I'm on the hunt for a gas grill that is budget-friendly. If I had the means (and the house) I'd go all out for the built-in one with the bar and all that..however my funds are limited..but I need to get a grill and am tired of putting it off. I want a gas grill and have been looking at the $130 price range or so..for something basic that will last a few years. I live in a duplex anyway so I need something smaller, but don't necessarily want to sacrifice 'power' for space.

The ones I have been looking at are the Thermos 4000, the Aussie Bushman Deluxe, and the cheapie Thermos 2000 ($99!). There's also a Kenmore one that is similar to the Thermos 4000, etc.

I am leaning towards the Aussie for its asthetic looks, the fact that it is small and compact, and that it has a good warranty with a good price. It has 24,000 BTUS and a dual level cooking space with 412 sq. in. total space. The others I am considering all have at least 30-35,000 BTUs and 500-700 sq. in cooking space. However, my concern with the Aussie is that it will not generate enough heat to cook something like a thick steak without drying it out. BUT since the Aussie has a smaller body than most larger grills, then I wonder if the lower BTW is acceptable because a smaller space doesn't need as many BTU's to get it hot.

Anyhow my concerns are that I have read that you need at least 40,000 BTU's to cook thicker steaks well, and that you should spend as much as you can to get a good grill the first time. My questions for the forum are...what are the best gas grills for a budget, and what are the most important things to look for when considering something like this? I'm sure a budget-concious grill purchase has different requirements than a more expensive, longer-term one.

Any advice is appreciated.