Beginner's Guide to Buying a BBQ Grill
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- čas přidán 16. 06. 2024
- Buying your first BBQ grill can be a tough proposition. You'll get a lot of advice from people, but what works for them may not meet your needs or fit your budget. In this video I go over the four main types of grills (GAS, PELLET, CHARCOAL, OFFSET SMOKER) and the pros and cons of each to help you narrow down your search.
Looking for a specific type of grill? Skip ahead with these timestamps:
Intro 0:00
Gas Grills 0:30
Pellet Grills 3:39
Charcoal Grills 7:35
Offset Smoker 11:35
Final Thoughts 12:13 - Jak na to + styl
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While I know you can't fit everything in this video... a few things to consider for a beginner. 1) you mention it on charcoal, but clean up is prob the biggest thing a new griller will face. Gas is almost zero... kamado style is a pain in the butt to clean; 2) chosing the right size for the number of people you cook for. Best to buy something a little larger than you typically might use. If you have guests, some foods don't cook as quickly so ppl might get served later; and 3) cost per cook... depending what you cook, fuel costs could vary a lot by grill or bbq type. Fuel types can get expensive per cook.
Thanks for the feedback. Running Cost was one of the things I planned to highlight, but didn't. Gas is the cheapest and Pellet Grills can be expensive to operate depending on the pellets you use. Offsets are expensive to run where I live because it is a desert and most of the wood comes from elsewhere. Pellet grills are a pain to clean and people don't do it as much as they should.
@@GrillTopExperience I don't have a pellet grill (yet), but I've use pellets to cold smoke cheese and salmon in a WSM and kettle before. Treager applewood pellets are pretty good. I know when I first started bbqing, I hated clean up, till I got a Weber with an ash catcher. Part of the fun of grilling or bbqing for me is less cleanup. 😀
Thanks for pointing this out. I am a newbie.
@@GrillTopExperience it takes like 5 minutes to vacuum it out, I wouldn’t call that a huge pain
For me, clean up with the gas grill was much more difficult and burdensome than with my charcoal grill. While it's true that you don't have ashes to clean out after each use, cleaning the drip pan and all the grease build-up is much more difficult with the gas grill. And if you don't clean the grease build-up regularly, the grill will be prone to fires.
You rock man! I am barely getting into it and will be watching all your videos 🎉
Just going to start getting into grilling. Love the channel and videos! I’m learning a ton. Keep them coming!
Thanks for watching and the support!
Brand new to the grilling community. This video is a great start, thx!
Great content, straight to the point.
I'm glad i watched this because I was about to buy a piece of junk but I look forward in learning from you on how to become a good charcoal user.
Bro this video was excellent. So helpful. Great style. Keep it up 8)
Thank you for your knowledge! Love the video! Very informative! 😂
Great simple video man!
Excellent summary! Super helpful, thank you
okey
Your content is money! Best bbq channel and obviously the most underrated. Keep the content going please. I appreciate you
Thanks! I wouldn't be doing it without people like you watching.
Thank you very much for this video. Much helpful 👌🏼💯
exactly what i was looking for. thanks!!!
Thanks. Nice simple guide. Def going for a simple charcoal grill. Something to do meat and sometimes pizza : )
Very helpful video for beginner!!! Thx!!!
Nice video! I have the weber kettle for 5 years now, learned the hard way, a lot of failure, but love it!
Thank you! Beginners are often afraid to make mistakes, but that should not keep us from trying. There are too many only used twice charcoal grills on the second hand market. Now you are a pro!
Very well made, thank you!
Man you go in depth. Thank you
I’m a beginner and this is fantastic, thank you
I’ve got a camp chef xt pellet grill which is my set it and forget it. I’ve also got a Kamado Joe classic 2 which made me turf the gas grill. Little more on setup for the Kamado Joe but charcoal flavour is so good.
I just bought a Weber charcoal grill yesterday ☺️ I can’t wait to learn how to grill like a master.
One thing I wished I bought immediately was a good charcoal starter.
i use a heat gun to start my charcoal. i use real lump charcoal. it burns clean without a bunch of toxic chemicals and ingredients. regular charcoal is basically sawdust with chemicals added.
