New Bbq?

[Blackant]

Hi Guys,

Wanted to ask if you were to purchase a new BBQ, what are some of the features, brand, and maintance you would look for?

Right now I am using a natural gas connection, have propane does not matter to me.

 

 

Thanks

 

Black Ant

[vanislander]

Go charcoal The green egg is good ..canadiantire has a cheaper version but still kicks ass it has electric start and you can control the temp comes with a stone for pizza's..no flavour like that of charcoal..

[bigalcal]

I like my charcoal Weber kettle! Kinda fun to play with at the "Cutty Hut"!!

[Ricinus]

Can't go wrong with Weber- gas or charcoal..

 

Mike

[screaminreel]

Weber. Broil King was my last one and it lasted 10 years so good also.

[DougC]

I finally got a charcoal (Broil King Keg) this winter and really love it, once you try it you'll never go back to gas. But having said that, my previous bbq was a propane Broil King Signet and it served me really well. Large cooking surface with 3 burners for direct or indirect cooking, a rotisserie with its own burner which I really liked, and enough room under the grates to put a small smoker pouch. You can get it in either propane or natural gas versions as well.

 

[Blackant]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the input. I am not sure about the charcoal BBQs. I have not researched enough about this style. I think the food would end up tasting like the charcoal. I have a natural gas BBQ but is over 10 years old now so its time to upgrade.

Having room for a Smoker pouch is a great idea. Large cooking space is needed, and maybe a rotisserie is a good feature.

 

Thanks

Black Ant

[darrinhurst]

Black Ant,

 

What's your budget? Lots of guys are recommending Weber, etc, and if you're like me, you live on a tight budget. I, for one, can't justify spending $500 or more on a bbq. I would have to cook every meal, every day on the barbecue to justify $1000 on a charcoal grill. I am sure the food tastes great and all, and I am sure that it does provide a unique cooking experience. But as a tool that I use (not as much as I would like to, mind you) on occasion, it's hard to throw that kind of cash at it.

 

What I looked for was something north american made, with good reviews and quality parts with decent cooking space. Most bbq's that we found were made in China, which is where my last bbq was and it lasted +/- 5 years, which isn't great. Barbecues Galore is a great place to see a lot of barbecues at a lot of different price ranges as well and the service was spectacular. If you want to spend a lot of money on a barbecue, then they are the guys to talk to.

 

I ended up getting a Broil Mate from Home Depot for about $350 - $400 which has so far been spectacular. Even cooking, gets hot as hades, even on low setting, and comes with a side burner if needed. I have no issues after two years with it so far and look forward to many more. We have the propane model, but there was a natural gas model available as well for an extra $50 or something silly like that.

 

My two cents.

[bcubed]

Don't have to throw $1000 at a Big Green Egg (which I would LOVE) to go charcoal.

 

Good reviews on this one:

http://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/akorn-kamado-kooker-grillsmoker-red/6000084457919

 

Ive done a little smoking with the pouch on the gas grill and it's a pain in the ass to keep the temperature consistently low.

 

 

I currently have a Broil King, and it's been awesome, but been looking hard at a smoker/charcoal one

[Blackant]

Thanks D-Hurst. You are talking about the price rang I am thinking of for a BBQ. Right now definitely not in the market for a $1000 BBQ.

So the $300-$400 Price range is about right.

Is there a type of grill that is better to cook on? I noticed some of them have a steel grill while others have a thick black rough grill is there any difference?

 

Thanks

 

Black Ant

[bigalcal]

If you want some good advice on BBQ's and anything BBQ, try this website http://www.thesmokering.com . They are very helpful.

[CDone]

If you're gonna go with charcoal, do yourself a favour a get one of these

 

Best investment you can make with charcoal, I can usually get my coals ready in 15 min (about the same amount of time I would let my gas BBQ warm up)

 

Colin

[bigalcal]

I saw those at Costco. $55. I believe.

[darrinhurst]

Thanks D-Hurst. You are talking about the price rang I am thinking of for a BBQ. Right now definitely not in the market for a $1000 BBQ.

So the $300-$400 Price range is about right.

