In the market for a BBQ grill

[D'z Nutz]

I'm in need of a BBQ grill but really have no idea where to start as to what to look for, what to stay away from, etc.... Maybe someone can offer some helpful advice?

I guess the first thing I'm curious about is when would a good time to get one? Since it's winter now, are stores typically willing to move on the price easily to make a sale or is it the opposite where stock is usually lower at this time of the year (or some stores not even carry them at all)? I'd love to get a grill sooner than later, but if waiting for the spring is a better idea to save money, I'm fine with that.

Are "mega-store" brands usually okay (ie: Canadian Tire/Costco/Home Depot)? What sort of things should I look for and what should I stay away from?

I should mention that I live in a condo, so getting a grill large enough to roast a hippopotamus isn't going to be happening unfortunately. I do have a natural gas line on the balcony though.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[dj_rice]

From what I learned when I bought my BBQ. Weber and Broil King are the brands you want to look for in a long lasting quality BBQ.


I ended up getting a Centro 5800 BBQ from Canadian Tire ONLY cause it was on sale and they had a price glitch. It was supposed to be $699 but I snagged it for $349. After all said and done, it works good, stainless steel BUT there is some hot spots and way too big for my small condo balcony but I couldn't pass up 827 sq/in of grilling space and 80,000 BTU's.


As for where to go, hit up Barbecue Galore. They have Weber/Broil King and Viking Grills and should be able to point you in the right direction.

My suggestion is getting a Broil King Monarch 20 or

http://www.barbecuesgalore.ca/

[ExtraSlow]

Webber has an excellent reputation.

Don't bother with side burners or the extra rotisserie burner. I never use mine.

Cast Iron grill is nice. Holds the heat and sears nice lines in your steak.

[C_Dave45]

Im a firm believer of "you get what you pay for"....HOWEVER...when I went to buy my ultimate BBQ, I started at places like Trail Appliances, BBQ's Galore, etc and I saw prices of two, three up to $5,000 for a BBQ?!!:eek:

Way out of my price range so I went to Canadian Tire and their biggest one (Centro 4 burner with side grill and rotisserie) was $749 (natural gas version) and came with a 5 year warranty. I figured even if it only lasts 5 years, thats still only $150 a year.

Well after having it for four years, I haven't had ONE iota of trouble!! Still going strong. LOVE the BBQ!! I use the rotisserie all the time for chickens and roasts. (I bought the proper attachment).

So..there ya have it. Weber and all those high-end units I'm sure are great....but I'm totally happy with my "bottom of the line" CT special!!

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o312/CalgaryDave/House/PatioBBQJune307.jpg

[black_2.5RS]

I have a Webber Genesis (natgas) and it kicks butt. One thing to note is that Home Depot's Webber grills are slightly different than the ones at Barbecues Galore. Basically the flavour bars and the grates you put your meats on are different.

The ones at BBQ Galore have stainless steel flavour bars and grates and are much thicker - so they hold heat for a longer time and distribute heat a lot more evenly. The ones at Home Depot, Rona and similar (while still good and will last a long time) are cast iron and may rust over time if you use the wrong cleaning brush or through normal wear and tear over time.

Other brands to look at is Napoleon and Vermont Castings. In my opinion, those are the main ones who deliver good / consistent quality and should stick to them.

The ones at Superstore are crap and should be avoided at all cost. My buddy at work bought one and with the heat, it started to bow - which is crazy.

[yellowsnow]

I have the Weber Genesis too :thumbsup: steaks, burgers, chicken cooks really nice and even... it is WAY better than my old 2 burner CT grill.

I bought mine at Sears Home during one of their sales... i ended up getting the floor model for half price. I wanted a nat gas, but all they had was propane... but the deal was too good to pass up. I tried to price match the exact same model at bbq galore, and after the sales lady spoke with her manager, she just said no way, that wasn't remotely possible.

[The_Rural_Juror]

I have a Weber Genesis. The side burner is useful for sauteing mushrooms and stuff.

