What should my next grill be for grilling?

[jhwhite]

Here's my history. I started grilling with a 22" Weber kettle. Then I started smoking on it. After a couple of years smoking on the kettle I upgraded to smoking on a WSM. After years of smoking on that I upgraded to a Shirley Fab 24x36. For Father's day 3 years ago my wife also got me a Blackstone. And back in 2019 I picked up a used gas grill for free that I used once.

But I would always use my kettle for grilling. About a year ago I came across one of those deals for a Masterbuilt Gravity 560 for $200 and I made a deal with my wife that I would get rid of a few grills to get another.

So I sold the WSM and Kettle, gave the gas grill away, and bought the 560. Now my grills are the Blackstone, Shirley, and 560.

I've been having a lot of trouble with the 560 and I want to get a better charcoal grill for grilling (is there a better version of a gravity even if it's not Masterbuilt). I was considering a Kamado Joe or BGE, but I read a few posts on reddit that people that had a Kettle didn't replace the kettle with a Kamado, they just did low and slow on the Kamado and grilled on the kettle. But I don't need low and slow because I have the Shirley.

I'm really looking for a good charcoal grill. If I get a Weber Kettle again I would want to get the slow n sear and maybe a fireboard, but is that only useful if I smoke on it? Before I had trouble with the 560 I could set it to 400 and put a spatchcocked chicken on it and it came out damn near perfect with juicy breasts and crispy skin.

(In case there's curiosity what's going on with the 560...1) The app hasn't worked since I got it. 2) Last night I was grilling for Mother's Day and I set the temp to 400 for chicken, but it never felt like it got hot. So I put my Thermoworks smoke in there and it registered 200. I set the temp to 500 and the thermoworks read 300. I set the temp higher and the chamber never got above 300 according to my thermoworks, and I trust that more than the built in thermostat.)

Suggestions on a new charcoal grill?

 

[SmittyJonz]

You didn’t give a budget so:

https://lonestargrillz.com/products/24-x-48-adjustable-charcoal-grill

I Wish I could get one………

.

 

[SmittyJonz]

More budget choice :

https://www.academy.com/p/old-country-bbq-pits™-cantina-xxl-charcoal-grill

.

 

[Moose]

The Weber Kettle is unmatched in its versatility to do just about anything, provided the the user understands fire management. The Slow 'n Sear is a great accessory for smoking, but falls short in the searing department for larger pieces of meat. The Vortex when inverted offers much more usable grilling space, in addition to cooking smaller pieces of meat and poultry/wings with the small end pointed up.

I've owned two ceramics, one Vision and One BGE, and the novelty eventually wore off and I sold them. They are also versatile, like the Kettle, but don't really excel at any one thing, IMO.

The Weber Kettle combined with a Vortex and Slow 'n Sear, plus a rotisserie attachment(if you like spinning meat) is hard to beat. And, if you want a larger cooking area, you can opt for the Weber 26, or like me, have a 22 AND a 26!

 

[jrTheSmoker]

What do you normally grill and for how many?

I went from cooking over a fire pit, to gas grill, to a Saffire XL Kamado. The Saffire was thicker than most kamado's, and I could put 3 whole chickens on there at 300F and 3 hours +/- 3mins every single time, they were done and super juicy. For steaks, I could heat it to 500F and do the 7 or 10-minute steak method or whatever it was, and they came out pretty good cooking direct each time. Except for not enough room for who all I have to cook for weekly, I liked it a lot.

What I didn't like was the ceramic, and the weight that comes with that, scared I was always going to do something to break it. Since I live in FL, no matter what the "weather man" says, it would always start to storm either right before or sometime during the cook. I don't have a covered porch so I was always worried I would crack the ceramic when cooking so hot and the cool rain. I'd put a beach umbrella over it but as Gump would say, it won't protect from sideways or come up from under you rain. I also have uneven concrete from the back patio to the garage, so during hurricane season its back and forth with plywood before the plywood gets placed on the windows. This is when I'd pull the gas grill and pellet smoke tube just outside the back door where my wife could hold the beach umbrella over my head while I tend to the food in the pouring rain. During hurricane season, I just use my Coleman single or double gas burner to cook hotdogs, beans, and ramin. Good food sometimes on the gasser, just dryer than the kamado.

