First "real" grill recommendation ?

[Ummagumma]

Hi,

Hope this is the right forum to ask this question.

For ages, I've had a cheap grill that I bought at KMart long time ago. I grilled very little until several years ago, when our kids got older & started to enjoy grilled meat. I've been grilling a whole lot more for the past few years, mainly chicken and steaks.

It was a real ego booster when we had a family celebration dinner at a steakhouse last year and my son, having finished his steak, said "well this was good but Dad makes them way better !" :clap2:

So, I am looking to ditch my KMart special and get a real grill. I want one that is reliable and will last a long time, and has everything that I need as I work on expanding my skill.

I am currently thinking about Weber E330. I like the fact it's American made and everyone says they are well built and have great reputation. It seems they sell them everywhere for $799 and there's no sales currently. The guy at Home Depot told me they usually have them on sale around Halloween for $599. I don't know if I want to wait another season to get it.

Any other recommendations ? Any tips / advice ?

 

[Happy Hapgood]

Welcome to the site. Alot of folks here are charcoal purist and with good reason. I too do my steaks and burgers on a Weber Spirit 320 gasser. I love it.

As long as you stick with Weber, you will not be replacing it anytime soon like a lot of China imports.

Good Luck!

 

[DaveAlvarado]

How do you feel about charcoal?

For the price of that Spirit 320 you can get a 26" One Touch Gold which is good for grilling and also big enough to actually BBQ using the snake method or other methods of choice, along with a side of beef. Meaning half a cow.

I know lots of folks love the convenience of gassers, but I tell you what, once you start playing with fire instead of turning knobs, it gets mighty hard to go back.

 

[Ummagumma]

I think I will buy a charcoal grill next year. Living in MI and vacationing in the northern part of the state, the charcoal is all you get to use. And I do believe it produces better tasting meat, in the end. So it is definitely in my future. But it requires more time.

We're in that period in our lives when everything is "go, go, go!" Kids have classes and sports and tutors and there's only so much time for meals. Not spending the extra 25 minutes it takes to get the charcoal grill ready may mean the difference between grilling the meat or just doing something else.

I was looking at a combination gas /charcoal grills but almost all of them look like they would not survive to see their third summer.

 

[Yendor]

I agree with what DaveAlvarado is saying. Some people complain about how long Charcoal takes to prep, but I have never given those 15 mins a second thought. Good food takes time and to me that 15 mins is worth it. It's a lifestyle.

 

[tb80]

If you are looking for a gas grill then a Weber gas grill is probably one of the most popular and most reliable grills you can find. Plus their customer service is great. While they are expensive, you get what you pay for.

Even if you move forward with buying the gas grill, I would check out CL in your area and see if you can find a 22" Weber kettle for around $20-$30 and try grilling on some charcoal. You may find you enjoy tending the fire as well as the product that it turns out.

Also, I used to own one of those dual charcoal/gas grill combos (Char Griller Duo is what I had). While it was not a bad grill, if I could go back and do it again I would have spent my money on a Weber kettle and/or a Weber gasser. Also, it only lasted about three years before rusting out, even with a cover.

Additionally, a lot of people will say that grilling on charcoal isn't any slower than grilling on gas. While I agree with them on some level, I also recognize that grilling on gas is generally easier and there is less clean up overall. If having a gas grill means you get to grill more, then by all means get a gas grill.

You could also look on CL for a used Weber gasser. I have found them online for pretty cheap and all I generally have to do is clean it up and maybe replace the flavorizer bars. You can save a pretty penny going that route.

 

[Ummagumma]

I hate you guys now, you're destroying my carefully nursed plans...

So it looks the 26" Weber Charcoal grill is $300 brand new on Amazon (is this a good price, btw ?)

I could get that, spend another $50 to refurbish my current gas grill, and still be at half the price of that E330... Definitely something to consider.

Going back to gas though... the model I was looking at is the Genesis E330, they claim it's better than E310 because it has a "searing station" that basically sears the outside of the steak at high temperature, locking the juices in. Sounded like a marketing ploy but a friend of mine who's a professional cook swears it's true.. any opinions ?

 

[cjtiger300]

Weber E330 was my choice about three years ago. I love this grill. You can't go wrong with the 330. The sear burner is awesome and I use it all the time. It gives you more flexibility in my opinion.

 

[Ummagumma]

Well, my original plan was to get the E330 this year (since I think I'll get to use it more than the charcoal grill) and get the Weber 22" kettle grill the next year.

Perhaps I should just do this the other way - get the 22" and keep the old grill and see how much I use that charcoal vs gas.

This also means I can bug people here more often

 

[SmittyJonz]

Buy a New 330 and get a 22" Weber Kettle Silver for $99 New come summertime.

 

[Ummagumma]

Buy a New 330 and get a 22" Weber Kettle Silver for $99 New come summertime.

