I’ll have to say stick with Weber’s Kettle Grills… I’ve had nothing but good luck with them. I own a small and large one.. The little ones tend to rust out after 5 years, but then I leave mine out all year also… But they take a beating and yet produce the most awesome foods! Charcoal all the way!!!
(And a handfull or 2 of hickory)

This is my only grill. Gas would be nice on occassion but I don’t want to take up anymore deck space and have a small garage. My brother has some sort of $1000.00 gas grill, a Holand I believe, wishes he never bought it. It doesn’t get hot enough and really doesn’t add any flavor. YOu can’t beat charcoal.

I do have a cook shack smoker for ribs, pork butts, birds, etc…Best food related purchase I’ve ever made.

quote:

Originally posted by Theedge

I have the Weber performer as I prefer charcoal. This particular model is handy as it has a small propane tank that lights your charcoal, a larger cooking surface, a charcoal storage area and nice stainless work top. I ve turned out some great turkeys using the indirect method. I ve had mine 7-8 years and am very happy with it.

Theedge:

Is this your primary grill? For every day cook out or do you have a gas grill also?

quote:

Originally posted by jevmass

Only $250!?! – such a deal! A Weber 18.5" kettle is only $80!

Stick with the Weber grill. Although the cast aluminum may last longer, the base it sits on certainly will not. With the extra money you save you will be able to get all the additional accesories.

Well, in grills I think you get what you pay for. The Portable Kitchen will last lifetime. I don’t think any Weber will. In the end, the decision is up to Scott, but there are so many options and this is one I thought he might not know about but should.

Actually, maybe he should look at http://bbq.about.com/od/charcoalgrills/tp/aatp062604a.htm and check out the charcoal grill top 10 . There’s quite a variety.

I have the Weber performer as I prefer charcoal. This particular model is handy as it has a small propane tank that lights your charcoal, a larger cooking surface, a charcoal storage area and nice stainless work top. I ve turned out some great turkeys using the indirect method. I ve had mine 7-8 years and am very happy with it.

quote:

Originally posted by BT

I’d take a serious look at this 50’s classic: http://www.barbecue-store.com/portablekitchencooker.htm

Since it’s thick cast aluminum rather than sheet steel like the Webers, it’ll outlast them any day.

WOW BT that brings back some great memories. A friend of the family gave a cooker just like that to my brother. He used it to make some of the Best BBQ I have ever had. When he moved to Ca. He took it with him and perfected his craft on it. He then went on to a bigger cooker and the kitchen cooker sat in the back of his yard unused, if the cost of shipping was not so prohibitive I would own it now.

A BGE is a different animal for most folks. The BGE can cook from long slow steady temps all the way up to blazingly hot searing heat for a steak. They are not very mobile in case you ever had to move it, they are not inexpensive, and they can be limited as to how much to cook at a time on the smaller models. I have friends who swear by them.

I personally have a Cookshack FEC100 pellet-fed smoker, two Weber Smokey Mountain smokers, a Homer Simpson Weber Kettle and a Weber Bar-B-Kettle with a rotisserie. My backporch looks like a BBQ museum.

Whatever you purchase, you need to ask yourself what you plan on using it for. If it is for grilling, stick with a charcoal grill like a Weber Kettle or a BGE. BTW, to get steak searing heat on a kettle, use lump charcoal instead of briquettes. Also, get yourself a charcoal chimney. Never let lighter fluid get within a mile of your charcoal.

For smoking, look at a Weber Smokey Mountain.

Hope this helps.

John

Has anyone had any experience with the Big Green Egg? I have just begun to hear good things about this grill and was wondering if I should supplement/replace my Weber with it.

http://www.biggreenegg.com/

Only $250!?! – such a deal! A Weber 18.5" kettle is only $80!

Stick with the Weber grill. Although the cast aluminum may last longer, the base it sits on certainly will not. With the extra money you save you will be able to get all the additional accesories.

I’d take a serious look at this 50’s classic: http://www.barbecue-store.com/portablekitchencooker.htm

Since it’s thick cast aluminum rather than sheet steel like the Webers, it’ll outlast them any day.

Get a weber kettle charcoal grill: (http://www.weber.com/bbq/pub/grill/2005/charcoal/cg.aspx)

Make sure you also purchase a chimney charcoal starter as you never want to use lighter fluid; it adds a horrible taste to BBQ’d foods.

You could purchase a gas grill, but that does not constitute the BBQ experience IMHO.

I still can not tell from the post if you want to grill your food or make bbq, there is a huge difference. If you want to smoke get a in direct like the chargriller smokin pro here is a link
http://www.chargriller.com/shop/grills/smokin-pro.html

I can get 3 briskets on it and I am sure you will not do that on a brinkman. I use mine everyday because I sell BBQ sandwiches. If you want to grill just about anything will work.

Scott VanSlooten, First’ You know more than you lead onto. Wise choice on your smoker. Kpigout, you might be a redkneck if your smoker is worth more than your house (trailer) Mike SH, After 30 years of BBQ I think that boot you have showed us is done. Please use A mop, Shoot it, or spray a graden hose on it. Dam, drink alot when we eat?

My Webers (twelve at last count) all have wooden handles (pre ’99) and have never "rusted" out. Except for the suitcase ones all are kept outside w/o protection. Discolored but I think they’ll outlast me.

For Q’ing I use my stone pit lined w/ firebrick.