Great review 👏 thank you
Hey there Mr Grilltop, really great video! I think you really hit the nail on the head. I have 3 grills, and I use all 3 of the differently depending on what I want to do. I have a Traeger that I got for Christmas a few years ago, and I usually get plenty of smoke flavor probably because of the pellets I use (Knottywood - by far the best I’ve ever used. Lumberjack is a close second). It generally is lighter smoke flavor but it’s there, and in my case it’s better because my wife is pregnant and not able to handle really heavy smoke flavor, she’s is more likely to eat it. I have a Weber Kettle which I got for free. A friend of mine upgraded to one of the premium models, and he gave me the old one. It’s wonderful and I use it all the time, after buying some aftermarket parts of course, like charcoal baskets 😊. (Btw, your suggestion that you replied to me in the comments of your other video to use wood chips after my initial smoke runs out was absolute gold, it worked perfectly and I’ve been doing it ever since! Thank you so much for that!) My third is a chargriller portable which I take camping, on vacation, to my parents house, etc. It’s one of those converted offset fireboxes with iron grates in them that you can buy at Home Depot. Works great, and plenty of smoke. I cook different foods on both the Traeger and the Weber. While both are really great, it seems like each has a specialty. Fish, Steak, and chicken breasts the Weber does better, probably because it retains moisture better. Burgers, chicken fingers, and whole chickens (like beer can chicken) the Traeger seems to work better. Not really sure why that is. Chicken thighs and drumsticks they both do equally as well. Either way they’re both great. Anyways that’s my setup, I wish I had an offset but you’re right, they’re way too expensive. For my budget, this works perfectly. I’ve been learning a lot from you, thanks again for your videos!
You can easily smoke meat using a firebox in a gas grill! Good grief!
Thank you very informative video 👍!
I upgraded from cheap $75 webber on had it for years an bottom fell out. I got the trio gas,char an smoking. Really considering on getting a now round pit. Cause the heat easier on them vs the rectangle I have
Best well explained video
Great video. Always learn something new from every video you make.
Chud's BBQ recently started a Weber series and he has me intrigued with his SNS + kettle use. He treated it more like an offset than the traditional minion method. Throwing wood chunks and lump charcoal in as temps started to dip, starting with only a few coals to get up to smoking temperature. Was wondering what your take on this method? Is the juice worth the squeeze?
I'd also like to add to your list Gravity Fed charcoal smokers. The convenience of a pellet PID controller, but with charcoal and wood. I've became a huge fan of my MasterBuilt and I'm excited for their new portable with charcoal hopper.
I saw Bradley do that and commented on the video asking why and don't think I got a response. He used his leaf blower to stoke the coals to get past the bad ignition smoke. I suppose that works, but I bet his temps were all over the place, but that gave him more control over the smoke. It would be cool if he did a side by side comparison to see if it makes a difference.
The gravity fed grills look pretty cool too and got popular quickly. Maybe those are the best of both worlds.
Great video! What are your thoughts on Argentine or Santa Maria grills?
I have a Weber Genesis, Kettle, and Performer. The kettle I use for smoking, performer as a standard grill, and genesis for quick & easy cooks.
Sounds like a great setup.
Amazing video.
Just used my first grill tonight. An affordable gas Nexgrill 4 burner + 5th side burner and I loved it. I'm getting a long but narrow steel smoke box to add chips to my gas grill and experiment with how smokey I can make it 🔥
thinking about getting a nexgrill new or a used weber. How has the nexgrill held up, do you still use it? This is also going to be my first grill as well
very insightful
Went from propane grills only for home and camping to pretty much all charcoal over the last 3 years. My line up right now is all weber products. Weber go anywhere charcoal for camping and tailgating. 18" weber smokey mountain bullet smoker with the pit barrel hanging system. And 3 22 kettles, 1 old school daisy wheel just because, 1 premium kettle same as your copper one, and a 2nd hand performer deluxe with the plastic table that was free on the side of the road that needed some love but is back to 100% condition. I do have a weber q120 for when the wife wants to grill or when I'm feeling lazy and a weber go anywhere gas for camping during burn bans. The 22 kettle style be it weber or sns, in my opinion has to be the best Swiss army knife do everything charcoal grill in my opinion especially with the accessories that are available for it. Pizza systems, flat tops, slow n sear basket, charcoal vortex, weber charcoal baskets, etc. They last forever. You can get them 2nd hand all day long for really cheap. You can direct and indirect cook, smoke, sear, anything really with some basic fire management. Only grill that can hold a candle to a 22" kettle for price, performance, and footprint is a 26" kettle.
