Thread: Gas BBQ/grill VS. Pellet Smoker/grill

I've got a masterbuilt 560.

Similar idea to a pellet grill except the hopper uses charcoal rather than pellets. I prefer the flavour over the pellet grills.

Also doesn't need an element, the heat is controlled by a little fan so can be run off a 12v power pack.

Can crank it up to sear as well but like the pellet grills it does it's best work at roast or low and slow temps.

Best thing about it is how easy and fast it is. Open the doors, chuck a little. Firelighter in leave for a. Minute, close the doors turn a nob to set the temp and cook. Is quicker than a household oven to temp.

Get a pellet grill, awesome Bbqs, easy to use and control the heat for low and slow bbq and also cooking other stuff over a gas bbq.
Another option is a green egg or other ceramic Bbqs, they are good and versatile.

Tonights spatchcochted free range chook on the charcoal.
25-30 min to get up and runnin and 1 hour 5 min cook.

Damn. That looks tasty.

Also tryed out the wifes hair dryer tonight for getting coals going.....I think the coal chimmny will be goin in the scrap way quicker to get goin with some force fed air.

I've got a charcoal rotisserie that's great for feeding a crowd but is lots of work keeping the heat up/consistent. At home I use a LPG Webber-Q because it's so convenient, it just doesn't give you that same flavour.
Sounds like @Nick-D has the best of both worlds.

I'm getting some of those Meater type probes so hope that'll be an improvement

Not sure this will be particularly helpful, but here goes ... sounds like you use your bbq like we do...so pretty much year round? So while the charcoal kettles etc are great, they generally involve much more stuffing about than I'm keen to do when I want to say cook steak on a raining August evening.

For over 20 years I used a simple BBQ Factory 3 burner grill with the heavy cast iron rail burners.... and it worked a treat. Had a hood so I could buggerise around with roasts etc if I was so inclined. It rotted out 12 months ago so I bought a GrandFire stainless bbq that has a hood, and operates with the tube ( bent length of stainless pipe with holes) burners. For my money its hopeless..... I just can't get a steak cooked with the hood up as it just doesnt have the boogie. I can achieve that with the hood down, but unlike the old unit that coud do so with 2 minutes a side, this thing takes 4-5 mins a side with the lid down, and as I cant see it all the time its something of a lottery. I've asked a couple of gassfitter about getting larger jets and different burners, but surprisingly they pretty much have nothing to offer on the technical aspects of that.

So IMO don't touch a 2 burner, 26" GrandFire!!

If you want a good quality gas hooded bbq, keep an eye out on trademe for an old Kent bbq. NZ made and built heavy and strong with good quality cast plates and grills and cast rail burners. Pick them up for $100 or less and will last you a bloody long time if out of the weather.
I’ve got a stainless one and it’ll out last me. Just have to replace the cast burners when they burn out.
They run bloody hot if you need it. Can fill up the plate with steak and it’ll burn them if you let it.
I put a rack of ceramic blocks under the grill side to keep the heat even.

Just started recently with a ceramic egg charcoal bbq here. I call it the work from home bbq. Pretty easy to get it fired up to temp and meat on during the day.

Got a set of temp probes and they are awesome! No more guessing as to where the meat is at.

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We brought a Broil King about 12 years ago. 5 Burner and I remember thinking " what a good salesman" as we left with something that cost about double what we wanted to spend. It replaced a series of 4 burner "Red Shed Specials" that lasted a couple years then fell apart.

Has lived on our deck since then and used virtually every night for cooking meat and twice a day in weekend, rain hail or shine.
My wife prefers to use it rather than cooking meat on the oven inside if at all possible even in the winter.
Had one complete set of replacement burners and a new gas supply hose which from memory was about $200
Seems like a bargain now!
Prefer gas as we use it every night so ready to use in 10mins rather than faffing around with charcoal etc.

Problem is now 4 Seasons has gone bust eariler this year we can no longer get replacement bits.

Originally Posted by mikee

We brought a Broil King about 12 years ago. 5 Burner and I remember thinking " what a good salesman" as we left with something that cost about double what we wanted to spend. It replaced a series of 4 burner "Red Shed Specials" that lasted a couple years then fell apart.

Has lived on our deck since then and used virtually every night for cooking meat and twice a day in weekend, rain hail or shine.
My wife prefers to use it rather than cooking meat on the oven inside if at all possible even in the winter.
Had one complete set of replacement burners and a new gas supply hose which from memory was about $200
Seems like a bargain now!
Prefer gas as we use it every night so ready to use in 10mins rather than faffing around with charcoal etc.

Problem is now 4 Seasons has gone bust eariler this year we can no longer get replacement bits.

The burners whether cast or shitty stainless tubes are normally available as standard items. I can still get the cast burners for my Kent which is over 20 years old. They’re just a standardised item across a lot of brands.