What Grill do you Recommend

[pacergal]

We have a small Treager and a small charcoal weber. Both work well for what we do.

 

[Freedom56]

We have Calflame granite finish BBQ island with seating for 10 people and a professional 5 burner plus 2 IR burner grill, 2 side burners, rotisserie, fridge, and utility drawers. It cost about $7000 back in 2006 plus $600 for the crane rental.
The grill is fantastic and delivers professional results. after 12 years with this grill, I can say it's a fantastic product for anyone who wants a professional quality product. We had a natural gas outlet installed for it when we were building our pool.

 

[Cassius King]

Got a couple of Green Egg's on my patio. Couldn't be happier.

 

[68bucks]

IMO you need more than one grill. Different types do different things better. I have an old Weber LP grill that's 20 years old. Like it for quick things or simple stuff like hot dogs. I have a Green Egg, great for everything from low and slow, smoking or hot for pizza and steak. Takes a while to get all fired up though. I have a small Weber kettle too. Great for a small meal, just a couple steaks, or maybe veggies. It fires up faster. Working on building a small smokehouse too so I can cold smoke too, if you want to count that too. Maybe I have a problem?

 

[KB]

I have the Weber Q 100, the small tabletop grill. I live alone, so usually only grill a few pieces of chicken or steaks and a grill basket of vegetables. A canister of gas lasts longer than expected.

 

[davebarnes]

One, not many, please

IMO you need more than one grill. Different types do different things better.

OK.
But, for those us who live on small urban plots, what one grill do you recommend?

 

[USGrant1962]

You can do a brilliant job roasting a steak in the oven in a cast iron pan. You sear it stove top first. For tenderloin we prefer this over grilled steaks.

You beat me to it. I like both my gas grill and my Weber charcoal kettle, but lately for steaks it is usually the smoking hot cast iron pan on the stove for 1 minute per side then into the oven to finish. Can do that now with just two of us, a little more difficult when the kids were here.

With a towel handy to swish the smoke away from the smoke detector...

 

[audreyh1]

OK.
But, for those us who live on small urban plots, what one grill do you recommend?

It depends on whether you are grilling fast stuff like steaks, fajitas, veggies, etc. or you are interested in more traditional barbecue like ribs, pork shoulder (pulled pork), brisket. The latter really requires low and slow and benefits from added smoke which is not what you are going to get from a gas grill. But a gas grill does a terrific job on the fast cooking cuts of meat. No mess, quick to reach temperature, quick to cook, shutdown, can be all over in 20 mins or less if something is really fast like fajitas.

That's why it's not unusual for a serious outdoor cook to have more than one grill/BBQ.

I got started with a simple Weber Q (small, portable for RV), and "graduated" to a full-size Weber gas grill. I mostly do the fast grilling stuff. I have a tiny "Little Chief" electric smoker that I could use if I got a serious hankering for smoke in my food, but I rarely take it out.

 

[Retch The Grate]

This appears to be our current Bayou Classic grill:

We like it, it works well, has lots of flexibility. Downside compared to a standard Weber is that it takes a lot more fuel to get to proper 500 degree plus temps for searing steak, and it is a lot bigger. Upside, after a couple years the wear on it from those temperatures is minimal and it also works for offset grilling, smoking, etc.

I'd probably be perfectly happy with my old Weber still, but DW picked this one out, and once you load in enough fuel it works great, so... I love it!

 

[Red Badger]

OK.
But, for those us who live on small urban plots, what one grill do you recommend?

If space is really at a premium, a Weber Smokey Joe premium is handy dandy for 2-3 people max. Like any Weber kettle grill, the relationship will take time to develop. It can go from ~225 degree smoker to a raging sear machine, but it takes more than cranking a few knobs east and west.

I have one that complements my big-ass Char-Griller. When it's just DW and I (often), the smokey gets the call to arms.

 

[DAYDREAMER]

If you have money burning a hole in your pocket, DCS is a very nice grill that will last the rest of your life. Heavy duty burners will last forever. Got a good deal on a used 48" demo model with side burner. The cabinets on the sides are from New Age, which have unbelievable high quality stainless welds.

I finally finished the patio grill area. Pretty happy with the results.

 

[davebarnes]

a Weber Smokey Joe premium is handy dandy.

Not gas.
Next.

Where is the Big Green Egg (gas powered)?

 

[Winemaker]

We have a Weber gas grill, a something Bayou smoker, a Himalayan salt block, a sous vide cooker, about 6 cast iron skillets for grilling only, and 2 cast iron griddles. I enjoy cooking anyway, using any method, and depends on the mood I'm in and what results I expect.

DW won't let me build a wood fired pizza oven in the back, and I'm deeply hurt.

 

[Scuba]

If you have money burning a hole in your pocket, DCS is a very nice grill that will last the rest of your life. Heavy duty burners will last forever. Got a good deal on a used 48" demo model with side burner. The cabinets on the sides are from New Age, which have unbelievable high quality stainless welds.



I finally finished the patio grill area. Pretty happy with the results.

Very nice! Wish we had the space for something like this.

 

[2Muchfun]

I am also a proud Kamado Joe owner, as well as a 4 burner Weber Genesis gas grill. This is a good hobby for me in retirement, too. I highly recommend these quality grills. Look on YouTube for Kamado Joe recipes. The brisket and pulled pork are to die for.

 

[mistershankly]

I concur with those who said that each grill offers specific features but there is definitely a sweet spot for what you largely plan to use it for. Here are my [-]toys[/-] grills and what I like about each...

• Weber Summit Gas Grill... quickly reaches cooking temp, easy to clean (useful if used often), can cook practically anything on it including low and slow cooks like pork shoulder and brisket. If you use a propane tank on long cooks, you run the risk of running out of fuel. I highly recommend connecting this grill to a natural gas line for virtually unlimited cooking times.