Is there a type of grill that is better to cook on? I noticed some of them have a steel grill while others have a thick black rough grill is there any difference?

 

Thanks

 

Black Ant

I have noticed more and more grills are going to stainless steel grates as opposed to good old fashioned cast iron. The Broil Mate that I picked up has the cast iron, and I haven't had any issues with it. Stainless steel, I've heard, is prone to warping when starting the bbq in cold temperatures. And if you're like me, a little minus 20 weather on a January afternoon isn't going to stop you from that steak you're craving. That said, I really can't see cast iron being any less susceptible to warping from heat changes, so I am not sure how sound that stainless steel theory is.

 

I read a lot of online reviews about the Broil Mate before we finally decided on it. It was down to that or another brand we saw at canadian tire. The deciding factor, for the most part, was the built in North America (US) and the fact they were doing free assembly and a free propane tank at the time. Seemed like a good deal, so we went for it. A TAD more than we initially thought we were spending, but I couldn't be happier. If there was only one thing that I could change about it, would be more storage underneath or on the doors. Other than that, happy as a pig in *hit.....so to speak

[Blackant]

Thanks DHurst for your great input, and sharing your buying process.

Free tank and assembly I think would have sold me as well Yes once I get a good BBQ I will be out cooking a steak in -20 weather.

I have an old can iron grill and it has very little warping.

I noticed the same thing about the stainless steel grills warping, particularly around the hot spots in the BBQ on some of my friends BBQ.

After spending a large amount of money on a BBQ I would not want a warped grill.

Again thanks for sharing.

 

Regards

 

Black Ant

[HyperMike]

I don't know if this helps but I have a 12 year old Vermont Castings gas BBQ (no longer made unfortunately) with enameled cast iron grills and they are the bomb! I know of a couple of people that have had stainless grills warp on them.

 

Cheers,

Mike

[darrinhurst]

Thanks DHurst for your great input, and sharing your buying process.

Free tank and assembly I think would have sold me as well Yes once I get a good BBQ I will be out cooking a steak in -20 weather.

I have an old can iron grill and it has very little warping.

I noticed the same thing about the stainless steel grills warping, particularly around the hot spots in the BBQ on some of my friends BBQ.

After spending a large amount of money on a BBQ I would not want a warped grill.

 

Again thanks for sharing.

 

Regards

 

Black Ant

 

I am pretty sure it was right around this time of year that I bought it from Home Dopey, so keep an eye out for flyers with the same sale. Pretty sure they offer it every year.

 

Darrin

[Weedy1]

I think we need to start a recipe/cooking section on this forum. Every time I look at this thread my mouth starts to water. Mmmmmmmmmm barbecue.

 

I have a natural gas Weber. Used at least twice a week for the last four years, rain, snow or shine. Never cover it, sits outside my patio doors in the snow, fire it up, does the job every time with never any grille warping. Haven't even heard of that before?? The trick to a barbecue lasting is keeping it clean. Extremely clean. Get a good wire brush, not the junk they sell for barbecue and clean it every time you use. Remove the grates, burners, burner deflectors and collector trays periodically and clean them thoroughly. No grease or build up anywhere will go a long ways when cooking food also.

[CanuckCamper]

Check out: http://amazingribs.com/bbq_equipment_reviews_ratings/

[Conor]

I just bought a new grill. I got fascinated by kamado charcoal grilling, and researched a lot. I would love a big green egg but was looking at $1500 to get what I wanted. I am all for quality, but that's a lot of cheddar.

 

I got a chargriller akorn (king griller in Canada). About 1/3 the price and I can learn about how to use it. It won't last my lifetime, but I will have more expendable income when it goes than I do now.

 

I can smoke all night at 250, crank it up to crazy hot temps (1000?), and anything in between. Also, with kamado you just close everything up and the charcoal snuffs, so I only fill it every now and then. Good lump charcoal is very clean, so I only dump the ashes every 5 or 10 cooks. Except for the learning curve, it is very easy to use.

 

Go charcoal. The food blows my mind every time (it just been a few months).

[Garlicmarshmellow]

I noticed the food is way more moist/juicy using the charcoal grill. I got the visions from Canadian tire and the food taste way better