Looking for a grill

[sjwaste]

Really depends on how sophisticated you want to get with your grilled food. If all you want to due is grill some burgers and a few steaks, just about any gas grill will do. But if you need good heat distribution and control, you will need to buy something decent. Weber Genesis, Vermont Castings, etc.

FWIW, I bought a Jenn Air branded stainless gas grill from Lowes ~5 years ago and it is still going strong. It has decent heat control but the distribution is a bit wonky. Overall not a bad grill, but I want something better now that my skills are better.

I love charcoal grills and cook on mine when I can. But with 2 kids and a job that has me arriving at home at 6 PM, I prefer the "instant on" convenience of my gas grill most of the time.

FWIW, I plan to put my Jenn Air on camp duty this year, and upgrade my home grill to a Weber Summit E-470. A lot of $ for a grill, I know. But I grill ~250 days a year.

I will confirm your Jenn Air grill is pretty nice.

Come check out my Genesis before you shell out for the Summit. The Summit is gigantic, so unless you're having the neighborhood over every night, you might do better with the Genesis, or you'll use a lot of gas to just to heat it up. That's exactly what drove me to the Genesis E-310 about 4 years ago. You can easily cook for 8 on a Genesis.

I've had my grill out for about 2 weeks now and I've already used up most of a cylinder. I need to get a fitter out to run a line to my deck from the 400# tank. I've never worked with propane, I wonder if it's a DIY job.

 

[sjwaste]

I almost forgot about it, but if you want charcoal and relatively quick startup in one package, consider the Weber Performer.

http://www.amazon.com/Weber-1421001-.../dp/B002M1PQZE

It's a charcoal kettle, I think the same as the gold series. It has a nice tabletop with an integrated charcoal bin. It also uses the torch-sized propane cylinders to get the charcoal going. It's less effort than packing a chimney, even though that isn't too much work anyway, but if that's what gets you to use it it's a nice grill.

 

[robphelan]

I got a BBQ Galore Turbo Elite on a stand that could be also be built into a cabinet over 10 years ago and it still runs great. I have been to lazy to build an island, so it is still on the cart with the original cover. The only thing I have done is to try and clean it out once a year. I remember giving the guy a hard time about the cover being so expensive, but it still looks great also.

I went the cheaper route a few times, but having to replace burners every few years (if you could find them) and crappy covers that would disintegrate got old.

" BBQ Galore Turbo Elite " sounds like a Japanese game show

 

[JTsyo]

I have a 2-burner Char-Broil infrared grill and I love it. Grills get super hot, propane lasts forever, absolutely zero flame-ups, easy to cook with. Only paid a couple hundred for it last year at Lowes.

Everybody likes to recommend their expensive Weber grills, but it doesn't sound like the OP is wanting to spend that much. If money is no object, then sure, Weber is the way to go. But if you're not going to use it that much, there's no sense in wasting your money.

How does infrared word? There's a plate or something the gas heats that cooks the food? I would love to reduce the charred meat from flare ups. Looking at the CHar-Broil grill from sears.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...67000P?prdNo=2

 

[FallenHero]

How does infrared word? There's a plate or something the gas heats that cooks the food? I would love to reduce the charred meat from flare ups. Looking at the CHar-Broil grill from sears.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...67000P?prdNo=2

Infrared grills work by igniting propane or natural gas to superheat a ceramic tile, causing it to emit infrared radiation by which the food is cooked. The thermal radiation is generated when heat from the movement of charged particles within atoms is converted to electromagnetic radiation in the infrared heat frequency range. The benefits are that heat is uniformly distributed across the cooking surface and that temperatures reach over 500 °C (900 °F), allowing users to sear items quickly.

Infrared cooking differs from other forms of grilling, which uses hot air to cook the food. Instead of heating the air, infrared radiation heats the food directly. The benefits of this are a reduction in pre-heat time and less drying of the food. Grilling enthusiasts claim food cooked on an infrared grill tastes similar to food from char-grills. Proponents say that food cooked on infrared grills seems juicier. Also, infrared grills have the advantages of instant ignition, better heat control, and a uniform heat source.

This technology was previously patented, but the patents expired in 2000 and more companies have started offering infrared grills at lower prices.

I don't know how hard/easy it is to maintain or how long they last.

