Help in choosing a Charcoal Grill!? ALL comments/opinions ++

Any type of high heat grill.

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Who makes the best Charcoal Grill & Why?

Weber
24
73%
Big Green Egg
3
9%
Blue Rhino
0
No votes
Bodum
0
No votes
Brinkman
0
No votes
Broil King
0
No votes
Bull Outdoor Products
0
No votes
Char-Broil
0
No votes
Char-Griller
1
3%
Cobb
0
No votes
Fire Sense
0
No votes
Hasty-Bake
3
9%
Kingsford
0
No votes
Marsh Allen
0
No votes
Napoleon
1
3%
Viking
1
3%
 
Total votes: 33
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Help in choosing a Charcoal Grill!? ALL comments/opinions ++

Postby savage_007 » Sun Mar 24, 2013 7:15 pm

Hi ALL!

I have just got my first new place! No more roommates!

I am in the market for a new Charcoal Grill, I currently have a 18.5" Weber that has been abused and used...It has got to go! The previous roommates have abused and destroyed this poor lil guy so on to the NEXT!

I am not opposed to another Weber, however I want the opinions of all you Pitmasters and seasoned grillers!

Please feel FREE to give the pros and cons of Weber's and any other grills you have had experiences with. I have seen the Big Green Egg and some others....

I welcome ALL comments, recommendations, experiences, trials and errors you have had! The more info I can gather the better I can move forward on choosing my next grill!!

Thank you so much for your time, I look forward to reading/learning from you ALL...

Let the discussion BEGIN!!!

Cheers!!
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Re: Help in choosing a Charcoal Grill!? ALL comments/opinion

Postby 3 star redneck » Sun Mar 24, 2013 7:27 pm

IMHO....this is a very broad and extensive poll.....cause your gonna get 100 different answers.....I think the best grill/cooker for you....is the one that you like, feel confident cooking on, and is in your budget......Having said that , there are several on your list that are great and very worthy machines.....I, personally have owned several of these over the yrs....(more than i needed), :dont: ...But for me I always seem to gravitate back to the Weber Kettle or WSM......they just fit into my still of cooking......I also am very fond of the Pellet cookers...As I own a Traeger.....so Im curious to watch this thread grow and the diversity of owners were gonna hear from......Hope you have success on your grill journey..... :mrgreen:
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Re: Help in choosing a Charcoal Grill!? ALL comments/opinion

Postby Big Ed » Sun Mar 24, 2013 8:19 pm

You cant go wrong with a weber!They're affordable,they last a long time and they cook real good!!!!
Can't Beat A Drum!!!

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Re: Help in choosing a Charcoal Grill!? ALL comments/opinion

Postby savage_007 » Sun Mar 24, 2013 8:41 pm

3 star redneck wrote:IMHO....this is a very broad and extensive poll.....cause your gonna get 100 different answers.....I think the best grill/cooker for you....is the one that you like, feel confident cooking on, and is in your budget......Having said that , there are several on your list that are great and very worthy machines.....I, personally have owned several of these over the yrs....(more than i needed), :dont: ...But for me I always seem to gravitate back to the Weber Kettle or WSM......they just fit into my still of cooking......I also am very fond of the Pellet cookers...As I own a Traeger.....so Im curious to watch this thread grow and the diversity of owners were gonna hear from......Hope you have success on your grill journey..... :mrgreen:


Thank you very much!

I realize this is a bit broad, I wish to compile as much information as I can..I am okay with the diversity in answers as long as they are constructive and others actual experiences.

I have used the Weber myself and agree that they are very GOOD, I am a little disappointed with their quality these days, I am 30 but the old one my dad has from the 70's is MUCH MUCH better construction wise. The one I am dumping barely lasted 5 years with roommates and moderate use.

Budget is not so much a concern, I want quality and in order to find that without buying every brand I listed, I have decided to come ask fellow pitmasters that have already experienced or use ANY other quality QUE!

