The Money Mustache Community
General Discussion => Welcome and General Discussion => Topic started by: EchoStache on June 11, 2022, 08:26:51 AM
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Hey gang. As I am in the process of moving and just threw away my delapidated $129 charcoal grille, I thought it would be interesting to discuss this topic for a number of reasons.
In the past, I've purchased really cheap gas grilles. We couldn't afford the more expensive grilles and couldn't fathom who in the world would pay over $500 for a grille, or why anyone would. The cheap ones never lasted long and would rust out after a number of years. Most recently, we have only used a charcoal grille.
What I've learned recently about higher quality grilles is that a well constructed aluminum base such as those made by Weber results in a much longer lasting grille that won't completely rust out. Price point for these is around $5-$600 and up. They come with a 10 year full warranty which is impressive to me. I've basically made up my mind that I will get a Weber in the $500-$1,000 range, rather than a $3-$400 Walmart grille that likely won't last long.
I've also decided on a propane gas grille vs charcoal. My main reasoning for this is the convenience of gas vs charcoal.
I also like that the higher quality grilles have the infrared burner for higher heat when desired.
A few questions that I'm pondering:
1) Is a gas grille more environmentally friendly than charcoal....my gut says yes as charcoal must produce a lot of yucky stuff and propane burns cleaner?
2) Is a high quality Weber grille more Mustachian than a cheap throw away grille?
3) Not considering the initial cost of the grille itself, is the ongoing cost of grilling cheaper with propane or charcoal?
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Hmmm, what's your overall financial situation?
Grills are almost always available used on CL. Replacement parts are usually readily available if needed.
Two of our rentals came with Lynx grills, which are stupid expensive, but they're over 20 years old and still going strong. Would I buy one new? Hell, no!
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I hadn't thought about checking for used.
Edit....in just a few seconds I found a "cheap" but nice and barely used stainless 4 burner grille for $100!
Edit edit....a Weber Summit Gold for $50...I think these are thousands new......crap, Dicey you might have saved me some money :)
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Not only used, check damaged units for sale, or even free.
I received a good quality Vermont Castings gas grill as a gift at least twenty years ago and I've kept it going by replacing parts as needed.
People would rather buy new than fix old, so if you can fix the old you'll save a lot.
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ETA: I read with the screen blown up and didn't realize it was you, @UltraStache! Skip the first question. In fact, given your earning power, feel free to ignore my whole response, lol.
ETA x2: Nevermind. Happy to be of service ;-)
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Haha the challenge now will be convincing the wife to get a used grille that needs a fair bit of work to get in "like new" condition in terms of cleaning, painting, new burner covers, grilling grate if necessary, etc. Although likely worth it for a very very expensive top end grille that would probably still come in under the cost of an entry level Weber, right now we need simple, turn key. We'll see.
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Used Weber is the way to go IMO. The shiny, cheap ones outside of Home Depot last for a season or two.
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About 5 years back I moved into a house with an outside natural gas connection while my old grill was propane. With a bit of Craigslist searching, and patience, I ended up getting a used natural gas Weber Spirit for about $100. It still looks and works as good as the day I bought it.
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I agree with Dicey - spend some time and find a used one. If you take a week or two, you can find a nice one that doesn't require complete and utter overhaul work.
And then once you've done that, shop for a used Big Green Egg. We have a natural gas grill, plus a BGE - and we only use the gas one when we have kids over who need to eat RIGHT NOW. :-)
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We bought a PitBoss pellet smoker/gas grill combo last year. If you're into smoking, as opposed to grilling, a pellet smoker is really the way to go (unless you're up in the huge, wood-fired smoker class.)
I've been smoking for a few years with a propane-heated cheap vertical smoker from HD, and it was very difficult to have it keep temperature. Basically, to make some ribs you had to sit next to it the entire day and be ready to tweak the vents or the burner. Forget about a brisket or something that needs to cook overnight. The pellet smoker keeps temperature automatically. And it's practically impossible to get a sufficiently low, constant temperature with a charcoal grill. The PitBoss is a monster though, it probably weighs 250 lb.
Before that we used a small Weber Q that I bought as a grad student. It was a big investment at that time, but we used that for 17 years or so and it's still fine, having replaced the grating and some other parts. Our neighbor uses it now, on loan.
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2) Is a high quality Weber grille more Mustachian than a cheap throw away grille?
In my experience something like a Weber Spirit E-310 is perfect. I had a cheap grill that I hated so much that I gave it away after a couple of years. I'm on my second Weber, but the first one lasted over 10 years through two owners. Dollars/yr of year round grilling I don't think you can beat an entry level Weber gas grill. Of course feel free to buy a gently used one if you get a good deal on it.
Also, I use my gas grill way more than charcoal. I never use charcoal in the rain but I'll happily use gas.
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Seems like the consensus is that an entry level Weber such is indeed a good value as it will easily last 10-20 years.
The best value is therefore picking up a good used one.
I’ll keep my eyes peeled for a nice gently used Weber.
I’m also seeing that propane/natural gas is at least twice as clean as charcoal, and probably more so as charcoal burns for a long time before and after grilling while also being 2x dirtier. So probably 4x dirtier or more considering long warmup and cool down.
My new house is natural gas but not plumbed for grilling. I expect the cost of running a line for NG would take a while to recoup cost vs propane tanks. Something to think about though.
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My new house is natural gas but not plumbed for grilling. I expect the cost of running a line for NG would take a while to recoup cost vs propane tanks. Something to think about though.
The other thing to think about potentially is what would happen to your natural gas in an emergency. My house has natural gas but I'm happy to keep my propane grill and a spare propane tank in case there is an earthquake.
