I have recently purchased the Model 8000 that was asked about way back in December. I paid $400 at Lowes with free assembly and a full gas bottle thrown in. I've had other grills, and I believe that the GO grills should be easily the longest lasting in their price range. Many so-called stainless steel grills use stainless cosmetically, which eliminates some repainting but does not contribute to structural survivability. The GOs are aluminum essentially everywhere (with the exception of the 4000 model, which uses some plastic). The entire body of the grill is guaranteed for 75 years. The burners are solid brass and guaranteed for 25 years. Most other parts are guaranteed for 5 years or more. All nut and bolt hardware is stainless. I've had expensive grills that rusted at the bottom of the legs where the casters or wheels attach. That's a pretty catastrophic failure. All the cosmetic stainless in the world won't deal with that. And the GOs simply can't have that problem, since they are aluminum all the way down to the casters. The casters appear to be bullet-proof themselves. So what are the limitations? Is this grill totally bullet-proof? I expect the paint will deteriorate -- of course many of you have repainted a grill, as I have. It's not that hard. A custom-fitted cover with zipper is available from GO and will prolong paint life. I expect that the grid that holds the ceramic briquettes just above the burners will be the first component to fail. Replacements are $12.95 plus shipping from the manufacturer. This raises an important question: If this grill is largely bulletproof and replacement parts will be affordable, what if the manufacturer doesn't survive? I've done some research on Great Outdoors, and here's what I've found: They incorporated in 1997. Their first products rolled off the line in 1999. Since then, they've tripled their production and sales every year. They are now retailing through giants such as Lowe's and Wal-Mart. Of course, this doesn't guarantee that they'll be around forever. They certainly won't sustain that growth rate indefinitely, and when they level off, they'll have to make serious adjustments to stay profitable. I'm betting they're here for the long haul, but I'm hedging my bet by buying a few spare parts and putting them away. (My guess is that five years from now GO be bought by one of the big boys like Weber or Char Broil. All the principles will walk away as 10-million aires.) I forgot to mention that the grill seems to be of first-class construction. Everything works well and has a feel of quality. So far I've had no problems with flame-up, but I haven't been cooking super-fatty meat. The only shortcoming from my perspective is lack of any temperature sensor. At GO's suggestion, I bought a Grill Care thermometer from Wal-Mart. I had to drill a 7/8-inch hole in the top casting to install it. LoweÂs sells a hole-saw type bit (a cylinder with bi-metal teeth around the bottom) for $12.95 that has a half-inch shank to fit your half-inch drill's chuck. It's a cinch to drill the hole if you have those tools. The thermometer was about $14 and is a high-quality item worthy of the grill. Drilling the hole does not void the warranty. One impressive thing about Great Outdoors is their customer service. Send them an e-mail, and you get a prompt and courteous response. They seem to have their act together in that vein. Is this the perfect grill, thermometer aside? No, I think the perfect grill is all stainless -- it doesn't rust, and it doesn't need paint. But such items are extremely expensive. I sent GO an e-mail saying that I wished they'd take the all aluminum design and supplement it with stainless to eliminate painting -- a bullet-proof grill at a more affordable price than end-to-end stainless. The manager, Linn Anne Rowe, said they were looking at a design like that. We'll see. Meanwhile, you can have your Webers and similar-quality, simlarly priced grills. I believe the Great Outdoors grills are best in class -- hands down. Tim Naff

I really like the grill on the CC. Capital has a line of high-end outdoor grills that's well regarded. The grill on the CC is based on Capital's outdoor grill. There are ceramic rods above the burners that helps in the heat distribution. They did step down the BTU for indoor use, but it's still more than enough. The grates are also reversible where one side has narrower bars and grease channels for meats and the other side is wider with more surface contact for fish and veggies. But honestly, I use the narrow side for everything, including fish and veggies with great results. The grease channels in the grate angle down toward the front so excess grease can be captured, kind of like a Foreman Grill. Grease that drips straight down gets vaporized below. I have to say, I like the indoor grill on the CC better than my Weber outside. Just make sure the hood is up to the task.

Thanks everyone for your help!!! You are the best!!! Thanks Lazy gardens. I really like that green. That is a very good point about using a less muted color with the white quartz. clt3-the 700 sq feet is actually the dimensions of the bathroom floor, walk in closet floor, and shower. But I could use a cheaper tile for the floor. I have a sample of porcelanosa in white that could work, depending on the shower tile. Pal, pipdog, roarah - the reason I like the fireclay. pj and heath is that their not perfect and have subtle variations in the color. Is dal more perfectly cut? Hi Terri-I love the penny round, but this shower is so huge, I'm worried it'll be too busy. But I am thinking of using it in at least one guest bath. It is so pretty and cute. Mayflowers - Fireclay is sending another foundation white out. Thanks for the heads up on that. I have a ton of samples coming. I am also thinking about their brick tiles on the fireplace.

Donna, you are cruel. Haha. I had already put the triangles in the tiny scrap bag when I read your post. So, of course, I had to take them out and make a few HSTs just to see how it went. They're pretty cute, but I hope I don't fall victim to their allure. Only time will tell.