Lets talk bbq grills!

[NickDrak]

Im looking to get a good quality grill in the next week. Probably limited to Sears to purchase from. My price point is $400 to $700. Sears carrys some nice looking grills from Weber, but im not informed enough on the topic to know if they are worth the price premium over the other brands they carry. Stainless finish on the exterior of the grill is NOT an absolute, but it would be nice. I would prefer function over looks. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Stay safe,
Nick

[orionz06]

Infrared, some of their $350-$550 grills are not terrible, but definitely get infrared.

ETA: I know lots of people who will spend lots of money on grills and they all end up looking the same after a few years. Mine was a Char-Broil and around $400 3 years ago. It has been used weekly year round and is still in decent shape.

[Kyle Reese]

Nick,
If you lived in Arlen, TX you could ask this fellow for assistance. :cool:

92

[Chefdog]

Look for something that has nice, heavy, removable grates to cook on. Cast iron is preferable IMHO, it'll stand up best to prolonged heating and cooling cycles and will retain the heat needed to get a good char on your food. Also, an overhead rack for indirect heat is nice to keep stuff hot without burning it up.

[Shellback]

I think the price to performance ratio with Weber is very hard to beat. Often times you'll see them being a much better grill in comparison to grills that cost 4X as much. I would definitely recommend looking at grills with burners that go fore to aft, as you're cooking, rather than port to starboard. It's much easier to control the heat when indirect cooking with the proper burner orientation. My current Weber is approximately 6 years old and still looks and performs as if it was brand new, I use it approximately 4 nights a week.

[Jakus]

Big. Green. Egg. (http://www.biggreenegg.com/)

I have the large/original size and love it. Being able to relight unburnt natural charcoal is awesome. Best results I've ever been able to get from taste to tenderness to juicyiness. (not sure that's a real word?)

YMMV

[ubervic]

Ha!
I read the thread title too quickly and before having my coffee, and I thought it said, "let's talk big girls"

Back to your regularly scheduled programming...

[rsa-otc]

My Vote is for Weber as well. Believe it or not bought ours at Acme (Grocery Store Chain here in the North East)
We've had it about 10 years for about the same price as the El Cheapo next to it. The first rack was porcelain coated pressed sheet metal that lasted about Six or Seven years and I replaced them with the cast iron ones, 2nd best purchase after the grill itself. The flavor bars last us about 5 years as well. $30 to replace. If you can get the grill with the heavy cast iron cooking racks spend the money; well worth it.

Keep it covered when not in use and I predict you will never need another grill. We do dog rescue and unfortunately grill covers don't last long at our house so after 10 years the grill is starting to show some wear.

[Shellback]

I don't know if this is still the case but when I bought my Weber they had the heavy duty grill grates exclusively at Home Depot. Other places didn't have the same enamel coated, cast iron or whatever the hell they are as it was an exclusive deal with Home Depot so you may want to check them out or see if this is still currently going on. There was a huge difference between what I bought and different Webers I saw at some other stores.

Also, for those unaware Home Depot and Lowe's gives a 10% discount to all disabled veterans, all the time, all year round.

[NickDrak]

I think the Weber grills with any of the features we want are priced way out of our budget unfortunately. I did find a decent Char-Broil "Infared" grill @ Sears. The strorage and general build quality is sub par, but the infared grill seems really well built and looks easy to clean.

Im gonna do some more research before pulling the trigger, but it is on sale for $379 from $499.

[Pepper]

I have been using Weber Grills since 1975 and swear buy them. I have almost always used charcoal. Gas is convenient, but food cooked on gas doesn't taste as good to me or my wife. I have been using a Weber Performer for about 10 years now and I grill, roast, and smoke on it. Here is a website with tons of material on grilling, plus he has a lot of info on grills: http://amazingribs.com/

[jlw]

I strongly recommend the Weber products. They have AMAZING customer service to go along with a top quality product. Shooting isn't my only passion. I have nine grills.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0903/legacy38/food/IMG_2984.jpg
chuck roast in the BGE

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0903/legacy38/food/IMG_2987.jpg
above chuck roast pulled

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0903/legacy38/food/IMG_2989.jpg
cornbread in my grandmothers skillet in the BGE

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0903/legacy38/food/weber1cook003.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0903/legacy38/food/weber1cook006-1.jpg
ribeyes and taters on the Weber

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0903/legacy38/food/PICT1167.jpg
country style pork from the shoulder

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0903/legacy38/food/IMG_3026.jpg
beef shortribs done on the Weber

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0903/legacy38/food/PICT1175.jpg
babybacks on the Weber

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0903/legacy38/food/PICT1235.jpg
country style from the loin done on the Weber

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0903/legacy38/food/IMG_3093.jpg
bacon wrapped pork tenderloin done on the Weber

[JM Campbell]

Can you make it any harder to not go fire up the grill tonight jlweems?

