Donna, you will get a lot of answers to this question. Someone else recently asked the same thing. My recommendation for what it's worth is consider a Traeger wood pellet grill. It bakes, smokes and grills and is in the $600.00 range. Costco carries the same thing branded under 'Smith and Wesson' for about $500.00. It's very versatile and once your hubby cooks with wood smoke there is nothing that compares IHMO.

Duane

Here is a link that might be useful: Traeger grills

I have a Weber Kettle.
Linda C

We purchased a Kenmore Elite propane grill Feb. '07 on 1/2 price sale to close out the previous year's models. We used to grill just steaks, burgers, dogs, chicken, chops, etc. Now, with the four burners plus side burner this new BBQ functions like a second range. Last summer, DH roasted a whole chicken in my LC on the BBQ & it was the most wonderful chicken we've ever eaten. I wasn't sure if we'd use the side burner but we've found many 'excuses' to enjoy it's presence. I've made everything from hot bacon salad dressing & dressed the salad tableside to pasta on the side grill. July, in CT, is not the time to bring a pot of water to a boil inside the house!

DH purchased cedar planks & that's also increased his BBQing skills. Fish cooked on the cedar is really good.

So, in our case...the larger, fancier propane BBQ has increased not only the frequency of our BBQing but also the types of meals we prepare. We have a lot of fun cooking side-by-side with the grill.

This one is similar to ours.

Here is a link that might be useful: Kenmore Elite BBQ

I love the type of grill that Duane linked to. We have a smoker grill now and love the true grilled flavor we get from it. Thanks Duane, hadn't seen that one, we are going to look into it.

Nancy

Another Traeger fan here. They are wonderful grills (and American-made, which is a rarity).

For Thanksgiving we do an apple-cider, thyme and peppercorn brine then lightly smoke the turkey. It is divine. Prime rib is to die for.

Breads can be high-heat baked for wonderful crusts.

As a second, I'd go for the charcoal, just because you'll get more flavor than you will from propane. Just my 2 cents. There's nothing that sparks more debate than BBQ!

Carol

Are all brands of wood pellets suitable for the Treager grill or do some have ingredients which should not be used in a cooking fire?

Jim

Jim, the Traeger website sells quite a few different varieties of wood pellets for the grill. Alder, Cherry, Garlic, Apple etc. But not every wood pellet could be used. Some apparently use glue and those are fine for the wood pellet heaters used to heat your home or workshop for example, but they are not suitable for cooking with the Traeger grill. A 20lb bag costs about $20.00 and lasts quite a while. Similar to a bag of charcoal, and perhaps longer lasting depending on the temperature used.

Ribs are fantastic on this grill as is chicken.

The only drawback in my opinion is it really doesn't get hot enough to sear a steak. I usually use my propane grill for steaks because I like hot and fast. But for most other applications the Traeger is superior.

I just ordered more pellets today in anticipation of another barbeque season.

Duane

Duane, can you use any other kind if wood, like your own apple wood?

Nancy, you have to use the certain pellets they sell. They are shaped like a pencil eraser and are the only size that will fit through the auger that delivers them into the firebox. I hesitated to buy one because of the price, but once I bit the bullet I wasn't sorry. They are great smoker grills and do a mean brisket, ribs, chicken etc. I love to smoke my peppers too. Chicken thighs are super too. For about 2 bucks I can get a great meal for 3-4 people on the Traeger. I want to do a smoked turkey sometime soon too!

