Sell me a grill.

[HardDrive]

I was thinking $500 or less. I don't care about brand, I want quality that lasts.

Any testimonials for off brands that are good? Anyone bought one from Costco?

[944 S2]

I don't know about off brands, but if you want quality that will last get a Weber. Very happy with mine. I've been told my kids will inherit it if I look after it.

[Scott Douglas]

My son gave me a 6 burner that was too big for just me and my wife, so I gave it to him when he moved into his new house. I ended up with my son-in-law's 4 burner when he and my daughter moved to Japan. It's a Nextgrill from Home Depot.
It had sat out on their patio in downtown San Diego, uncovered for a couple of years, so took some clean up to make it presentable for our patio.
It cleaned up well and I think it'll last at least as long as our old CharBroil did, which we finally got rid of after about a decade of use.

[Chocaholic]

I may be alone on this one but if I could put a postage stamp on my two-ton Green Egg, I'd mail it to you. What a PITA. We've ruined more food on that over marketed hunk of ceramic than I care to admit.

I've concluded that people become mooneys to help justify spending a small fortune on a charcoal grill that is easily outperformed by a cheap gas grill for 98% of grilling needs. My wife won't give up on it. I did long ago. Don't spend money to get one. Trust me.

[pavulon]

Have had a green egg for about 7 or 8 years now. My gas grill sits empty. While it requires me to buy lump charcoal, to plan ahead in starting it and to pay attention, it produces great food that is never dry (that's the big advantage). CL should have several available because people don't like planning or paying attention. Consider a Mini max unless you have a big family or plan to entertain using food from the thing.

YMMV. No offense to choca intended.

[blucille]

I've got to agree with 944s2. I bought a Weber 15 years ago, finally handed it off to a new, young couple in town...aside from replacing the start switch, the thing has been perfect for 15 years....replaced it with a new Weber, couldn't be happier.

[wdfifteen]

Weber. Take your pick.

Weber - The Home Depot

Webers last, and when a part does need to be replaced, its available.

[cairns]

The Weber is your only choice. I've never seen a gas grill for $500 that lasts. I went the expensive route and bought a $2,000 TEC. Had it twenty years now and it looks and performs as new.

You get what you pay for.

[OldSpool87]

I love our Webber. It's the Genesis series (no side burner). Had it 7+ years and keep it outside all year covered (Northeast). Parts are readily available thought I have yet to need any. It's a good reliable rig if you frequently cook outside.

[Jims5543]

I love to grill and to BBQ. As a matter of fact I just picked up a 4 lb brisket and I am smoking it tomorrow. I own 3 different grills, actually I have owned 4 one I tossed away recently. Read on.

I have a 20 year old Weber Gas grill, yes 20 years old, I was told by a friend 20 years ago, buy a Weber and it will be the last gas grill you ever buy. He was right. I replaced the internals, i.e. the burners and heat deflectors about 5 years ago, switching to stainless from basic metal. Now it should last me another 20 years easy. My only problem with it is the base is rusting out, I am plotting to build an outdoor kitchen and just mount it in the counter top.

I have a Weber Kettle too, not as robust as the gas grill and prone to rusting out. It is about 14 years old and pretty much done, I purchased a SS grate for it years ago, if I get another kettle I can swap that over.

The Kettle is a good way to learn how to BBQ although it burns hot and is not as easy to control, it makes great burgers, hot dogs and steaks much better taste than a gas grill. I attempted slow cooking (BBQ) ribs on it, and it works but is not ideal, you need to keep a water box in there to keep things from getting too dry.

I had a Charbroil Smoker box, it was how I learned how to really BBQ, I have smoked countless ribs, numerous turkeys for Thanksgiving and chickens on it. It taught me how to plan ahead, how to babysit your food and how to really pour yourself into the process. It was a labor of love to cook on that thing and took a lot of time.


I also have a large Big Green Egg (BGE) and I love it, the first time I cooked on it, I was in love.

