I want a good Barbecue

JZ67

JZ67

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My BBQ is on the way out, the frame is going and I am tired of replacing the crappy grills and such every year or less. I am also tired of buying offshore **** and would like to buy a really good North American made product. Research is pointing me to Weber but I don't know anyone that has forked over the loot to buy one.

Anyone here have a Weber or Broil King our another North American made BBQ. Your findings?
 
My folks were in the same boat a couple years back and did all the research. The looked at both of those brands and then went with a Vermont castings. They also make wood stoves, so ya, they're heavy duty.
 
Get a Weber I bought a Napoleon thinking it would be just as good and is Canadian made but it is not nearly as good. The burner needs regular cleaning and it has major hot and cold spots. My old Fiesta cooked better and cost 600 bucks less. Every Weber I have used has been fantastic and my portable Weber works great.
 
Definitely Weber. I've been doing research lately and have come to the painful realization that Weber may be the only decent avenue.

I did hear good things about this particular Broil King though:
http://www.sears.ca/product/broil-k...ropane-grill-with-side-burner/602-90907-90907

Basically what you have to do is decide on a budget and bells/whistles. I wanted stainless, multiple burners, big cooking area, yadda yadda... but you can't get that from Weber for under like $1000 :lol:
 
JZ67 said:
Anyone here have a Weber or Broil King our another North American made BBQ. Your findings?
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We have a Weber, its about 10 years old. Still runs like a champ. Never a problem.

Our whole family and extended family pretty much all use Webers, never heard a complaint.

Also, picked up the Weber Baby Q a few years ago for picnics and such. Very handy to have, and works well too.

I'll buy another one in a heartbeat if I ever need to.

.
 
Big Green Egg. - charcoal
Weber - gas
 
I bought my first weber 13 years ago. the only thing that has been replaced has been the flavour bars. I bought my 2nd webber 8 years ago and have not had a problem with it at all. I use them all year round.
 
I have a Weber kettle, love that thing
 
12 years with my Weber, BBQ all year round, had to replace the flavourizer bars, and the igniter, about 4 years ago, nothing else....

heck half the time I forget to cover it up, so it gets rained, snowed on, baked by the sun, I give it good wash down once a year, as well as the inside.

I was hoping it would crap out, I want to buy a bigger model, more grilling area would be nice, and this time around I would get the gas model, not the propane, getting tired of having to fill up the bottles
 
My parents got the Blue Ember (Fiesta) straight from the factory in Brampton a few years ago. They have a shop which sells 'scratch and dent'. Well, that bbq was brand new in the box, cost a few hundred less than in store, had all bells and whistles we could think of (rotisserie add-on with rear burner, side burner, stainless steel) and works great.
 
Have to say, I always kinda get a kick out of the BBQ crowd..I mean, how hard is it to burn **** over a fire?!?!? :-D
 
Be careful, many of the "top" brands (Weber, Napoleon, Broil King, etc.) make a NA made line and a Chinese made line(s), you really have to check the COO before putting the money down if that is what matters. IMO it is hard to go wrong with any of these brands, regardless of COO. Other than the usual research, check parts quality, etc., one simple test I do is lift the lid from one corner, the good stuff the lid lifts straight, the cheap you can see it bend/twist or it goes up on an angle... Although simple this IMO is an important real life test...

The good part about buying any of the "top" lines is that parts should be available in the future (regardless of COO). For sure if you buy the no name stuff or most store brands you will be SOL 5 years down the road.

I have a Stainless Weber Genesis BTW... Three years old now and it works perfect... Burners are fine, grill in great shape, starters still work. Finish is OK but shows age (specially some of the aluminum parts). I like the new model better than mine (new one has front controls--mine has side--and the burners go front to back instead of side to side--like mine).

PS, I should add that in the past the cheapo $100 units lasted decades, my parents' did (it was very well made, quality castings). I do not think that the new cheapo made in china stuff will last that long (very sheet metal like) but it does not cost much to try one out....
 
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Thanks for all the responses. I should have said that I have had about 6 cheaper bbq`s over the past 15 - 20 years or so. There is just something about rusted components inside a BBQ that turn me off. Compound that with the $100.00 ++ in burners and grills every year, I would have been better off buying quality years ago. Guess that experience comes with age.

backmarkerducati said:
one simple test I do is lift the lid from one corner, the good stuff the lid lifts straight, the cheap you can see it bend/twist or it goes up on an angle... Although simple this IMO is an important real life test...
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No kidding, I have been doing this in every store. It definitely represents the quality of the material in the product.
 
You can't go wrong with a Weber, never heard anyone complain about them. I've been told not using a cover helps to make BBQ last, cover keep in the mositure which lead to rust.
 
Like, a bike, everyone has their favorite. Around our place we take bbq'ing quite seriously. Yes, I'm the guy when its -40 below at canadian tire getting a tank refill in january. We use a napolean 3 burner grill w/ rotisserie back burner, entire top is cast iron. Paid a good chunk more than the chinease stuff about $500, it has been stellar. Some things to look for regardless of what brand you buy:

1.) Cast iron heat grates - hold heat much better than stainless steel, takes longer to heat, but gives a more even heat, doesn't sear the exterior of the meat when it touches the grill @ 250-300 F

2.) rotisserie is absolutely awesome, paid a bit extra for the napolean brand one (don't know where its made), but seems to work better than the junk at CT (seen 2 of those fail). If it had an odometer, it would be on its second lap around.

3.) Get grill grates that are non-linear, i.e. wavy, curved, saves small stuff like asparagus from falling through the grates

4.) starter has been excellent after 5 years of rigorous use

5.) pivot point of the lid, your going to have to lift this up and down a lot over the life of the bbq, many of the cheaper brands do not balance the lid making it heavy or causing it to warp when lifted (if its not cast iron)

6.) buy the size you actually need, while massive grills look cool, they take forever to heat and use a lot more propane. Also get 2 tanks, so your never out :) Best is to plumb it straight into your natural gas, but doing so can be $$ or a hassle.
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