# Bbq recommendations under 400$ ?



## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

Well my old BBQ has failed me so I need to buy a new one. We bbq maybe 2-3 times a month so I don't want to invest a grand for a BBQ but I still want something that wont break in 5 years. They seems to have a good selection of stainless BBQ in my price range at Walmarts, but I really don't know if they are crap or not. 

Help!


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## Guest (Apr 21, 2010)

I bought a Wal-Mart BBQ last year. Works fine. For $200 I'm not picky. It had excellent assembly instructions. That surprised and impressed me. It doesn't hold heat well so using it year round is out.


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

I've been BBQing for a long time and for the $$ NOTHING beats an old school hibachi. It takes a little longer to get going, but once you have some nice coals your good to go for as long as you want. Just adding fresh briquettes as needed. The temperatures can get much higher on a hibachi than typical inexpensive gas units. They're really cheap too!










Happy grilling
Shawn


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## Guest (Apr 21, 2010)

Rugburn: funny enough, I really, really wanted a charcoal BBQ! Went looking for something middle-of-the-road, hoping to spend ~$200 on it. And nada. Not in this town. It was all $1000 Big Green Egg things and fancy-pants charcoal/gas hybrids.

I LOVE meat cooked over charcoal. Gas is so stale in comparison.


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

iaresee said:


> Rugburn: funny enough, I really, really wanted a charcoal BBQ! Went looking for something middle-of-the-road, hoping to spend ~$200 on it. And nada. Not in this town. It was all $1000 Big Green Egg things and fancy-pants charcoal/gas hybrids.
> 
> I LOVE meat cooked over charcoal. Gas is so stale in comparison.


Crappy Tire is your friend!

Charcoal BBQs | Canadian Tire

Cheers, Shawn


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

zurn said:


> We bbq maybe 2-3 times a month so I don't want to invest a grand for a BBQ but I still want something that *wont break in 5 years*.


We have the same requirements - I usually just buy a cheaper one from Walmart,Canadian Tire etc.

I find its always the burner unit which rusts out first, while the rest of the BBQ is still fine. You end up throwing away the BBQ because the burner is shot. 
I did change the burner itself a few years ago, but its not a process I would want to do again.


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## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

Just remember that its the BTU's that make a BBQ, the more BTU's the better and faster cooking times and the top needs to be as best heat resistant as possible do not get one witha flimsy like top grill, we BBQ at the very least 4x's per week and if the weather permits everyday ( free Propane ) and it beats the oven ( electric ).
Just be careful not all stainless steels are created equal to the task, go and ask questions at your local BBQ retailer and learn as much as possible and then make your selection and the reason most BBQ's fail early is because you didn't spend the time to clean it after usage and that you also got the top way to hot and this is often the case for failure of your cooking grill, happy BBQing.Ship
And good point Bagpipe when you are buying new make sure that the burner is easy to change and that they are available at most stores ( so get a brand that is around 5-7 years later and that parts are available to purchase ) I change my burners every 4 years-6 years


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## Guest (Apr 21, 2010)

Rugburn said:


> Crappy Tire is your friend!
> 
> Charcoal BBQs | Canadian Tire
> 
> Cheers, Shawn


 Forgot to mention I bought it _late _in the season last year, so it was slim pickings. But yea, next time: spring and charcoal!


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

Thanks for the tips, this may be a stupid question but how do you control the temperature on a charcoal BBQ ? I guess you just wait for the heat to come down ? Charcoal may have the best taste, but I don't always have a lot of time to prepare the bbq with the kids and all.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

There's always this thing at Lee Valley: Traditional Turkish Grill - Lee Valley Tools

The only caveat is - and I'm mentioning this especially because I know Ian has to be concerned about this - it's not pre-schooler-friendly because it is rather low to the ground.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

I got tired of spending $200 every 3 years or so, so 3 years ago I bought a Weber Genesis barbecue for about $700. We barbecue about twice a week on average. Its 3 years later and it still looks like brand new. I expect it will still be around 10 or 15 years later. To me this is the cheaper way to go.


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

My wife wont let me spend 700$ on a BBQ , i'll try your argument on her  To answer my own question, it looks like some charcoal bbq's have height control to set temperature! Here's one at 150$ but i'm not sure I want to take the charcoal route.