I use a New Braunfels Smoker with a offset smoke box. It's done me good so far and can't complain. I've had it for almost ten years.

[rsa-otc]

Mr Weems its a good thing I don't know where in Georgia you live. If I did l'd be on my way over to help you dispose of all that delicious looking food. :-)

[JAD]

I have been using Weber Grills since 1975 and swear buy them. I have almost always used charcoal. Gas is convenient, but food cooked on gas doesn't taste as good to me or my wife. I have been using a Weber Performer for about 10 years now and I grill, roast, and smoke on it. Here is a website with tons of material on grilling, plus he has a lot of info on grills: http://amazingribs.com/

What he said. I've had a performer for five years; I wouldn't take a gas grill as a gift, and I love the propane start feature of the Performer to /death/.

Poor thing still stinks from the Yellowtail I cooked on it Saturday. AhYum.

Jon
KC

[rob_s]

Looking like we're doing a good-sized chickee (like a tiki) hut on our property, which means I'll get my dream of a fulltime outdoor kitchen.

I should have plenty of space if I want such that I can have a dedicated smoker and dedicated gas grill, and my smoker can operate as a standard charcoal grill too so covered there.

But, I'm kind of leaning minimimalist/multitasker, and the Camp Chef (https://www.campchef.com/wood-pellet-grills-and-accessories/all-pellet-grills.html?dir=desc&order=price) line seems to get good reviews.

particularly, I'm interested in the following although I'm not clear even on what makes them different than one another.
WOODWIND WIFI 36 WITH SIDEKICK $1,200 (https://www.campchef.com/wood-pellet-grills-and-accessories/all-pellet-grills/woodwind-wifi-36-with-sidekick.html)
SMOKEPRO SGX WIFI PELLET GRILL (https://www.campchef.com/wood-pellet-grills-and-accessories/all-pellet-grills/smokepro-sgx-wifi-pellet-grill-black.html) with SIDEKICK GRILL ACCESSORY (https://www.campchef.com/sidekick.html) $1,165

These are just examples, but they offer me the ability to "grill" and to "smoke" with minimal inputs all in one appliance. I'm not married to these two, and I'd like to know if there are similar products I'm not considering. Neither of these are designed to be built-in to a summer kitchen per se, but I think either could be pressed into that application pretty easily.

[farscott]

I have three smokers and three grills; one of each is a Weber. I also have a Big Green Egg, a Smokin Tex smoker, a Lodge grill, and a 36-inch Lang smoker. For grills, Weber and Big Green Egg are the way to go; the BGE is out of the OP's price range. I think mine with the accessories (egg nest, cast iron chimney top, etc.) was $1000 twenty years ago. The Weber, especially on sale, will fit the OP's budget, especially from Home Depot and Lowe's. I expect a sale in about three weeks (time to stock up on the Kingsford during the annual Memorial Day sale).

My wife bought me a Weber smoker in 2004 for an anniversary present; it is still going strong today. My motto is, "Pay once; cry once". I recommend stretching for the Weber.

[1911Nut]

Four words:

Traeger Pellet Outdoor Grills

[Corse]

I’ve been through a few grills and These are by far the best I’ve used so far. With the aluminum construction it will last a lifetime.

https://www.pkgrills.com/

It will out last a truckload of Weber’s. (I lived on an island, and they would last 1-2 years tops)

[olstyn]

Bought a 3-burner Weber last fall, and so far I'm very pleased with it. No long-term experience, obviously, but it spent the MN winter outdoors (under a cover, of course) and seems no worse for the wear - it fired right up for me this spring.

[Welder]

,,,,the BGE is out of the OP's price range. I think mine with the accessories (egg nest, cast iron chimney top, etc.) was $1000 twenty years ago. The Weber, especially on sale, will fit the OP's budget, especially from Home Depot and Lowe's....



rob_s bumped this thread from 2011. Nine years later, maybe the OP does have the $$ for a Weber. :p

[Poconnor]

Check Craigslist for a Weber. I bought my three burner Weber for 175 bucks. I bought one with the stainless steel grates. I like that Weber sells parts to repair/ rebuild them.