I just bought a new Weber yesterday. It’s nice to read this… I guess they’re pretty good.
Gr8 vid! I started out on a weber Genesis gold I found at a garage sale...then got an SNS kettle new (thought it was sturdier than the Weber with its 3 legs) and now wanting/looking for an offset to add to the collection/corral to take it to the next level in my grilling experience! Couldn't agree more with your thoughts! And yes, Baby Back Maniac (Justin) is a great guy to follow!!! Also Dawg Fatha's BBQ (Alton), Trumpetmaster77 (Luis), Moma & Papa Joe's (CJ & Alicia), Chuds BBQ (Brad), (lot's of great guys out there with great channels) Thnx much!
I watch a lot of those channels too especially Chuds. There's a snake in my boots! I had worked with the Baby Back Maniac on a project for a vendor and he was nice enough to share.
The probe ports are my favorite part of the SNS kettle. It makes things a lot easier and the holes are coated so you don't have to worry about rust.
Weber Spirit E 210 classic is the best compromise for a family of 4, IMO. Compact, foldable tablets, gas efficient yet powerful and available with a bunch of accessories...
Great video and would highly recommend new grillers watch this!!! I've had them all and would say that my Weber kettles (3 including a Performer) are the best grilles money can buy as far as best bang for the buck. That being said, I absolutely love the convenience of my Recteq pellet grills as well. You did a great job of covering the basics of them all sir.
I agree. Sometimes you just want something that'll cook the food on it's own and sometimes it's fun to mess with the grill.
Such a helpful video.
Thanks for checking it out. I hope it helps you decide.
Really can't beat the good ol' Webber kettle. Just replaced my 35 year old one with the new Performer grill.
I looked at everything and wanted to upgrade somehow, but realized I should keep it simple and go with what I already know.
Nothing like Kingsford in a Webber for consistency and flexibility.
I've never been into gas.... I don't want nasty propane on my food.
Hank Hill don't know what he's doing, haha!
You always deliver so much solid information. We're trying to figure out what to get for an outdoor kitchen at our new house. Philip wants a gas grill and I want a flat top. So we'll likely get both. We'll let you know how it turns out. Thanks for another great video. We hope all is well in your world. --Mitch
You might be able to do both with the gas grill if you get the right accessories. I know you were looking at one of the big Summits, which may not have the same options. They work pretty well, but not quite as good as a stand alone flat top. I'm excited to see what you do at your new place. It'll be nice to have the space.
how it turnt out ?
If the Mrs. allowed another grill on our deck I think I would go with the Master Grill Gravity!!!
Very helpful
I’ve owned the Weber three burner gas grill Spirit with the sear burner for five years now and I can’t imagine using anything else. I love it and helps me grill to perfection. I’m thinking of adding a gas flat top soon, but for now I’m more than happy with my Weber gas grill. Side note, I frequently use the searing option.
Hey there, typically how much does this type of grill cost? If you mind answering!
@@johnjohnson5832 I paid $600+ from Ace, free assembly included, I see now it’s $700+. Mine has the sear burner, I would definitely purchase all over again. There’s not a time after I use it I don’t tell my wife that’s an incredible grill. I’ve owned it for five years and have yet to mess up on whatever’s grilling.
I’ve changed my mind on adding the flat top, I’m going to just keep grilling on the main grill and not invest in the flat top.
@@RJ-yl7cc that's honestly a pretty good price does it come with a warranty?
great vid!
Thank you for the kind words!
Any feedback on Hecht products? Appreciate it!
You speak like the locksmithlawyer :D love it
Weber Kettel all the way. It looks overwhelming, but it's very simple to master.
Video idea Ryan. You are good at figuring things out and explaining them. How about doing a video about total BTUs used in different barbecues and how Heat Flux affects how they cook? Heat flux is the total BTUs divided by the square inches of the cooking grate. I'd like to know how the delivery of the BTUs are affected by the insulation of the cooking chamber, where and how the heat is vented, and how the proximity of the heat relative to the meat either creates efficient use of the BTUs or wastes heat. First you'll have to research the average BTU's of wood, charcoal, propane, and natural gas. Call the video "BTU efficiency of Barbecues" or something. I only have Weber kettles so your ceramic, gas, and flat top cooker gives you more to work with. Don't forget to include a Santa Maria grill and a offset cooker. I bet you can make this stuff interesting! Who doesn't want to save fuel while cooking?
