Gas grills?

[tarafied1]

I have a homemade charcoal grill made from a huge SS tube. I use it for smoking and cooking the good stuff but I also have a CharBroil gas grill for quick burgers, brats, hot dogs, etc. It's 11 years old and just about on it's last legs. The burners, grates and flame covers are just rusted beyond repair. The regulator seems to be shot now too. I was hoping to buy a cheap new one with my tax return but I have been looking at reviews and it seems that since 2008 the cheap grills don't have any SS in them because of cost. Everything I read says you can't buy a good grill for under $500 and the only 304 SS components are in the $1000 plus range. I found some crazy grilling nuts on a BBQ forum that swear anything but a Weber or Ducane is junk. What kind of grills and experience with them do you guys/gals have?

 

[Gigantopithecus]

My grilling arsenal consists of a small Weber charcoal(had it for ages), Charbroil gas(free from the FIL, and an electric smoker/grill I got at lowes($50?). I rarely use the Weber, but I've put serious mileage on the Char.

I had to give the Char a good cleaning when we got it. Hey , it was free and came with 2 bottles. I had to replace the grills since they were rusted far beyond repair. Works like a champ now.

 

[Opentracker]

I love my little pig :beer

 

[sigtauenus]

Some buddies and I were talking about this, and the consensus seems to be that even with a $1000-1500 stainless grill it will still rust in a few years, if not the hull of the grill for sure the guts.

I'm content with the $100 aluminum charbroil grill with a replacement grate and burner every couple years, and just buying a new one every 6-8 years.

I like the idea of buying a stainless grill that will last forever, but I'm not convinced that grill exists.

 

[garner67]

I had a 2 burner Weber gas grill for just over 15 years. When it came time to move from CA to UT, I gave it to a neighbor. I'll be buying another Weber this spring.

 

[tarafied1]

that Pig is cool! but maybe a bit small
I am beginning to think a good indestructible grill doesn't exist either. I don't have $1000 plus to waste on a grill anyway. I was thinking of just spending a few hundred to "rebuild" my CharBroil but SWMBO wants a "new" grill. With the added kids I don't think I can be frivolous anymore. Probably will rebuild... I have looked at a few Weber grills. All the grates are enamel coated cast iron. I want SS.
I could just use the charcoal grill but sometimes I just don't have time to fire it up and wait.

 

[apollard]

I have a Weber charcoal and a CharBroil (IIRC). Have had both for around 14 years. Use the Weber mostly, but the CharBroil is still kicking. It is cast aluminum. Ever 3-4 years, I have to replace the SS burner and the grate. Cost around $50 for each, since I catch them at the end of the season at Lowes. While I love the look of the Ducanes, etc, I hate the cost. I can spend $50 and have a new performing grill.

Trivia: I once was on a federal jury where Ducane was being sued. No freebies, though - but they did win.

 

[sigtauenus]

Ever 3-4 years, I have to replace the SS burner and the grate. Cost around $50 for each, since I catch them at the end of the season at Lowes.

Ditto. End result is a no frills functional grill but it gets the job done.

 

[Horseplay]

I had always been one, like others here, to buy a "standard" $100 grill and every few years replace a few parts or buy a new grill all together. Last year I decided I would take the plunge and buy a top of the line type unit. I figured not only should it last longer but also should deliver a much higher level of cooking opportunity. I was literally wheeling a Weber unit up to the register when one of the salespeople stopped me to tell me about this one;

http://www.lowes.com/pd_154596-82210-463247310_4294857754_4294937087_?productId=3108895&Ns=p_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr|0||p_product_quantity_sold|1&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl_Gas%2BGrills_4294857754_4294937087_%3FNs%3Dp_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr|0||p_product_quantity_sold|1%26page%3D4

The whole concept of infra-red cooking got my attention as I tend to step away at the appropriate times to allow flare-ups to char about everything I grill. To sum it up, I love the way this thing grills. Flare-ups are impossible. Even heat is guaranteed. I can grill steak, chicken, seafood you name it side by side and everything is perfect. The biggest benefit is speed. Start to finish this is also the fastest way to grill.

The one down side to this one is clean up. More involved but you can put everything in the dishwasher as it is all stainless.

I got a good deal on mine and saved a bundle compared to the Weber I almost bought. Plus I got a much larger cooking area.

 

[BobV]

+1 on the infra-red. :thu

I bought the Char-Broil Commercial Series last fall on closeout at Lowes. We LOVE the way it cooks - no flare-up, and everything we cook seems more moist, never dried out. It IS a little different and requires periodic cleaning, but the food is awesome...

