Gas grill recomendations

[chachee52]

So I was doing a little spring cleaning and started cleaning the grill out and the burner was all rotted out. I tried buying a universal kit, but didn't really fit. I bought this grill about 6 years ago for $89 so it owes me nothing and was thinking that this would be a good time to get a new grill!!
So my budget is $400, any recomendations? Not looking for anything super fancy just something that grills. Side burner is no important, the only time i remember using the one that I have no is during the ice storm to heat up water for coffee and tea for my wife.
Thanks in advance!

[Chainsaw13]

I love my Weber gas grill. I got it at Home Depot a few years back. Was a floor sample with a missing wheel. The guy grabbed a new wheel from the part section, plus a spare. Got them to also knock another $50 off. I think I paid $250 for it.

[T.G]

Hard to beat the durability of the Weber Genesis gas grills, but I don't really care for their left to right burner design which makes having a cool zone rather difficult, I much prefer front to back burner design when dealing with gas (which isn't often, thankfully).

I would suggest checking if there is a BBQ Galore dealer in your area and seeing if they still carry/manufacture the more modestly priced units. I have one of their old 4-burner Cook-On grills, which was fantastic as a gas grill, I used the heck out of it for years, I would typically burn about 20lb of propane a month until I got tired of food that didn't have any flavor.

I also hear good things about the higher end Brinkmann stuff, but I haven't used them that much to form any real opinion.

The grill guy on about.com actually seems to have some solid reviews and I noticed that he will call a grill out for being junk or poorly designed, unlike some of the other reviewers there. http://bbq.about.com/od/grills/u/equipment.htm

[Chainsaw13]

Originally Posted by T.G

Hard to beat the durability of the Weber Genesis gas grills, but I don't really care for their left to right burner design which makes having a cool zone rather difficult, I much prefer front to back burner design when dealing with gas (which isn't often, thankfully).

That would be my only complaint about my Weber. But then I usually don't cook that much food, so I will only have the front two burners running and can use the back for a cool zone if needed. But I would prefer side to side burners.

[T.G]

Originally Posted by Chainsaw13

That would be my only complaint about my Weber. But then I usually don't cook that much food, so I will only have the front two burners running and can use the back for a cool zone if needed. But I would prefer side to side burners.

At least you have the three burner and you can do that (which is how I've done it too). I had to use a two burner once - I'm glad it was just burgers, dogs and sausage, anything else that would have required better temp control and a cool zone would have been somewhere between a royal PITA and impossible.

[GoatLocker]

Originally Posted by T.G

Hard to beat the durability of the Weber Genesis gas grills, but I don't really care for their left to right burner design which makes having a cool zone rather difficult, I much prefer front to back burner design when dealing with gas (which isn't often, thankfully).

Weber has updated the Genesis line with front to back burners for 2011. Also, knobs are on the front (since the manifold was moved there). I'm looking at the 330 and trying to decide between the old model for $100 off and the new one. I guess the old left-right burners are preferred by those who use the rotissierie, the new one should be a bit better for grilling. I never use a rotisserie, so I'm leaning toward the new. Or a BBQ island...

[T.G]

Originally Posted by GoatLocker

Weber has updated the Genesis line with front to back burners for 2011. Also, knobs are on the front (since the manifold was moved there). I'm looking at the 330 and trying to decide between the old model for $100 off and the new one. I guess the old left-right burners are preferred by those who use the rotissierie, the new one should be a bit better for grilling. I never use a rotisserie, so I'm leaning toward the new. Or a BBQ island...

I did not realize that, thanks for the update.

Looking at their website now - so it looks like the Spirit line still uses the old left-right design. Actually, the spirit line looks almost exactly like the old genesis line, just renamed.

[mithrilG60]

Originally Posted by T.G

Hard to beat the durability of the Weber Genesis gas grills, but I don't really care for their left to right burner design which makes having a cool zone rather difficult, I much prefer front to back burner design when dealing with gas.

QFT, especially the left to right burner design. That design also means the left side is ofter cooler than the right

My wife gave me a 4-burner Napoleon P450RB grill last year for my birthday and it's AMAZING. Same quality and durability as Weber w/ a lifetime warranty on all the SS parts and burner box. Very hot and even, the outer two burners wrap around the back to form a U shape which lets you turn down/off the centre burner to create an direct heat zone that covers about 80% of the grill surface. The rotisserie burner is amazing and the rotisserie kit was included.

I am given to understand that Napoleon isn't as common down in the US (it's a Canadian company out of Barrie, Ontario) but it's well worth it if you can find them!

[hammondc]

Weber.

/Close thread.

[mosesbotbol]

Not sure what Weber's top series is, but it's sure darn nice and a smaller size one should be in your budget. I would checkout craigslist for one as well.

[GolfNut]

Buy another $89/6 year grill again. Spend the balance on booze, steaks and cigars!

[ArgusP2]

Originally Posted by GolfNut

Buy another $89/6 year grill again. Spend the balance on booze, steaks and cigars!

[boom]

Love my Weber .... had it for about 10yrs now

[longknocker]

I Just Bought A MHP Grill From The Gas Company. A Little More Expensive, But Lifetime Warranty! I Love It!

[Bill86]

We have a Ducane, not sure which model. But they are quite nice, this reminds me it could use a good cleaning.

[chachee52]

The Weber Genisis 320 is one on the top of my list right now.
I looked and don't have a BBQ galor around me anywhere.

[OLS]

Originally Posted by chachee52

So my budget is $400, any recomendations?

I can hear the can opener and the wriggling! Someone has popped a can of worms.
personally, for $125 I would go with a Char-Griller available at many area homestores now.
Even with mine, the no firebox having unit, I can smoke meat indirectly, and I have a variable
height adjustment on the coals tray/grate that I can raise WAY up to cook a steak, medium
for chicken and low for smoking and it really does it all and won't break the bank. HOWEVER,
this IS a charcoal grill. They make them in gas, but I am describing a charcoal grill.
Some folks won't play that.

[tupacboy]

weber, weber, or weber...

[tupacboy]

check ace hardware and sears near you if you have one... they were on clearance last week...

[SvilleKid]

I tend to go with GolfNut!!! I've had $600 grill that lasted 12 years (with solid, cast iron burners that I replaced every year with cheap replacement burners after year 8). When I sent it to the metal recycler, the exterior (all stainless steel) was still in great shape. However, replacing the 3 "H-shaped" burners at $20-25 each got expensive real fast. My best friend has a Weber? with solid brass burners. Lifetime warranty on burners. Year 8 or 9, two of the three burners are shot, and need replacement. We both grill A LOT! probably at least twice a week on average, but not unusual for either of us to grill 3-4 times (or more) a week), so we are heavy users - to the point that I use a 100 lb bottle for my grill! On replacement , I purchased a floor model Char-grill with a few bumps. Got $60 knocked off, it was already assembled. Has a side burner that I'd never had before, but have to admit I have used it enough to appreciate having it. No infrared, but I have a big wood burning grill for smoking, so I don't use the gas grill for longer time-frame type cooking.

I think I have about $110 in the grill I got. It's SS exterior, has four burners, the side "eye" burner, the typical upper level "1/3rd depth" grill for warming? and coated, cast-iron grill surfaces. I've had it for 2-3? years and the burners seem to be in good condition, but they have diffusion shields that tend to keep the basting liquids off the burners, which helps longevity. I actually picked this grill because the burners are single, straight tube type burners, because those are the cheapest to replace, and the easiest to find. If I get 6-7 years of heavy use out of the grill, I'll be happy! And, since I rarely use more than half the grill at any one time, I vary the burners I use, thus giving me the chance at a much longer life.