Duane

Gee, I feel so boring now seeing what other people here are using! I have a basic Weber Genesis. It is over 7 years old and still works great. It is a propane grill with three burners and porcelian enamel grates. It sears meat wonderfully, and even when cooking higher fat foods like burgers and sausage I never get flare ups. It is also nice for grilling vegetables because the spaceing between the grates is fairly narrow so small items don't fall through easily. I do wish I had spent the extra $150 to get the one with the side burner, I almost always make a pot of baked beans when I'm grilling. I think what I most love about my grill, other than never getting the singed by flare ups, is the grates. I highly reccomend looking for something with porcelian enamel covered cast iron grates. They get really hot for searing meat, and they are very easy to clean.
Wow! these have gone up! I looked at the Lowes site, the one closest to my grill is $650.00 now, I paid $500. Here's a link to the one I would buy if I was going to buy a new Weber now. The stainless might be nice since the only obvious sign of age on mine is fading from being out in the sun. We leave it out on the patio, uncovered, all spring, summer, and fall. In the winter is stays on the patio but is covered.

Here is a link that might be useful: Weber Grill

I have to add my kudos for the Traeger grills to those of Duane, Nancy and Carol. I've had mine for 8 years now and I love it. It makes the best turkey I've ever tasted and don't get me started on the smoked salmon or we'll be here all day. Being that I'm in Eugene, OR, I was very happy to purchase a product that's made nearby and supports the local economy.

My family has so many Traegers (five at last count) that we buy Bear Mountain pellets by the pallet and divide them up. Our favorites are the alder, mesquite, apple and hickory as they will do very well with pretty much anything you put on the bbq.

Donna, how fitting that you posted this today. I spent the morning asembling my new one.

My Weber Genisis NG died during a fierce wind storm in January. Blew off the patio, snapped the security chain and landed inthe lawn. The cast metal cover and innards were bent beyond hope. Off I went to find a new one.

I opted for the Sams Club super model, but then again, I refuse to cook indoors on warmer days. From now untilth first snow, I am on the grill. Its comparable model was a another Weber, but their prices are ridiculus. To replace my old one with a comparable new Weber would have cost me $1500. No thanks!

I wanted 3 vertical burners (not all Webers have it, only the top models), a searing burner for steaks/chops/tuna, and a side burner for pots and pans. Under grill storage was a big plus too, for oil spray, water bottle, pot holders and cleaning brush. And it had be be natural gas too. i have no patience for LP tanks. Most BTU's are around 40,000. This one is 74,000. I had one small issue on delivery, they forgot to giveme the operators manual, but the manufacturer, Grand Hall, was fantasic. Email of a PDF and an overnight of a hard copy.

Tomorrow I break in the rottiserie with a pork roast.

Here is a link that might be useful: Grand Hall Grill

We've had a TEC infra-red grill for 8 years and love it. It took a little getting used to at first because it cooks so quickly.

The Traeger grill looks interesting, too, because we like to smoke things so we also have a smoker. I'd take a good look at that grill.

Here is a link that might be useful: TEC grills

I have zero experience cooking on anything but a gas grill. I'd say I use my Weber Genesis Gold once a week even if it's snowing, and more in the warmer months. I have only one objection, but it's a relatively significant one - the burners go left to right instead of front to back. This makes an indirect heat setup somewhat limiting (narrow cool area) and requires reaching over the hot section a lot if you like to keep things warm on lower heat in the back. Peppi made mention of this configuration above.

That said, it sounds like BBQ is an occasional event for you, so my vote would be to stick with charcoal if you're already used to it. It's hotter if you want it to be. It gives you that BBQ taste which gas doesn't. And best of all, replacing that kettle grill is going to be a fraction of the price of a good gas grill.

I will never own a propane grill as my primary grill again.

Charcoal imparts flavors that no gas grill can match, in my opinion.

The Traeger grills look interesting. Are they easy to use? I am so afraid of gas grills that I don't own a grill at all.

A couple of stupid questions. Can I ask how you bake in it? Is it smoky?

Thanks
Tracey

I have a Viking drop in gas grill in the outside kitchen We just LOVE it!!! I also have a 3 teir smoker from Weber.

I second on the smoked salmon. Smoked sturgeon is even better.

We use Traeger pellets; for smoking we sometimes chip our own apple and cherry we've pruned and dried. But that takes a powerful chipper.

