Your best and worst BBQ purchases.

[Turkey]

Best rub: Black Ops

Worst Rub: all others it's just salt ( I build my own)

Have you tried Killer Hogs bbq rubs? I'm with you on the salt and the KH rub isn't salty and I love it on pork.

 

[Camper23]

Best: Last week got my early fathers day gift. Pit Barrel Cooker
Also, all of the Weber 22.5 I rescued. I have 3 I found within a 6 month period that add up to $15

Worst: COS. Just like previous poster, I was in a hurry to get started. Temps changed 50 degrees up and down within mins. It was not fun.

 

[six501]

Best: Weber Kettle then Weber Summit.
Worst: Cheap probe from Amazon

 

[Taylormade]

For those lamenting the purchase of BBQ gloves, I purchased these from amazon over two years ago and LOVE them! From handling briskets and butts to removing deflecting stones in my kamado, they hold up and do the job. They also don't feel like catcher's mitts and you're able to finesse when necessary. They're still holding up strong and if and when they ever fail, I'll definitely buy another pair.


[ame]https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K1L9SAG/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1[/ame]

 

[Rodbolt]

Best: Thermopen/ceramic komodos

Worst: COS/gadgets that clutter and complicate (pit controllers, etc)

 

[Sevengoals]

Worst purchase- the COS i ended up with as the last bidder on Austrian Ebay.

Best purchase- the same COS because it opened the door to a whole new world of outdoor cooking!

:grin:

 

[Beer/Meat/Victory]

Best: WSM - Got me back into BBQ after 10 years.

Worst: The beef back Ribs I got from Restaurant depot a few weeks ago. Impulse buy, but the short story is that by the time I was done I had some nice smoked bones, and about 4 ounces of tender beef.

 

[IXL]

For those lamenting the purchase of BBQ gloves, I purchased these from amazon over two years ago and LOVE them! From handling briskets and butts to removing deflecting stones in my kamado, they hold up and do the job. They also don't feel like catcher's mitts and you're able to finesse when necessary. They're still holding up strong and if and when they ever fail, I'll definitely buy another pair.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K1L9SAG/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have some very similar gloves, "Boss" brand. They are about the best thing I've used for moving hot ceramic plate-setters in the BGE. They allow for dexterity while keeping my hands from melting.

 

[wrinklenuts]

Best: my first Weber Kettle because it got me into grilling and smoking.

Worst: various rubs. How do some people manage to make a bbq rub that is saltier than the equivalent amount of pure salt?

That is some funny ****!

 

[IXL]

Best: WSM - Got me back into BBQ after 10 years.

Worst: The beef back Ribs I got from Restaurant depot a few weeks ago. Impulse buy, but the short story is that by the time I was done I had some nice smoked bones, and about 4 ounces of tender beef.

Those beef back-ribs from RD are a real crap shoot. Most are as you describe but on occasion, ones can be found with real meat on the bones. Those are the times we load up with enough to carry us through the no-meat-beef-ribs periods, which are far more common.

 

[Mastertech351]

Best purchase - WSM and Shirley Fab

Worst purchase - cheap digital thermometer.

 

[Beer/Meat/Victory]

Those beef back-ribs from RD are a real crap shoot. Most are as you describe but on occasion, ones can be found with real meat on the bones. Those are the times we load up with enough to carry us through the no-meat-beef-ribs periods, which are far more common.

That was my first time buying them. I should have spent a little extra for the 3 bone short ribs I always see there. Live and learn, but now I need a pack of dogs for all of these bones.

 

[IXL]

Best: "How to Grill" by Steven Raichlen. When I purchased a Weber Genesis gas grill, I had never even cooked an egg in a kitchen, never made toast (I could, however, heat up a pretty damned good bowl of Wolf Brand Chili, no beans). After several cooking disasters in rapid succession, I saw this book in the BBQ section over at Academy Sports. It changed everything for me. (I even learned there is indeed a difference between a teaspoon and a tablespoon: who knew?)

Worst: a genuine Big Green Egg brand "instant read" thermometer: what a chump I was! This thing is neither fast nor accurate, and having read about "real" thermometers, as a type, I thought I had found one...after all, it was a "premium" brand and it had "the look.". It's actually nothing more than a cheap piece of crap and BGE is just trading on the misguided trust of unsuspecting victims. The probe on this thing is the size of a medium-duty harpoon.... What puzzles me though, is that I would think that the BGE customer demographic would mostly be willing to pay whatever is required in order to get an actual high-quality thermometer, and BGE could supply any of the quality ones as rebranded BGE product and have happy and satisfied customers instead of ones who resent being hoodwinked by slicksters. (I could go on but I have to go and take my blood pressure medication now.... )
The BGE cookers are a pleasure to own and to use, though.

 

[DrewZ]

Best: Craigslist Weber Kettle -- $50 got me a One Touch Gold with a chimney, a genuine Weber cover and 40 lbs of charcoal. Five years later, it's cooked everything from a full packer brisket to standard picnic fare. The only thing I've had to replace is the charcoal :-D

Worst: Brinkman Smoke-N-Grill. I did some of the traditional ECB mods to it. It worked just fine the few times I used it. I'm only calling it the worst because I simply don't use it. (It's not you, it's me . . .) If anyone wants it, I'd be happy to offload it to a local brethren.

 

[PnkPanther]

I actually dont mind my high temp gloves, I don't use them for handling food though

 

[GloriB]

My best would be my large BGE.
Worst is the piece of junk Extreme Smoker.

 

[Wesman61]

Best: Gateway drum.
Worts: New Braunfels COS.

 

[Lowki]

Best: My Humphrey's Pint, love that thing.

Runner-up best: Weber performer i got off CL for $40.00. Working on her upgraded replacement now, will be sad to see her go.


Worst: Maverick ET732, probes would burn out after 1 or 2 uses and it never did work right. Put me off the whole brand, i will never buy a maverick product again.

 

[dadsr4]

Best: 22" Weber kettle. If the meat fits, you can produce top-notch food. My next grill will be a 26" kettle for more room.
Worst: Off the shelf rubs. Too salty, too much reliance on capsaicin instead of allowing the favor of the meat to shine.

 

[wihint]

Best Kamado Grill/Smoker/OakRidge Spice Rubs (I put that stuff on everything, Black ops scrambled eggs or bloody marys!)

Worst Maverick ET732, I actually bought the replacement plan from Home Depot six months ago I have taken them back 3 times so far.