What’s the Best Portable Barbeque Grill?
I used to be a die-hard woodsmoke barbeque guy. I scoffed at people who told me about their gas grills, because I, of course, knew that you can’t really get the best taste in grilled food without real wood smoke or, in a pinch, charcoal. However, I have come around. I now use a portable gas barbeque grill, and I love it. Furthermore, I get no complaints about the taste of the food that comes off my grill-even from myself. So, with that background in mind, let’s take a look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of portable barbeque grills of all types-gas and otherwise. And you can make up your own mind which camp you belong in.
Wood and Charcoal Grills
The main advantage-other than aesthetics, as described above-of portable barbeque grills that burn wood or charcoal is expense. You can get a pretty nice, all-purpose grill for around $100. In fact, if you live in a really small condo or apartment with very limited outdoor space, you can get a cast-iron hibachi grill that burns charcoal and takes up less room than a microwave for $25 to $50. Another advantage of wood and charcoal grills is that they are usually relatively lightweight. This makes these barbeque grills more portable, so you can take them to the lake, the campground, the tailgate party, or whatever. Some of these grills, like the Weber grill, can double as barbeque smokers, to a certain extent. So, if your main priorities involve price and portability, barbeque grills that burn wood or charcoal are probably your best bet. Before I leave the topic, however, I will add that companies like Brinkmann make wood and charcoal-burning grills that have just about every feature of the high-tech gas grills-except the gas. These cast-iron kitchens-on-wheels can come with side boxes for smoking, temperature gauges, venting systems that give you amazingly precise control over cooking temperature, and even mounts for a rotisserie! So, if you really are a diehard charcoal or wood griller like I used to be, and don’t mind spending a pretty good bit of extra money, take a look at these guys.
Gas Grills
While gas grills-whether they burn propane or natural gas-are technically portable, in that they are mounted on wheels, you can’t just toss them in the back of your SUV. A gas grill is oh, so convenient (the feature that finally sold me), and the side burners available with many models make it fun and easy to sautee or keep a pot full of something warm while you’re grilling the main course, but portable is not the main word I’d associate with them. They’re also more expensive than wood and charcoal grills. So, if you’re setting up your ideal grilling space in the back yard and intend for it to be semi-permanent, and if you’ve got a little more budget to work with, gas grills may be the way you want to go.
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Weber 7416 Rapidfire Chimney Starter
$13.00 Weber Rapidfire, Chimney Starter, Made Of Aluminized Steel & Large Enough To Hold The Appropriate Number Of Briquettes For An Indirect Or Direct Fire On A 22-1/2" Diameter Weber Kettle, Unique Cone Bottom Allows For Fast Start & A Double Thermoplastic Handle Allows For Easy Pouring Once Charcoal Is Ignited... |
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Weber 7553 Premium Cover for Weber Genesis Gas Grills
$37.42 Premium full length heavy duty nylon cover. Covers grills from top to bottom. Great for keeping your grill away from the elements.... |
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Weber 6415 Small Aluminum Drip Pans 8.5-by-6-inch, Pack of 10
$4.09 Small, heavy gauge aluminum pans line the Weber gas barbecue grease catch pan and are also ideal for cooking side dishes. Large pans are perfect for indirect cooking on a Weber kettle or cooking vegetables and other foods. 10 pans per pack. No. 6415: Smal... |
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Championship Cooking Series - Charcoal Smoking Vol 1
$4.99 Barbecue like the pros with Joe Davidson, outdoor cooking world champion.... |
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Championship Cooking Series - Gas Grill Smoking Vol 1
$9.95 Barbecue like the pros with Joe Davidson, Outdoor Cooking World Champion.... |
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Great Chefs Grill Out: Caribbean
$5.99 Flank steak, veal chops, chicken, duck and lamb, prepared at the Villa des Great Chefs in St. Croix. This video features chefs Allen Susser, David Kendrick, Bent Rasmussen, and Philip Fitzpatrick. 90 minutes... |
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RubberMaid #G100-12 BBQ Grill Brush
$2.90 10-1/2" BBQ Grill Brush With Molded In Scraper. Crimped Brass Bristles, 5/8" Trim, In Black Plastic Block.... |
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Mr. Heater Propane Steak Saver Adapter
$23.80 Rescue your Sunday afternoon cookout! When you run out of gas in your 20-lb. tank, simply screw this adapter into the propane operating line to operate your grill from a disposable 1-lb. propane cylinder. U.S.A.... |
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Charcoal Go-Anywhere Grill
$45.73 Charcoal Go-Anywhere portable square charcoal grill. Weber Go-Anywhere grills live up to both their name and their fame: Weber quality in a portable package. 160 square inches of cooking surface.... |
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BBQ Secrets - The Master Guide To Extraordinary Barbecue Cookin'
$19.94 3 world champion barbecue cooks, and restaurateur's combine forces to share their secrets to cooking authentic low and slow barbecue! This detailed, comprehensive guide provides thorough demonstrations, including: temperature control; spice rubs; smoking woods; showcasing a wide variety of meats; seafood; and includes an enclosed 18-page recipe booklet. This Telly award-winning DVD has something t... |
Tags: barbeque grills, Barbeque Smokers, charcoal grills, gas grills, hibachi grill, portable barbeque grills, Weber grill, wood griller gas grill
