Need new BBQ grill - opinions please

22go · Apr 14, 2008

We need a new natural gas grill. We have looked at Weber, Jennair and Charbroil. Anyone have any experience with any of these? Should we go for stainless steel?

Passepartout · Apr 14, 2008

I grill year-round and have trashed and junked aluminum ones with mild steel grates (about 1 year), an Aussie with cast iron grates- 3 years. I'm into about 3 years on a stainless inside and out Charm-Glo from Home Depot and it still works good as new. It doesn't do indirect very well, and I haven't found a good place to put a box of wood chips to smoke food, so if you are going to do much smoking (of food) this one probably isn't the answer. I smoke ribs/chicken/fish often enough that I got a wood pellet smoker for that.

Jim Ricks

Weimaraner · Apr 14, 2008

We've had the same Weber Genesis Gold gas grill now going on 10 years and we've been very pleased. I remember when I was researching it back then, it received very positive reviews in Consumer Reports. It's a good brand. I don't have experience with any of the others.

Kittykatz · Apr 15, 2008

grill

We have the same Weber Grill for 14 years! It's still going strong today. It was the top of the line when we bought it. My sister in law let me know that I spent too much money for a grill. She's been through at least 3 grills in that time, until she finally bought a Weber.

Good luck and Happy Grilling.

Lisa

Seti · Apr 15, 2008

Ditto on the Weber. Couldn't be happier.

Elan · Apr 15, 2008

I've commented on previous threads that I'm of the opinion that most upper end gas grills will likely perform adequately as long as they have 3 or more burners. I chose a Weber due to outstanding customer service and ready availability of replacement parts. I got to experience both aspects when a strong wind blew my grill over and the cast aluminum end cap cracked. I had a new end cap in about a week. My grill is a Weber Genesis Gold (natural gas, stainless).

irish · Apr 15, 2008

i vote weber also

Southdown13 · Apr 15, 2008

Weber...I have had mine for 10 years. Very little maintenance. Problems with flare ups are a lot less and indirect grilling works well. I use a smoker box that gives off a fair amount of smoke to flavor the meats. I'd recommend the three burner unit and I have a cast iron grate.

riverdees05 · Apr 15, 2008

We purchased a Jennair late last fall and like it so far. Will have a better idea at the end of the summer since we have only used it a few times. There are so many options now, it is like buying a car.

nazclk · Apr 15, 2008

Weber

I really like my Weber Stainless Steel unit. it is propane and not natural gas
but the same idea, make sure to get a little woodchip smoker box it makes the meat taste really good

nicklinneh · Apr 15, 2008

A vote for the Portable Kitchen.
This is NOT a gas burner (charcoal only). It's cast aluminum and cooks by indirect heat, or else leave it open to grill steaks, etc. If you're going to the beach, it knocks down w/8 wing nuts; try that with your gas grill. The only maintenance is replacing the cooking or charcoal grates every decade or so. Mine is 35 years old; all my gas grills have gone to Mt. Trashmore. I hope that I will outlive my PK; I'd hate to will it to someone that would replace it with a cheap g.g. --ken
p.s. this past year I spray painted it a retro-avocado color- beautiful!

TUGBrian · Apr 15, 2008

what will be the grills most common use? entire family meals? party cooking? dinner for one or two?

I got a stainless grill for xmas that came with two hoods. a large regular size grill and hood with multiple burners...and a smaller 1/4 size grill with its own hood and large burner.

I find myself using the smaller one 100x more than the larger one which only gets used for company etc. It heats up faster...uses far less propane for cooking just a single meal.

Its one of those features I never thought I would use...until I got it and now its one I cant live without.

suzanne · Apr 15, 2008

I purchased a CharBroil 4 burner for Hubby for Easter. The grill uses propane but can be converted to natural gas by buying a kit for about $40.00. The grill also has a side burner and a rotisserie with a burner at the back for even cooking when using the rotisserie. Its stainless steel with the porcelan coated cooking grids. Hubby loves it. We also like the smoked flavor and I just sit a smalll box of wood chips on one of the burners to get the smoke smell and flavor.

Suzanne

CarlK · Apr 15, 2008

Another vote for Weber. We've had ours for about 13 years and use it year round (which meant shovelling a lot of snow to get to it this winter!).
Carl

Kingwayne · Apr 15, 2008

Weber for 10 years and still going Strong

Glynda · Apr 15, 2008

Ignitors

How many of you have grills with a push button ignitor that still works? We've had many brands but the ignitors seem to go within months and it's back to throwing in a match.

PigsDad · Apr 15, 2008

The igniter on my Weber works after 5 years. I had a cheap Sunbeam before that, and the igniter quit after the first winter.

Kurt

marsha77 · Apr 16, 2008

Weber

Another vote for Weber - 10+ years and going strong - never a problem with the igniter, or any other thing for that matter (except for running out of propane).

Marsha

stmartinfan · Apr 16, 2008

Our Weber continues to go, too, after about 10 years. (And as I learned on TUG, the "paint" that I thought was flaking from the inside of the cover, isn't really paint coming off!) We did replace the metal bars inside, which are what heat up and create the grill flavor after our previous ones wore out, but that just meant lifting out the pieces of the old ones and putting in the new ones. Our ignition starter works perfectly still, too.

dms1709 · Apr 16, 2008

Grill

We have had our Weber for 10 years, and have replaced different parts, all very easy. The starter still works like a charm. Prior to the Weber, a grill would last a few years, but the Weber still looks great and even better starts each time.

Donna

Kingwayne · Apr 16, 2008

The igniter on my Weber still works after 10 years

Need new BBQ grill - opinions please

22go

Passepartout

TUG Review Crew: Veteran

Weimaraner

Kittykatz

Seti

Elan

irish

Southdown13

riverdees05

nazclk

nicklinneh

TUGBrian

suzanne

Tug Review Crew: Rookie

CarlK

Kingwayne

Glynda

PigsDad

marsha77

stmartinfan

dms1709

Kingwayne