I need a new gas grill

[Maxman]

What should I buy?

[faba]

Ask Tailgate Joe

[JustInFudge]

What should I buy?

 

If I were you, I'd buy a grill that runs on gas. 

[The Crusher]

What should I buy?

 

If you want something really awesome and expensive you should probably ask Tailgate Joe.  If you want one that is rather reasonable and will last awhile if you cover it I found Webers to be durable.  If you just want one for a few years then just go grab one from in front of Lowes.  Well not just grab probably want to pay for it.  

[RutgersJetFan]

Webers last forever and have the best layout for smooth, even burning, which is key for propane. Durability is advantageous when you live in a spot with sh*tty winters. They are, however, very pricey.

Char Grills and the other brands will get you by, but the burners are going to be very uneven so your first couple BBQs may be a bit of a pain until you figure out where the hot spots are.

Look, it's a propane grill. End of the day, what matters way more is how you cook when it comes to propane, not the grill. You can make some amazing sh*t with even a sh*tty propane grill. So don't stress if you don't have a grand to spend on a BBQ. A $200 Char Grill can get you by just fine.

But, if you CAN afford it, Weber all the way. And at the end of the day the cost is going to even out, because you'll go through 2-3 sh*tty grills in the time it takes you to go through 1 Weber.

[Fishooked]

Char-Broil is sh*t, don't buy one. Kept the damn thing covered all the time and the ******* thing is rusting from the inside out. 

 

POS 

[joewilly12]

Weber Genesis is the best if and when you need parts they are readily available when I bought my new one I got it with cast iron cooking grates. 

[RutgersJetFan]

Char-Broil is sh*t, don't buy one. Kept the damn thing covered all the time and the ******* thing is rusting from the inside out. 

 

POS 

 

I've had a Char-Griller 3001 for about 3 years now. I'll probably get one more summer out of it. For under $200 I think it's the best you're going to get in that price range. The grates are porcelain coated cast iron which is a huge plus and something you normally see on higher priced models. I'm very wary of cheaper stainless steel models because it's always too good to be true with them. It's a decent enough surface area to pair with my smoker when we cook for company, but the hot zones are incredibly uneven which makes things a real pain when I just want to let things cook. But, you get what you pay for.

 

One of these days we'll spring for a Weber model that I can connect over to the natural gas line. That's the dream right there. Problem is I've always made cheaper grills work so well that I'd rather take the extra $600 and use it for a vacation or something.

[joewilly12]

Max check these out I may add one to my arsenal for outdoor cooking. 

 

http://www.kamadojoe.com/index.php

[JoeC36]

What should I buy?

 

Im in the minority here, but I have a Coleman Roadtrip that I use for everything and have had it since 2010, its been great to me. We use it at home. It comes to all the games with me and gets heavy use. My dad takes it to work and camping with him. 

 

It's about $150, has the porceline covered cast iron grates and folds up to fit in your car. 

 

It's been good enough to my family that my mother has talked about buying a second one just to have. 

[Bugg]

Weber Genesis is the best if and when you need parts they are readily available when I bought my new one I got it with cast iron cooking grates. 

True. One grill is about 6-7 years, replaced most of the guts no problem,works fine.  2nd grill at the home away from home withstood several feet of seawater in Hurricane Sandy and still works, but upgraded  that to a bigger Genesis to hook it up direct to the house instead of tanks. But someone else has taken and is using that old  model (around 4 years old) and it works fine. Only issue I have had is new Genesis 3 burner model hooked up to house gas main does blow out on a windy day. Which is the SOP if you don't use tanks. 

[joewilly12]

So did you buy a grill yet?  If not heres another suggestion 

 

[Larz]

my webber is 15 years old and even the damn ignitor still works !  I just had to replace some of the "flavorizer" things, they rotted away

 

get the cover to go with it

[Larz]

I've had a Char-Griller 3001 for about 3 years now. I'll probably get one more summer out of it. For under $200 I think it's the best you're going to get in that price range. The grates are porcelain coated cast iron which is a huge plus and something you normally see on higher priced models. I'm very wary of cheaper stainless steel models because it's always too good to be true with them. It's a decent enough surface area to pair with my smoker when we cook for company, but the hot zones are incredibly uneven which makes things a real pain when I just want to let things cook. But, you get what you pay for.

 

One of these days we'll spring for a Weber model that I can connect over to the natural gas line. That's the dream right there. Problem is I've always made cheaper grills work so well that I'd rather take the extra $600 and use it for a vacation or something.