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The other thing to think about potentially is what would happen to your natural gas in an emergency. My house has natural gas but I'm happy to keep my propane grill and a spare propane tank in case there is an earthquake.
We have had a few house fires here over the last couple of summers as a result of a plumbed-in natural gas BBQ being left on - because the tank never runs dry, they burned and burned until they finally caught the house on fire.
We have a 17-year-old Ducane stainless BBQ that I paid way too much for when I was young and dumb - but it is still going strong and we have replaced the burners twice in that time. Once with the cheapo generics that didn't last too long, and the second time with actual Ducane replacements...haven't had a problem since. We recently acquired a Weber charcoal grill as well, but the gas is our go-to for quick family meals. The charcoal is for those long summer days when we want to put in a bit more time/effort.
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Holy crap NEVER would have considered that potential downside to being plumbed into a never ending supply of gas.
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We bought a dual grill last year - it has a propane side (which I like in case of power outage), a charcoal side, and a smoker. We like it.
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A used Weber is the way to go. They last a long time with proper care. My current used Weber I picked up at a moving sale, 2 tanks propane, all tools, cover, etc. $50. 10 years later it's still going strong but I will have to get new grates soon. The Weber before that was about 15 years old and I only passed it on because it was too small.
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I have a green egg which we love. It's pretty much indestructible and will probably outlast me. It's expensive but you did say 600+.
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I think this belongs in the Antimustachian Wall of Shame and Comedy.
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I think this belongs in the Antimustachian Wall of Shame and Comedy.
The thread quickly steered towards finding a good used Weber for next to nothing that will last 10-20 years. Can you explain your thought process? Even a new one doesn't seem Antimustachian compared to junk grilles in a landfill every few years.
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I think this belongs in the Antimustachian Wall of Shame and Comedy.
The thread quickly steered towards finding a good used Weber for next to nothing that will last 10-20 years. Can you explain your thought process? Even a new one doesn't seem Antimustachian compared to junk grilles in a landfill every few years.
Spending money on stuff you don't need, even if you got a deal on it, is still a waste of money.
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I think this belongs in the Antimustachian Wall of Shame and Comedy.
The thread quickly steered towards finding a good used Weber for next to nothing that will last 10-20 years. Can you explain your thought process? Even a new one doesn't seem Antimustachian compared to junk grilles in a landfill every few years.
Spending money on stuff you don't need, even if you got a deal on it, is still a waste of money.
Thank you for clarifying, I think I understand your point now. So would your stance be that buying an outdoor grille at any price is Antimustachian since one can cook indoors without spending money on a grille at all? Not disagreeing with you if that's your opinion, but I'm not sure I would agree that it is so Antimustachian that it would belong in the Antimustachian Wall of Shame and Comedy thread.
Curious as to how many forum members would lean towards this viewpoint. Everyone has different levels of frugality. I'm glad I made the thread....I might not be keeping an eye out for good used grilles otherwise.
That's what I love about this site...I find things that make me stop and think almost every time I browse. Do I NEED an outdoor grille? Why not cook inside? What has made me automatically think to buy/replace an outdoor grille without even stopping to consider if I should or not? Having an outdoor grille is a cultural norm. Interesting indeed.
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My new house is natural gas but not plumbed for grilling. I expect the cost of running a line for NG would take a while to recoup cost vs propane tanks. Something to think about though.
Depends on the situation. If there is a convenient way to tap into the house natural gas line, running the yellow natural gas flex line is dead easy to DIY.
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Curious as to how many forum members would lean towards this viewpoint. Everyone has different levels of frugality. I'm glad I made the thread....I might not be keeping an eye out for good used grilles otherwise.
My take is that the things that you use are not a waste of money. I use my gas grill way more than I used my charcoal grill. Also, it lets me cook in the summer without heating up the kitchen. You are allowed to spend money on things you value, just like MMM spends money on craft beer.
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Curious as to how many forum members would lean towards this viewpoint. Everyone has different levels of frugality. I'm glad I made the thread....I might not be keeping an eye out for good used grilles otherwise.
My take is that the things that you use are not a waste of money. I use my gas grill way more than I used my charcoal grill. Also, it lets me cook in the summer without heating up the kitchen. You are allowed to spend money on things you value, just like MMM spends money on craft beer.
Plus, a gas grill can be used in an emergency or when the power is out.
I like to save where I can so I can spend on what I want.
I return cans for the 10 cent deposit and collect scrap metal that I sell at the scrap yard. I scrounge free firewood. I also just bought a $350 Filson work jacket. It will last 5-6 years, based on experience.
Do I need it, is it worth it? To me it is.
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Plus, a gas grill can be used in an emergency or when the power is out.
I have a gas stove so that isn't a situation I worry about. Also they sell those 16 oz. Propane Coleman mini stoves if you want a stove back up, much cheaper than those grills with big Propane tanks.
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Plus, a gas grill can be used in an emergency or when the power is out.
I have a gas stove so that isn't a situation I worry about. Also they sell those 16 oz. Propane Coleman mini stoves if you want a stove back up, much cheaper than those grills with big Propane tanks.
That's actually the most expensive way to buy propane.
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I think this belongs in the Antimustachian Wall of Shame and Comedy.
The thread quickly steered towards finding a good used Weber for next to nothing that will last 10-20 years. Can you explain your thought process? Even a new one doesn't seem Antimustachian compared to junk grilles in a landfill every few years.
Spending money on stuff you don't need, even if you got a deal on it, is still a waste of money.
Thank you for clarifying, I think I understand your point now. So would your stance be that buying an outdoor grille at any price is Antimustachian since one can cook indoors without spending money on a grille at all? Not disagreeing with you if that's your opinion, but I'm not sure I would agree that it is so Antimustachian that it would belong in the Antimustachian Wall of Shame and Comedy thread.