Cast iron grill in my opinion is better than stainless steel for holding heat and maintenance. They'll rust if you like to scrub the grill after cooking, but all it takes is a brush scrub to get it off. You're supposed to leave the stuff on after cooking and do a burn off before the next meal anyway.

There's a BBQ deals thread at RFD that has a lot of discussions.

Another brand that I would consider is Napoleon (as mentioned above). They make great stuff, and the hood design is pretty good for convection cooking. I'm just not sure about their wavy grill design...I like the straight cross marks on my steak.

It's better to spend $1000 on a good grill that'll last 15 years than $300 on a crappy grill that you'll be unhappy with and will need to replace every 3 years.

Cast Iron vs Stainless Steel (http://bbq.about.com/od/grills/f/f060704a.htm)

[spikerS]

I currently have 4 different "BBQs" on my deck, ranging in size and uses. Weber is a great name, no doubt about it, but for the average joe, really not needed. They will age like any other out there, and really, for the price you pay, not really worth it for the average joe.

The things I will point the average joe to would be this:

1) get a stainless steel grill. Yes they are a bitch to keep clean, but they don't rust either. In my opinion, a greasy BBQ is the sign of an enthusiast.

2) get ceramic grill inserts for your grill to cook on. So much easier to clean, will hold some heat, and don't rust, while still being hard as fuck.

now, with that said, really, you should decide WHAT you want to cook most often. depending on what you are cooking, you may be better to get an actual BBQ, rather than a grille. People get the 2 confused all the time. A Grill is a propane or natural gas cooking apparatus, while a REAL BBQ uses only charcoal or briquettes.

If all you really are going to cook is steaks, hotdogs and burgers, a grill is probably best, and in most scenarios for the average joe, a grill is the best.

However, should you decide to take your cooking to a whole new level, I would invest in a BBQ / Smoker. I have 2 of these. I have a bullet smoker and an offset BBQ / smoker. To be honest, I can even cook the same frozen burger on my offset over charcoal, and another on my LP grille, and the charcoal burger wins EVERY TIME! The down fall to a charcoal BBQ is time. it is not as simple as light a match and get the gas going. It takes me 30+ mins to get my smokers going, and that is before I start putting meat on it.

It is a trade off either way you look at it. Grilles cook your food faster, but sacrifice taste. Smokers / BBQs cook better food, but they are not really good for a go on a whim type meal, they take some planning.

best part is, a lot of smokers are cheaper than LP grilles, and if you host a lot of dinners, your guests will love it!

let me know if there are any other questions I can answer.

[D'z Nutz]

That's awesome, thanks for all the info guys!

[sputnik]

I have a 6 year old mid-range Broil King and it is still going strong.

Make sure you get something hot (100 BTU per square inch of grill) and heavy uncoated cast iron grilles.

A good BBQ is only as good as its heat and its grille. Brand names like Weber don't necessarily give you a better BBQ.

[ExtraSlow]

Originally posted by spikers get a stainless steel grill. Not this
Originally posted by sputnik Make sure you get . . . heavy uncoated cast iron grilles. This.

I'm a big fan of cast iron. People say it gets rusty, but I that's only a concern if you wash it. Cast iron needs to stay a little greasy, which means it's prefect for a lazzy person. Just scrape off the chunks and you are good to go.
look up "seasoning a cast iron grille" for more info.

[DENZILDON]

I also bought a centro gas grill from canadian tire but I only got the $450 two falls seasons ago. Never had a single problem. And the good part was, since it was fall they had some specials and the girl in the cashier said oh, you get a $20 canadian tire store credit. Ends up it was $100 bucks in the card. :thumbsup:

[sputnik]

Originally posted by ExtraSlow
I'm a big fan of cast iron. People say it gets rusty, but I that's only a concern if you wash it. Cast iron needs to stay a little greasy, which means it's prefect for a lazzy person. Just scrape off the chunks and you are good to go.
look up "seasoning a cast iron grille" for more info.

Exactly. My grill gets a bit rusty naturally if I don't use it for a while.

All I do is fire up the BBQ and the oils that have penetrated the cast iron quickly come out and the rust is gone. If the grill is dry after heating I just take some peanut oil or vegetable oil and brush it directly onto the hot grill to help season it.