I have a pellet grill (cabellas) as my first and looking at a kettle grill for my second. However, trying to convince the wife for a habachi as well before i get a third lol
You missed the gravity-fed charcoal grills in the list. Pellet ease of use with the extra flavor and smoke control of charcoal grills. I have high-end gas and pellet grills (>$1000 each) along with a gravity charcoal smoker (snagged on SUPER clearance around 75% off), a Blackstone griddle, and two Weber kettles (22" Performer and a little 14" Smokey Joe for tiny cooks). I love them all for different things and different reasons. I've debated adding a kamado to the collection ... and would have last summer if the deal I found wasn't 20 hours from home at the time ... but I honestly don't feel the need with everything else. If I had to get rid of everything and ONLY have one? I wouldn't like it, but I think I'd keep the Weber kettle. Yeah, the gas is super convenient, and mine even has a cast iron charcoal insert where I can use charcoal on half of the grill - which I used to do, but the sheer versatility of the kettle is unmatched by all the fancy tech out there. I have a pizza oven attachment that does AMAZING wood fired pizzas, there are rotisseries for it, I have a griddle top for it (before I got the Blackstone), and if you want to automate it you can even buy controllers that will make it operate like a pellet grill.
Personal suggestion ... if you can, get them all!
@Grill Top Experience - I have been seriously researching which grill/smoker to get for more than 4 months. Im a single person household but will be cooking for my daughter and 2 teen grandkids, two separate households. Im leaning towards the Weber Kettle but wondering if I should move to the 26 inch instead of the 22". We will be smoking meats to eat for a few days. So 2 sides of ribs, pork butt and chicken. Can you have two layers of cooking space? Im going to be purchasing the slow n sear and understand that I will be giving up cooking space for this. Could I have a another grate to increase the actual smoker real estate? I really enjoy your videos a lot. Thank you. PS Im also looking at the WSM, the Slow n sear Kettle and the Napoleon Kettle. Could the Weber 22 likely meet my needs?
The WSM has the most space out of all the options you mentioned and would fit everything you want to cook, but it's mostly just for smoking and that would limit what you can do with it. I think you would have a hard time fitting two racks of ribs and a pork butt, but you might make it fit by cutting them in half and using a rib rack. You probably want the 26" kettle if you want to cook a bunch of stuff at the same time. If two kettles is an option, you could buy used and have enough money left over to get the SNS or other accessories you might want and it gives you the flexibility of cooking a bunch of food or just using a single kettle for steak or burgers.
@@GrillTopExperience Im going to stay patient and wait to get a 22 inch kettle. Marketplace has some fantastic deals. Im going to drive 45 minutes in the am to pick up a nice 18" WSM. Thank you so much for helping me get this figured out. Im ordering the SNS. :)
Great video! As a beginner, should one start with the grill one? I think the smoke grill would have been the best 'cause it tastes better but im worried about my side porch which is very close to the house, is it going to be a problem?
Ask a firefighter and they'll say to keep your grill away from the house. All it takes is a good flare-up and you e got problems.
A gas grill is a good start for someone starting out because it is easier to grill on and learn. If you don't want to cook a lot of steaks and burgers or other things at high heat, the pellet grill is a good option.
Thanks.
I will never give up my Weber kettle. But I would love to get an offset one day.
I'm right there with you. The more I use my kettle, the more I like it.
If i want to buy can u help me spot the best best grill
I started with a Weber kettle over 30 years ago and never felt the need for anything else besides a little Weber Smokey Joe for when I'm only doing a couple of burgers and dogs.
Is it the best grill ever? Heck if I know but I can say it does everything I need it to.
It certainly is the most versatile and fairly straight forward once you get the hang of it.
Nice video! I don't have a pellet or offset, but I love my gasser as much as I do my Kamado grill. I wish more companies made flat top cookers as I don't like my Blackstone as it's built like crap, designed poorly, just not nearly as good as it should be. I'm hoping Weber makes one!
