On 4/27/2010 at 2:38 AM, OliverB said:I was also going to suggest the weber with gas ingnition, I have the similar just charcoal one w/o the gas but with side table. Love that thing. There used to be hybrids around, that would work with gas and/or charcoal, but I haven't seen them in a while. The duo in the photo looks great too, but: gas grills do fail eventually from rust etc. Can you still get parts in 5 years? Will they cost as much as the grill? My gas grill is long retired behind a shed for that reason, parts would have cost more than a new grill. That summer I started using a stone old weber again (because I had food to bbq and the gas grill no longer worked) and I haven't looked back. No more gas for me, got the nicer weber and in the mean time a Big Green Egg, which is quite possibly one of the best fire cooling devices out there. Twice your budget, but maybe save for an other year and then get one? I've done everything on it, from low and slow smoking to 650+ degree steak searing. It looks a bit goofy, very 70es, but it's the same green as my house :-)
If you don't intend to smoke things too often, the Weber bullet also is very good and cheap, stores away in a corner easily. But needs more attention to keep the temp level, the egg is really set it and forget it.
That being said, the duo from above does look very interesting to Using Charcoal Smoker. I'd probably buy a set or two of spares (or find out from them how long they will support the unit). At times gas would be nice for a quick grill and with that unit you'd have the option to smoke something on the right and grill some veggies etc on the other side over gas to have ready. In an ideal world I'd buy one just for fun, but as a married man, there's some opposition in the house and I can't quite find a good reason to have yet an other fire cooking unit 🙂 to
I will on Monday be purchasing an offset smoker. Charcoal will be the fuel however I am tossed up on vertical vs horizontal smokers. The main purpose for a vertical smoker would be to hang ribs, chicken etc. Cost would be the same and cooking area is about the same. Is a vertical smoker worth it for hanging meats or are horizontal smokers preferred. Any feedback would be appreciated. I have 2 in both styles picked out.