 

[iRONic]

I would love to reduce the charred meat from flare ups.

Weber's NG & propane grills have 'flavorizer' bars directly over the burners. Flare ups are rare.

Here's a thread that has a bunch of ATOT user comments on the Char Broil/Weber grills.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

I will confirm your Jenn Air grill is pretty nice.

Come check out my Genesis before you shell out for the Summit. The Summit is gigantic, so unless you're having the neighborhood over every night, you might do better with the Genesis, or you'll use a lot of gas to just to heat it up. That's exactly what drove me to the Genesis E-310 about 4 years ago. You can easily cook for 8 on a Genesis.

I've had my grill out for about 2 weeks now and I've already used up most of a cylinder. I need to get a fitter out to run a line to my deck from the 400# tank. I've never worked with propane, I wonder if it's a DIY job.

I might be mistaken, but the Summit I am looking at has a cooking surface that is only 10-20% larger than my Jenn Air. One thing I have always disliked about my Jenn Air is how crowded everything gets when I cook an entire meal for 4-6 people on it. Things get crowded fast when you have a few steaks, 6 potatoes, and six ears of corn all going at the same time.

Granted I don't know what you have been cooking the last few weeks, but I'm surprised at how quickly you burned through a cylinder of propane with the genesis. Are you sure you don't have any leaks? I can cook 5 nights a week on my Jenn Air for about 4-6 weeks before I need to switch tanks. Most of the time I'm doing quick stuff like chicken, vegetables, pizza, etc. But there are quite a few days where I'll roast potatoes at 600 degrees for an hour or so.

We've discussed hard lining your large propane cylinder to the grill before. While its not a difficult project conceptually, many towns require licensed professionals to plumb gas. I also strongly encourage you to check with your town to see if a permit is required. I've learned the hard way that New England towns are ruthless re: permits. Suffice it to say that my backyard project has turned into a giant bureaucratic cluster f*ck. But that is a topic for another thread.

 

[waggy]

I almost forgot about it, but if you want charcoal and relatively quick startup in one package, consider the Weber Performer.

http://www.amazon.com/Weber-1421001-.../dp/B002M1PQZE

It's a charcoal kettle, I think the same as the gold series. It has a nice tabletop with an integrated charcoal bin. It also uses the torch-sized propane cylinders to get the charcoal going. It's less effort than packing a chimney, even though that isn't too much work anyway, but if that's what gets you to use it it's a nice grill.

I think that is my next grill. I been looking at it for 2-3 years. might just get it this summer. I mainly want the tabletop and charcoal bin

 

[LurkerPrime]

If you are going to get a gas grill, I would check ones out that have a sear burner. Those burners get rediculously hot and are great for searing your steaks 1-2 min on each side to help lock in the juices. You can then transfer the meat to the other burners to slow cook to your desired level of doneness.

 

[waggy]

If you are going to get a gas grill, I would check ones out that have a sear burner. Those burners get rediculously hot and are great for searing your steaks 1-2 min on each side to help lock in the juices. You can then transfer the meat to the other burners to slow cook to your desired level of doneness.

while nice to ahve a small burner they do not seal in the juices.

 

[Howard]

I don't know how hard/easy it is to maintain or how long they last.

They're basically broilers in your grill.

 

[CraigRT]

A good quality grill like a Weber really is worth the money. They do last, and that being said, if it does need service, parts are available and can usually be had within a day or 2.
I almost bought a Q120 but it was just a tad too expensive for what you get so I bought a Coleman barbecue. I am very happy with it so far, but Weber still gets my vote for best overall. That or Napoleon.

 

[ky54]

I bought a Huntington for my deck from Lowes:

http://www.huntingtonbbq.com/grills/Classic/666664.html

Because I live in the northern climes I like that it has no parts that can rust. Lights easy and is very even cooking area. Lot of room for a family of 4. Basically my wife uses it. I have a Weber kettle for my use although the wife uses it too.

 

[vi edit]

My Genesis doesn't have a "sear" burner per se, but it has the "sear station" which is just a 4th burner tucked between the left and middle burners that you can crank up for a ridicilous amount of heat. With all four burners on, my NG Genesis will hit 650 if left closed for about 15 minutes. I've got stainless steel flavorizor sheilds over the burners and they are glowing red at that point. I did go with a stainless steel grate though. I just got tired of having my cast iron ones flake off over time on my older grills.