Thus, I sold the Saffire to a coworker who loves it, and I ordered a 1975t, but got a 26" kettle for the rain. It's metal, and all I thought all I'd use it for would be hot and fast grilling, and if it got wet, who cares, it's metal and cheap enough that after 10 years in the rain I could buy another one. I did get the XL SNS for it, and actually use it a lot for grilling and smoking when I go to my dads or friends house out of town. Lol this past Thanksgiving the turkey was just short of done, so I wrapped the kettle in several layers of tin foil to protect my straps, and loaded it into the back of the truck. 45-minute ride later to the in-laws and thermoworks dot went off at 160F as we were getting kids out of the truck.

I like the kettle, just don't like the thin metal, as the unit holds temp well, just don't think it holds heat very well, since it takes a lot longer to cook on it than all my other smokers and grills. If I didn't have to cook for so many each week, I'd look at the PK 300 or 360, or maybe even the blaze kamado, just for the heat retention, and cooking in the rain.

 

[Cookb4]

I have a PK360 and I am really happy with how it grills. If you’re not wanting to go back to a kettle I would recommend looking at a pk.

 

[4ever3]

If I were in the market for a charcoal “grill” I would buy a Weber 26’er this afternoon and be done with it!

Lots or real estate to do anything you want to

 

[16Adams]

End of last year The Bride bought two crowns and a filling. Just returned from DDS appointment and needs two more crowns and three older silver fillings that are loose/cracked replaced. What the hell does this have to do with you purchasing a grill you ask?? Spend your dollars before life happens and grabs it from you
Whatever you decide, run don't walk, don't even hesitate, get watcha want ---++life is watching

 

[jimstocks53]

End of last year The Bride bought two crowns and a filling. Just returned from DDS appointment and needs two more crowns and three older silver fillings that are loose/cracked replaced. What the hell does this have to do with you purchasing a grill you ask?? Spend your dollars before life happens and grabs it from you
Whatever you decide, run don't walk, don't even hesitate, get watcha want ---++life is watching

Adams. Shirley you don't mean to buy the grill before the wife needs that money for her teeth?

And don't call me Shirley.

Haha.

 

[Bill-Chicago]

End of last year The Bride bought two crowns and a filling. Just returned from DDS appointment and needs two more crowns and three older silver fillings that are loose/cracked replaced. What the hell does this have to do with you purchasing a grill you ask?? Spend your dollars before life happens and grabs it from you
Whatever you decide, run don't walk, don't even hesitate, get watcha want ---++life is watching

Adams. Shirley you don't mean to buy the grill before the wife needs that money for her teeth?

And don't call me Shirley.

Haha.

I think this all boils down to what type of grill to get the wife.


I would go with the Flavor Flav Grillz model:
.

 

[HogGrog]

End of last year The Bride bought two crowns and a filling. Just returned from DDS appointment and needs two more crowns and three older silver fillings that are loose/cracked replaced. What the hell does this have to do with you purchasing a grill you ask?? Spend your dollars before life happens and grabs it from you
Whatever you decide, run don't walk, don't even hesitate, get watcha want ---++life is watching

Preach on, wise one!

I used to justify reasons not to buy even when there wasn’t one.

If the time right, treat yourself!

 

[tom b]

26er FTW

 

[jhwhite]

Sorry to post and run. I posted this morning then had to leave to chaperone my son's end of school year field trip.

You didn’t give a budget so:

https://lonestargrillz.com/products/24-x-48-adjustable-charcoal-grill

I Wish I could get one………

.

Yeah, I purposefully didn't put out a budget to see what suggestions I got. I'm not sure I could make the case to get one of these unfortunately.

More budget choice :

https://www.academy.com/p/old-country-bbq-pits™-cantina-xxl-charcoal-grill

.

I like this! This is under consideration.

What do you normally grill and for how many?

