School me on gas grills

Macdaddy4738

Macdaddy4738

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2005
I've been a charcoal person all my life, but I live alone now, and sometimes I just don't want to wait for 30 minutes+ for the grill to heat up.

I've decided to look at gas grills for the first time, but I don't really know whos best/worst in the gas grill world. If it was charcoal, its Weber. I've looked at Weber's line up (particularly the Q series), and I do like them, but I wonder if there are other options out there.

A few requirements....I need it to have wheels. Not those tiny ones that are made to simply move it around on the deck. I need to store this thing inside, and I need to roll it up/down a wheelchair ramp that's out back. I'd like to be able to use it to smoke at least for the time being. I think this requires more than one burner? Eventually I'd like to invest in a Weber smokey mountain, but thats a ways off. I've been looking at smaller portable models, simply because I do not need a ton of cook space because its just myself. I figure they will use less gas to heat up anyways.

Any suggestions?
 
30 minutes to heat up a charcoal grill? I get the coals fired up with a Weber chimney and in 10 - 15 minutes the food is going over hot coals.
 
I had the chargriller trio. It is the duo with the side fire box. I was impressed with the gas grill side of it and lowes sells the gas only side for about $140 around here. Its not the best constructed grill, but the three burners put out some decent heat for a reasonable price.

I assume you are looking for something on a budget, but posting a price range would help.
 
I picked one of these from Lowes 2 summers ago. I freakin love this thing! There's a smoker attachment for it too, but I've yet to get one.
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Don't put too much money into a fancy grill. They don't last much longer than the cheap gas grills.

Wait until later in the summer/early fall, they'll be on sale after labor day. Lowe's, etc, are in the business of selling grills, not storing them until next season.
 
I'm a charcoal person, but I bought my mom a char broil stainless infrared gas grill last year on sale at lowes and it works awesomely. There is no comparison to a lava rock grill...no flameups, gets as hot as charcoal and quick, and I have no doubt it will last 5-10 years.
 
I've got a Weber Silver B that was handed down to me when the father-in-law NEEDED a new one. And by needed, I mean he wanted a stainless steel one. I've been using it probably 5 years, and he had it several years before that. The grates and burners are still like new, and everything on it is still in perfect condition. It sits outside uncovered at the edge of my covered porch. Collects pollen, dust, and rain on a very regular basis.
 
I don't think you can smoke on a Q grill. The ones i've seen only have one burner that heats the entire grate . If you want to grill and smoke, I would recomend a grill w 3 or 4 stainless burners. Grilling small things for yourself you could use just 1 or 2 burners and switching around which ones you use might make it last longer. W 4 burners you can light the 2 outer ones and smoke in the middle, or one outer and smoke larger meats long and slow. I see alot of the new gas grills have low lids that would barely hold a Beer Can Chicken upright w/o it hitting the top when you close it. That's no good either IMO. I agree w kaiser wait till they go onsale and you might get a steal on a grill that's been outside all summer and has a little rust or one w some dents etc ( haggle w the manager ). You can replace rusty hardware cheap and sand/paint rusty sheetmetal w grill paint and still have a decent grill.
 
I bought a Weber gas grill from Home Depot about 15 years ago. The ones from Home Depot come with cast iron grates (at least they did back then). I still use the grill today! The only thing I have done is change the porcelain flavorizer bars with stainless steel ones about 5 or 6 years ago. Other than that it works as good as the day I bought it. I also have a Weber charcoal grill, a Big Drum Smoker, a Gator Pit BBQ pit, and a Bandera Smoker. Sometimes it is just easier to load up the smoker box with chips and click the starter for a quick burger or chicken.
 
I prefer cast iron over porcelan covered grates. The porcelan coated grates are fine for a while but they become impossible to clean after stuff gets baked on them and food will stick to the residue that you can't remove. Stainless steel grates are nice too but not cheap.
 
mommucked said:
I prefer cast iron over porcelan covered grates. The porcelan coated grates are fine for a while but they become impossible to clean after stuff gets baked on them and food will stick to the residue that you can't remove. Stainless steel grates are nice too but not cheap.
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Agree, the cast iron grates clean so easy. The trick is to not clean or "burn them off" when you finish cooking. Instead let the crud stay on until the next cook. THEN burn it off. It will keep that nice non stick cast iron patina just like a good cast iron skillet.
 
shawn said:
We bought a Weber baby-Q for the trailer. We need to buy a second one so that one can live in the trailer and one can live at the house.

My wife can't grill squat, so she would have to come down to the doghouse if she wants some of my grilled/smoked goodies :lol:
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mommucked said:
I prefer cast iron over porcelan covered grates. The porcelan coated grates are fine for a while but they become impossible to clean after stuff gets baked on them and food will stick to the residue that you can't remove. Stainless steel grates are nice too but not cheap.
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I'm reverse on this. I like my Porcelain coated Cast Iron. Cleans easy. After cooking, I leave the grill. Leave all the crap on it and everything. Then the next time I fire it up, I get the coals good and hot, spread my grates out over the heat and get them good an hot, then wire brush the crust off. My porcelain is still shiny and new looking. The heat has killed any bad stuff and whatever happens to be left on the grates is called seasoning. just like a well seasoned skillet. Granted I could do the same with cast iron, but I've seen bare cast iron eventually burn through. The porcelain coated cast iron seems to be holding up much better than any other grate I've used.
 
Macdaddy4738 said:
That's exactly what I was looking at. They make a Q series with two burners, but the arrangement doesn't really work for smoking. I'd rather have a simple gas grill and invest in the smoker later.
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I would suggest getting a smaller heavy built grill & then find a smoker later if you wasn't it. Propane lasts alot longer and food cooks alot faster when the grill isn't bigger then you need.
 
I like my Jenn-Air. Stainless steel grates are nice, but I'm am like mbalbritton and don't clean them off until the meat goes on. Lifetime replacement on most of the parts. Probably one of the nicest things I actually own, but i didn't buy it....... Intercepted it on the way to the dump.
 
I think I'm gonna go with the Weber Q series. Seems to fit my needs for now. I think one of my main issues is that I am sadly outgrowing my beloved Smokey Joe. Its just too small for me now. Might need to upload the charcoal grill as well. I've been looking at the Weber Performer Series. Its a little more than I really need right now, but a grill really isn't something you buy for a year or two, its supposed to be a lifetime investment if taken care of.
 
I would spend a bit more and buy a multiple tube burner grill. I know the Q has great reveiws but they aren't cheap either and not nearly as flexable as a larger grill that will do what the Q can and much more, like feed a crowd or just yourself and a friend and grill, smoke, roast, and get hot faster than the Qs, though Qs are more portable for sure.
 
mommucked said:
I would spend a bit more and buy a multiple tube burner grill. I know the Q has great reveiws but they aren't cheap either and not nearly as flexable as a larger grill that will do what the Q can and much more, like feed a crowd or just yourself and a friend and grill, smoke, roast, and get hot faster than the Qs, though Qs are more portable for sure.
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After some more research, I am beginning to agree. Im leaning more towards the Weber Spirit E-310 now. Steep price tag, between 4-500$$, but Weber stuff is worth it. I'm a little worried about size of the casters though. I'd really like to have larger wheels on it (like the size in the picture mbalbritton posted). I have to move it from my storage room off my living room, through the dining room and down a wheel chair ramp to my paver stone pathway out back. I don't think anything besides the Q line is designed to be moved around like this.
 
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