[UNK]

Four words:

Traeger Pellet Outdoor Grills

Id have to second that. I currently have a charcoal weber that I grill and smoke on. Charcoal is just a pain. Startup replenish, tremendous amounts of ash.
I know aprox five people who have the Tragers and after all the stories of smoking and grilling from them this is the way Id go. I think Home depot has a couple different models one for $500 and one for $800.

[rob_s]

rob_s bumped this thread from 2011. Nine years later, maybe the OP does have the $$ for a Weber. :p

Talk about regretting a post...

[Joshmill]

Id have to second that. I currently have a charcoal weber that I grill and smoke on. Charcoal is just a pain. Startup replenish, tremendous amounts of ash.
I know aprox five people who have the Tragers and after all the stories of smoking and grilling from them this is the way Id go. I think Home depot has a couple different models one for $500 and one for $800.

I have a Camp Chef DLX 24. Have only done two smokes so far and they turned out good. Hard to beat the convenience. So you guys are happy using your Traeger's as grills too? I haven't had the chance to try doing that yet.

[1911Nut]

I have a Camp Chef DLX 24. Have only done two smokes so far and they turned out good. Hard to beat the convenience. So you guys are happy using your Traeger's as grills too? I haven't had the chance to try doing that yet.

It should be made clear that I am NOT a grillmaster, chef, cook, or even a grilling aficionado.

But I have grilled quite a significant number of burgers, hot dogs, ribs, steaks, pork loin, and chicken on many different types of gas and charcoal grills over the years, and the Traeger pellet grill is hands down the easiest to cook on, provides the most finite temperature control, and adds the bonus of being able to "season" the meat by changing which wood pellets are being used.

As long as I use one of the preformed aluminum drip pans under the grill and over the flame box (they typically last for at least three uses), and scrub down the grill proper with a brush after every use, it is also easy to keep clean. Wish I had purchased one years ago.

Highly recommended.

[STI]

Traegers kick ass.

You get the convenience of heat control like you’d have with an indoor oven with the versatility to smoke low around 180, all the way up to nuclear baking at 450. Only thing you can really do to mess is to let the pellet hopper run dry, but even that isn’t that big of a deal, just a delay with a short temperature drop until the burner has pellets in it again.

Obviously long low cooks/smokes turn out divine. Even grilled cheese sandwiches at 225-250 cooked longer, taste different and better. Basically everything tastes better and you can bake in it as well as grill, bbq, and smoke.

It was my early Christmas present to myself and I love it.

[orionz06]

Pellet grills are great. Anyone looking into Traeger only would be well served to investigate other brands such as Green Mountain Grill, RecTec, Grilla, Camp Chef, and Pit Boss as well. Traeger hasn't stepped into the modern times, grill wise, until just last fall and there's no shortage of aweseome, feature filled grills.

[TheRoland]

Pellet grills are great. Anyone looking into Traeger only would be well served to investigate other brands such as Green Mountain Grill, RecTec, Grilla, Camp Chef, and Pit Boss as well. Traeger hasn't stepped into the modern times, grill wise, until just last fall and there's no shortage of aweseome, feature filled grills.

I have a RecTec in my backyard brace of grills. It's wonderful and the build quality is a step above GMG, Traeger and Weber. However, right next to it I have a propane smoker (for denser smoke) and a propane grill (for searing) and a charcoal Weber (for special occasions).

A pellet grill is not a replacement for a grill that gets above 500 degrees or a smoker. It is a different tool. It's the PDW of grills.

[ccmdfd]

Every now and then I get the itch to go hog wild and get a real nice stick burner, like something from Meadow Creek or Lang.


But then the appeal of a Traeger and the thought of just turning it on and setting the temp bumps those thoughts out of my head.



Another option which isn’t discussed much are Hasty Bake grills. Very versatile.



cc

[orionz06]

A pellet grill is not a replacement for a grill that gets above 500 degrees or a smoker. It is a different tool. It's the PDW of grills.

Sure, I just wanted to put it out there that there are more, and better, pellet grills other than Traeger.

[TheRoland]

Sure, I just wanted to put it out there that there are more, and better, pellet grills other than Traeger.

I'm on the same page. What Taeger has going for it is you can impulse buy them. Most others, you're waiting a couple of weeks.

[wvincent]

Looking like we're doing a good-sized chickee (like a tiki) hut on our property, which means I'll get my dream of a fulltime outdoor kitchen.

Would you be so kind as to keep this updated? In progress pics and your thoughts on the project would be great.

[UNM1136]

Last I checked Traegers were offered on ExpertVoices.....

pat