I really debated dropping a grand on a grill. I put if off and kept trying to use my smoker box while it rusted into the ground. My wife finally said, just buy the BGE, you love to BBQ get the right tool. She knows from BBQ competitions shows on Food network the BGE is a real deal.

So I did, and the first time I made ribs, I was blown away, I loaded up my charcoal chimney with BGE brand coals (these coals DO make a world of difference, I have tried other brands and went back to them) I use a turkey deep fryer burner to get the coals started, never ligher fluid and do not like all the ash newspaper creates.

I loaded my BGE with a chimney of coals, threw some apple wood in too for smoke and flavor, loaded the ribs and choked it down to 230°.

I was blown away how easy it was to dial in a temp and have it hold rock steady for HOURS on end. After 4 hours of 230° the ribs were ready to come off, there was still enough coal burning to run for another 2-3 hours.

That is how efficient these BGE's are. I am sold, we cook everything on it from fast cooking steaks, crank up to 375 and cook for 10 minutes, to home made Pizza, crank up to 475 and cook for 7-10 minutes. It all comes out amazing.

Now, the bad part, as mentioned it takes planning and it takes a bit of work to get things going. You have to clean out ashes from the last event, you have to load up coal in a chimney and get it started then add it to the BGE, this all takes time. You will get dirty, my hands are typically a mess and need a good washing once I get it all started up and going ready for meat.

A gas Grill is akin to being a microwave on you back porch. Go out, fire up, throw meat on and wait until it is done.

IMHO, pay for something quality once and be done or buy cheap stuff over and over again. I purchased my Weber 20 years ago for about $500-$600. I could have purchased a cheap $200 Charbroil and kept buying new units every X amount of years.

Same goes for the BGE, it is expensive as hell, but guaranteed for life. I have a nice cover for it and expect it to outlive me.

Edit - How I get my coals going.

[HardDrive]

Hearing a lot of votes for Weber....

[944 S2]

By the way, if you go with a Weber you can't really find a deal. They're never discounted. That's the bad side.

[billybek]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

I may be alone on this one but if I could put a postage stamp on my two-ton Green Egg, I'd mail it to you. What a PITA. We've ruined more food on that over marketed hunk of ceramic than I care to admit.

I've concluded that people become mooneys to help justify spending a small fortune on a charcoal grill that is easily outperformed by a cheap gas grill for 98% of grilling needs. My wife won't give up on it. I did long ago. Don't spend money to get one. Trust me.

I wish I was your neighbor!
I would make you an offer you should refuse!
Seriously though, put it on Craigslist for half the price of new and it will disappear in a heartbeat...

That being said, I have had great luck with my Vermont Castings gas grill. I have done very little to it and it is 10 years old now and will probably last another 5 or more years since I do most of my outdoor cooking on my Big Green Egg.

[KFC911]

I have zero experience with gas Webers, but have had their kettle grill for maybe 25 years, and their smoker (WSM) for at least 15....the smoker is a poor man's BGE....but I can maintain a constant 225 for a 14 hour brisket and never add fuel . Superior design on both imo...

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Weber.
Avoid "master forge" and other box store brands. They have hardy exterior builds, but the internals are made of thin gauge metal that fails within short order.

I just "rebuilt" my master forge internals and it should be good to go for a number of seasons now- but it was a pia. When the internals rusted, it was flat out dangerous. I am surprised there aren't more fires associated with these cheap grills.

[RKDinOKC]

Recently got a Charbroil propane infrared Smoker/Roaster/Grill. Really like what it does.

Have BBQ'd, Roasted, and grilled with it all with great success.

Coated a turkey in peanut oil and roasted it. Came out just like a deep fried turkey without all the muss and fuss of the oil cooker and in less time, and it catches the juice for gravy!

Also BBQ smokes wonderfully. Was worried about the temp being a little high, but the brisket and pork roast came out perfect. The best part is I use an electronic leave in temp probe that beeps me when the correct temp is reached. So I can just put the meat in, turn it on and forget it until it beeps me. Then wrap it in foil and let it set for a half hour to finish off.

When grilling on it I put a mixture of a smashed up charcoal briquette and some wood chips in the smoker bin for a really great grilled flavor.