 

[fatpat268]

I've got an el cheapo Charbroil Propane Grill right now, and I love it. I bought this one without doing much research though, so when this one eventually bites the dust, I'll get me a nice weber.

It beats the hell out of charcoal grilling, IMO. I only ever cook for myself or my family (so at most 4 mouths to feed), so the amount of charcoal I would have to go through if I grilled as much as I did on an LP grill would be staggering. Also, instant on with 5-10 minutes warmup, and you're ready to go. Beats out any possible advantage charcoal grills have.

As far as taste? Yea, charcoal is smokier, but I just use woodchips and one of those cast iron smoker boxes and it's just as good.

Also, quick tip for anyone, your grill will make an excellent pizza. Grab a 14-16" terra cotta saucer from lowes/home depot, clean it up real nice, turn it upside down in the middle of the grill, and bake a pizza on it. It'll make even the crummiest freezer pizzas to homemade pizzas taste great if all you've ever done was bake pizzas in your oven.

 

[vi edit]

Also, quick tip for anyone, your grill will make an excellent pizza. Grab a 14-16" terra cotta saucer from lowes/home depot, clean it up real nice, turn it upside down in the middle of the grill, and bake a pizza on it. It'll make even the crummiest freezer pizzas to homemade pizzas taste great if all you've ever done was bake pizzas in your oven.

I do pizza on mine all the time. I just toss it right on the grates though. My favorite is making up a batch of naan dough, making the loafs extra large, grill them. Then doctor them up into mini flatbread pizza's and toss them back on the grill. That's good eats right there.

 

[HumblePie]

That link doesn't even mention the Q series. Weber's own website says it is designed and manufactured in America.

True, but there is "manufactured" and "manufactured". Meaning if they have everything made over in China, shipped to the USA, and have one part added at the end by some Americans, then it's made in the USA. Sort of. Companies have been doing this alot and Weber has done it as well. Most made elsewhere, with a little bit of assembly done here to keep overall costs low but still able to use the marketing gimmick of slapping a Made in the USA label on a product.

 

[fatpat268]

I do pizza on mine all the time. I just toss it right on the grates though. My favorite is making up a batch of naan dough, making the loafs extra large, grill them. Then doctor them up into mini flatbread pizza's and toss them back on the grill. That's good eats right there.

Yea, I've stuck them on the grates too, and it still makes a great pizza, but I prefer the pizza stone/ terra cotta saucer, because if you can get it sufficiently hot inside, it mimics a brick oven pretty well.

 

[dabuddha]

I almost forgot about it, but if you want charcoal and relatively quick startup in one package, consider the Weber Performer.

http://www.amazon.com/Weber-1421001-.../dp/B002M1PQZE

It's a charcoal kettle, I think the same as the gold series. It has a nice tabletop with an integrated charcoal bin. It also uses the torch-sized propane cylinders to get the charcoal going. It's less effort than packing a chimney, even though that isn't too much work anyway, but if that's what gets you to use it it's a nice grill.

I bought the Weber Performer 3 years ago. I have to say I don't use the gas starter at all ever since I discovered the Chimney Starters. Ten times easier than using the Performer's gas starter I feel.

 

[Texashiker]

I figure it would be good for the summer and I should grill to keep my man card.

If you want to not only keep your man card, but also make people stare, your grill has to have a trailer hitch and at least 30 inch all-terrain tires.

 

[Jumpem]

How does infrared word? There's a plate or something the gas heats that cooks the food? I would love to reduce the charred meat from flare ups. Looking at the CHar-Broil grill from sears.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...67000P?prdNo=2

Wha!? That flame licked flavor is the entire reason I grill.

 

[alkemyst]

You can BBQ on a grill usually.

 

[JTsyo]

Wha!? That flame licked flavor is the entire reason I grill.

Flame licked is fine but I don't like it when the fat drips down and you get the sun flare.

 

[Childs]

You threw your grill away because a rat shit in it?

You wouldn't? I'd throw it away if I simply saw a rat crawling on it, let alone see rat shit inside.

 

[alkemyst]

There is a grill available in Sanford, Florida; only a couple years old.