Cast iron is the best surface too cook on.

[Sapo]

I got Napoleon Prestige with ceramic infrared side burner which provides additional cooking space and intense infrared heat.
Did I mention stainless steel cooking grids? Beauty! No flareups!

[D'z Nutz]

Originally posted by sputnik


Exactly. My grill gets a bit rusty naturally if I don't use it for a while.

All I do is fire up the BBQ and the oils that have penetrated the cast iron quickly come out and the rust is gone. If the grill is dry after heating I just take some peanut oil or vegetable oil and brush it directly onto the hot grill to help season it.

Cast iron is the best surface too cook on.

Yeah, I'm definitely a fan of cast iron, so good call on that. I probably would've overlooked that had it not been mentioned. Rust isn't that big of a concern to me since I typically brush vegetable oil on anyways.

[88CRX]

The mid level $250ish Broil King will last forever. And like other said don't bother with a side burner. It's always way too windy to even use.

If you want to spend a little more then the base Weber will actually last forever.

Don't bother with a massive 10 burner stainless bbq that takes half an hour and half a tank to warm up.

[Weapon_R]

The weber Q300 is what I have and it's a great bbq. It's not pretty, but the construction is as solid as any bbq I've seen and the size makes it perfect for smaller homes. The cooking area has enough room to cook for a whole family at once, and the heat is distributed right to the very edges so you don't lose any cooking space. I found it at Home Depot on one of their promos for $300.

[HuMz]

I went with the Charcoal weber one-touch gold BBQ and absolutely love it. I find the taste better then propane or gas and its perfect if space is limited.

I also bought the weber chimney starter which ignites the coals ready to cook in about 15 minutes in -15 degree weather. (Haven't had a chance to use it in nice weather yet).

It was also under $200 from BBQ galore and the chimney starter was around $20.

[Bizzareo]

Check out Bass Pro shop in cross Iron, they have some sweet BBQ's and smokers... Obviously find something that suits your deck, but BBQ's can last you 10+ years, so the investment into a nicer one is noticeable..

A big thing is to buy the cover, we don't have a wet climate, but a cheaper BBQ will rust after some time...

Also keep it clean. And enjoy =D

[r3ccOs]

I'm a charcoal guy, but I also compete and have placed well in the PNWBA, very well in fact... 3rd overall in Ribs and that's thanks to my Weber Bullet

For grills, I personally suggest Weber as well... you can keep a genesis for a lifetime, as parts are easily available through them.

Broil King/Sterling/Broil Mate are all the same manufacturors, and for a mid-line grill, they offer great value for dollar...
Honestly if you're looking @ Broil King, might as well go to Home Depot to get a Broil Mate instead.

but in the line of Vermont Castings/Weber/Blue Ember, they're all quite good

[89coupe]

I have a Kenmore Elite, seems to the job just fine. It fit on my condo balcony just fine as well.

http://www.designsanew.com/steakdinner/IMG_3104.jpg

Oh, the cast iron grills ;)

http://www.designsanew.com/steakdinner/IMG_3106.jpg

[lint]

http://www.biggreenegg.ca/

7zwXiisPW5E

[CapnCrunch]

Originally posted by D'z Nutz


Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Here's my advice. Understand what you plan on using it for.

Are you planning on grilling ricotta stuffed lamb shanks via indirect heat?

Or are you throwing on hot dogs and burgers once in a while.

I have a buddy that spent $7000 on a bbq and it was used once (by me).

[D'z Nutz]

Bump! I was out doing errands yesterday and just happened to pass Barbecues Galore by chance and decided to stop in to have a quick look. The guy did such a great sales pitch and went through about 10 different models as well as grilling tips for about 20-30 minutes that I ended up walking out with a new BBQ an hour later:

Broil King Signet 20:
http://www.barbecuesgalore.ca/cooking.bpsx?CookingID=4

Their summer special included a grilling basket, cover, brush, tongs, chicken stand, and a LED flashlight that attaches onto the handle.





