My wife decided that we should get a new, "better" gas barbeque when we move to the new house. Our basic Sunbeam 2-burner is 12 years old and works fine for what we do with it but I wouldn't mind having a new one. (Still haven't gotten around to cleaning out the lines on this one in all that time.)

Does anybody have any ideas as to what features to look for or what brands are better or worse? Other than a built in fridge for beer, which would be awfully expensive to run in the summer heat, I can't think of anything. Will research at some point but figured this would be an easy way to start.

The size of the cooking area is important.
The bigger it is, the more you can cook at the same time.

If you can swing it....go with an all stainless-steel model. I've had to replace two decent sized 'Qs over the last ten years because they literally rotted away (but I cook outdoors more than I do indoors).

I'm looking at a smaller Jenn-Air right now that will fill the bill:

http://tinyurl.com/cja5m

There are a few other's out there, but Jenn-Air makes some pretty decent 'Qs....cast brass burners (wont rot away), and all Stainless construction. JMHO

Go with a real Grill! A Weber Gold Series Charcoal Grill is the only grill in my mind. I would never even think of using gas on good food. Buying steak and cooking it on a gas grill is like buying a box of Cubans and storing them in the fridge! It is just wrong! LOL Anyway I will get off my no gas kick now!

Actually, I thought the same thing about gas grills until I cooked on my neighbors about ten years ago...If you get some Lava rocks, or the ceramic briquettes they sell and season them well, the results are just about identical (read...cook a bunch of stuff on them so the drippings infuse the rocks.....nice greasy ribs work well). They also help diffuse the heat.

In addition, one trick I picked was to use a container that can take the heat (I have an old cast iron "trough" - but a pie-tin works too) that I put Mesquite & Hickory chunks and a little water in, and place it off to the side of the grill. It gives off just the right amount of smoke as the chunks burn down, and when I'm done and it cools down...I just dump the ashes out of the trough and I'm done....works well...especially if you cook with the lid closed.

The more you use them, the better the food tastes.

For the REAL 'Q....I have a ceramic smoker.

Thats cool. Just bustin chops. I had a gas for along time and to me nothing tastes like charcoal with alittle hickory or mesquite mixed in.

Neighbour's gas bbq breaks down. He's too cheap to get a new one.

Now he's poisoning me with his briquettes which he HAS to light with starter fluid. Smells like a tail pipe of a badly tuned bus.


Maybe I should get him an electric starter and give it to him over a cigar chat. Hmmmm.


BTW. Nothing like steak grilled over maple & birch embers. That will be next week on my fishing trip. Depends on the forest fire index.

Saul, I may not know much about cigars (except which ones I like), but I can tell you about outdoor grills. I live in Arizona also, grill about 3-4 times per week when I'm home. Get the largest stainless grill you can afford. It'll help when you want to cook something slow. Just turn on one end and put the ribs on the other and let it cook really slowly all afternoon...just call me to come over and test them for you...My grill is about 36" wide, 3 burner and I wish I had one a little bit wider. Anyway, go with some name that's been around for a while, like Ducane or something like that. Bar-B-Q Hut or Bar-B-Q Galore are the places to hit in our area. They will be warranted for about 15 or 20 years, and they will work flawlessly for a long time. I have a built in with a marble top on the cabinet. I love it and have had it for almost 3 years now. Be sure to get a rotisserie (motorized). You won't regret that little add on, I promise! Don't forget to call me when you get ready to test it!

Randy

I'm not a big fan of gas grills. While they are nice in a pinch, oak pit bbq is the only way to go!

bbq=smoke
grilling=gas
went with a traeger pellet fuel... flavored with any well almost any type of wood. this pit is the kind

i like the webber bbg's unless you really want to spend big coin. they are a lil pricey but last forever. one thing to remember saul, if you dont mind gas, then dont go throught e trouble of another kind of bbq. too much work.
also, if you yake care of a bbq(clean it, cover it with a good cover) even a cheap one will last long.

I have the standard 200 cheap CharBroil grill. It was good until about 2 months ago when both the drip tray and burner both rotted away and broke. Thing is the grill is so old they don't make drip trays for it anymore So who knows how long my burner will last. I don't really have the space for a big stainless one, however, I will still probably get one for later. I hope those hold up longer then the one I have.

I normally grill 3 to 5 days a week. Any meat gets cooked on the grill, can't do an electric cooked steak..blah. I think they are good investments, quick to warm up, quick to cook.

The link in that one post is perfect for me