Charcoal BBQ | Canadian Tire


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Rugburn said:


> I've been BBQing for a long time and for the $$ NOTHING beats an old school hibachi. It takes a little longer to get going, but once you have some nice coals your good to go for as long as you want. Just adding fresh briquettes as needed. The temperatures can get much higher on a hibachi than typical inexpensive gas units. They're really cheap too!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Wow man, I have not see one of those babies in a long time. They were actually pretty damn good. But not many people BBQ with coals anymore, which is a shame becuase the bricks just dont give you that same flavour


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

zurn said:


> My wife wont let me spend 700$ on a BBQ , i'll try your argument on her  To anwser my own question, it looks like some charcoal bbq's have hight control to set temperature! Here's one at 150$ but i'm not sure I want to take the charcoal route.
> 
> Charcoal BBQ | Canadian Tire


Gas is more convenient, but convenience is *not *what BBQ is all about. The "hassle" of charcoal is greatly exaggerated by those I suspect to be of the frozen burgers and hot dogs camp. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Lay down your charcoal, squirt generously with "Zip" or wahtever fuel, let sit for 10 min.....then light the briquettes. While the charcoal is burning do whatever prep you need done and by then you'll be in business. My $0.02 worth.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

So, after watching all those Food Network shows where people do amazing things to beef brisket with smokers, what advice do you folks have about smokers? Are they the sort of thing you can easily buy and park in the back of your house?


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

mhammer said:


> So, after watching all those Food Network shows where people do amazing things to beef brisket with smokers, what advice do you folks have about smokers? Are they the sort of thing you can easily buy and park in the back of your house?


Here's something you may want to have a look at:

Traeger Pellet Grills - Taste the Difference!

My favorite is the bright pink unit aptly called *"The Lil' Pig"*


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

mhammer said:


> There's always this thing at Lee Valley: Traditional Turkish Grill - Lee Valley Tools


Or this thing that my friend gave me ,, he bought it for two bucks at a drugs store in Florida


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

mhammer said:


> So, after watching all those Food Network shows where people do amazing things to beef brisket with smokers, what advice do you folks have about smokers? Are they the sort of thing you can easily buy and park in the back of your house?


They are not as prevalent here in Canada and our stores as they are in the States. When I used to be over there all the time I would see them in almost all the big chain stores. Not just one or two models either, 10 different kinds. I ended up getting one at the giant Cabelo's over in Michigan. It looks like a small black refrigerator, about 4 feet tall maybe 5. It has about 6 grill screens in it set at different levels and you just attach a standard propane tank to it. Has the iron box at the bottom for your wood. I do up 10 full racks of ribs in that thing at time and it is fabulous. Very light, I store it in the shed over the winter. There are so many kinds of wood chips you can buy too. One of my favorites is not wood at all, they are the Jim Beam pellets. They smoke great and the flavour is fab. I combine those with the mesquite and let er go. The smoker was cheap too, I think I paid $140 for it and I have used it steady for about 5 years now

This is pretty much the one I have [url]http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_10213089____SearchResults[/URL]


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

+1 on the hibachi. i lived in a tent for 6 months (a long time ago, far, far, south of here) and cooked on a hibachi every day. there's _almost_ nothing you can't cook on one with a little fore thought.


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

When I'm at my buddy's place up north we make our own smoke packets from his stash of applwood chips. We soak some of the chips in beer and water and then blend them in careful ratios with some of the dry chips. The point is to make some wetter and some dryer depending on what's needed smoke wise. we just wrap the chips up in foil and prick them with a knife/fork and set them aside. Light one side of the gas BBQ at a reasonbly high temperature and place a wetter pack directly on the bricks beneath the grate. Place the goods on the unlit side. We carefully watch our temperature and try to keep it around 250F-275F. Smoked a bone-in pork loin roast and we left the huge cap of fat on top and we let her rip for about 5 hours. It was as good as the stuff I've sampled at several BBQ festivals, if not better. It's great to have fancy gear, but smoking is about temperature, time, quality of wood, and quality of meat. In the south they do it in open pits with nothing but salt, pepper and paprika for crying out loud. The wood being a critical "ingredient" in the flavour.