Curious as to how many forum members would lean towards this viewpoint. Everyone has different levels of frugality. I'm glad I made the thread....I might not be keeping an eye out for good used grilles otherwise.
That's what I love about this site...I find things that make me stop and think almost every time I browse. Do I NEED an outdoor grille? Why not cook inside? What has made me automatically think to buy/replace an outdoor grille without even stopping to consider if I should or not? Having an outdoor grille is a cultural norm. Interesting indeed.
FWIW, we do a lot of our cooking on a grill during the warmer months because it doesn't heat up the house (we tend to keep our A/C off until it's humid and up around 30). Seems reasonable to me.
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Plus, a gas grill can be used in an emergency or when the power is out.
I have a gas stove so that isn't a situation I worry about. Also they sell those 16 oz. Propane Coleman mini stoves if you want a stove back up, much cheaper than those grills with big Propane tanks.
That's actually the most expensive way to buy propane.
True, but it is emergency use only.
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Plus, a gas grill can be used in an emergency or when the power is out.
I have a gas stove so that isn't a situation I worry about. Also they sell those 16 oz. Propane Coleman mini stoves if you want a stove back up, much cheaper than those grills with big Propane tanks.
For about $15 you can buy a hose to adapt a grill-style propane tank to your Coleman stove.
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How many emergencies are people running into that they need an emergency stove, seems super edge case. I guess no electricity for days on end?
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If it's something I value and I spend money on it, it's smart, but if I don't value it and you spend money on it, it's stupid.
I think some people have a fixed, inflexible, inward looking mindset that cannot be changed or improved.
Anyway, I suspect I won the "cheap grill" lottery. Bought a $160 Char-broil 4+1 gas grill about 6 years ago from Target. I've done a deep clean once or twice, but it still works great, and hasn't disintegrated. But it's probably unlikely a heavier grill user will be as "lucky." If you grill 2 dozen times each summer, and get just 3 years from the $150 grills, you're paying $2 each time you cook. If you get 10 years from the $600 grill, you're paying $2.50 each time you cook. Personally I think the $150 grills are hard to beat, but you are likely contributing more to landfills than if you go for higher quality.
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How many emergencies are people running into that they need an emergency stove, seems super edge case. I guess no electricity for days on end?
Well, I live in Pacific Northwest Megaquake territory, so I like to plan ahead. But just last year we had this ice storm (https://www.koin.com/weather/2021icestorm/gallery-looking-back-at-the-february-2021-ice-storm/) that left one of my friends without power for five days. However in her case she was able to stay in my guest room where I had somewhat miraculously maintained both power and internet.
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How many emergencies are people running into that they need an emergency stove, seems super edge case. I guess no electricity for days on end?
I've gone 7 days with no power, 3 days with no water, and a recommendation to boil water for a few days after, also roads in and out of the community were cut off for days, the stations had no gas, stores were mostly closed (no power), phone lines down and cell towers down, too. That was the worst I've personally experienced in 55 years in the rural NW. It was touted as the worst storm here since the Columbus Day storm in 1962.
So, not an every day occurrence, no. But I was prepared, not like some ultra prepper, just common sense stuff like generator, gas, propane, water, food, candles, emergency radio, wood stove, etc.
This is getting a little off topic, but you asked, and I think it's worth reminding people to stay prepared.
As for gas grills, I would still try to find a free one and just fix it. There's so much free stuff out there! But I like doing that, so ymmv.
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I have a cheap weber charcoal and a Weber Gas grille (Spirit 330 I think, but not sure)
While on the pricier end for gas grilles, I think it's one of my better buys when it comes to "stuff". I grill a lot and year-round, and we have proper winter as well but that doesn't stop med. My only issue is that the ignition-button doesn't work anymore. Maybe easy to fix, but also easy to fire up using a matchstick which is what I've been doing for the better part of a year now. Mine is 10 years old and still going strong, but prob need new grates in a year or two. Mine is outdoors and only cover for the elements is the weber fabric cover.
The gas grille gets a lot more milage than the charcoal one, it's just easier to fire it up and less hassle to use.
I quickly discovered that I need two gas bottles, so Im never out of gas and also uses one all the gas in one bottle before switching. In the very unlikely event that power goes our for an extended time, having some gas available is also a backup. But I happily admit that as I live in a major city the probability of that is very close to zero.
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I think this belongs in the Antimustachian Wall of Shame and Comedy.
The thread quickly steered towards finding a good used Weber for next to nothing that will last 10-20 years. Can you explain your thought process? Even a new one doesn't seem Antimustachian compared to junk grilles in a landfill every few years.
Spending money on stuff you don't need, even if you got a deal on it, is still a waste of money.
You can eat raw food, too, so I take it you don't have a stove?
Life is about more than surviving. How do you define "need"?
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I have a green egg which we love. It's pretty much indestructible and will probably outlast me. It's expensive but you did say 600+.
Green egg or kamado joe for sure! Picked up a kamado joe jr for $199 a few months back. Awesome grill / can do a 3 bone short rib on it.
And to appease the OG MMM - I’d recommend finding a discarded shopping cart. Put wood into the basket and a grate over the top. Voila.
https://www.reddit.com/r/shittyfoodporn/comments/bkkur5/hobo_bbq/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
All in <$7.
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I think this belongs in the Antimustachian Wall of Shame and Comedy.
The thread quickly steered towards finding a good used Weber for next to nothing that will last 10-20 years. Can you explain your thought process? Even a new one doesn't seem Antimustachian compared to junk grilles in a landfill every few years.
Spending money on stuff you don't need, even if you got a deal on it, is still a waste of money.
