Grills as status symbols?

I overheard several people at work talking about grills. They were mentioning Traeger pellet grills and Big Green Eggs. All three people talking were women and they all had common, cheap gas grills. They wanted to buy an upgrade for their husbands. They saw me listening and said, “We’ve had your food at parties, we want our husbands to do stuff like that.” I told them that everything I have cooked for parties (Ham, Turkey, Chicken, Chuckies, Pulled Pork, Wings, ABT’s, etc) has come off of a 20+ year old Weber kettle. They were shocked. I said you can go to a store and buy a Weber kettle for $100-$180, get a few bags of charcoal and a bag of apple or cherry wood chunks and then could get after it. I then said if you want to go cheaper you could also go the craigslist/marketplace/let go route and get a kettle for $20-40 bucks and clean it up with Easy Off oven cleaner. Then grab a few new grates if needed and then wait for the big box charcoal sales this spring and buy ten bags or so and then cut your own hardwood chunks from a local source. The ladies smiled at me and then said, “We love your food but we want a grill that will look nice when we have people over.” I just mentioned that I have had really good food off of Eggs and Traegers and then said I would be happy to share recipes and rubs/sauces if they ever had the need. Oh well. I thought I was giving them the key to BBQ zen but to each their own. The hobby is great fun regardless of what people like and how they get there.

I think some of the posters are right when they mention quality of food earns respect off of any cooking device. My mentality on grills is my own. I have referbished Webers for multiple buddies who have the cooking know how to be very good with them. I have a BIL who is very skilled on his BGE and a hunting buddy who can knock out some excellent food on his Traeger. Both are great cooks in general too. A broker friend once took me to a luxury cabin on a lake. It had a Wolf range worth something around $8000. My friend said it had never been lit by the owner. Only the plumber checking the gas lines had ever fired it up. The owner wanted a “showcase kitchen” but did not cook a lick. So be it. I guess we all like it when people are impressed with our stuff. Sorry if my original post was a “duh” or offended anyone. The world is just very interesting to me, especially as I age.

Hoss said:

I know exactly what you mean.I would venture to wager that Not ONE of those women nor their husbands will ever cook a meal in their lifetime that can compare to meals prepared by Cowgirl and that Trusty Tractor Rim! :thumb:

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Hoss=truth