Need buying advice - LP BBQ grill

[cantdrv55]

Looking to buy a BBQ grill that'll last a decade or more. I'd like a medium to large size free standing LP unit that produces at least 48000 BTU. My budget is no more than $1500 incl tax and shipping. If you've purchased a grill recently, please let me know how you like it. Thanks!

[Dueller]

You're way outta my price range. I bought this model fall before last (18 mos ago), http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=271569-82210-463248108&lpage=none which retailed for $399 IIRC. It was at the end of the season and was on sale for $329. It was the last floor model that had an almost unnoticeable dent on the rear of the hood. Pointed it out to the sales guy and he went and talked to the manager... Came back and sold it to me for (I hate to admit this) $179.00.

We cook year round on it at least 3-5x week. It has held up beautifully with the exception of the thermometer on the hood, which I don't pay attention to anyway. Grates are very heavy cast iron and have held up fine and are seasoned like a skillet. Only complaint is even with 50,000 btu it doesn't get quite hot enough for my searing technique when the hood is open. With the hood closed it gets verrrrrry hot.

Stainless holding up very nicely. I figure its good for at least another 5 years if not longer. Big knobs are chrome plated plastic and they are flaking slightly but not a real problem.

Get a lot of compliments on it. For the money it was well worth it even if it craps out tomorrow.

[Joeaksa]

Charcoal is the only way to go. All the others are pretenders....

[dhoward]

Weber Performer.
Use LP to start the charcoal.

[Porsche_monkey]

Make sure it has a cast burner, not a stamped stainless steel burner.

Cast brass (or bronze) is best, cast iron is also okay. These will last forever, the cheap burners rust out.

[on2wheels52]

My $150 one lasted ten years, did replace the burner twice.
Two years ago we replaced it with a $350 Home Depot at off season price of $100 (then sold the tank for $25 as I already had two).
I'll gladly eat a steak off someone's charcoal grill, I just don't have time to get one going.
Jim

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by on2wheels52

I'll gladly eat a steak off someone's charcoal grill, I just don't have time to get one going.
Jim

Jim,

Get one of the "coffee can" type of charcoal starters from Home Depot. About $10 and will get your coals going in less than 15 minutes. I start working on things after lighting my coals in this puppy and by the time my glass is ready for a top up, the coals are ready to spread out in the grill and I am cooking 5 minutes later.

Stop by if you ever get to AZ, I owe you a steak anyway!

Joe

[berettafan]

how much trouble is clean up on the weber performer?

[Rot 911]

I have the same one Dueller does and use it year round. Still works great after 2 years.

[Rusty Heap]

For us mere mortals on a $500-600 range, the Brinkman Pro series is very nice and solid.

I bought a 6 burner, cast iron burners, brass side burner, infra-red back burner, very well layed out tool tray underneath and even came with a built in sink.......NICE

I like the 6 burners, and not just for tons of meat, but you have more heat control and can do indirrect cooking on it too. I think I paid $499 for this.

Pro Series 2720 with Rotisserie

http://www.brinkmann.net/Shop/Detail.aspx?category=Outdoor+Cooking&subcategory=Gas+Grills&sku=810-2720-1&id=1323

[berettafan]

tell you what, i didn't realize i wasn't grilling when i had a 2 burner grill. now have a stainless 4 burner and it makes a WORLD of difference. juicy chicken breasts, nicely seared steaks, etc.

just an FYI for anyone who might be grilling on a small 2 burner job. it's not about the capacity but rather the heat.

[3.2 CAB]

Joe does the same as I. Charcoal!!! Those "can" starters work great, by the time it get the rest of the things prepped, the charcoal is just right for cooking. I sometimes use 4 of those starters at the same time, because of the amount of meat getting cooked. I have a very large smoker grill, that a couple of turkeys, 4 racks of ribs, a couple of whole, boneless pork center loins, and about a dozen rib-eyes or N.Y. Strips, 6 whole sausage links and about a dozen, big burger patties. But if it is only for a small cook-out, I only need one starter of charcoal. I also make my own smoking chips. I use Sugar Maple, Hickory, Pecan, and Mesquite. It depends on what I am cooking or smoking, what determines what smoking blend I use. I bought one of those big-ass DR wood chippers, and that thing works great...I guess it should being it cost about $2,800.00 4yrs ago. I have 4, long bed, truck bed liners, that I chip the different wood into, then use a grain shovel to bag it into the large, poly-weave bags you can get a feed and farm supply stores. The bags have a large volume, but still only weigh about 28lbs per bag.
I have seen too many LP gas grilles that they had only two settings, OFF or ON FIRE!

[Dueller]

If I had a $1500 budget, I'd buy something like the Charbroil gas commercial series I've got, a green egg for charcoal, a small Weber lil smokey (?), and a stainless smoker. I'd spend the remaining $200 on beer

[daepp]

Fire Magic. Guaranteed 100% stainless steel - no iron.


Just built - circa 2003 (sans knobs, apparently)

[TerryH]

I bought a 44K BTU stainless LPG Weber 4 years ago and it's been a great performer. However, if I were to do it over, I would have plumbed natural gas before I poured that new slab. The price of LPG continues to skyrocket and then there's the huge inconvenience of keeping the tanks full. Give careful thought before committing to LPG.

We use the barbeque more than the stove, so YMMV.

[steve911]

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

Charcoal is the only way to go. All the others are pretenders....

+1 on charcoal, using a coffee can starter to get the coals hot.

[MT930]

Charcoal is the best I agree. But we Grill almost every night. I do have a Webber old kettle for weekends and camping, time permitting. We use a LP grill alot almost nightly, never had good luck with the larger manufactures the grill did not get hot enough and did not last more than a couple years. I did alot of research and found a Ducane Meridian 5 burner. It the Porsche of grills, works great gets hot enough to self clean itself. Good heat control. Good features will last 20 years. Very well made. Quality Stainless all hardware construction.

I don't remember the price. It was sort of spendy, but more than worth it. I highly recommend it.

http://www.ducane.com/product/Grills.aspx?plid=8&mid=33

[tabs]

If your commited to BBQ HERESY..then not only do you need to look for Cat Iron or Brass Burners but pay attention to the gauge of metal used in the SS shell. I have noticed the cheaper Home Depot and Costco type grills use thinner metal. Not only do you lose something in heat retention but it is easier to dent.

I have looked at the Costco and Sams Club Meat Burners and they look to be decent to me...


However it is needless for me to state which side of the coin I am on..I would say, heads but Mother being Mother would say, "your on the a$$ side of the coin." Anyway I digress talking about my personal problems, we are talking about Grills, I am a purist. I have gone to buying 40 lb Bags of Mesquite Harwood Charcoal for $12 a bag. and have used nothing but those Can style lighters for 25 years. NO Lighter fluid taste on my burgers thank you.

Joey is right about the light up time. the worst of it is youget your hands dirty from putting the charcoal in the Lighter can, of course your not supposed to roll around in the stuff first. Have to remember no rolling around in the hardwood charcoal before lighting. Hmmm maybe a post it on the refer will do it????

[cantdrv55]

I have not been able to find a BBQ of the quality tabs describes in my price range. My last gas grill was a Ducane and it was excellent. Unfortunately, the new models are much spendier.

I do love charcoal. No need for the starter can. I just stack up the briquets in a pyramid, douse with fluid and whoosh, a freaking bonfire on the grill. Five minutes later, the coals are white hot and ready for business. The only downside and it is a big one for me, is the clean up.

[Dueller]

Heck...multiply your budget by 30 and just go with a total Viking outdoor kitchen