You can eat raw food, too, so I take it you don't have a stove?
Life is about more than surviving. How do you define "need"?
I have a gas stove, a grill isn't helping me. Also I don't have a private back yard living in a condo complex.
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If I can ever justify spending the money, I'm getting a Blackstone. They cost over $1,000 new, but I see a used one on FB right now for $350, so I'm sure they're easy enough to find. The reason I don't have a grill now is because I prefer cooking on a flattop. It would be nice to be able to cook burgers and not have the whole house stink for the next day.
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If it's something I value and I spend money on it, it's smart, but if I don't value it and you spend money on it, it's stupid.
I think some people have a fixed, inflexible, inward looking mindset that cannot be changed or improved.
Anyway, I suspect I won the "cheap grill" lottery. Bought a $160 Char-broil 4+1 gas grill about 6 years ago from Target. I've done a deep clean once or twice, but it still works great, and hasn't disintegrated. But it's probably unlikely a heavier grill user will be as "lucky." If you grill 2 dozen times each summer, and get just 3 years from the $150 grills, you're paying $2 each time you cook. If you get 10 years from the $600 grill, you're paying $2.50 each time you cook. Personally I think the $150 grills are hard to beat, but you are likely contributing more to landfills than if you go for higher quality.
I had this debate with myself last year, almost a year ago to the day. Ended up with a Char-Broil from Lowe's and it's held up insanely well. We grill 4-5X a week for 7 months out of the year. I went into Home Depot to buy the Weber Spirit 310 after several people recommended it in my journal, the sales associate who was supposed to fetch it from their 30' shelves disappeared and never came back. We got frustrated and went to Lowe's instead and walked out with a Char-Broil for <$199 and couldn't be happier. It shows almost 0 rust.....just keep it covered if it's raining and clean it periodically.
The only way I would spring for an uber nice grill is if I knew I was staying in the same house for 10+ years, otherwise what a hassle to move it.
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If it's something I value and I spend money on it, it's smart, but if I don't value it and you spend money on it, it's stupid.
I think some people have a fixed, inflexible, inward looking mindset that cannot be changed or improved.
Anyway, I suspect I won the "cheap grill" lottery. Bought a $160 Char-broil 4+1 gas grill about 6 years ago from Target. I've done a deep clean once or twice, but it still works great, and hasn't disintegrated. But it's probably unlikely a heavier grill user will be as "lucky." If you grill 2 dozen times each summer, and get just 3 years from the $150 grills, you're paying $2 each time you cook. If you get 10 years from the $600 grill, you're paying $2.50 each time you cook. Personally I think the $150 grills are hard to beat, but you are likely contributing more to landfills than if you go for higher quality.
I had this debate with myself last year, almost a year ago to the day. Ended up with a Char-Broil from Lowe's and it's held up insanely well. We grill 4-5X a week for 7 months out of the year. I went into Home Depot to buy the Weber Spirit 310 after several people recommended it in my journal, the sales associate who was supposed to fetch it from their 30' shelves disappeared and never came back. We got frustrated and went to Lowe's instead and walked out with a Char-Broil for <$199 and couldn't be happier. It shows almost 0 rust.....just keep it covered if it's raining and clean it periodically.
The only way I would spring for an uber nice grill is if I knew I was staying in the same house for 10+ years, otherwise what a hassle to move it.
I have a basic Char-Broil gas grill, 2 main burners and a side burner. It's at least 20 years old. Works great. I did replace the grate last year. I also added a thermometer ($12, drill one hole and screw it in) which helped on cooking slower things like corn and vegetables. The side burner came in handy when we had an ice storm and power was out for 3 days, we were the only neighbors who could make coffee with a french press. $200 with 20 years of service, I am good with that.
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I think this belongs in the Antimustachian Wall of Shame and Comedy.
The thread quickly steered towards finding a good used Weber for next to nothing that will last 10-20 years. Can you explain your thought process? Even a new one doesn't seem Antimustachian compared to junk grilles in a landfill every few years.
Spending money on stuff you don't need, even if you got a deal on it, is still a waste of money.
So you only spend money on needs? The cheapest food to meet your nutritional needs, the smallest shelter imaginable, no vehicles, no money spent on hobbies, no vacations, etc.?
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Spending money on stuff you don't need, even if you got a deal on it, is still a waste of money.
So you only spend money on needs? The cheapest food to meet your nutritional needs, the smallest shelter imaginable, no vehicles, no money spent on hobbies, no vacations, etc.?
I was wondering the same thing, so I started reading through some of Jim's old posts. From what I can tell, he is a real-deal face-punch-giving poster from days gone by that pinches every penny so hard old Abe screams. I'm a card carrying member of the cheap bastard society, and I was impressed.
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Spending money on stuff you don't need, even if you got a deal on it, is still a waste of money.
So you only spend money on needs? The cheapest food to meet your nutritional needs, the smallest shelter imaginable, no vehicles, no money spent on hobbies, no vacations, etc.?
I was wondering the same thing, so I started reading through some of Jim's old posts. From what I can tell, he is a real-deal face-punch-giving poster from days gone by that pinches every penny so hard old Abe screams. I'm a card carrying member of the cheap bastard society, and I was impressed.
Well then I suppose we'll have to wait for the library to open to hear Jim's rebuttal.
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Well then I suppose we'll have to wait for the library to open to hear Jim's rebuttal.
Like I said, I was impressed...
