mixed spreads. Sausages, chicken and vegetables all want different heat, and on a two-burner you manage that by shuffling food around and accepting a queue. On a four-burner you run one half hot and one half low, then leave it alone.
The flip side is just as real. A bigger BBQ costs more gas to bring up to temperature every single cook, including the ones where you're feeding two people. If four out of five cooks are a weeknight dinner, the smaller model isn't a compromise — it's the correct answer.
Who each size actually suits
The Coleman Revolution 2 Burner BBQ ($1,249) is built for the household that cooks for two to four and hosts occasionally. It suits courtyards, townhouse alfrescos and balconies where floor space is the scarce resource, and the Charcoal Glimmer finish reads more like furniture than machinery.
The Coleman Revolution 4 Burner BBQ with Side Burner ($1,749) is the family and entertaining size. Six to eight people is comfortable territory, and the extra width is what makes hooded roasting practical, because you need room to keep food away from the burners that are lit.
Sitting above both is the Revolution Dual Fuel, the top of the line for cooks who want more than one fuel option. It's a different conversation from the two-versus-four question, but worth a look if fuel flexibility is what you're really after.
| Model | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Revolution 2 Burner | Couples and families of up to four; courtyards, balconies and compact alfrescos | Batch cooking when you host, and fewer heat zones to work with |
| Revolution 4 Burner with Side Burner | Families of four to six who entertain; hooded roasting and mixed menus | Needs more width and clearance, and more gas for a full preheat |
| Revolution Dual Fuel | Cooks who want a second fuel option and the top of the range | The biggest spend, so make sure you'll use what it offers |
Coleman BBQ pricing: the finish can cost more than the burners
Here's the part most buyers miss. The same four-burner model in the Coleman Revolution 4 Burner BBQ with Side Burner in Charcoal Glimmer is $1,399 — a $350 difference against the Shadow Gloss version of the same BBQ.
Which changes the maths considerably. The real step up from two burners to four isn't the $500 it looks like at first glance; in the Charcoal Glimmer finish it's closer to $150. If you were leaning towards the smaller BBQ purely on price, that gap deserves a second look before you order.
Finishes are priced independently across the Revolution range, so if you have no strong preference between Shadow Gloss and Charcoal Glimmer, compare both before you commit. It is the easiest money you will ever save on a barbecue.
Is the side burner worth it?
A side burner is a separate ring beside the main cooking area, and its value comes down to one thing: how far your BBQ sits from your kitchen.
If the alfresco opens straight off the kitchen, you already have a cooktop three steps away and the side burner will mostly hold the tongs. If your BBQ lives at the far end of the backyard, on a rooftop, or you're cooking for a crowd while the kitchen is already busy, it changes how you work. Onions, a pan of sauce, a pot of water for corn, keeping something warm while the meat rests — all of it happens where you're standing.
Worth noting: on the Revolution four-burner the side burner is part of the package rather than an optional extra, so you aren't deciding whether to pay for it separately. That's a fair thing to weigh when you compare the two models on price alone.
What an Australian backyard adds to the decision
Total fire ban rules come first, and they aren't the same everywhere. A properly maintained gas BBQ is generally permitted on a total fire ban day in several states, provided you meet set conditions. Those commonly include a cleared area around the appliance and an adult present the whole time. Both the rules and the conditions vary by state and by council.
Check your state fire service before you cook on a declared day: the CFA in Victoria, the NSW RFS, the Queensland Fire Department, the CFS in South Australia, and their equivalents elsewhere. Apartment and townhouse owners have a second layer to clear, because strata and body corporate by-laws often restrict BBQ type and placement on balconies, and those by-laws override your preference every time.
Clearances matter year-round too. Manufacturers specify minimum distances from combustible surfaces such as fence palings and timber screens, and those figures exist for a reason. Measure with the hood open rather than closed. If you're weighing up cooking technology as well as size, our guide to infrared BBQs versus gas BBQs explains how the two heat food differently and which style suits which cook.
Coleman BBQs — frequently asked questions
Is a 2-burner BBQ big enough for a family of four?
Yes, a two-burner handles a family of four comfortably for everyday cooking. Where it starts to feel tight is when you host. Cooking for eight means working in batches, and you lose the ability to run a hot zone and a warm zone at once.
Do more burners use more gas?
Yes, if you light them all. A four-burner heats a larger cooking chamber, so a full preheat costs more gas than it does on a two-burner. You can light just two burners on a four-burner BBQ, though, which is how most owners cook midweek.
How many people can a 4-burner BBQ cook for?
Six to eight people is the comfortable working range for a four-burner. You can push well past that for sausages and burgers, where everything cooks at one temperature — it's mixed menus with different heat needs that set the real limit.
Is a side burner worth paying for?
It's worth it when your BBQ is a long walk from the kitchen. Close to the back door, an indoor cooktop does the same job better; at the end of the backyard or on a rooftop, a side burner saves you a dozen trips per cook.
Can I use a gas BBQ on a total fire ban day?
Often yes, but never assume it. Gas BBQs are generally allowed on total fire ban days in several states, but only under specific conditions. Those conditions differ by state and by council, so check your state fire service's current advice before you light it.
Shop the range
The whole Revolution line-up, in both finishes, sits in BBQs & Outdoor Cooking, and the covers, tools and extras worth adding to the same order are in BBQ Accessories. If your budget stretches to the top of the line, the Coleman Revolution Dual Fuel BBQ ($2,199) is where the range finishes. We deliver Australia-wide, most orders are dispatched in 3-10 business days, delivery is free on orders over $100, and installation is available on request.
