Everytime I go shopping it seems that I am seeing people buying the gas grills. They are very nice to have if they are taken care of properly. Most people don't seem to clean them well and that means bits of food are left behind and that is pretty gross.
Pretty much everyone I know has a gas grill. The only one who doesn't is my old man but I am working on that one.
Though a clean gas grill which is maintained well is great. Now as for the cheapier grills, they aren't bad if they too are maintained and cleaned well. But your right they don't tend to last very long.