I have been on this since it was the EBB, Emergency Broadband Benefit. Now it is called the ACP. Verizon FIOS 300 is free in my area under the ACP. https://www.affordableconnectivity.gov/do-i-qualify/
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Years ago I had bought a used Weber Genesis and quite liked it. The house I bought a few years ago came with a gigantic high-end gas grill plumbed into the natural gas line - it's utterly spectacular, but no way would I pay the new cost for it (I want to say it's a $3k+ grill?). If I were buying now I would probably go the used Weber route or a Big Green Egg / Kamado Joe / etc style ceramic grill/smoker unit. I have a friend in the southwest who said they're readily available on the used market, but not so much where I am so I don't have one yet.
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Well then I suppose we'll have to wait for the library to open to hear Jim's rebuttal.
Like I said, I was impressed...
I have been on this since it was the EBB, Emergency Broadband Benefit. Now it is called the ACP. Verizon FIOS 300 is free in my area under the ACP. https://www.affordableconnectivity.gov/do-i-qualify/
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No disrespect intended!
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I got an early version of the Camp Chef pellet grill from my dad for Christmas about 4 years ago. It held up great, but the starter isn't catching all the time anymore. So sometimes I need to turn it on and off again a few times. I'm a member of IMBA and it gives us pretty great deals on some company's products and I just discovered Camp Chef is one of those companies. They offer 35%, so I just picked up a $750 SG 24 for $487 + taxes. I'm also excited that it has both smoking and open flame options as that is one thing that I missed from a traditional grill. Also the wifi + app is going to make monitoring heat, etc. much more convenient.
As a side we probably use the pellet grill at least 1-2x a week year round and probably 2-3x a week in the spring/summer/fall. It usually cooks our chicken breast for the weeks for lunch and dinners and something different one weekend evening for dinner as well. We actually might use the pellet grill more than we use our oven.
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I have a gas stove, a grill isn't helping me. Also I don't have a private back yard living in a condo complex.
Well, then clearly there's no point in you getting one. As for us, we grill a lot, and hanging out on the lanai, looking out toward the ocean, with some food on the grill, is relaxing I'm willing to pay a couple hundred for over however many years that grill will last.
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Don't get defensive. We should question cultural norms.
Because let's face it, almost everyone with consumer debt up to their eyeballs can rationalize their choices ("That Sea-doo bought at 18% interest is soooo important to me!")
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Next thing you will all be saying you need that $600 pizza oven.
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So you only spend money on needs? The cheapest food to meet your nutritional needs, the smallest shelter imaginable, no vehicles, no money spent on hobbies, no vacations, etc.?
Small shelter is efficient, I don't need a yard, I hate yard work. Vacations, I'm retired the whole day is a vacation. My Japanese econobox from 2006 still runs so why do I need a new car? Food is cheap if you know how to prepare it mostly from scratch and on sale. ACP Internet is great, 300/300 fiber for $0.
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Next thing you will all be saying you need that $600 pizza oven.
Bacchi yes, OP no not yet.
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I bought a nice grill a few years ago - a Weber, so I know I can basically keep replacing parts and keep it forever - and am very glad I did.
We grill constantly and I also use it as a smoker. I've debated getting a dedicated smoker but the grill does well enough with a little smokebox that I don't think it's worthwhile to do so. Though the temp would certainly be more consistent with a dedicated smoker I'm sure.
It brings me a lot of joy.
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Next thing you will all be saying you need that $600 pizza oven.
The cool thing is . . . if you have a grill of sufficient size, you already have a fantastic pizza oven. We make pizza on the grill all the time, and it comes out really, really good. :P
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Our grill is totally for fun!As is our giant backyard! In the Before Times we had people over pretty often, and it was fun to sit out on the deck and eat burgers. The good old days! But we still enjoy the grill.
(We're retired. We paid cash for the grill.)
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Another reason for not having a grill: being vegan or vegetarian. To make a grill worthwhile seems to mean eating a lot of meat which isn't great for the planet, the animal or the consumer.
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Another reason for not having a grill: being vegan or vegetarian. To make a grill worthwhile seems to mean eating a lot of meat which isn't great for the planet, the animal or the consumer.
We regularly make grilled mixed vegetables on ours . . . zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, bell peppers, etc. Mix with oil, salt, pepper, and maybe some oregano. It's the only way we can get our son to eat zucchini and eggplant.
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Another reason for not having a grill: being vegan or vegetarian. To make a grill worthwhile seems to mean eating a lot of meat which isn't great for the planet, the animal or the consumer.
Vegans and vegetarians use grills all the time and not significantly less than those that eat things that had parents, at least in this household. Kabobs, veggies (grilled asparagus in foil with minced garlic and a little oil or vegan butter might be my fave), pizza, vegan sausages, black bean burgers, etc.
The grill we use isn't high quality ($150 4 burner w/ side burner from Wal-Mart) but we did buy a good cover. Have had for 4 years with no issues. I looked at grills for Father's Day recently and prices have certainly gone up - what I have might be $300ish now. Anyway, not heating up the kitchen more than needed is nice on occasion plus it's nice to be outdoors and not take up space in the kitchen getting in the other person's way.
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Another reason for not having a grill: being vegan or vegetarian. To make a grill worthwhile seems to mean eating a lot of meat which isn't great for the planet, the animal or the consumer.
I grill tons of vegetables -- grilled carrots are particularly awesome, as are grilled green onions. We also grill lettuce, mangos, peaches, garlic scapes, bread, and I'm sure some other stuff I've forgotten about.
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Another reason for not having a grill: being vegan or vegetarian. To make a grill worthwhile seems to mean eating a lot of meat which isn't great for the planet, the animal or the consumer.
Not convinced vegan/vegetarian is healthier than a meat eater who also eats healthy and lives a healthy lifestyle. If one must supplement in order to not be vitamin deficient, that doesn't sound like the healthiest diet.