Originally posted by Bizzareo
Check out Bass Pro shop in cross Iron, they have some sweet BBQ's and smokers...

I went up there one day and can't say I really found anything that suited my needs there. They had way more smokers than BBQs. In fact, they probably only had a handful of BBQs versus almost the entire floor of smokers.

[93mr2gt]

Canadiantire had the Weber Spirit on for 50% off about 2 weeks ago.....i wish i would have bought it....

http://www.redflagdeals.com/deals/main.php/alldeals/comments/canadian_tire_weber_spirit_e310_series_3_burner_36000_btu_natural_gas_bbq_3/#

[beecue]

20% of all BBQ $299+ at Home Depot right now.

[Guillermo]

Originally posted by D'z Nutz
Bump! I was out doing errands yesterday and just happened to pass Barbecues Galore by chance and decided to stop in to have a quick look. The guy did such a great sales pitch and went through about 10 different models as well as grilling tips for about 20-30 minutes that I ended up walking out with a new BBQ an hour later:

Broil King Signet 20:
http://www.barbecuesgalore.ca/cooking.bpsx?CookingID=4

Their summer special included a grilling basket, cover, brush, tongs, chicken stand, and a LED flashlight that attaches onto the handle.

that's what we have man, it's great! although mine didn't come with all of the cool stuff you got - i had to buy an LED and rotisserie separately (i think it came to like $80) :cry: :cry: :cry:

[dj_rice]

Congrats, thats a nice quality BBQ you got. Should last you your lifetime

[msommers]

Those porcelin cast iron grills are the bomb! Shit maybe I'll have to go over there now. Damn you D :rofl:

[roopi]

Home Depot has 20% off until the 13th on all BBQ's.

[Khyron]

Haha I used this thread to look at BBQs last week and bought the same unit - Signet 20 from bbqs galore. I didn't even try the others.

It IS cast iron grills, not porcelain, regardless of what the website says so oil them well.

[D'z Nutz]

Yeah I think I made a mistake on the LED flashlight. It was on the demo unit but it didn't come in my package, nor does it say anywhere that it's supposed to come with it.

haha i'm trying to assemble it now in the dark balcony in between commercials and intermission :rofl:

[Euro_Trash]

Originally posted by beecue
20% of all BBQ $299+ at Home Depot right now.

Yeaaah just picked up a new Weber :thumbsup:

[The_Rural_Juror]

I want to upgrade my 6 month old Weber Genesis. :(

[roopi]

Originally posted by Euro_Trash


Yeaaah just picked up a new Weber :thumbsup:

Which one? I picked up the Genesis yesterday and tried it out today. Much better than my old $300 superstore special.

[Euro_Trash]

Originally posted by roopi


Which one? I picked up the Genesis yesterday and tried it out today. Much better than my old $300 superstore special.

The Genesis also - they were sold out in store so I won't be picking mine up for a couple weeks

[Euro_Trash]

Originally posted by The_Rural_Juror
I want to upgrade my 6 month old Weber Genesis. :(

You don't like it?

[The_Rural_Juror]

I love it, but I would love to have a few more burners to get it up to a higher searing temperature quicker.

The new models have the traditional North/South burner layout, which I don't like as much, but that creates more counter space by moving the buttons to the front.

The Summits and BK Imperials look nice. :)

[K3RMiTdot]

Originally posted by D'z Nutz
Bump! I was out doing errands yesterday and just happened to pass Barbecues Galore by chance and decided to stop in to have a quick look. The guy did such a great sales pitch and went through about 10 different models as well as grilling tips for about 20-30 minutes that I ended up walking out with a new BBQ an hour later:

Broil King Signet 20:
http://www.barbecuesgalore.ca/cooking.bpsx?CookingID=4

Their summer special included a grilling basket, cover, brush, tongs, chicken stand, and a LED flashlight that attaches onto the handle.


still going on?!?!

[lilmira]

I think they have the same deal every summer. The same model at Rona is usually 50 bucks cheaper. However, the ones at Rona have plastic shelves while the ones at BBQs Galore have stainless finish. So for 50 bucks more, you get a bunch of accessories and stainless shelves.

