Need some advice from all you Grill Masters
 

The old grill is just so dirty and grimy, it's time for me to buy a new grill. :D Just kidding. I need a new grill because the one I have burns everything to a crisp, even at the lowest flame setting. It's a low end CharBroil brand (should have called it CharBurnt). I plan to spend $250 to $400 and need to know what to look for. I don't do any thing fancy with sauces and such, so I don't need those cute side burners. I need a unit that will cook the meat evenly and minimize flare ups. Something that's easy to clean and maintain is also a plus. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Bent

If you mostly just grill, try one of these infrared units:

http://www.tecinfrared.com/Outdoor/C...eries=Overview

This thing works with propane, has a ceramic grill and is totally portable. It sears whatever you're cooking and does an amazing job. I've owned one of these things for a couple of years now, and I really like it. Gonna cost you a bit more than $400 though.

I have a Broil King and I love it. THey come in a variety of sizes and options and you will surely find a Broil King that will suit your needs.

I personally have the top of the line 'Imperial 90' which was $1000 CDN.

How big does your grill really need to be? If like most people you cook for four people. I used to buy the small $15 Charbroil, works for a year then buy a new one. Two years ago I bought $19 Sunbeam. Great grill for most things. I cook out about 3 or 4 times a week. I have a large brinkman charcoal grill for when I want to slow cook or for a lot of people. I love charcoal, has great flavor, but takes time to get ready. So really what I'm saying is just get a grill and cook as much as you can on it. Do-Dads and fancy colors or metals don't mean squat. Keep it simple stupid.
Let us know what you choose.

I used to cook over charcoal. I just got tired of the mess and the gas smell as it was heating up. Now I'm hooked on gas. A tank lasts me nearly a year, so refilling isn't an issue. I plan on looking at the Broil King and whatever else might be available this weekend. I'll let you know what I find.

Now's the perfect time to buy a new grill. At least it is if you live in snow country since they're getting all the snow blowers out. I was down at Menards (Home Depot type store) this weekend and they have all their grills on clearance. They had a very nice unit with all stainless steel burners, cast iron grates and electric starter marked down to $269. If I didn't already have a nice grill I would've snatched that one up.

Oh man, do yourself a favor and don't buy anything but a Weber.

I have the low-end model Weber Genesis Silver, and this thing is solid. I believe they sell them at Home depot, but I'm not sure. I got mine as a gift from my father who has used the same one one for years and years. Here's their <a href="http://www.weber.com/bbq/">site</a>.

If your grill used to cook nice, you may just need to repalce the burners. They do rust out, and sometimes you get flames bursting out when a hole rusts through the side. That is fun trying to shut off the tank at that point. But if your grill used to be nice, just replace the guts. New hoses, safety valve, and burner. You can also buy new lava rocks, so you don't get old grease flareups.

My neighbor just bought a George Forman gas grill from Target for under a $100. It looks great and has a place for the grease to run off, and the flame does not come in contact with the meat.

That will be my next one.

Thanks for the thought pocon1, but this grill never worked very well. Instead of having something covering the burners, they provided cheap ceramic briquettes. All those did was provide a place for the grease to collect and flare up.
BTW, to show you how cheap the construction was on my grill... it has a place for grease to run off. When I put it together the kit provided a wire loop, it said to put an old tin can in the loop to collect the dripping grease. :rolleyes: Which I did, just to stop the grease from dripping on the patio.

I'm still shopping around at this point. I have looked at Weber grills. It seems they run $50 to $100 more than others with the same features. I hate to pay the extra just for the name. BTW, I remember my father using a Weber kettle grill when I was a kid. We didn't have a lot of money when I was growing up, but the grill was one thing my Dad didn't skimp on. Hmmm... maybe that's food for thought.

Like you Bent -- my first grill was a Charbroil. The grill I currently own is a Weber. They may cost a few bucks more but certainly you can find one for under $400.00. I actually think this time of the year is the perfect time to go shopping for a grill because a lot of the stores are trying to reduce inventory for the winter.

One thing to keep in mind when purchasing a grill is the number of heat deflectors it contains at the bottom of the grill. The Charbroil I owned only had one but the Weber I have now has five... These deflectors are what keeps the grill from flaring up and burning whatever your grilling...

http://www.weber.com/bbq/img/grillPhotos/3290001.jpg

Here's a link to give you some tips on grill buying:

http://www.weber.com/bbq/pub/grill/guide/gas.aspx

It'll cost you a bit more than $400 but there is no grill made that comes anywhere close to cooking like a Traeger. You cannot screw up a piece of meat unless you are trying to screw it up - The Traeger burns pellets that are fed into an electronic firebox by a temperature controlled auger. Give it a try - you'll never even think about any other way to cook.

http://www.traegerindustries.com/

That traeger dealio sounds just like a pellet stove for heating. Huh?

Anyway, I second the suggestions on Weber. Bar-b-q's stay outside year round in my world, and only a weber will last ten-fifteen years in a four season climate. Ok, there are others, like vermont castings, and those 5000.00 stainless steel jobs from the frontgate catalog. For in the $250-400 range, you can't beat a Weber.

Mine is pushing nine years and I recently had to have Weber replace my entire venturi tube assembly, gas feed line and one turn knob. Called up the 800 number and three days later I had all new parts, no charge.

I like those kind of manufacturers.

-bear

One word... WEBER!!!

I work at a place that sells these things, and webers are simply the best. They go together in like 10 mins, less with two people, they look the nicest, and are probably the heaviest of the ones ive put together.

Do you have Broil King in the states? Here a Broil King is looked at as equal to a Weber.

You will thank me later for what I am going to tell you. There is only one gas grill that is worth a damn and that is the Weber. I recommend that you track down the Cook's Illustrated gas grill tests.

The reasons that the Webers, and there are many prices to choose from are so good are

You can control the heat extremely well. You can even bake with it. It comes with a very accurate thermometer. Other brands produce an extreme amount of heat and are not controllable as accurately as the Weber.

The triangular drip guards really do work. Flare ups are kept to a minimum.

The Weber guarantee against defects is awesome.

Hope this helps. I have a Weber gas grill, an electric smoker, and a Weber kettle in my back yard.

i never cooked w/ gas but the house we moved to has one. I started to burn everything until I figured out how to cook with it. It has one burner but two controls, one for each side. I brown the meat on both sides and then turn one burner off and put the meat on that side, the other burner on medium, close the lid and let it cook for however long it takes. Nothing gets burnt.

i dont prefer to use anything but mesquite wood myself. all of my grills are homemade =). but if you are going to get a butane/propane grill i say go with a weber, they are very good

This is a common thing in most grills. They use the same technology in restaurants.

Same as mine. Fortunately, it's a system that is as efficient as it is simple.. I'd rather throw away a soup can once a year than have to "clean out" the grease some other way.

So Bent -- How did you make out?