Havent used my old grill since I got it. Need to find someone who wants the old grill. Even without any chips in the smoker bin the burgers and chicken has a better flavor.

Probably the worst part is I found one new in box on ebay for $125, half the price of anywhere else.

[1990C4S]

Try to buy a cast iron or cast bronze burner.

[tabs]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

I was thinking $500 or less. I don't care about brand, I want quality that lasts.

Any testimonials for off brands that are good? Anyone bought one from Costco?

Nobody asked you what you wanted to do with it? Do you want charcoal or gas. A smoker with grilling capabilities.

As for Charcoal grilling..the Weber Kettle is what about $80. I bought mine in March of 1982 (35 years old and still good with no rust). It is about the best for quick searing fish, chicken, burgers or steaks and with the Rotisserie app you can ROAST chicken, beef, pork or lamb on that slow rolling cook.

You want to smoke and have grill capabilities? The BGE does both, but is really a slow smoking cooker. I have had one since 04, it is great for 1 or 2 people. It is economical on fuel as they tout.** One says it is worthless hmmpt..how can U fk up using a BGE? That ceramic holds heat and moisture. The down side and it really isn't much of one is that cleaning the ashes out takes a minute or two. For myself (smoking) I use it more than just about anything else.


For out and out Prosmo...Proffessional BBQ Smoking.. I have a David Klose 36 inch Drum with side firebox out of Houston, This is the REAL DEAL. He is the guy who built the Tanker Truck Sized BBQ that Johnsonville Sausage hauls around and so many of the BBQ competition units. He has them down to a science, where the devil is in the small details of the unit. Workman ship is excellent. THEY ARE PRICEY and heavy (I paid 2K including shipping in 05, it weighs 500lb. Now the same unit is about 2K plus shipping).

For this one you can use either use charcoal or HARDWOOD LOGS.* What makes this exceptional is that the Steel Plate Drum is 1/4 inch thick and the Firebox is 1/2 inch thick steel plate. IT RETAINS HEAT to maintain an even temperature which is the KEY to real lip smackin BBQ. All those other thin metal units are not worth a fk. I know because I have used them.

I didn't use the Klose for a coupla years, but this year so far I have cranked it up 3 times. The level of smoking BBQ is outstanding...I had forgotten how good it was.

As with everything there is A LEARNING CURVE.

If you want gas...well I just don't know, cause I gots the religion of REAL SMOKING AND GRILLING and that requires a REAL FIRE. For if you use gas you might as well be cooking on the stove inside the house.

Now for WOK burning I gots one of those outside 100K BTU Propane WOK burners for $80...HIGH HEAT is what makes the difference between making mush Oriental and WOK HEI restaurant quality oriental food. Believe me it is fking night and day. That is why I was never happy and felt I was never successful at making the yellow people food before. The only reason I mention this is that it sits on the Patio.

Each one of the units I have serves a specific function, it is having the right tool for the job.

*I bought my Klose in 05, about 2 years later I got around to calling him up and asking about putting in a Propane pipe burner into the fire box mostly for quick lighting of the fire. He said it was "Too dangerous." ???? OK...A year or two later I check back on his website and low and behold he now has an option to put a Propane pipe burner in his firebox. The advantage here would be that after the first few hours of smoking a large cut of meat (where the smoke flavor is imparted) you can go to propane low and slow heat for the next dozen or so hours...so that you don't have to keep burning wood fuel and tending the fire. What I do now is move the piece of meat into the oven wrapped in foil at 275*.

** You can run a BGE for about 12 hours on a load of Hardwood Charcoal...

[tabs]

So is all the effort of running a real fire worth it? It is a bit more work, time and effort. There is a level of skill and learning curve involved where the end result is outstanding. From my perspective anybody can fire up a gas grill and plop down a steak or burger and cook one. If you notice many of the gas units have a little wood chip box to impart smoke flavor...Yeah right, if you want real flavor do it right. Other wise don't pretend, go back inside the house and use your stove.

[Bill Douglas]

Weber.