The Traeger grills are different. For one thing, they run on electricity. That means you do have to have reasonable access to a power source. We have an outlet on the patio. Because of the way air circulates, you don't need a rotisserie and there are no flareups. That can be a big consideration for people who find grilling intimidating.

I would compare it to learning how to use a new range. If you can figure out appliances, a Traeger is no problem.

There are Traeger owners nationwide. It's a friendly group and I'm betting you could call Traeger to hook you up with someone in your area willing to show you how they work. Seeing the real thing can make a big difference. Then you can decide, "Yes, this is just what I want," or maybe you'll decide, "This isn't for me." Everyone has preferences.

I've also linked below to the page on the Traeger site that explains how they work. That might help too.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: How Traegers Work

Thanks - my DH and I are still discussing it. If we stick to the charcoal grill, we like the ones that are able to drop the charcoal cold coals through holes into a canister or container meant for same. Our current Weber has a catcher - not a wonderful design for one, but better than none!

One thing we both are leaning away from - and that's any grill that requires something other than charcoal or propane for it. We've gone through the route of trying something new, only to find that it's not successful and the item is not available in the mainstream any more. Propane is everywhere here, as is charcoal.

Oh, I know some things are standard and then go away, too - a good example of that is the white-gas we need for our camping stove. Used to be everywhere, and now it's hard to find. Yet we don't camp often enough to buy a new camping stove!

Still deciding - I appreciate the input, keep talking!

Thanks!

DonnaR/CA

As DH says, pellets are "the product of the future." They're made from waste wood, they burn clean, are very efficient and are a no-brainer for any company producing wood. It's high-dollar return for low-dollar investment. All the manufacturer needs is a pelletizer and all their bits of wood can be made into a product more and more in demand for pellet stoves and such.

As for Traeger, they have more business than they can handle. That may change in the current economy, of course. But I'd say the odds of their going bankrupt is very, very slim.

But Traegers are generally pricier and may not meet your needs. We started with charcoal. It also has advantages.

Carol

Carol, I agree. Traeger isn't going out of business anytime soon, and if they did the pellets would be available regardless.

But I like my propane gas grill for certain things, my charcoal grill for camping and my Traeger for ribs, chicken, smoking peppers etc.

I don't think you can go wrong whatever you decide. Just something great about cooking outdoors!

Good luck.

Duane

I have a Weber e-320 and love it. You can still smoke in a propane grill..I don't do that often but last year I smoked 30 lbs. of pork butt for bbq and had several bbq diehards tell me it was as good as the local bbq pits. I lined heavy duty foil with soaked wood chips and set the grill to register at 200 for the day.
I like propane though because I usually do fish, chicken or shrimp quickly and I use it several times a week and it's so fast. Those traegers are very interesting though.
I would like to have a good charcoal grill eventually but I love the gas.

I have a Vermont Castings propane grill which Consumer Reports rated highly a year or so ago. I'm reasonably pleased with it, and it was around the $300 mark on clearance. Works pretty well and is very convenient; turn it on and it's ready to grill in five or ten minutes. Value-per-dollar ratio is very good. If I were to get anything fancier than that, I think I'd like to get one with a rotisserie.

Charcoal aficionados do have a very valid point when they say that charcoal (specifically true hardwood charcoal, not briquets) has an unmatched flavor. I have compromised by getting a little hibachi made by Lodge (they call it a 'Sportsman's Grill') and occasionally use it to grill a couple of steaks while using hardwood charcoal. Amazon has 'em for around $40.

If I were to get another grill just for charcoal use, though, I'd seriously consider the Portable Kitchen. Bear in mind, though, where I'm coming from; I admit that I'm a bit of a retro snob. I still listen to LP records through a tube amplifier, I write with a fountain pen, and take photographs with a Rolleiflex filled with film.

Here is a link that might be useful: Portable Kitchen

We have the TEC infra-red grill, had it for about 11 years and love it!

I grill three or four times a week, all year, so it gets alot of use.

I went to friends for dinner on Saturday. We parboiled snausages in beer and onions then cooked them on his Lodge hibachi.