I have only had the grill a week and have used it 4 times. You can use just one side with charcoal for cooking and the other side for warming rolls/veggies. With the clay sides the unit stays warm for a very long time. Only wish it had a metal lid for smoking but foil works good. The only downside are the little metal legs--they are not really strong enough to support the weight. But in all, glad I bought it for sure.