If you could only have one grill/smoker, what would it be?

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qposner

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Curious what you all think. I currently have a 22 kettle, a PBC and a Weber gasser. The gasser rarely gets used unless it’s for some quick chicken breasts on a weeknight. The kettle and PBC get their workouts though. But if you could only have one tool for all the jobs, what would it be?
 
That’s a tough question... especially for a group of guys/gals that would never ever entertain the idea. That said, I went for a bit over a year with my MAK 2 Star pellet grill and did quite well. First time in well over 20 years that I was down to one cooker. A little over a year ago, I added a 26.75 Weber kettle and have come to love the cooking duo. Oh yeah, I also have a large Camp Chef griddle that I cannot imagine life without... lol.

Are you seriously considering doing this?
 
rwalters said:
That’s a tough question... especially for a group of guys/gals that would never ever entertain the idea. That said, I went for a bit over a year with my MAK 2 Star pellet grill and did quite well. First time in well over 20 years that I was down to one cooker. A little over a year ago, I added a 26.75 Weber kettle and have come to love the cooking duo. Oh yeah, I also have a large Camp Chef griddle that I cannot imagine life without... lol.

Are you seriously considering doing this?
Click to expand...

Nope. Just curious. I like the combo. Although the do want to try smoking on the kettle for a change of pace.
 
I’d have a large barrel grill or rectangular grill like 24x42-48” that I could grill on or smoke on. Tiernan SOB style or Assassin Grill Style or barrel style like Old Country Catina XL or such.
 
The question has been asked before. I'd struggle to decide how to think about it -- specifically the tradeoff between maximizing flexibility or focusing on ease of use. The right answer for me might be a 26" Kettle. That would handle what I need most of the time and would do it easily enough that I could use it for weeknight cooks.

The other path would be something like an M1 or 48" Assassin to give more capacity and/or options for cooking. I don't see myself firing up a large Assassin though just to cook up a couple hot dogs.

Honestly the Mak is probably the right answer but I like the option for charcoal
 
The only thing I want 1 of is a wife, you can make due with any of them and do good but its hard to cover all your bases. If it came to only 1 it would be my Weber performer with gas assist light, bought it in 11 and it is rock solid on build and cooking, a little small for a big smoke but you can manage small cooks fine . I am glad I am only limited by what my 1 wife will let me have lol, pellet smoker was $500 a year ago she kicked some but I bought it any way,the carport has turned into the Grillport she sez lmao
 
Lone Star Adjustable or Assassin setting on the patio would just about do it. But IF I were forced at gunpoint to keep just one of my cookers, the Silver A and 22in kettle would get sold, and left standing, would be the 26er. God forbid!
 
'If you had to go to Hell, which level would you want to be in?" :mrgreen:


But seriously, I'm with angryelfFan - gimme a PK720.
 
For me, this is actually an easy question. My Cookshack PG1000. Does everything well, lays down impressive smoke. Grills like a beast. Only thing I've found it has a problem with is Papa Murphy pizzas. The indirect side is so indirect, I can't get the crust as crispy as I'd want in the middle. Ends up being more of a Neapolitan style.
 
Although I LOVE my offset, it's not practical to run it multiple times a week so I'd have to choose my Yoder YS640. And swap it for an offset when I retire.
 
Since I already own it the MAK 1 Star w/Flame Zone it can do everything and do it well, that being said I use a Weber Performer just as much if not more for both direct and indirect cooks, like the ease of use and simplicity of it plus it's what I started out on.

Never owned a Weber 26" Kettle but add a SnS and Vortex to it and I'd probably be pretty content as far as meeting all my outdoor cooking needs. Trying to talk my BIL into buying a 26" for his lake house so I have something to cook on when visiting, he's a gas grill guy.

Most likely going to add a 30gal Drum to the current lineup in the next few months, just like surfboards glad I don't have to live with just one. :grin:
 
This is tough because I would hate to lose any charcoal or wood taste, but a gas or pellet grill saves a lot of time for midweek cooks after work. So if I had to go one I might would get a pellet cooker because of the versatility and time saved. I don't even own a pellet grill.
 
My Large BGE I do like my gasser for work days as it is a quick start for burgers, dogs, kielbasa etc
 
Another vote for the Weber Kettle 26". I'd probably go Assassin if weight and cost weren't factors.
 
qposner said:
. But if you could only have one tool for all the jobs, what would it be?
Click to expand...

I'm fortunate to have a lot of cookers of all variety and size.

For me the answer is easy, If it could only have one to ALL JOBs,
it would be my XL BGE. In my opinion they are the most versatile cooker
out there. I understand we each of has our likes and dislikes and no one cooker does it all the best, but for me the BGE is a fantastic cooker.

I'm not limited to the BGE brand so I guess any of the top quality ceramic cookers would be the best all around tool.
 
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I would stick with my Lone Star Grillz 20x42. Lots of space in the main cook chamber, I love using the griddle top on the firebox, and if I really want to do more grilling than the firebox allows for, I can get the charcoal insert for the cook chamber.
 
Interesting responses. Kinda covers a variety of cookers and shows there is no clear one size fits all cooker.
 
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