Inexpensive Charcoal Grill?

[FoleJacks]

Every year a group of friends and myself head to the Pocono Mountains in eastern PA for our fantasy football draft. A friend of ours has a house up there and he graciously allows 10 drunken idiots crash for the weekend. It is a nice place and a good time is had by all. One down side though is the lack of a charcoal grill. He has an old propane grill that we have been using for a few years but cooking a pork shoulder on a propane grill just isn't going to cut it for me anymore.

So here is what I am thinking of doing... I want to buy this SOB a quality inexpensive charcoal grill as a thank you. He doesn't live there all the time (actually between him, his parents and his sisters they probably spend a total of 45 days there a year). So I am not going to buy something is going to sit outside all year long. They have a shed which is rapidly filling up with stuff and I don't want to add to the clutter. I am thinking about something like this that will fold down.

http://tinyurl.com/29ztbfz (lowes site)

Is this thing a piece of junk? Should I save my money and go in a different direction all together? Any other suggestions? I'd love your thoughts on this.

[Smokey Al Gold]

I've seen that grill and used one before and they're not bad after taking a look at them. I would stay away from the wal mart version of that grill those are definately not as good. I would also check your cragslist for a weber one touch silver. I'd go with a OTS that will do everything you want without spending a ton. Good luck!

[Smiter Q]

Sounds like a great weekend... if you guys remember it.
My buddy had one of those, he cooked a few steaks on it, but that was
before I started to grill... so I do not remember quality of how it worked.
But I would bet it would get the job you need done on it.

Just last weekend I picked up a WEBER One touch gold for $33 off of craigslist.
The silvers are more common, and easier to find.
Might want to try that route as well, a lot of folks around here do so.
Though it does take a little more time of driving around as opposed to just
picking up on at the store. The gril you are mentioning I have seen sold as
unassembled and assembled. If you get the unassembled, remember to bring
a screwdriver or two. He may not have one at the country house.
Nice idea you have for your friend.

If you have a little extra dough(under $20) or do a small round of donations
from the other guys going, pick him up a charcoal chimney too. Much
better than trying to use lighter fluid. No bad aftertaste, and in long run
less money.

PS..
OTS = One Touch Silver
OTG = One Touch Gold



EDIT: Just looked at brooklyn's craigslist... not much there.
I need to remember it ain't TEXAS over there!

[deguerre]

I've had one of those and you don't want one if your intention is for a cook much longer than required for a few steaks. I'd spend the extra for an OTS.

[Wampus]

You heard 'em....
Two words:

Weber
Kettle

CL is hard to beat for saving money. There's always 2 or 3 Silvers out there that someone doesn't want. You'll likely get one for cheaper than the one you linked to.

Weber's just got it dialed in, man. The shape and size of the kettle bowls yield the perfect heat and smoke circulation, and they are VERY affordable. You could get a decent cover that would help keep a lot of the weather off of it.


Good luck!

[FoleJacks]

Originally Posted by deguerre

I've had one of those and you don't want one if your intention is for a cook much longer than required for a few steaks. I'd spend the extra for an OTS.

Is the reason this won't work for longer cooks because the ash will choke out the fire? I would imagine anything past an hour or so will require a dumping of ash.

[Smiter Q]

Originally Posted by FoleJacks

Is the reason this won't work for longer cooks because the ash will choke out the fire? I would imagine anything past an hour or so will require a dumping of ash.

Yes, that and there is not much space between coals and grill rack. I remember my buddies going out fairly quick after the steaks.

[FoleJacks]

Originally Posted by Wampus

You heard 'em....
Two words:

Weber
Kettle

CL is hard to beat for saving money. There's always 2 or 3 Silvers out there that someone doesn't want. You'll likely get one for cheaper than the one you linked to.

I feel ya. One problem is that I live in New York City. Most people selling grills are selling small guys or table tops. I will keep an eye out though.

[Johnny_Crunch]

An old smokey would be a good less expensive option if you just want to grill on it.

[fttom]

Found this guy on Ebay selling the OTS 22" for $59, and $20 shipping, doesnt get any easier then that.

http://compare.ebay.com/like/1205879...=263602_263632

[zydecopaws]

Originally Posted by FoleJacks

a quality inexpensive charcoal grill

I'm having trouble with that phrase; quality and inexpensive are both relative to value. But I digress...

I'd recommend you do as others have suggested and either spend a few extra bucks for a new OTS or watch CL close for a good deal. At one time or another many years ago I had a grill very similar to the one you linked to and it lasted about a year before it started falling apart. It wasn't anywhere near airtight, and no amount of jiggering would get it to that point. It was a charcoal hog, difficult to control, and IMO not a good return on investment.

On the other hand, I've got Weber kettles from the 90's sitting in the backyard that are still usable, and with a little bit of work can be restored to a like-new condition. And if I recall, I only paid a few dollars more for them than the other thing I had...

[deeque]

I have a red one which i purchased at HD. It works great for steaks,burgers,and hot dogs. But you do have a ash build up problem. smoke on Bro.

[FoleJacks]

Originally Posted by zydecopaws

I'm having trouble with that phrase; quality and inexpensive are both relative to value. But I digress...

Looks like someone is recalling their last reading of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance . Point taken though.

I completely agree that if this was going to be my grill or if I knew they would use it more often I would go new Weber OTS. But since this will probably only get used twice a year by me and a few of our friends I am finding it a little hard to justify the cost. I am certainly going to keep an eye out on CL for a deal. But rest assured... I have been talked out of the Aussie I linked to before.

[ytsejam]

i had one of those for many years and loved it.
it eventually rusted out, and i replaced it with a weber. but if i had to use it again, i wouldn't have any problems.

[FoleJacks]

Just found this guy on CL. Not a Weber... but any opinions? It seems to be a steal at $15.