• Big Green Egg... by far the most consistent temperatures for cooking thicker cuts of meat (tri-tip, brisket, pork shoulder, etc) for long periods of time. Requires charcoal startup and some essential tools like probe thermometers. The flavor added to the cook by the charcoal and (optional) wood chunks is exceptional. Make sure you use a clean cooking coal. The Big Green Egg brand is excellent. The Big Green Egg is more fickle as far as low temps go and it can heat up QUICKLY and be very difficult to bring down. This has a lot to do with what part of the country you're in with humidity and barometric pressure (in my experience).

• Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker... able to cook at low temps (e.g. 230) without risking the fuel/charcoal from going out. The WSM is fantastic and it does take more cleaning and maintenance, but it delivers an exceptional cook every time in return for the care.

• Weber Kettle... a great all-around grill that is able to do everything from cooking burgers to smoking thicker meats. Because of its design, it may require some experimenting on your part to see how changes in the vents affect the fluctuations in temperature. It's a smaller chamber and the fuel is closer to the cooking surface so keeping the temps at a consistent range is a bit more of a challenge. Again, meat and grate probes are essential when cooking with this grill on longer cooks.

All of the grills requiring charcoal involve a 20-30min prep time to bring the charcoal up to temperature. After cooking, you can let the coals burn out or use some other techniques to kill the fire and reuse the unburned charcoal later... this can take anywhere from 30min to over and hour. The gas grill will come up to temp in under 10 minutes and will drop in temp to a reasonable level (for covering the grill after use) within 30 minutes of turning the grill off.

 

[EastWest Gal]

For a propane tank grill: Broilmaster Grills--they have multiple configurations. They have very long warranties and they last forever. I went through two cheap Charbroils before I got my Broilmaster about 6 years ago. My son will probably inherit it--they last and last. There is a simple thermostat on the outside of the lid. They aren't cheap, but it beats replacing grills over and over as the parts wear out. Also, I got some ceramic briquettes that absorb oil drips, prevent flare-ups, and protect the burners. Yes, they're expensive, but I like not needing the prep time and the mess of charcoal. I had a Weber before I changed to propane. I'll never go back.

 

[kannon]

Found a good deal on a 3 burner Weber Genesis E-310. Brand new from someone on Craigslist, good savings over Home Depot. Sealed in new box, good weber reputation. Only issue is I don't think Weber will honor 10 year warranty cause not bought from authorized dealer. I may pull the plug on the deal.

 

[slingshot]

Camp Chef Smoke Pro DLX pellet grill. We keep a propane out there for quick reverse sear on ribeyes

 

[Jerry1]

Found a good deal on a 3 burner Weber Genesis E-310. Brand new from someone on Craigslist, good savings over Home Depot. Sealed in new box, good weber reputation. Only issue is I don't think Weber will honor 10 year warranty cause not bought from authorized dealer. I may pull the plug on the deal.

I wouldn’t let that detour me. 1st, the burners are the only thing warrantied for ten years, and they don’t typically wear out. 2nd, Weber has never asked me where I bought my grill. I’ve had different grills and smokers, and the only thing I’ve ever been asked is the serial number. If it were me, and the deal was within $50 to maybe $100, I’d go to a retailer. But for $100 or more, for new in the box, I’d back up the truck.

 

[Texas Proud]

I wouldn’t let that detour me. 1st, the burners are the only thing warrantied for ten years, and they don’t typically wear out. 2nd, Weber has never asked me where I bought my grill. I’ve had different grills and smokers, and the only thing I’ve ever been asked is the serial number. If it were me, and the deal was within $50 to maybe $100, I’d go to a retailer. But for $100 or more, for new in the box, I’d back up the truck.

I might want a bit more off to back up the truck... most retail locations will build it for you and deliver... I remember putting together my first grill and it was not something that is done quickly...


But yea, a few hundred off means I would put it together....

 

[slingshot]

One thing I forgot to mention on the pellet grill is that you can use it to smoke, grill, bake,and maybe fry. I've seen posts of cookies and pies that folks have made on them.We do LOTS of veggies with ours. It is so nice to set the temp and go do something else, knowing you are relatively safe from overcooking. We use ours 4-5 times weekly and have for the past year. Our old (good) Webers are gathering dust.
Tomorrow is Tuesday, so Papa Murphy pizza on the Smoke Pro. Wednesday will be chicken thighs. Thursday a pork tenderloin. Friday is usually fish and Saturday is steak night! And this is coincidental but I have lost about 15 pounds since we bought this grill, mostly due to not cooking carbs like rice and beans and just grilling protein and veggies.

 

[jastew]

The Big Green Eggs are enticing. My guess is expensive. Are there any BGE similar grills out there that do pretty good job at a more affordable price?

Really want to focus bbq on slow cooking, smoking. I think Propane may be a little bit safer that charcoal from a chemical standpoint.

I am also looking at a nexgrill that surprisingly got good CR review in the Indirect Cooking category.

I've got a BGE and a Kamado Joe and for the price, I would go with KJ. The fit and finish is not quite as nice as the BGE but close enough. And BGE nickel and dimes you to death on pricey accessories, some of which are included with KJ.

Other brands are probably just as good as well.

 

[pb4uski]

My old Weber Genesis B 3-burner is plenty for me but I'm not that into smoking. I do use it for direct grilling (sear and reverse sear) and indirect cooking and low and slow for ribs and it works fine. I do have a smoker box but rarely use it. Having more than one grill woudl be a nuisance for me... I have enough trouble keeping one grill clean.

 

[bloom2708]

A Weber (18" or 21") charcoal grill, a chimney starter and a bag of Kingsford Professional charcoal. That is all you need.