I went from cooking over a fire pit, to gas grill, to a Saffire XL Kamado. The Saffire was thicker than most kamado's, and I could put 3 whole chickens on there at 300F and 3 hours +/- 3mins every single time, they were done and super juicy. For steaks, I could heat it to 500F and do the 7 or 10-minute steak method or whatever it was, and they came out pretty good cooking direct each time. Except for not enough room for who all I have to cook for weekly, I liked it a lot.

What I didn't like was the ceramic, and the weight that comes with that, scared I was always going to do something to break it. Since I live in FL, no matter what the "weather man" says, it would always start to storm either right before or sometime during the cook. I don't have a covered porch so I was always worried I would crack the ceramic when cooking so hot and the cool rain. I'd put a beach umbrella over it but as Gump would say, it won't protect from sideways or come up from under you rain. I also have uneven concrete from the back patio to the garage, so during hurricane season its back and forth with plywood before the plywood gets placed on the windows. This is when I'd pull the gas grill and pellet smoke tube just outside the back door where my wife could hold the beach umbrella over my head while I tend to the food in the pouring rain. During hurricane season, I just use my Coleman single or double gas burner to cook hotdogs, beans, and ramin. Good food sometimes on the gasser, just dryer than the kamado.

Thus, I sold the Saffire to a coworker who loves it, and I ordered a 1975t, but got a 26" kettle for the rain. It's metal, and all I thought all I'd use it for would be hot and fast grilling, and if it got wet, who cares, it's metal and cheap enough that after 10 years in the rain I could buy another one. I did get the XL SNS for it, and actually use it a lot for grilling and smoking when I go to my dads or friends house out of town. Lol this past Thanksgiving the turkey was just short of done, so I wrapped the kettle in several layers of tin foil to protect my straps, and loaded it into the back of the truck. 45-minute ride later to the in-laws and thermoworks dot went off at 160F as we were getting kids out of the truck.

I like the kettle, just don't like the thin metal, as the unit holds temp well, just don't think it holds heat very well, since it takes a lot longer to cook on it than all my other smokers and grills. If I didn't have to cook for so many each week, I'd look at the PK 300 or 360, or maybe even the blaze kamado, just for the heat retention, and cooking in the rain.

What do I normally grill? Chicken, pork, beef, veggies, sausages, kabobs, all manner of things.


How many? Minimum of 4, maximum of...around 12. If I have to cook for more than that I plan to smoke something on the 24x36 which can cook for a lot of people!

I have a PK360 and I am really happy with how it grills. If you’re not wanting to go back to a kettle I would recommend looking at a pk.

I like the PK! I'm leaning toward the PK300AF!

 

[ssv3]

I'm also in the Weber 26 camp. Got a slow n sear in it and I'm golden. Put mine on a cart about a year and a half ago.

 

[jeffshoaf]

Since you have smoking covered, take a look at a Santa Maria grill. There are a few commodity ones available but Shirley makes a nice one. I have a big one from Arizona BBQ Grill Works. https://www.azbbqgrills.com/
They're not showing the model I have on their site anymore but the'll most likely still make one. When I got it, I intended to madly use charcoal and occasionally use wood, but it didn't take long to start cooking with just wood. My favorite way to cook now!

 

[SmokerKing]

Weber 22"
buy the Weber rotisserie
Modify it to be a Tall Boy
add a Santa Maria accessory

 

[tom b]

every time I see this I get all:clap2::clap2::clap2:

I'm also in the Weber 26 camp. Got a slow n sear in it and I'm golden. Put mine on a cart about a year and a half ago.

 

[4ever3]

Since you have smoking covered, take a look at a Santa Maria grill. There are a few commodity ones available but Shirley makes a nice one. I have a big one from Arizona BBQ Grill Works. https://www.azbbqgrills.com/
They're not showing the model I have on their site anymore but the'll most likely still make one. When I got it, I intended to madly use charcoal and occasionally use wood, but it didn't take long to start cooking with just wood. My favorite way to cook now!

THAT^^^^

Looks like a BLAST!

 

[SmittyJonz]

https://www.amazon.com/Weber-60020-Ranch-Charcoal-Kettle/dp/B00004U9LN