Well...after I dont know how many years, it was time to chuck my Kenmore 3 burner. I thought I might just give it a good cleaning but aside from the replacing the grates, the innards were rusting through. My own fault, as when the cover I bought went to crap I never replaced it...and all the salty ocean air has gone to work over the years.

Anyway, going to abide by my wife's wishes and go with something smaller. After much research, and not wanting to deal with another IR grill (the grates are a bitch to keep clean) I think I'm going to go Weber Spirit E210/220.

But I think Im going to wait until next month when grills are supposed to go on sale.

 

You can't go wrong with a Weber! I got mine used ($150 on craigslist) and it was in almost perfect condition.

Before my weber I always bought cheaper grills from sears / wal-mart in the $200 range and I never realized how much I was missing from not having a better quality grill.

 

Oh I had a real good grill, I just let it go to shit.

But the Spirit 210/220 seems to have everything I want, smaller 2 burner footprint, side tables that fold down, and better grates.

Freaking IR grill grates are the worst, and its the one thing I really hated about my old grill.

 

IR grill grates = infrared?

 

yep

 

I never had any experience with infrared grills but I really love my cast iron grates - perfect for steak and burgers.

 

The only thing I ever use the IR burner for is searing meat, but since I grill meat 75% of the time I use the grill, I guess that equates to a fair bit of use.

For a 2" thick steak, I will sear over IR on High for 4 minutes per side, then transfer to a regular burner on Medium for 2 minutes/side for medium rare, 4 for medium.

 

Also, and this is the in me, I use Evernote to track grilling.

I have a note in my recipe notebook called "grilling notes".

As I cook different things, I add the exact times used to the note, so that if it comes out a little over or under, I know how to adjust for the next time.

Every cut/meat gets it's own entry in the note.

This way, it's like I have a cooking profile for my grill.

i.e.:

 

2" thick steak - that is a thick steak right there.

I like to keep mine at 1" much easier to cook it through.

 

this is a great idea and something I have been wanting to do for awhile but never got to it.

 

 

Blasphemy

 

Have you gone and looked at the Spirit ones in the store? IMO, Weber isn't really worth the money until you get to the Genesis line. You can get a really nice CharBroil Commercial, stainless two burner for a lot less money than the Spirit. The build quality of the Spirit just isn't there and you pay a lot more for the name.

That said, I just bought a replacement for my dearly departed grill. Got a Weber Genesis E-310 in espresso. Should be here Thursday.

 

I looked at the CharBroil two burner, which is also well rated...but its an IR grill. And I don't want to deal with those grates again.

I'll wait for the Spirits to go on sale next month.

 

Just showed up. First grill is tonight!

 

Nice!

What time should we all show up?

 

you can show up whenever you want provided you bring some meat for me.

 

Oh...he'll bring some meat for you, its kosher, too.

 

as long as it's trimmed and lean I'm in.

 

 

 

and...AZ delivers the meat, again.

 

Arbys. We have... The meat!

 

Meat

 

Wife and kids are out for the day. Daddy picked up a 2" ribeye for dinner. Creamed spinach and bottle of Apothic Dark Red to wash it down.
Food coma + =

 

NSXNEXT,

I will bring the cigars if you have a spare steak!

 

Sounds like a great night to me

 

Bought weber genesis EP-310. Red version to match my kamado joe smoker. Stainless steel grate vs. cast iron. Couldn't be happier. Worth every penny

 

Sorry not enough steak for two. It was damn good btw.

 

which grates did you get? Stainless Steel or cast iron. I have cast iron and i really like them.

 

^

 

Congrats! Have the same one in brown. Did you buy SS grates as an add on since that one comes with CI grates?

 

lol, same here. About 5 or 6 years ago i had purchased a char-broil IR for $150 from home depot. It was clearanced from around $600. It has worked well for a few years, but not covering it and not cleaning it as often since i didn't pay much for it has taken its toll.

The troughs need to be replaced every couple years at $50 each. The main burner part has stopped producing as much heat as it did when new. It needs about $200 in parts and i am really struggling to spend that money on parts when i can get another grill.

Decisions.

 

I know this is not the right season but maybe you can pick up a nicer grill with the black friday deals coming up??

 

Check Craigslist too.
I am picking up a Weber EP-330 for $600 BNIB for the mountain house.

 

My IR charbroil will eventually get replaced at the end of the summer. It doesn't heat up well in the cold and is marginal now in the warm weather, but it's better.

I have been trolling CL for a couple months locally and haven't found anything reasonable.

I have been looking at a genesis 330 with the side burner, or a broil king. The weber has a lifetime warranty on most of its parts and the broil king is about 5 or 10 years depending on the parts.
I can't complain about paying $150 for this grill that lasted 5-6 years but i need something better.

 

I love my stainless weber genesis 330. I have had it for about 1.5years so far and just cleaned the inside this spring and other than the heat coloring looks basically new. The stainless steel grates cleaned so easily I was amazed.

 

Grills are worth the expense. Buy a good one, maintain it, enjoy it for years. IMO!

 

Dallison,

Costco usually has good models, and they are from Costco so if it falls apart in 5 years, take it back...

My Costco grill is turning ten this year... Still going strong.