I haven't tried the blackstones, but I know people are pretty passionate about the differences. I bought an inexpensive travel flat top and it is good enough for that kind of use. Don't let people hate on gassers. I use mine all the time because it is quick and anything that gets you grilling more is a good thing,
Well, you got what you wanted because Weber now makes a flat top cooker!
The grill rabbit hole 🐇🕳️, started grilling 2 years ago with a gas nexgrill, upgraded to a Weber Smokefire, then a Weber smokey mountain, then a Blackstone flat top, then a SNS travel kettle.. 🤷🏾♂️. I'm going to eventually get rid of everything and settle with a Weber Summit Kamado at some point, I love controlling how much flavor goes into my food but I need more of a one stop shop. If only I knew what I know now 🙄
It never ends and most people who get into grilling do the same thing! The Kamado is a good buy though!
Komados take much longer to cool down, and if you overshot temp take longer to get under control than a kettle.
Much easier to move a kettle, dont think you'll be moving a kamado as easy if you have a step etc. Kettle much lighter
The ceramic can crack and need replacing. You can smoke, grill, low n slow, rotisserie, bake, pizza, on the charcoles :)
Most Kamado manufacturers have a lifetime warranty on the ceramics for a kamado, but that assumes it didn't break because you moved it! Everything you said is right, but once you get the kamado dialed in it should stay right at the temp you left it at. That is a big advantage for me in the winter.
@@GrillTopExperience definately stays at temp and I think its less charcole, but that could just be me. As for your video being to long.. never I always listen to the end and nearly always learn somerhing new
What Pitboss griddle is that? Do you find you use it as much/more than the gas grill?
It is this one: amzn.to/45XJYeV
I don't use it as much as my gas grill because I prefer the flavor from grilling over griddling, but I will use it for smash burgers or if I need to make more griddled things like french toast or pancakes than I can easily do on my stove.
My kettle doesnt have a lower grill for coals, would you recommended trying to add one? Thanks
Yes, absolutely. Weber kettles and the others I've used need a charcoal grate for proper airflow. The good news is they can be purchased separately.
What is your opinion on Combo or hybrid grills. Specifically the Pitboss KC
If you get a pellet grill or a gas grill, you'll probably want both and I see the appeal. I haven't used them, but I would make sure each side is big enough for what I want or consider buying separate ones.
All that things with high tech, wi-fi, mobile app grilling from the bed is just a feeling killing. If you're going to grill like that, then just order something. I like to be in charge when I grill my food and I like to put some real effort into that. But hey, it's just my oppinion.
I've been a gas griller for many years, but I want to try my hand at charcoal grilling.
The same principles apply to both, so you are off to a good start. There are lots of kettles on the used market. Grab one and jump in!
Yea I know. I need a grill friend too.
Been a charcoal griller for 20 years but thinking about switching to a high-end gas unit. I suppose I'm finally tired of the longer heat-up time & clean up...because no matter what I end up with black briquette dust on my hands. I think we all know it's much easier to be a terrible griller on a gas unit (we've all been to those neighbors houses), but, in my head at least, my steaks and burgers and chicken breast will be 95% as good as on charcoal.
Gas grills have their place and are better than cooking on a stove. If you've mastered charcoal, you'll end up with good food on a gas grill.
What about the offset smokers that are around $200? Like Walmart or sam’s club offset smokers?
Mad Scientist BBQ has a good video where he bought one of those and made a brisket on it. They can work, but take more TLC to get good results from them.
Getting a weber
what are the cons of a a charcoal grill? beside buying something cheap i mean what are you missing compared to a pellet or gas grill? thinking about getting charcoal cuz my treager 575 isnt the best despite being over 1k
The biggest one is time. It'll take longer to get a charcoal grill up and ready to cook and more fiddling compared to a pellet grill. I tend to use a gas grill for weeknight cooks for no other reason than convenience.
@@GrillTopExperience hell ya thanks man
thanks rob dyrdek
Is there a CHARCAOL GRILLDE do those exits? I know on the Weber you can get a hot plat than can basically convert your Weber into a griddle. But are there any other alternatives that you might know off?
SNS makes a carbon steel plancha that you put on instead of the grill grate. You can then use your charcoal grill just like any griddle or Blackstone. It’s like $100 with free shipping.
