Grill & Accessories
There are never ending discussions whether a gas grill can produce the same taste results as a charcoal grill. For this reason, I will leave it up to you to decide which kind of grill you prefer. I will share with you my experience and what led me to what I have and like to use now. I started with a charcoal grill and totally loved it from day one. For many years I would never want to use any other kind of grill. When our neighbors moved away and gave me their old gas grill, my life suddenly changed. Even though it was one of the cheapest gas grills you can buy, I immediately fell in love with it. The convenience of having a grill, which is always ready, was spectacular. I was also surprised that I didn’t notice any major difference in the flavor of the grilled products — at least definitely not big enough to hassle with charcoal again. By getting a gas grill, I immediately gained perfect control over cooking temperatures, which led to better cooking results. Unfortunately, the grill totally rusted in a couple of years, so it was time to find a new one, which I had hoped would last longer. In getting a new grill, I had to decide to add a permanent gas line to fix the major issue of the gas grill — the gas tank always ran out at the least convenient moment. I started to research the best possible new grill in the price range of $300 – $400, but based on customer reviews, all grills in this price range had major problems with rusting after a relatively short period of usage (usually one to two years). For this reason, I started to consider more expensive options, and did not just focus on performance but also on rust resistance. Eventually I ended up spending over $800 for Weber Genesis 300, which came with a 25-year replacement warranty for potential rust problems and had great reviews on all aspects. Yes, it was twice as much as I planned to spend, but imagine how much money I will save over time by not having to buy a new cheaper grill every 2 – 3 years. This is a huge benefit but is not the only benefit for me. I love how the grill performs. It is right next to my kitchen on the deck, so I can grill the whole year. Since it is connected to our gas line, I never have to buy a new gas tank and is ready in no time. Because it can hold the temperature well, I use it for more than just grilling. I use it for baking pizzas, bread, rotisserie, and even smoking meat (with a special but very inexpensive smoker box). I use my Weber Genesis 300 grill more than my stove all year long. The functionality and convenience of the permanent gas connection allow me to do this and has truly transformed how I cook. And, even though it’s not charcoal, none of my guests have ever complained about the flavors produced from my gas grill. If you decide to go with a gas grill, I would recommend that you consider adding a gas line to save money, too. Prior to getting the gas line hooked to the grill, I went through about 8 – 10 gas tanks a year, each were about $20, so I spent about $200 a year just on gas tanks for the grill. Because of the price and extra trip to exchange of each tank, I used the grill only for grilling. Since I added the permanent gas line, I’m not buying gas tanks anymore, and am saving a lot of time and money since my gas bill went up only about $3 -$4 a month. Also, because the whole process of using the grill became easier and cheaper, I dramatically increased my usage of the grill for other kinds of food preparation. And in the end, I only need to pay a plumber about $100 dollar to install the gas line and my cooking experience was changed forever.