Thanks again, I desire to recieve the response I am looking for and also hope to build an excellent THREAD at the same time! :mrgreen:

Thank you 3 star redneck, happy bbq'ing!!! and again any pros cons and your major findings would be of GREAT HELP to my decision and this THREAD!!
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Re: Help in choosing a Charcoal Grill!? ALL comments/opinion

Postby savage_007 » Sun Mar 24, 2013 8:49 pm

Big Ed wrote:You cant go wrong with a weber!They're affordable,they last a long time and they cook real good!!!!


Hey Big Ed

Thank you for your input! :D I have used a Weber 18.5" since moving out of the folks, it lasted about 5 years with me, living with knuckleheads who don't care about your equipment seemed to shorten it's poor life...

What were/are your major deciding factors in a Charcoal Grill?

Here's what I have asked myself and hope to get answered from fellow grillers such as yourself:

1. Major problems or concerns that cheap grills have? (my case the Weber was unable to handle moderate use and 5 roommates that would leave the lid off, ect.)

2. What do we really WANT in a grill?

3. Who makes the best Charcoal Grills? (Not to concerned with price as I would like to buy a quality grill that will bring me years of perfect Tri-Tips! :wink: )

Any of these you would care to answer I would GREATLY appreciate! ALL are welcome to chime in!! Let's get this thread full of useful information!!

Thank you again Big Ed!!
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Re: Help in choosing a Charcoal Grill!? ALL comments/opinion

Postby RWBTEX » Sun Mar 24, 2013 8:52 pm

Also depends on hiow much and how often you want to cook and for how many on a regular basis.
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Re: Help in choosing a Charcoal Grill!? ALL comments/opinion

Postby savage_007 » Sun Mar 24, 2013 9:07 pm

RWBTEX wrote:Also depends on hiow much and how often you want to cook and for how many on a regular basis.


I am a moderate cooker...I have no problem cooking rain or shine, anywhere from myself to 10 people.

What do you use and what have you found to suit your needs the best?

What factors did you consider when choosing your grill?

I realize I may be a bit vague but I would love any and all input from everyone! It my first house and it's MINE so any information for this NEWBIE based on your experiences would be of great help in making an educated decision!

Thanks for joining the thread RWBTEX

Give me your thoughts, problems you have encountered, what benefits you look for as these will ALL help me, and OTHERS in future purchases!

Happy grilling!!
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Re: Help in choosing a Charcoal Grill!? ALL comments/opinion

Postby Big Ed » Sun Mar 24, 2013 9:20 pm

I know if you keep the weber out of the elements it will last a long time. I have a weber lid on my UDS that has a wooden handle, probably close to 15 years old! I can't speak for the rest of the grills on your list but I know a couple guys who swear by their Hasty Bakes as well!!!Good luck on your decision!!
Can't Beat A Drum!!!

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Water Tower pit
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Help in choosing a Charcoal Grill!? ALL comments/opinions ++

Postby NPayne1 » Sun Mar 24, 2013 9:37 pm

In my opinion, there is no such thing as an all around pit. I recommend buying many pits...but this isn't always practical. The weber is nice, I've owned a few. If u keep them covered and clean, they will last a good while. I'm actually in the market for the BIG weber myself...u know, the one that has like a 4' across grilling surface. It's going to sick! You can also always go with a homemade pit...sometimes they are the best! Just my 0.02
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Re: Help in choosing a Charcoal Grill!? ALL comments/opinion

Postby Jarhead » Sun Mar 24, 2013 9:53 pm

savage_007 wrote:I am a moderate cooker...I have no problem cooking rain or shine, anywhere from myself to 10 people.

