New house new grill.....

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Morbo

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Well with the purchase of my new home I retired my old gas grill that had served me faithfully for many years. Now I'm debating as what to get next and have decided that I want to do charcoal. I'll admit I grill mostly but would like the option of smoking occasionally.

Unfortunately space is somewhat of an issue.

I've been looking at the classic Weber 22.5". I have also found what appears to be a great little product for it known as the Smokenator 1000. Anyone ever used one of these? All the reviews I have read have been great. I loved my gas grills for easy of use and simplicity but I'm feeling the charcoal bug right now.

+ it will leave me with more propane to brew with....
 
+1, Build a UDS and raise the charcoal basket somehow for grilling.

I must say, however, that for great grilling of steaks, etc. nothing beats the ease and temp range of my infrared grill.
 
Get either a small gasser or a used Weber kettle for grilling and build a UDS for smoking. Or do like me and get all 3 plus more. :D
 
Well with the purchase of my new home I retired my old gas grill that had served me faithfully for many years. Now I'm debating as what to get next and have decided that I want to do charcoal. I'll admit I grill mostly but would like the option of smoking occasionally.

Unfortunately space is somewhat of an issue.

I've been looking at the classic Weber 22.5". I have also found what appears to be a great little product for it known as the Smokenator 1000. Anyone ever used one of these? All the reviews I have read have been great. I loved my gas grills for easy of use and simplicity but I'm feeling the charcoal bug right now.

+ it will leave me with more propane to brew with....

If you say that space is an issue go with the Weber; you can smoke and grill plus the thing will last forever. I have the 22.5 Weber, I love it. Actutally got the Smokenator 1000 for Christmas but have yet to put it to use. If you are going to get the Smokenator off of Amazon there is a kit that comes with an extension grate to add some extra room, I think it only a few bucks more. The person who got me mine did not see that so I am going to order it extra. I have always wanted a smoker but I figured this was a cheaper way to see how it went before jumping in with both feet. I have read about the UDS if you are somewhat handy and would smoke a lot that is a good way to go.

Get yourself a chimney I can get my Weber heated up as fast as a gas grill with that baby.
 
I think you'll be happy with the weber 22.5" and the smokenator 1000. I have the weber but not the smokenator, but my initial review of the product makes me think it would work very nicely for smoking with the weber. If I didn't have a separate smoker I'd probably get one of those smokenators.
 
Get a Big Green Egg. It's the most versatile cooker available. You can bake, grill, make a brick oven style pizza, smoke some Que and is a steak cooking machine. There is not much this can't do.

BigGreenEgg.jpg
 
x2 on the BGE or equal.

I bought a big SS grill unit and wish I had just bought a XL BGE instead. my grill can't hold low temps and i don't have a smoker so i am kinda SOL

-=Jason=-
 
Yea, tell me about it. I think the large was about $750, plus $150 more for the stand. Ouch. I'm still thinking about it, but that's a lot of clams. I don't doubt they are great tho.

You only get what you pay for. My neighbor has gone through two kettle grills in the time I have had my X-Large BGE. The kettle grills are not as versatile either. The BGE is a ceramic cooker and should last a lifetime.
 
I just got a big green egg this past october and I am a big fan. I am no great cook, but the egg is so easy at times I feel like I am. Pulled pork, brisket, pizza, wings, burgers, bread.... You can do anything with it. Heck, I even brewed on it.
 
x2 on the BGE or equal.

I bought a big SS grill unit and wish I had just bought a XL BGE instead. my grill can't hold low temps and i don't have a smoker so i am kinda SOL

-=Jason=-

Not that you have to but I use a BBQ Guru and hold temperature for a day and a half with the BGE and BBQ Guru combo.

bbqgsetup.jpg
 
My buddy has a BGE, and that thing is amazing. And I'll be honest, I never thought they were that special, and way overpriced - until I ate some of the food off of it.....
 
My buddy has a BGE, and that thing is amazing. And I'll be honest, I never thought they were that special, and way overpriced - until I ate some of the food off of it.....

You really can't credit the grill for good food too much. Just buying a great grill/smoker/whatever will not just automatically make your food better. While it might make it easier for you to produce quality eats, you still need to know what you are doing and be good at it.
 
I have a weber gold one touch and so far its working out really well as a smoker. Eventually I'll build me a UDS though
 
We'll after much thought and wandering of aisles I've decided what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna pull the trigger on a decent gas grill and pick up one of the famed el cheapo Brinkman smokers. I think I'll have fun modding it anyways. Thanks for all the advice guys. A BGE was tempting but about $300-400 out of my budget. Gas grills are just too cheap to pass up right now. Maybe an UDS will be in my future....
 
I inherited a cast-iron offset smoker from my Dad b/c Mom didn't want two grills on their nice new deck, and he didn't have other space for it. So I went with a very nice gas grill. My choice for gas grill after much research and cooking on several different ones: the Charbroil Red. A very close second choice would be a Weber Genesis; however, for my money the Charbroil Red is just > < much better of a gas grill.

The combo of a premium gas grill and an offset smoker with a few tweaks has done me very well. Speaking of which, it's about time to plan a BBQ/smoke session...been a bit too long. :D
 
A huge +1 on the Big Green Egg! It is the do all daddy of the backyard cookers. I have yet to screw anything up on this badboy. It will outlast the next several gas grills you purchase. It takes about 10 min to get this thing up to cooking temp. It will cruise all day long at 250 if you wish to bbq (almost boring to cook on) or sear steaks at 650 in a snap. We have done pizza, bread, cedar plank salmon, brisket, butts and it has all come out good. You will not regret it.
You can check out the www.nakedwhiz.com or the BGE forum. Freds Music and BBQ supply is another good link.
 
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