splogue's Full Review: Weber-Stephen Products 847001 (NG) Charcoal Grill
I skipped the charcoal phase most folks go through, so I've been using gas grills for years. This year I decided to get a charcoal grill just to have fun with. I bought this one primarily because of the auto-ignition feature. Basically, it has a propane welders torch built into the base of the kettle that lights the charcoal.
I also really like the built-in storage and work surface. It is entirely self-contained, so it doesn't require any more space than the unit itself takes up. The wire grate at the base works really well for storing gloves, fire extinguisher, and extra tools. The built in hooks for tools holds the three most often used tools close at hand. There is also a lid holder, that keeps it out of the way when the grill is open.
I bought the blue one, which is a really nice cobalt blue. It looks really stunning.
I've been using it for four months now, and I haven't used the gas grill since! My wife, who thought I was nuts for wanting to try charcoal, absolutely loves it. It is neat, clean, easy to use, and only takes about twenty more minutes than gas (to allow the coals to reach temperature, something that isn't required with gas). And the food -- it is just another world of flavors. My gas grill is very high-end (made by Lynx), but the food that comes out of the Weber just blows me away. The charcoal flavor just can't be replicated on gas, even with smoke wood.
This grill is a cooking machine, and it is a good one. Weber clearly put a lot of thought into making it easy to use and hassle-free. Buy one and put it beside your gas grill. My guess is that you'll find, as I did, that you'll use the charcoal grill more often.
UPDATE: I replaced the little, disposable propane bottles with a twenty pound refillable tank using this squirrel-proof hose:
It won't run out for years, and can be refilled for the price of 3-4 of the disposable bottles. This is an especially good thing to do if you already have a big propane tank left over from a previous grill, as in that case it will only cost you the price of the hose. If you only use a couple of bottles a year, you may not want to bother with it. If you are going through them so quickly they know you at the hardware store, give it a try.
363-square-inch charcoal grill with Touch-N-Go gas-ignition system Rolling steel-frame cart; work table; 3 tool hooks; lid-mounted thermometer 2 charc...More at Amazon
Style: OutdoorGrill Area: 22.5 inch diameterHeight: 40'Width: 50.25'Depth: 28.5'Features: Touch-N-Go gas ignition system Dual-purpose thermometer Tu...More at Newegg.com
Many outdoor chefs swear by charcoal for the smoky old-school flavor it lends to meat--but no one likes the mess or the hassle of starting the coals ...More at Abe's Of Maine
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2010 Shopping.com, Inc.