Need suggestions for a new BBQ grill

[drunkatuw]

I'm still using my cheap char-broil grill which I bought for my first apartment in college. Now that I've got my own house, I'm looking for a new grill.

I've looked at the charmbroil from Home Depot for $299 which got a good review from bbq.about.com

I've also looked at Kenmore's from sears, 2 weeks about it was on sale for $299, but now it's going for $329
Kenmore grill @ sears.com

I can't quite afford weber grills yet (maybe next time), are there any other suggestions for gas grills around $300?

I asked on another forum and everyone suggested I save a little more money and buy the weber genesis A which goes for about $399 at home depot, what would you guys recommend?

[ChadTower]

For a Gas grill, the Kenmores are a really good value.  I have one that I have not tried at ALL to protect from the elements and it has survived two New England winters in the yard with no sign of rust or even faded paint.  It still works perfectly, produces good food... really, for a gas grill, the Webbers are probably overkill unless you're going to be cooking for ten 5x/week.

I'm going to build a brick smoker in the yard this spring and go that direction... mmm, brisket.

[drunkatuw]

I'd definitely get "more grill for my money" with a kenmore, I'd get 700 sq inches for $329 vs 528 sq inches for $399 if I went for the weber.  I'm typically only going to be cooking for 2, occasionally 4 when my parents or in-laws visit.

Every review I've read about the weber grills say that they cook extremely evenly and are the best at preventing flare-ups. 

Also, the warranty and service of weber seems to be far and above everything else.  I'm wondering if paying an extra $100 now is going to be a better investment in the future.

[DrewKaree]

Also, the warranty and service of weber seems to be far and above everything else.  I'm wondering if paying an extra $100 now is going to be a better investment in the future.

The firebox on a weber grill is guaranteed for life....now I dunno exactly what that guarantee entails, but my father-in-law has one that's somewhere in the 15 year range, natural gas, that looks as good as the day he traded his old one for it.  The ski hill where he works didn't have a nat-gas hookup, so they traded him.  Two years later, his old grill was shot, and 5 years later, his is still running beautiful. 

I FOUND a propane version of his grill last year.  There's a grill place that sells all kinds of parts (not one of those BBQ-USA type places where all they do is SELL grills, this place deals in PARTS!)  My firebox looks brand new, while all the wood surfaces surrounding it have or are in the process of rotting off.  Those will be easily replaced this summer, I need new flavorizer bars, and a thermometer. 

For the guarantee on the firebox alone, and I'll take a pic later to show you the condition mine is in and my father-in-law's, I'd go with a weber.  If that one you are looking at comes with a side burner, I'd say that's a pretty sweet deal!

[DrewKaree]

Looking at them, I'm realizing I didn't look at mine in quite a while

The red one is my father-in-law's.  Same coloration around the base as mine, although mine is way worse.  That stuff cleans off fairly easily with some E-Z Off and a scrubbing pad, you can see the condition mine is in, and a corner of his, which shows the same coloration, and how it looks after being cleaned on the right side of the red one. 

That crap cleans up, and you can see how well all the stuff wears.  Notice on the red one the Weber logo is chipped/faded, but the rest of it looks brand new...dunno what they use to keep that paint job lasting so long, but I wish cars looked as good!

Mine has the wood rotted off, his he swapped out with a plastic cutting board type material.  All the parts for replacement are easy to find, you can even find some parts at Home Depot, and you should have this thing for a while...we've used his grill to feed a birthday party at his house with all the family - 17 people, 10 of which were adults - and had no problems.  Grilling size for what you're usually gonna use 'em for (burgers and hot dogs) is MORE than sufficient.  Where you'd run into issues would be steaks, but for 4-6 folks, it wouldn't be a problem.

BTW, I'm fixing up my Weber to take over for my el-cheapo Char-Broil grill, which I'll be "blessing" my brother-in-law with (or if they take trade-ins for parts, using it for that).  Until I saw the condition mine and his are in, I always poo-poohed the price for Weber's as "you're just paying for the name".  I'll be selling my smoker to replace it with a Weber, they're that good.

[Tailgunner]

A Holland grill would be my choice in gas grills. I'd take a $70 Weber kettle grill over any gas burner  though.

[nipsmg]

A Holland grill would be my choice in gas grills. I'd take a $70 Weber kettle grill over any gas burner  though.

ABSOFRIGGINLUTELY.

Food tastes so much better done over charcoal.

[Zero_Hour]

A Holland grill would be my choice in gas grills. I'd take a $70 Weber kettle grill over any gas burner  though.

Growing up, my folks had a Kenmore Natural Gas Grill - which was sweet because it ran off the houses Gas Lines - It lasted about 12 years or so, until the grill rusted off it's post (This happened mid cooking time) - imagine my surprise as a 4 ft Flame jetted out of the now-exposed gas line. With a little more off season maint. from us, I suspect that thing would have lasted a lot longer. That said - it's the last Gas grill I have used - the Weber Kettles kick ass, and The one I have now was used by my Father in Law for about 10 years, then by me for the last 7.

I think with a little practice, the Weber is a lot more versitile than the Gas grills, and I definitely prefer the flavor of the food I cook on it.

Chad, you'll have to post some pics of the Build Your Own Smoker Project, that would be an awesome item to have in the back yard.

But if you are going with Gas, I'd have to say I liked the Kenmore Natural Gas unit simply for convienience.

[screaming]

Hmm, I'm also in the market for a good patio grill.  I prefer the taste of charcoal-cooked food, but I like the convenience of gas.  Are there any grills that do both?

  What's so great about the Holland grills, and what makes it so "versatile"?  There isn't much info on the website..

  I have natural gas in my house.  If I were to go with a natural gas grill, how would I hook it up all the way out back?

-sab

[DrewKaree]

Find your line in the house, tap into it, run a line outside.  Some insulation around where it exits the house, badabing badaboom, you're done.

Failing that, hire a plumber.  Prolly cost you $200.

[Tailgunner]

Hmm, I'm also in the market for a good patio grill.  I prefer the taste of charcoal-cooked food, but I like the convenience of gas.  Are there any grills that do both?

Not that I'm aware of. Personally I use a "chimney" style charcoal lighter so I can have the grill ready to cook in around 10 minutes. Gas is a little more convienent, but I figure BBQ is worth doing right and I'm willing to wait a few extra minutes for the flavor difference.

  What's so great about the Holland grills, and what makes it so "versatile"?  There isn't much info on the website..

Holland grill review on the bbq.about.com site. My parents have one, it replaced a Ducane which is supposed to be the sh!t in gas grills. Holland grills take some getting used to. They don't flare up so you don't have to constantly hover over it to keep from burning your food. Cooking on one is somewhere between a gas grill and a smoker, as you load it up, close the lid and then check on you food every once in awhile till it's done. Once you've used one a few times, you can cook pretty much by time as the grill is really consistant in it's operation.

 

I have natural gas in my house.  If I were to go with a natural gas grill, how would I hook it up all the way out back?

Depends on the building code where you live. Most likely you'd need to tap into the gas line somewhere and bury a pipe to the grill's planned location. It's not preticularly hard to do, but it's a messy job, and if you screw it up you could burn your house down. I'd call a plumber, they have all the tools and experience to do it right.