 

[Opentracker]

A couple of years ago we wanted a new grill too. I had been buying the cheaper gas grills and they kept giving us trouble and didn't last long. I did a lot of research on the web through the BBQ forums and came away with a nice appreciation for the Weber Spirit grills. We bought this unit for around $500 and it's by far the best grill I have ever used. Even heat across the top, supper easy to start and doesn't require a lot of clean up. Hey, even Shari can jump out there and make some darn good stuff. I couldn't ask for more for the money.

http://www.weber.com/explore/Grill_details.aspx?glid=1&mid=2


Now for camping or hot dogs, you can't beat my little pig !

 

[guruatbol]

I just have a cheapo from Wal-Mart. Works good and when it is worn out, to the dump it will go.

Um, my Brother has an Orion charcoal grill with the rib racks and it works ten times better than my grill and takes the same or less time to cook with.

It uses very little charcoal and he uses the matchlight stuff and thus no need for lighter fluid or started chimney.

Oh, did I mention his ribs and turkeys come out head and shoulders better than mine and I've been famous in the family for my ribs.

So I am looking into one of these. they are a bit more money than I want to spend right now, but before this season is done there will be an Orion in my back yard and the other two may just go to the dump!

Mel

 

[blue65coupe]

Buying a grill is like buying a car. You'll get caught up in all the extras and never use 'em. The absolute best grill I have is the "mid size" Charbroil that has been in operation for something like 15 years. I don't know how many grates I've put in that thing but it probably should've been thrown out 7 or 8 years ago. The one I use the most now is the smaller one I got on clearance at Wal-Mart for $40. It's a 2 burner that normally goes for $100 and I walked in one day and they had two they just wanted to get out of stock. Dad and I had new "porch grills". On the other hand, I've got a NICE stainless 4 burner with a side and rear sear burner, underneath warming tray, smoker insert that goes over a burner, a couple drawers, and even lights in the back where you can see what's going on when it's dark. I've used it maybe 5 times in 3 years. I was gonna get a new grill a couple years ago and before I could get one my wife got me this one for a b-day present. Like I said, it's nice. Nicer than what I would've bought. IMO, you can spend $300 and get a grill that does everything you need and more....except maybe smoke a pig. That's when we pull out the big boy on a trailer.

 

[apollard]

....except maybe smoke a pig. That's when we pull out the big boy on a trailer.

WTF? That's what concrete blocks, expanded metal grates and carboard were made for!

 

[blue65coupe]

WTF? That's what concrete blocks, expanded metal grates and carboard were made for!

Wrong. The above mentioned structure is what houses the kids.

 

[garner67]

A couple of years ago we wanted a new grill too. I had been buying the cheaper gas grills and they kept giving us trouble and didn't last long. I did a lot of research on the web through the BBQ forums and came away with a nice appreciation for the Weber Spirit grills. We bought this unit for around $500 and it's by far the best grill I have ever used. Even heat across the top, supper easy to start and doesn't require a lot of clean up. Hey, even Shari can jump out there and make some darn good stuff. I couldn't ask for more for the money.

http://www.weber.com/explore/Grill_details.aspx?glid=1&mid=2


Now for camping or hot dogs, you can't beat my little pig !

+1 This is the grill I owned for over 15 years. I replaced the porcelin cooking surface grills once during that time, but I was extremely happy with this grill. Like I said, I'll be purchasing another one this year.

 

[cmayna]

My hotdog cooker is pretty adaptable to most major brand gas grills

 

[Daves69Coupe]

you should pick up one of these...

http://www.hotrodgrills.com/

 

[sigtauenus]

My hotdog cooker is pretty adaptable to most major brand gas grills

Alright Craig, I'll see your weenie and raise you two mashmellows.

 

[Opentracker]

OK - here we go . . . . I'll see your marshmellows and raise you one Dolly Buntan and a story about her and her sister.

:confu



So I get up today and go in the shop to find Dolly making oatmeal.

Dick came over wanting to cook his own oats and scared her so bad she dropped the bowl.

Being the pig he is, Dick decided that it didn't matter if she was standing or not so he moved in.

Then Dolly's sister D-D (or double D as her friends call her, who had just flown in from Hamburg Germany) herd the comotion and came over to see what was going on.

She saw that Dick was trying to take advantage of her sister and got in between them. You go girl !

Being the big sister, she wanted to help and bent over to pick up the bowl of oatmeal.

Dick being the shamefull pig he is decided that it didn't matter who, he just wanted some oats so he went over to get some from D-D.

When Dolly saw what Dick was up to, she dicided that this punk was in need of intervention.

She got in behind her sister and it looked like Dick was going to give up.

They both said " look, he's leaving. He will finally leave us alone" !

Well, Dick isn't dumb so he put himself in position to take over.

The girls screamed as he tossed them on his flat bed wagon. "I'll get my oats no matter what you say Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha" !

And off they went.

I haven't seen them since. I hope he brings them back when he's done, I'm hungry.