[Jeremiah]

If you buy at Home Depot do they come assembled?

[beecue]

No, assembly is $40. I think it was free during the 20% off sale.

[Jeremiah]

Damn and I'm assuming it's over now?

[pho88]

Originally posted by Jeremiah
Damn and I'm assuming it's over now?

Last year, the %20 off bbq sale at home depot happened several times over the spring/summer season, so just keep an eye out on the website or flyers.

[bigbadboss101]

20% off back on.

[eblend]

Definately 20% off is on right now. Bought 3 bbqs today, 1 for a friend and 2 for me and my dad. We got the 200 dollar special, but they don't seem to be too good, made in china ect,so i will most likely be returning mine. I got my dad a broil-mate since it's made in the USA, but I am not sure if he will like it, or if I should get him a signet 90. I like the look of the broil mate more, but the broil-king has one of those movable top shelfs that my dad likes, so might buy him a broilking and keep the broilmate for myself.

Anyone compare a broilking to a broilmate, i know they are the same company, trying to decide if it's really worth it (300 dollar difference..) in this case.

[WhippWhapp]

BGE... nuff said!

[93mr2gt]

How are blue ember and coleman BBQs?

[ExtraSlow]

Originally posted by WhippWhapp
BGE... nuff said! where in Calgary sells those?

[bigbadboss101]

I checked consumers reports. Some of the Char Boiled has good ratings, some Webers, and even Kenmore.

[Colin_R6]

I picked up a Broil King Keg yesterday! BKK (http://www.bigsteelkeg.com/)

Whats the general consensus about charcoal? Briquettes or Lump? Any brands better than others?

I can't wait to start doing briskets, pork shoulders and ribs! So excited!!

Big Green Eggs are way too expensive, they charge you for the nest (stand) as well as the side tables and all the other crap too. BKK came with that stuff and was still $150 cheaper. Plus I like the seal on the BKK better than the felt pos on the BGE.

(Bought the BKK at BBQ Galore. They price matched it to Home Hardware ($750).

Edit: Just fired her up and seasoning the grill! Bought a bag of Dragon Fire and a bag of Royal. Going to get my folks to bring me up different brands from the US when they come back! Oh it smells so good!

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n151/kidkool50/IMAG0057.jpg

[bignerd]

Superstore has all their bbq's 50% off, some pretty nice ones for $180...

[spikerS]

Originally posted by Colin_R6
I picked up a Broil King Keg yesterday! BKK (http://www.bigsteelkeg.com/)

Whats the general consensus about charcoal? Briquettes or Lump? Any brands better than others?

I can't wait to start doing briskets, pork shoulders and ribs! So excited!!

Big Green Eggs are way too expensive, they charge you for the nest (stand) as well as the side tables and all the other crap too. BKK came with that stuff and was still $150 cheaper. Plus I like the seal on the BKK better than the felt pos on the BGE.

(Bought the BKK at BBQ Galore. They price matched it to Home Hardware ($750).

The Keg is pretty awesome, especially for our climate. I have hear of the green eggs cracking in our rapid freezing and thaw cycles. and they just cost too much to shrug your shoulders at that.

Been cooking on the keg for a few months now, and it works fantastic! you are going to love it.

Personally, I never use briquettes, I always use lump, and my preference is dragon's breath. like $18/bag at BBQs galore.

[sillysod]

I don't have a Keg, but use my Weber charcoal with just normal briquettes (royal oak) from CDN Tire. It works great and I find that the lump charcoal tends to like to fall through the grate a lot.

But I just like the tase of charcoal grill sometimes I am not really hardcore about it.

For gas I have the Napoleon twin lid and it's the best grill I've ever owned. I bought it strictly for its size. We have a lot of people over and I ended up running out of room on our old broil kings.



Originally posted by beecue
No, assembly is $40. I think it was free during the 20% off sale.

DO NOT BUY AN ASSEMBLED BBQ. most of the time they aren't put together properly and you will end up just having to try and fix it yourself. THe problem is by the time you figure out something is coming loose you will have probably already bent/damaged something.