 

 

some  regulators that come with the grill usually runs at higher pressure than typical residential style low pressure regulators

 

of course if you just grill hamburgers and hot dogs it won't matter

[Lil Bit Special]

Bought a Weber last month.  Genesis E-330. Absolutely love it.  Food cooks quicker.  Evenly.  Im loving it so far.

[Maxman]

Thanks for all the info.

Would love to buy a Weber and I know it will last longer. Just can't swing it right now. Damn kids tuition. Weber will have to wait.

[Kleckineau]

Thanks for all the info.

Would love to buy a Weber and I know it will last longer. Just can't swing it right now. Damn kids tuition. Weber will have to wait.

Take a look at Vermont Castings. Mine is 12 yrs old and just wont quit. When I bought it it cost about 20% less than a Weber but cant say for sure if they are less or more today.

[Lil Bit Special]

Thanks for all the info.

Would love to buy a Weber and I know it will last longer. Just can't swing it right now. Damn kids tuition. Weber will have to wait.

 

 

maybe someone needs to start a gofundme page....  it would be sad to see such a wonderful man like yourself go without a top notch grill  because of finances.  especially with the year you had.

 

or start banning people and have them pay a re-entry fee... you'll have the money you need by the weekend.

 

or sell out to scout.

[Integrity28]

Weber Genesis, stainless steel grill with searing station. 

[Maxman]

maybe someone needs to start a gofundme page....  it would be sad to see such a wonderful man like yourself go without a top notch grill  because of finances.  especially with the year you had.

 

or start banning people and have them pay a re-entry fee... you'll have the money you need by the weekend.

 

or sell out to scout.

 

LOL. 

[Jetman_67]

We aren't allowed use gas or charcoal grills in our condo, so we use this and do a ton of marinating. 

[munchmemory]

Forget gas grills if you're on a budget.  Go solar.  Functional, energy efficient, and dang sure a conversation starter.

 

[Integrity28]

We aren't allowed use gas or charcoal grills in our condo, so we use this and do a ton of marinating. 

 

 

I had one of those when I lived in an apartment. I hated it.

 

I ended up getting rid of it, and getting a Weber Smokey Joe (portable) and finding a park where we could go grill and picnic. Then I bought a cast iron grill/skillet for grilling at home. I found that cast iron skillet cooked more evenly (especially with the metal press thingy to put on top of the meat) and seared the meat much better.

[JerryK]

If you want the "superdy-duper gas-o-matic 2000" There are some great posts here from knowledgeable people.  I respect their opinions.  People like Joe are pros, and their opinions on the good stuff are correct.

 

I'm going to be a contrarian and argue for a simpler cheaper one, if you're a normal married dad who typically cooks dinner in a hurry.  Don't get the very bottom-tier model, go up a step and pay about 150.  I get the first model with cast-iron grates.  Those wire grates are crap, so this is an upgrade worth having.

 

If you're really going to USE a side burner, you're a better man than I am.  I've owned 2 gas grills in the last 15 years, both with side burners. Neither side burner has ever -- ever -- been turned on.  Not even to test it out.

 

Round gas grills will piss you off.  Even if there is something better about circles, my brain can organize food better on a rectangle.

 

As they say in the worst movie my 3 sons ever had to watch --  Let it go!  Gas grills all get crappy dirty and nasty.   I can replace mine every 4-5 years and it always looks good.  I think that's better than having to nurse an expensive one along because I paid a ton for it.

[Integrity28]

If you want the "superdy-duper gas-o-matic 2000" There are some great posts here from knowledgeable people. I respect their opinions. People like Joe are pros and their opinions on the good stuff are correct.

I'm going to be a contrarian and argue for a simpler cheaper one, if you're a normal married dad who typically cooks dinner in a hurry. Don't get the very bottom-tier model, go up a step and pay about 150. I get the first model with cast-iron grates. Those wire grates are crap so this is an upgrade worth having.

If you're really going to use a side burner you're a better man than I am. I have my second grill in the last 15 years, and neither side burner has ever -- ever -- been turned on. Not even to test it out.

Round gas grills will piss you off. Even if there is something better about them, my brain can organize food better on a rectangle.

As they say in the worst movie my 3 sons ever had to watch -- Let it go! Gas grills all get crappy dirty and nasty. I can replace mine every 4-5 years and it always looks good. I think that's better than having to nurse an expensive one along because I paid a ton for it.

Additionally, if you look at the Consumer Reports ratings, specifically at different rating categories, I'm sure you can get a very good grill for less than a Weber. If I recall the Charbroil infrared series had a couple strong models, but some duds too. Be mindful if which you end up with.

