This is my first charcoal grill to "test the waters". It is an excellent grill! Its small and compact for traveling. Its perfect to use when cooking for a small group. It doesnt require much fuel to get it hot and keep it hot. It has helped me learn how to manage a charcoal fire, as well as using the heat for indirect, and direct cooking. I have been using gas grills my whole life. The time it takes to get coals hot enough to cook on, is about 20 minutes. This doesnt take much longer than getting a gas grill up to temp and stabilized, and the taste of the food on charcoal is so much better! Dont be afraid to make the purchase and give charcoal a try!