I have had or have everything from the Smoky Joe to the New 26-3/4.
I gave my 18 to my boy. I sure miss it.
Since I mostly grill for one (Me), that was my go to grill. It is now the 22.
The 26 is great for low and slow. Plenty of room on it. I have yet to get a chance to put it to the test of how much or how many it will cook for. Can't wait for warmer weather to find out.
Can you tell that I'm a Weber Guy? Great customer service, IF you should ever need it. And you can get replacement parts for the older ones, except wood handles. (hint, hint Weber)
I haven't had any experience with the others you have listed. My first grill was a WM piece of junk that lasted one year before it fell apart.
My oldest Weber is a "K" (1988) That be the 22-1/2". Best advice is to get a cover for it and keep the ashes cleaned out of it.
Good luck with your decision and we are looking forward to your upcoming cooks.
Take a look at your local CraigsList. I got the 22" grill for $20 and my 18" WSM for $40.. Shop prices. Lowes will price match plus 10% AND if you are a veteran, you get an additional 10% off. My 22" WSM was $285 out the door.
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Re: Help in choosing a Charcoal Grill!? ALL comments/opinion

Postby CypertJ » Sun Mar 24, 2013 10:06 pm

The big question to ask yourself is...

What am I going to cook on this grill?

Personally, I have cooked on a Brinkman offset for the better part of 10 yrs. I also had a cheap weber knock off during the early years which served me well until a storm chunked out across the pasture. I replaced it with a 18.5 weber kettle (which has served its purpose well), but will probably be replaced with a 22.5. My cooking needs have changed as my family has grown, and my cooking has grown into more of a hobby than a necessity. I'm currently building a large trailer pit for large cooks and comps, I also plan on building a UDS for small cooks at home.

I agree that it is best to have several cookers, as each of them will be a little better at one thing over the other.

You have to decide what you want to cook first, then pick the best grill based on what is best for you. Sounds like a 22.5 Weber might do the trick though, add a UDS and you should be set for up to 10 people.

Just my opinion, sorry for being long winded.

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Re: Help in choosing a Charcoal Grill!? ALL comments/opinion

Postby erbeman » Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:20 am

I'll tell you this, if you go to bbq competitions and look around at what everyone has, you will see they all have a smoker of some sort, and a 22.5 inch weber grill. I mean you will see that in probably 80% of the teams, and the ones that don't have one, have some sort of grill built on to their smoker, so they don't need a Weber.

I have always been big into grilling. I have been using propane grills though since I started grilling simply because of the ease of use. I have a big fat daddy Blue Ember gas grill that cost me $900 4 years ago that I have been in love with. I have recently gotten to bug to learn to smoke meat and have been learning quite a bit. I learned about the Weber grill from Redneck and Ed, so as advised by Ed, I kept watching Craiglist till I found one used that was local for $30. Last night was my first cook on it. I went and got a bag of charcoal and a bag of hickory chips and took aim at a Tri-tip, as you can see in my post here http://www.texasbbqforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=21128. This was the best piece of meat that I have ever cooked. It was amazing and Tri-tip isn't even a high quality cut. While my wife started eating it she said that it was so good and that she really wasn't very excited when I told her I was cooking Tri-tip because she didn't think it was all that great last time I cooked it, which was on my gas grill. So, my little $30 weber with about 25 pieces of charcoal and a handfull of wood chips produced a piece of meat that was far superior than my big fancy gas grill. So, its obvious to me, you can't go wrong with a Weber.
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Re: Help in choosing a Charcoal Grill!? ALL comments/opinion

Postby k.a.m. » Tue Mar 26, 2013 6:47 am

If I could only have one grill it would be a 22.5" or bigger Weber Kettle. Once you get used to it smoking meat on it is as easy as any other so it is a very versatile piece of equipment that is built to last.
Always remember slow and steady wins the race.



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Re: Help in choosing a Charcoal Grill!? ALL comments/opinion

Postby Davidtxs » Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:38 am

HANDS DOWN on the 22.5 weber you cxan smoke grill whatever Plus if ya ever build a UDS the lid will double and be a uds lid too
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Re: Help in choosing a Charcoal Grill!? ALL comments/opinion

Postby jagged » Tue Mar 26, 2013 1:46 pm

i also recommend the 22.5 Weber, i've had mine for nine or ten years now and use it all year round.
good luck in your choice.


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