Vegans/vegetarians as a whole tend to live a healthier lifestyle, more active, don't smoke, don't drink and don't eat a bunch of processed foods. This contributes more to good health than foregoing all animal products, IMO. If there were a study that included equally health minded meat eaters that eat balanced diets with lots of fruits and vegetables, no processed foods, lots of exercise, no smoking and low alcohol consumption, I don't think it would show vegan/vegetarian diet as being healthier.
Hmm, now which grille to get......
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Another reason for not having a grill: being vegan or vegetarian. To make a grill worthwhile seems to mean eating a lot of meat which isn't great for the planet, the animal or the consumer.
Grilled pineapple is perhaps my favorite thing I've ever made on a grill.
Do vegans/vegetarians not eat pineapple? I guess I'd never survive as one.
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Another reason for not having a grill: being vegan or vegetarian. To make a grill worthwhile seems to mean eating a lot of meat which isn't great for the planet, the animal or the consumer.
Grilled pineapple is perhaps my favorite thing I've ever made on a grill.
Do vegans/vegetarians not eat pineapple? I guess I'd never survive as one.
I've grilled almost as much squash and portobello mushrooms on my grill as meat.
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So do all you vegetable-loving and fruit-loving grillers fire the grill up without meat? Or are they side-dishes?
I love grilled veg, but the oven I have in the kitchen (with proper ventilation) does a lovely job on them.
Also, why do outside grills need so much replacement/repair? Are you leaving them uncovered? Not cleaning them so the grease attracts damp and rust? I expect my indoor oven to last me the rest of my life, and I've never had one fail on me.
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So do all you vegetable-loving and fruit-loving grillers fire the grill up without meat? Or are they side-dishes?
When I was vegan I grilled vegan food. Now that I'm an omnivore I usually have some meat going as well.
As to maintenance, in my experience a Weber gas grill will last more than 10 years with zero maintenance, but obviously being outside isn't great for them.
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So do all you vegetable-loving and fruit-loving grillers fire the grill up without meat? Or are they side-dishes?
When I was vegan I grilled vegan food. Now that I'm an omnivore I usually have some meat going as well.
As to maintenance, in my experience a Weber gas grill will last more than 10 years with zero maintenance, but obviously being outside isn't great for them.
The Dynasty grill that that came with my house needed replacement heat plates (the things that hold the ceramic briquettes) - I have no idea how old they were though. The briquettes were also in rough shape so I replaced those as well.
I think most grills see much more wear than ovens due to open flame, grease/oil dripping onto stuff and catching on fire, plus as you said living outside doesn't help.
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Are you leaving them uncovered?
I've always used the cheapo Home Depot ($100-150) grills because I don't cover them and they still seem to last five years or so.
Covering seems like a pain. If you use the grill in the evening, that means letting it all cool down and remembering to go back outside, likely in the dark, to put the cover on it every time I use it. It's a small task, but it's one more thing to do.
However, my dad has a Weber Spirit that he only covers consistently in the winter, and it's been going strong for at least 15 years with some burning replacements. He's mentioned that the body is different (cast aluminum?) so the bottom doesn't rust out like the cheap ones. I'll probably give it some thought when it's time for a new one.
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The cool thing is . . . if you have a grill of sufficient size, you already have a fantastic pizza oven. We make pizza on the grill all the time, and it comes out really, really good. :P
Having an outdoor heating source like a grill is great for all sorts of things. For about $60 in parts* I was able to turn my Weber grill into a deep fryer on par with some commercial units and that doesn't stink up the house when I make french fries.
**$60 in parts, but $80 in peanut oil to fill it up.
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I have a weber charcoal grill that I bought used for super cheap (maybe $40 or so?) at least 8 years ago and it's still in great condition. I don't have a cover, but I'm able to keep it under a sheltered area, and it stays outside all winter. We get lots of use out of it in the summer and it's great for entertaining in the backyard. Don't think I would have paid full price for it, but it has been very worthwhile and I can definitely see the difference in quality compared to cheaper grills I have owned before.
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The cool thing is . . . if you have a grill of sufficient size, you already have a fantastic pizza oven. We make pizza on the grill all the time, and it comes out really, really good. :P
Having an outdoor heating source like a grill is great for all sorts of things. For about $60 in parts* I was able to turn my Weber grill into a deep fryer on par with some commercial units and that doesn't stink up the house when I make french fries.
**$60 in parts, but $80 in peanut oil to fill it up.
That's a lot of fried food!
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Next thing you will all be saying you need that $600 pizza oven.
No, but that's the kind of thing I would make myself when I no longer have to work and have free time. (In fact, I'd probably have welded together my own smoker in that case, too. But it would have been stainless and thus actually have cost more than the one I bought... ;-)
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Anyone use an electric grill outside? Like a gas grill but uses electricity.
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The cool thing is . . . if you have a grill of sufficient size, you already have a fantastic pizza oven. We make pizza on the grill all the time, and it comes out really, really good. :P
Having an outdoor heating source like a grill is great for all sorts of things. For about $60 in parts* I was able to turn my Weber grill into a deep fryer on par with some commercial units and that doesn't stink up the house when I make french fries.
**$60 in parts, but $80 in peanut oil to fill it up.
Dang, that's impressive! Do you drain the peanut oil and reuse it?
We don't eat much fried food, but DH loves the occasional deep fried turkey and we do have an extra BBQ that came with the house...
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Dang, that's impressive! Do you drain the peanut oil and reuse it?
We don't eat much fried food, but DH loves the occasional deep fried turkey and we do have an extra BBQ that came with the house...
Yes, the peanut oil is drained, filtered, and stored in a dark/cool location. I do almost exclusively french fries (i.e., no breaded foods), use 100% peanut oil, and use a fairly low final temp (~330F) so the oil lasts a really long time.