[joebabyny]

Well, yeah, Weber is the gold standard in home grills and they are priced at the upper end of affordable mid range. They have 3 lines, Spirit, Genesis, and Summit. I have cooked on all 3. I would not advise anyone to go for the cheap Spirit line. The Summit was a pleasure to cook on and the Genesis was no slouch. A quick look on Lowes website shows the cheapest Genesis at $700. I still cook weekly on a 18 year old Genesis, but I am skeptical the newer ones will last quite that long.

 

I have heard very good things about the Broil King line that Lowes carries. They are a Canadian company, so at least they aren't chinese made crap. The value pick is their Broil King Baron 4 burner with 40,000 btus at $500 (forget the stainless clad version and save yourself $100).

 

In all honesty, going below the $500 mark will probably leave you with something that won't last very long. Of course, there is always charcoal if you want to go old school.

[joebabyny]

So did you buy a grill yet?  If not heres another suggestion 

 

 

Some of my first tailgates before "TailgateJoe" came to be were fed by these disposable grills.

[Maxman]

Well, yeah, Weber is the gold standard in home grills and they are priced at the upper end of affordable mid range. They have 3 lines, Spirit, Genesis, and Summit. I have cooked on all 3. I would not advise anyone to go for the cheap Spirit line. The Summit was a pleasure to cook on and the Genesis was no slouch. A quick look on Lowes website shows the cheapest Genesis at $700. I still cook weekly on a 18 year old Genesis, but I am skeptical the newer ones will last quite that long.

 

I have heard very good things about the Broil King line that Lowes carries. They are a Canadian company, so at least they aren't chinese made crap. The value pick is their Broil King Baron 4 burner with 40,000 btus at $500 (forget the stainless clad version and save yourself $100).

 

In all honesty, going below the $500 mark will probably leave you with something that won't last very long. Of course, there is always charcoal if you want to go old school.

 

Damn Jerry had me going on the entry level side. Then you brought me back to Weber and then back to the mid range all in one post, lol.

[Maxman]

Well, yeah, Weber is the gold standard in home grills and they are priced at the upper end of affordable mid range. They have 3 lines, Spirit, Genesis, and Summit. I have cooked on all 3. I would not advise anyone to go for the cheap Spirit line. The Summit was a pleasure to cook on and the Genesis was no slouch. A quick look on Lowes website shows the cheapest Genesis at $700. I still cook weekly on a 18 year old Genesis, but I am skeptical the newer ones will last quite that long.

 

I have heard very good things about the Broil King line that Lowes carries. They are a Canadian company, so at least they aren't chinese made crap. The value pick is their Broil King Baron 4 burner with 40,000 btus at $500 (forget the stainless clad version and save yourself $100).

 

In all honesty, going below the $500 mark will probably leave you with something that won't last very long. Of course, there is always charcoal if you want to go old school.

 

And Joe I might have to take you grill shopping with me.  

[Smashmouth]

Max If I were you I would look into this grill linked below. Huntington is a great grill and every bit as good as the way way over priced Webers. Webers are the king of the low end gas grills but IMO are over rated.

 

http://www.abt.com/product/92209/Huntington-612389.html?utm_source=scfrooglepla&utm_medium=sc&utm_campaign=612389&kwid=productads-plaid^51320962143-sku^92209-adType^PLA-device^c-adid^68858810782

 

I had a Huntington before I bought my built in Fire Magic grill and it was fantastic . I had it for a while and it showed no real wear and tear and I beat up my grills pretty good. I don't think you can go wrong for the price at 429.00 I promise you wont be disappointed. I gave my Huntington to a friend who loves it so its still going strong

 

http://www.huntingtonbbq.com/series.php

[joebabyny]

And Joe I might have to take you grill shopping with me.

Any time!

[Integrity28]

So did you buy a grill yet?  If not heres another suggestion 

 

 

 

Some of my first tailgates before "TailgateJoe" came to be were fed by these disposable grills.

 

 

I used to work in an italian restaurant out on LI. During the summer, I'd go out to the parking lot behind it, make a ring of empty sauce can (the big ones) around a catering tray full of charcoal, then we'd lay an oven rack over it, and MacGyver-grill some of the best sh*t... 

[adb280z]

I have a weber e-330 but would definitely look at Napoleon grills, a friend has this one: http://www.amazon.com/Napoleon-LEX485RSIBPSS-Propane-Gas-Grill/dp/B00SZRL8LU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1436587044&sr=8-2&keywords=napoleon+grills and I have to say it looks great.