OT: BBQ grill recommendations

[climbgdh]

Weber Genesis. Don’t know what model but buy it be Done and done worrying about BBQ’s. I’ve had mine for 11 years and it still is going strong. I’ve had to replace the grills once and also the tenderizers / deflectors once but it works awesome and still looks really good. I do keep it covered when not in use since i live in a VERY rainy climate. I have been looking at smokers but so far haven’t pulled the trigger yet.

[Dekonick]

Originally Posted by old fat man

Spend a few hundred to replace parts on existing one. Those are just as good as a new $800 Weber and with the parts replaced, you'll get another 25+ years from it. We just bbq'd tonight on my parent's Weber that was a house warming gift to them in the mid 80s. The grill has lived outside in New England with a decent cover since new. Food was delicious.

Unless you want to go high end with ceraminc sear zones etc... fix what ya got. It isn't hard, the propane/NG is low pressure so fittings are easy... youtube is your friend

[Steve in SLO]

Stainless steel grill and flavorizer/heat dispersio bars are on the way, picked up some barbecue black paint and Easy Off, and Scotchbrite pads so I am ready for the resto. Now all I need is a day off.

[benb]

I have a Genesis 3xx as well, bought it in 2010, it's holding up incredibly well.

Mine was some kind of oddball special edition. Enameled cast iron top (supposedly better heat retention) but it came with the upgraded stainless steel grates + flavorizer bars.

You will *not* be disappointed with the stainless bars. Mine are about 99% brand new after 10 years. They seem to be totally impervious to wear and they clean up amazingly well. They're really amazing.. I've never seen cast iron grates that don't get really nasty & gunked up after a while.

I do probably need to clean out the inside of the grill cover carefully.

My grill has long burners that run across the width of the grill.. I do think for some kinds of cooking I'd prefer they ran front to back.. Weber seems to switch them every few years. I'd rather 4 burners going front to back to make it easier to leave 1/2 the grill hot & 1/2 medium for doing a meat on one side and vegetables on the other or something like that. The Weber grill pan for example takes up 1 side of a genesis, but the burners go the other way...

[oldguy00]

Weber is great as they are decent quality and very easy to get replacement parts for.
We've had a Spirit 310 (or something like that) for 3 years now. I really don't take care of it or cover it. Just replaced the original grills for the first time as they were looking pretty dirty/worn, $85. Weber also replaced the flavorizer shields for me for free after they warped at the 2 year mark.

I had a Vision egg charcoal grill before this, and I sometimes miss the high heat for grilling steaks and the smell of the charcoal, but it was a pain to clean out, and found it hard to regulate the temperature.

[Joe]

Originally Posted by Steve in SLO

Stainless steel grill and flavorizer/heat dispersio bars are on the way, picked up some barbecue black paint and Easy Off, and Scotchbrite pads so I am ready for the resto. Now all I need is a day off.

Looking forward to pics of the finished product.

[Spinner]

The best gas grills have a lot of mass in the body and in the grates which allows significant heat absorption. This provides heat retention whenever the lid is raised and allows your food to be cooked in part by the heat built up in the device, creating an "oven" effect. The mass of the hot grates also sears whatever is put atop. My 25-year-old Broilmaster fits the bill in this regard.

When I occasionally cook on grills owned by friends that do not have as much mass, I notice that the direct heat of the flame does most of the searing and the food is not as evenly cooked.

I've replaced the stainless steel burner twice since I've owned it, otherwise it has been maintenance free, except for periodic cleaning.

I also have a 40-year-old Weber Kettle grill that I use for smoking ribs and such.

One of the best tools in my grilling arsenal is my Ultimate scale, which allows me to accurately weigh the propane tank to determine how much gas remains for use. All propane tanks are stamped with a Tare Weight (TW) usually between 17 and 18 pounds so that you can easily determine remaining gas volume. Before using the scale, I'm sure I returned tanks that were not fully used. Weighing the tanks also prevents running out of gas in the middle of cooking.

Cheers.

[Steve in SLO]

Here are a few before and after photos of 30 years of neglect (sorry about the upside down and out of order before pic) and a few hours of cleaning and restoration. Lots of oven cleaner, acetone/paint stripper, Scotch-Brite pads and wire wheels followed by BBQ black paint and semi transparent stain. Looks pretty good, I think. Flavorizer bars and grill need to arrive before we use it, but we are looking forward to it!

[p nut]

Wow, that thing spiffed right up! Good decision on restoring instead of buying new!

[Joe]

Looks good!

[josephr]

after 10+ years, finally took my Char-Broil to be recycled....waiting for my tax refund check to get here as I've got my eye on the Weber Spirit ---- probably the 2 burner version for me. Great reviews and looks solid and built to last a long time.

[fmradio516]

ill be grill shopping in a few months to treat myself after we move into our first home. Will probably need a gas Weber as well as something for smoking. undecided what would actually make the most sense to get.

I mainly do long smokes - briskets. I like the offset smokers because thats what im used to but a BGE makes more sense to get since i can do anything with it and its heat retention cant be beat. PIZZAS!

BGE owners - once you get used to it, is it pretty easy to dial in the settings so you get a steady 230F for 12 hrs or so? Kinda like a set and forget until the brisket is done? I assume id fill it with lit charcoal and a few pieces of wood and let it just work. of course with an occasional spritz and a wrap eventually.

[Hardlyrob]

I fifth the Weber Genesis - we have one we bought in 2008 or so, that's still going strong - even with my neglect of it. It is now the "shop" grill at my wife's workshop.

We upgraded to a BBQ island a couple of years ago and put in a Blaze Grill - it is really outstanding with how quickly it heats, temp control, and how long it holds heat. https://www.blazegrills.com/product/4-burner-grill/

[Steve in SLO]

Just a data point on longevity: the Weber Genesis pictured above was bought in July 1989 and spent its first eight years outdoors in Hawaii – think salty, humid air, and has been outdoors since. Never under cover, and this is the first time I’ve touched it to do any maintenance.

[p nut]

Well, Steve SLO, I was browsing random stuff on a local classifieds site. And someone was selling a Genesis Silver for $20. Says works great. But obviously neglected and will need some TLC.
Couldn’t resist so I bought it. I have been charcoal only for a long time. But it’ll be good to have this for hotdogs, smash burger, or other quick cooks. (Burgers will always be charcoal ).

Guess I know what I’m doing for a few hours this Saturday...