That's a lot of fried food!
Absolutely. French fries done right take about three days to make (1: Potato soak, 2: Cook, 3: Clean-up) so if I'm making them, half the block is eating fries that day.
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First responding to the massive amount of naysaying about getting a nice grill:
Propane/gas grills honestly gross me out. I feel like I can taste the propane/gas sometimes and the smell of it when cooking is just unpleasant to me. I don't enjoy briskets done on these types of grills in the slightest. I have similar issues with charcoal grills that use briquettes and liquid starter fluid - just not a fan of the taste of the meat/result when doing briskets, etc. So for me lump charcoal is the only option.
I like meat. If someone offered me $40,000 per year for the rest of my life to become vegan, I would turn them down in a heartbeat because I know I couldn't do it. Considering I'm currently wearing tennis shoes at the office that are probably ~12 years old and have holes in them and driving a car that's over 100,000 miles and my breakfast was quaker oats made using the hot water from the office coffee machine.....this should be pretty telling as to the enjoyment I get out of eating meat. If they offered $150,000 per year, I'd probably *try* to do it but I honestly would likely cheat/give up within a couple of years. So for me the whole argument here about vegan being better for the planet is kind of missing the mark that some people just really enjoy eating meat. I'll give up a heckuva lot of things for the planet long before I give up meat. And switching to vegan is really, really hard for many people.
I live in a hurricane-prone area. Typically our hurricane plan revolves around the fact that I can have a brisket in the fridge ready to go and if the power goes out, slap that on the grill and 24 hours later have 11 lbs of meat ready to share with my family and the neighbors behind me. The neighbors behind me have a generator and can keep their fridge going so they'd have sides available to eat with the brisket. It's worked out quite well for the last few hurricanes/major outages. And I save on garage space for not having a generator. And I'm not one of the guys in line for an hour trying to get gas before a hurricane hits. And I don't have to have my non-existent generator serviced/repaired like other neighbors. And my home insurance pays me to refill my fridge with a simple insurance claim and no deductible for this claim (and, no they haven't raised my home insurance premiums due to this). So this method works out pretty well for me to mitigate/manage the risks of power outages during hurricanes. Such cookouts are common in this area.
Also, having a grill enables me to effectively utilize the space in my house very efficiently when hosting major events. By putting some kind of meat and/or side out on the grill while my wife is using our single-oven we are able to host very large events with 20+ people in our average-sized home and still have everything come out hot and ready at the same time. So hosting Thanksgiving, Christmas, Poker Parties, whatever is pretty easy. Without a grill, my wife would probably have wanted a bit larger of a kitchen and a dual oven, etc. in order to host such events. So I would call the grill a fairly mustachian option to allow us to stay in our home quite a bit longer (if not forever).
As far as the grill that I have:
I have a Large Big Green Egg grill which I bought used. I honestly don't remember the exact price as I bought it a number of years ago - maybe $500? Works well, got it at a great price, and does a great job with all variety of meats ranging from chicken to steaks to briskets or burgers and also works well for asparagus, veggies to go with fajita meat, etc. Uses lump charcoal which I consistently find results in best-tasting end product.
And this grill will *absolutely* last much, much longer than the gas range in our kitchen or really any of our appliances. This grill very likely will work for decades. Meanwhile my range has already had to be repaired twice, my dishwasher finally went out after multiple repairs and repair attempts and my washer/dryer also similarly had to be replaced last year. Let's make sure we take all of those repairs and replacements into account when talking about the overall effect on the environment.
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Another reason for not having a grill: being vegan or vegetarian. To make a grill worthwhile seems to mean eating a lot of meat which isn't great for the planet, the animal or the consumer.
All false statements based on bias and propaganda.
edit: Ok I guess maybe the middle one isn't false perse, but I do think that being eaten when not the top of the food chain is part of the natural order
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Another reason for not having a grill: being vegan or vegetarian. To make a grill worthwhile seems to mean eating a lot of meat which isn't great for the planet, the animal or the consumer.
All false statements based on bias and propaganda.
edit: Ok I guess maybe the middle one isn't false per se, but I do think that being eaten when not the top of the food chain is part of the natural order
Ha! I've been a vegetarian for 30+ years, and I had the same thought.
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I have only used a 22 inch Weber kettle charcoal grill. Except when camping when it’s all campfire all the time.
Have been around folks using sort of the normal gas grills, and have gotten some good chow off them. I do like the start-up speed (though it can be done faster https://youtu.be/UjPxDOEdsX8) and the temperature control can come in handy for some dishes.
The Big Green Egg and similar definitely seem interesting, but I plan to stick with the kettle until, well current plan is forever.
The idea way back in the start of the thread to keep an eye out for used is excellent.
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I do think that being eaten when not the top of the food chain is part of the natural order
I mean . . . I sorta agree with you on this one, but would say that if you're not hunting the meat down in the woods and slaughtering it yourself the 'natural order' part of it kinda breaks down. Like . . . there isn't very much natural about driving to a grocery store, picking some meat sitting on styrofoam/wrapped in plastic and paying for it with your credit card before heading back to the grill.
:P
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I do think that being eaten when not the top of the food chain is part of the natural order
I mean . . . I sorta agree with you on this one, but would say that if you're not hunting the meat down in the woods and slaughtering it yourself the 'natural order' part of it kinda breaks down. Like . . . there isn't very much natural about driving to a grocery store, picking some meat sitting on styrofoam/wrapped in plastic and paying for it with your credit card before heading back to the grill.
:P
Can't really argue with that other than to say human intelligence is a part of that natural order.