In my house the summertime comes when the last snow melts off the deck

 

[Rockinar]

Hi,

Hope this is the right forum to ask this question.

For ages, I've had a cheap grill that I bought at KMart long time ago. I grilled very little until several years ago, when our kids got older & started to enjoy grilled meat. I've been grilling a whole lot more for the past few years, mainly chicken and steaks.

It was a real ego booster when we had a family celebration dinner at a steakhouse last year and my son, having finished his steak, said "well this was good but Dad makes them way better !" :clap2:

So, I am looking to ditch my KMart special and get a real grill. I want one that is reliable and will last a long time, and has everything that I need as I work on expanding my skill.

I am currently thinking about Weber E330. I like the fact it's American made and everyone says they are well built and have great reputation. It seems they sell them everywhere for $799 and there's no sales currently. The guy at Home Depot told me they usually have them on sale around Halloween for $599. I don't know if I want to wait another season to get it.

Any other recommendations ? Any tips / advice ?

My advice, if you get a gas grill I would go with a Weber. They are just better built and you get what you pay for. Buy once, cry once.

That said, I think a 22" $150 Weber charcoal Kettle grill will give you MUCH better results in the flavor department than ANY gas grill can, ever. It' takes 5 minutes to get the gas grill fired up, heated and ready. It only take me about 15 minutes more for my charcoal Kettle to get ready.

I have a $4,000 DCS gas grill that came with my house when I bought it. It collects dust. I think I used it once. My cheap $150 Kettle blows it away.

 

[Ummagumma]

Well, thanks to you all providing invaluable input I've made up my mind...

Going to get a charcoal grill, refurb my old Charbroil, and wait for the sale on that Weber come Halloween... this way, I could get 2 grills for the money it would take me to get one now...

Will be coming back for tips on better grilling !!

 

[Rockinar]

I hate you guys now, you're destroying my carefully nursed plans...

So it looks the 26" Weber Charcoal grill is $300 brand new on Amazon (is this a good price, btw ?)

You can get a 22" which is plenty big for a small family for $150. You want the "premium" with the ash catcher pan like this...

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Weber-14401001-Original-Premium-Charcoal/dp/B00MKB5TXA"]Amazon.com : Weber 14401001 Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill, 22-Inch, Black : Patio, Lawn & Garden@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Cx99ohNgL.@@AMEPARAM@@41Cx99ohNgL[/ame]

 

[ewknapp08]

Hi,

Hope this is the right forum to ask this question.

For ages, I've had a cheap grill that I bought at KMart long time ago. I grilled very little until several years ago, when our kids got older & started to enjoy grilled meat. I've been grilling a whole lot more for the past few years, mainly chicken and steaks.

It was a real ego booster when we had a family celebration dinner at a steakhouse last year and my son, having finished his steak, said "well this was good but Dad makes them way better !" :clap2:

So, I am looking to ditch my KMart special and get a real grill. I want one that is reliable and will last a long time, and has everything that I need as I work on expanding my skill.

I am currently thinking about Weber E330. I like the fact it's American made and everyone says they are well built and have great reputation. It seems they sell them everywhere for $799 and there's no sales currently. The guy at Home Depot told me they usually have them on sale around Halloween for $599. I don't know if I want to wait another season to get it.

Any other recommendations ? Any tips / advice ?

Found my Weber Genesis on Craigslist. Paid half of what they are new. Great grill. I will never use another gasser.

 

[krex1010]

Buy a New 330 and get a 22" Weber Kettle Silver for $99 New come summertime.

This is sound wisdom

 

[dwfisk]

Not to complicate things, but :becky:
When I had my gasser with CI grates, it would typically take +/-20 minutes to get up to temp, maybe another 5 minutes if I wanted it hot enough to sear. I have nothing against gassers and will probably get another some day but when I'm getting a chimney of (Cowboy) lump ready for my 26.75 OTG it only takes 15 minutes + 5 minutes to get the Craycort CI grates hot enough for searing, essentially the same lead time. That plus the fact that big Weber is so versatile, everything from searing to slow smoking (did 3 racks of ribs last night), pizzas and even a flat iron griddle I don't see how you can go wrong with one. So if I were in your position (but having the experiences I've had) I would double down and get a 26.75 OTG with CI grates.
Crap, I think I just talked myself into another:clap2:

 

[Smokiemon]

If your buying a gasser "and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that." I would go Weber, great warranty, parts are easy to get and replace.

 

[Melissaredhead]

The Weber Kettle makes anyone a master chef.
Some of my best cooks have come from that little kettle.
And it is set it and forget it using the right technique for the meat/time you're cooking (ring o fire )
Oh and it travels. I've taken it on summer vacations, to the beach, hell i even took it sailing once! :laugh:

 

[STLBBQer]

Well, I could tell you all the reasons you shouldn't get a Weber kettle...I just can't think of any.