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

Rugburn said:


> When I'm at my buddy's place up north we make our own smoke packets from his stash of applwood chips. We soak some of the chips in beer and water and then blend them in careful ratios with some of the dry chips. The point is to make some wetter and some dryer depending on what's needed smoke wise. we just wrap the chips up in foil and prick them with a knife/fork and set them aside. Light one side of the gas BBQ at a reasonbly high temperature and place a wetter pack directly on the bricks beneath the grate. Place the goods on the unlit side. We carefully watch our temperature and try to keep it around 250F-275F. Smoked a bone-in pork loin roast and we left the huge cap of fat on top and we let her rip for about 5 hours. It was as good as the stuff I've sampled at several BBQ festivals, if not better. It's great to have fancy gear, but smoking is about temperature, time, quality of wood, and quality of meat. In the south they do it in open pits with nothing but salt, pepper and paprika for crying out loud. The wood being a critical "ingredient" in the flavour.


Canadian Tire sells a really good brand called Centro. Great BBQ's and they regulalry go on sale. I BBQ 4-5 times a week 365 days a year. I would not know how to use an oven or stove to cook meat. I've had the same $400 BBQ on the go for 5 years now.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

mhammer said:


> So, after watching all those Food Network shows where people do amazing things to beef brisket with smokers, what advice do you folks have about smokers? Are they the sort of thing you can easily buy and park in the back of your house?


I have seen lots in Florida... they are as big as a BBQ .. what I started doing last year was take a pie plate with chucks of wood ( off the shop floor) and put them on one side of the BBQ on top of the coals... turn that side on and put the meat on the other side..... works ok.


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

You could do it Alton Browns way [video=youtube;_Ka2kpzTAL8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ka2kpzTAL8[/video]


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

Gas grills and barbeques are two different things, and both have their benefits.

For real barbeque you need charcoal or wood. I use a Weber smoker for pork butt, brisket or ribs when long slow cooking is required. I have a small charcoal grill too, about the size of a hibachi but shaped like a globe with four legs on it. 

I used to have a top of the line Beefeater propane grill from Australia that was fantastic, but gave it away after about 10 years when I switched to natural gas. Now I just have a cheap Kenmore grill from Sears that I got for about $150. Works as good as the $1200 Beefeater did. I would not spend that much on a gas grill again. 

Love the que!


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## Fader (Mar 10, 2009)

I have used a Webber charcoal grill for about 15 years. I'm on my second one. I use only hardwood charcoal. No briquettes ever. No starter fluid ever. I light it with a propane torch. That's the only gas I use. You can regulate the temperature by controlling the vent openings. You can cook anything you want on them, from pizza to turkeys.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

All this food talk... breaking out that Vortex express for dinner .... ribs are thawed... time for a dry rub.... maybe a beer ...ya that's it.. beer


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

Thanks for the help guys, I knew a bunch of beer drinking guitarists would know how to grill right


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

bagpipe said:


> We have the same requirements - I usually just buy a cheaper one from Walmart,Canadian Tire etc.
> 
> I find its always the burner unit which rusts out first, while the rest of the BBQ is still fine. You end up throwing away the BBQ because the burner is shot.
> I did change the burner itself a few years ago, but its not a process I would want to do again.


Go with the new BBQ's with the cast iron burners. They will last far longer than the thin stainless steel ones. They have been around for a few years now, so you might find a slightly used one on Kijiji for about half the price of a new one.


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## naisen (Nov 25, 2009)

I think the cast iron is the ticket on the grates too, much superior to the enamel/porcelain grates. My brother and I both have cheapo gas bbq's but his is much nicer to grill on due to the cast iron grates. much better sizzle action.


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

I decided on the Coleman on special at Canadian Tire this week for 399$. Pretty good quality components for the price.

Here are the specs:

http://www.canadiantire.ca/storeloc...Hash=ee2f6be33647be21c32f4d8cfb39ee5d87a76389


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## Andy (Sep 23, 2007)

Traeger Jr. Pellet Grill : Cabela's

I have the model up from this, and love it. It's as convenient as gas, but tastes incredible. They sell them at any Rona store.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

For regular BBQ I have the older version of this one below. Broil King. I have had that one for many years now and it basically cannot be worn out. 











Broil King - Great Barbecues Every Time


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Broil King make a great product, and its Canadian made. Dollar for dollar, a better value than Weber IMO.
I use a cast iron wood chip box for smoking on indirect heat, altho I've heard the tinfoil pouch works just about as well.

In truth, I use it only for smoking ribs, or grilling burgers and dogs, occasionally chicken.
I can do steaks much better with a cast iron pan and a hot oven set to broil. Never had a bbq'd steak that was as good as oven broiled.


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