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I do think that being eaten when not the top of the food chain is part of the natural order
I mean . . . I sorta agree with you on this one, but would say that if you're not hunting the meat down in the woods and slaughtering it yourself the 'natural order' part of it kinda breaks down. Like . . . there isn't very much natural about driving to a grocery store, picking some meat sitting on styrofoam/wrapped in plastic and paying for it with your credit card before heading back to the grill.
:P
Same can be said of vegetables.
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Sorry for the derail - we can probably get back on topic :)
I vote for buying a nice, used Weber -- can get pretty much any part you can possibly need and plenty of aftermarket options.
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I do think that being eaten when not the top of the food chain is part of the natural order
I mean . . . I sorta agree with you on this one, but would say that if you're not hunting the meat down in the woods and slaughtering it yourself the 'natural order' part of it kinda breaks down. Like . . . there isn't very much natural about driving to a grocery store, picking some meat sitting on styrofoam/wrapped in plastic and paying for it with your credit card before heading back to the grill.
:P
Can't really argue with that other than to say human intelligence is a part of that natural order.
I don't think anything that was listed requires much human intelligence. I bet with the right modifications to the car, a smart dog could be trained to do all of them.
I do think that being eaten when not the top of the food chain is part of the natural order
I mean . . . I sorta agree with you on this one, but would say that if you're not hunting the meat down in the woods and slaughtering it yourself the 'natural order' part of it kinda breaks down. Like . . . there isn't very much natural about driving to a grocery store, picking some meat sitting on styrofoam/wrapped in plastic and paying for it with your credit card before heading back to the grill.
:P
Same can be said of vegetables.
I always give vegetables a sporting chance to run, but they're so damned apathetic that it's hard to respect them.
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Sorry for the derail - we can probably get back on topic :)
I vote for buying a nice, used Weber -- can get pretty much any part you can possibly need and plenty of aftermarket options.
Dunno, @GuitarStv's last response made me lol, so I think the meander was entirely worth it. For the record, we've already given the OP our advice. We're just hanging around, waiting to see what he decides to do.
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The idea of buying a used Weber and cleaning/fixing/repairing it appeals to me. Under normal circumstances, it's what I probably would have done and I would have enjoyed doing it. Buuuuuut, I've been stretched to the limit for months due to traveling for work, preparing to move, sell a house, pack, purge, clean, paint while trying to figure out a new place to live in a crazy market for both renting and owning, and ultimately buying a new house but not closing on it until ten days *after* my previous house sold which meant renting a furnished house for a month to live there for 10 days. I have soooo much to do in the new house. We moved without taking a single day off work. A household of 5. I just want to grille a damn hamburger.
So I bought a Weber Spirit E330 3 burner grille with sear zone. $750. Saved 12% between military discount and rewards card, so $660 plus tax. Still need a cover and a couple propane tanks. The next version down without sear zone was $550 before discount. So I paid $200 extra for the sear zone feature, although it does come with a side burner that is of dubious benefit for me.
I wish I could have gotten lucky and found a great barely used Weber grille for $35 that came with four full propane tanks, a cover, a bunch of fancy grille tools a freezer full of beef. But the ones I was finding near me, although likely a good value, needed parts replaced and plenty of work to get cleaned up/refurbished enough for me to be happy with them. I just got a $30,000 pay raise so f_ck it.
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You'll love it!
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First use of the grille today for burgers and brats. Quick and simple and worked great. It was quite windy today so I used the sear zone feature to help keep the grille hotter.
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Anyone use an electric grill outside? Like a gas grill but uses electricity.
Not enough power, generally. The ones I've seen can put out 2kW and that isn't much compared to a gas or charcoal-fired grill. A Weber Spirit for example is about 10kW.
Due to the limited power they are also pretty small, so if space permits I'd go for a regular grill.
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Anyone use an electric grill outside? Like a gas grill but uses electricity.
Not enough power, generally. The ones I've seen can put out 2kW and that isn't much compared to a gas or charcoal-fired grill. A Weber Spirit for example is about 10kW.
Due to the limited power they are also pretty small, so if space permits I'd go for a regular grill.
Yeah you have to get creative.
https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/do-it-yourself-forum!/diy-electric-grilling-cheaper-faster-and-better/ (https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/do-it-yourself-forum!/diy-electric-grilling-cheaper-faster-and-better/)
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Not only used, check damaged units for sale, or even free.
I received a good quality Vermont Castings gas grill as a gift at least twenty years ago and I've kept it going by replacing parts as needed.
People would rather buy new than fix old, so if you can fix the old you'll save a lot.
Lol, once again I spoke it into existence! I seriously get so much free stuff.
I got a Weber Genesis (brown) on the street today, everything works, the owner just bought a new one.
I stopped at Costco, and they have them on sale at $799, so that's likely where he got it.
I was starting a new job in a nice neighborhood and it was garbage day.
I saw a grill facing away from the street mixed in with the garbage cans and assumed it was being tossed, but I went up the road to talk to the clients.
The garbage trucks came and emptied the cans.
When I was leaving the neighborhood the grill was still there, so I stopped to check it out; lo and behold, a Weber in good shape!
I went and knocked on the door just to make sure it was up for grabs. Yes, they said, take it!
They had left it out for the garbage man, which I thought was a little strange, but the garbage had come and gone, so I loaded it in my trailer and started strapping it down.
Just then, a box truck with a lift gate branded with the garbage haulers logo showed up and sat there for tem minutes while I secured it, then did a U turn and drove away.
I'm sure the garbage man messaged someone to come grab it!
Too slow ;-)
The owner came down to get his can and told me it was 14 years old, and has always worked great.
He didn't think anyone would want it!
My current grill is a 25 year old Vermont Castings I got new that I have kept in good working order, so this is an upgrade.