@@joshbaker1639 awesome thank you so much I'll go check that out right now sounds like exactly what I'm looking for thank you
The people in the SNS Facebook group really seem to like theirs. It's pretty heavy and should last forever on your kettle. There are a few manufacturers that sell a version of the same thing.
@@GrillTopExperience I have a Weber 22 inch and a half grill and I have been using the arteflame insert but I just wanted something that was completely flat top so I can make smash burgers and it seems like the SNS plancha that y'all suggested seems to be exactly what im looking for thank y'all so much for the help and advice
But a Nexgrill five burner with hot plate. Cheaper and easy to clean!
I have a family q and weber master touch love them
The Family Q isn't super popular in the US and I finally saw one in person. It's bigger than some in the Spirit lineup. Sounds like you have all your bases covered.
@@GrillTopExperience the q here in Australia is everywhere of say %80 of people have one
Thank God I'm a welder of set grills I can make in 30 minutes 😅 thanks for my new found income source
I have never had any grill other than an Hibachi that was a small cast-iron unit that we made a fire in, if I remember right. It was probably charcoal, I forget. I wish I hadn't left it behind when I moved... Oh well... Now I have a condo and a deck but no back yard so I guess I am going to have to have a propane grill... ??? This video didn't give me the answer I need... I have never had a real grill. I am living alone and mostly will use one for steaks... What should I get?
It depends on the condo rules. Some don't allow gas grills either. If they do and you only need to cook for 3-4 people, I would go with a portable gas grill. Something like the Weber Q1200 or Q2200.
@@GrillTopExperience I am only cooking for one person ... yes, I can have any gas grill I want here... there are no rules about that. I had an electric outdoor grill but I never used it so I gave it away. I now eat only meat, salt and water as I am living the Carnivore lifestyle so I thought maybe a grill would be a good idea... The grill would have to stay outside all year round though and in Canada we do have sometimes quite a bit of snow...
how about a weber ranch kettle?
If you want to spend $1800 on a giant kettle, go for it! I haven't been able to justify the purchase.
@@GrillTopExperience thanks for the reply. I enjoy your videos. Keep up the good work.
Hey😇
I’m 14 and I want to start grilling
Did ya do it?
Only wood or charcoal
Gas grills might as well cook inside they have no outdoor flavor of wood or coal
Wrong. You can buy really cheap offset smokers... like for 150-200. I bought two Pecos offset smokers, one for 400 and the other for 250 because someone stole the grate.
Hank Hill would be disappointed you choose the Charcoal Grill 🤣
Ha, ha! After your last comment, I was hoping you wouldn't see those other videos!
@@GrillTopExperience But you sold me on those kettle grills because I liked the comparison to driving a manual vs automatic, and I love the control and versatility the kettle grill offers. I like the propane grill because I think of backyards, cut lawns, and 4yh of July.
aint nothing more manly than straightup charcoal brutha
I just wanna learn how to grill and cook meat properly
And what exactly makes you an expert or is it your opinion?
Everything you hear on the internet is biased in one way or another. I have a lot more grills than were shown in the video so my opinion comes from experience.
With a charcoal grill your going to spend at least $20 on charcoal every time you fire it up and if you think your gonna use it on the weekdays after work guess again it takes a decent amount of time to get it running like you want and lots of monitoring
"going up the tiers of manliness......" hmn... *looks down briefly* definitely missing some parts.
My lack of inclusiveness is probably why 98% of the viewers of this video are men.
@@GrillTopExperience naw, man, you're just fine. LOL was just makin jokes. :D
Did you say this correctly? "You're tasting the meat and not the heat." That just sounds very wrong. When would you not want to taste the meat? Its the star, not the method.
That was in homage to a quote from the TV show "King of the Hill," which featured Hank Hill who sold propane and propane accessories. Several commenters make reference to some other things he said as well and people make fun of that statement because the prefer meat, salt, and wood smoke as the best combo. You only get two with propane.
@@GrillTopExperience I see. Thanks. Well, I suppose you do only get two of them with propane. I kind of feel like unless you're slow really slow cooking it (in which case why not get a used smoker if at all possible) it doesn't really make enough difference to go through the hassle of charcoal.
If you don’t want to burn yourself don’t cook then