Recommend a good combination grill?

[Langenator]

I love grilling, and especially in the heat of summer it helps to keep from heating up the kitchen.

Normally, I love a traditional charcoal grill. Just tastes better to me.

But sometimes I just want to be able to fire up and go, without waiting so long for the coals to get themselves ready.

Oh, and I've got 4 boys, and pretty soon the trusty Weber potbelly just isn't going to have enough space.

So I've been thinking about getting a combo propane/charcoal grill. Looking around now, so I can pounce on a good deal if I see one when they put grills on sale to make room for the Christmas decorations. (Which, IIRC, now happens around Labor Day. But that's a different rant.)

Any of ya'll recommend a good one?

 

[keith_tx]

You'd probably be better off gettin just a dedicated propane grill. I just got a new grill a couple months back and before I decided on what I wanted, I spent a good bit of time looking at what was available. All in all, unless I was ready to spend a ridiculous amount of cash (I wasn't), the combo type grills just didn't seem like they were particularly good at doing either charcoal or propane..kinda mediocre on both ends. Mainly when it came to space and with 4 kids that's gonna be your main issue.

But yeah I hear ya on the fire and go front. I've found if I do about a 50/50 mix between briquettes and lump charcoal in 2 chimneys they seem to get burnin' relatively quick. I can usually have everything going in about 15 minutes that way.

 

[Langenator]

A rather neat (I thought, anyway) feature on the combo grill I was looking at at Lowe's yesterday...it has a stove burner on the side, which is the perfect size (designed that way) to park a chimney full of charcoal on top to get it started.

As George Takei might say, "Oh my..."

 

[keith_tx]

A rather neat (I thought, anyway) feature on the combo grill I was looking at at Lowe's yesterday...it has a stove burner on the side, which is the perfect size (designed that way) to park a chimney full of charcoal on top to get it started.

Now that is a pretty darned good idea!

 

[Vaquero]

I have this one, going through 3rd year.
The gas side is plenty large gor entertaining guests.
I can run through 15 burgers at a time with no trouble.
Heat adjustments work well for steaks and shrimp.
On the "charcoal" (I use mesquite) side it works just fine. the adjustable grate makes grilling plenty easy.
The smoker feature gets used a couple of times a year and works as well as some larger more expensive units.
The side burner is a nice feature but does require some maintenance. Them damned spiders love to clog the mixer tube with webs and you get a bright yellow flame with soot. It takes a philips screwdriver and about 5 minutes to remove, clean and re-install.
I have no regrets on purchasing this grill.
Academy - Outdoor Gourmet Triton 4-Burner Propane and Charcoal Grill

 

[keith_tx]

That Triton looks pretty good, price won't set ya back too far either.

 

[stdreb27]

While I do love to smoke, for practical purposes, picked up a weber gas grill. Really no other way to go.

Smoking takes all day long. And well those combo deals seem cool but the salt air round here would make quick work of them...

I'm still looking for an affordable smoker, that will last but I just don't see that happening any time soon.

It's just soo easy, I can turn on my weber prep the steak, fish, shrimp or whatever and be eating in 30 minutes. And eating better than anything you can get at an under 20 dollar a plate restaurant.

The quality and even heat of the weber just makes all of the cheapos a pain. It is so worth it...

 

[shortround]

No, No, No.

Gas grills violate the first rule of bar-b-que: Thou shalt only grill with wood; not charcoal, propane, or any other form of radiant heat!

 

[Langenator]

Well, the 3 main things I grill are burgers, brats, and chicken. Actual BBQ, meh, I can take it or leave it. Not a big sauce guy.

(Ya'll can have all the argument ya'll want over Texas style vs St Louis style vs Carolina style, I don't care. Personally, the best ribs I ever had were dry spiced at a little place called Stadtkreug in Baumholder, Germany. But you're right, they did use wood.)

 

[stdreb27]

No, No, No.

Gas grills violate the first rule of bar-b-que: Thou shalt only grill with wood; not charcoal, propane, or any other form of radiant heat!

He said grill, not smoker. BBQ cannot be grilled...