Looking for a new set up.

[tlg4942]

I'm sure it could haha, but for example why is this more expensive? http://www.lowes.com/pd_600134-59264-BTAL48_1z0wejb__?productId=50175491&pl=1

And when you say all natural do you mean the wood or like a natural briquette? I have never seen or cooked over charcoal wood before.

Those are made to use with a Bradley Smoker. They feed down through a tube and burn as needed.  Not really for regular grills.
  Look at the big bags of charcoal. Since you have never used charcoal I would Suggest starting with Kingsford or Stubbs. Avoid non brands at least until you have experience and always avoid the lighter soaked ones. Maybe referred to as Match Lite.
 Lighter fluid is a personal choice. I like the chimney starters myself most of the time. (Why pay for lighter fluid when you have all that junk mail)?
 There is a learning curve with charcoal but  its short and worth every minute.  Little things like don't use to much and give it time to ash over.
Get the grill and we will help you get going.

[ICE9]

Good stuff, one thing I thought that was interesting about the Char-Broil was how it started, saying you could just use the igniter to light it up, I see the Weber also does that. I also seem to have read that porcelain coated cast iron grates are the grates to use, I didn't see anything specifically about the grates on the Char-Broil. Another thing I have come across is those burner plates being susceptible to rust, so I wonder how much of that is just people not keeping up their grills and such, kind of like how folks neglect their cars haha.

[ICE9]

Think I just found the dream grill guys..

[tlg4942]

  Burner plates do have a limited lifespan. Cheap ones are more limited but they all do.  Most can be replaced when the time comes. Watch out for cheap painted steel pans and bodies. Once those go its done.  This is the reason so many of us push the Webers. They make a quality product that will last and has a 10 year warranty that they will actually back up if needed. 
 The grates...
 My favorite grate is stainless bars. I have had the ceramic coated grates on three grills now.They are great at first... Then harder and harder to clean and expensive to replace!    My new cheapo gasser has just basic cast iron grates and I can tell you they are easier already.  The grates on the Weber Kettle are chrome and they are easy to clean and made of good stock.. 
 You can always buy "Grill Grates" at some point. Problem is completely solved at that point. They don't rust and should last many years with a little care.  http://www.grillgrate.com/
 

[Big Dawg]

Hey ICE9, got to the discussion a little late . . .

If I were starting up right now, I would pick up a Performer Premium.  At $350, it is at the top end of your price range, but it's a really good cooker.  You can grill steaks, you can smoke pork butts, there are a TON of accessories that you can pickup down the road to make it even more versatile.  Best of all, they last forever! 

I almost always use the small Weber chimney starter.  Even if I'm using my Vortex, I just dump the hot coals on top of a pile of cold ones and wait 10-15 minutes.

As far as charcoal, I've always used Kingsford Blue.  But I know that a lot of the gang here prefer other stuff.  As a friend of mine once said when his brand of bourbon was not available, "It's all good."

Another option, and one that's working for me, is the Weber 26.75 Kettle.  There's no cart, but if you're cooking for a crowd, it's definitely the way to go. 

The biggest thing is to get a fire going, and soon ! ! !





BD

[Tailgating is my game]

I had five minutes to look at that grill two weeks ago & I agree with the others on here. If space is a problem or you want the convenience it looks to be a fair grill. But I think you can do better with your $$'s  Now I think it looked cool the Cardinals Red strip around the middle LOL, 

As far as the Webers everyone loves them I have the 18.5 inch & love it & I had a Gasser years ago that was not good. Everything went bad on it in a few years.

I have another way I look at grills. I don't want a grill to last 20 years or should I say I don't want to pay for the grill that lasts 20 years. The way technology changes today If I pay $200 to 300.00 & the grill is good for five to ten years I am happy. If it lasts longer then I use it as a backup.....but that is me. I just retired my 12 year old  Fiesta Grill (end of season $99.00) that went south on me after all those years. I loved that grill cold spots & all. But I am glad it is gone so I could buy the five burner Sears with a folding cart table. It was time for something new. I bought this grill for $199.99 & I hope I get five years out of it & move on.

My tailgating Grills Charbroil & Margaritaville all are going strong with about 15 hours of use a year. They also serve as my backups to my Sears.

So you really need to ask yourself will I be here in five years or in a house? I will cook for how many that live here & how many guests. If you want charcoal just buy a charcoal grill save the money & wait on the gas grill.  Or as some say by both now.


Number one on my list is Mike's (muebe) Grill. Now it won't cook for a crowd but I want that grill.......But my wife won't allow it

I may get shot for saying this on here but sometimes you just want something. You like the looks or what it does. 


Ok after all this I don't think you can go wrong with a Weber kettle grill. I think everyone that has one likes it.

[Tailgating is my game]

Your town house allows grills right....some don't....Some just allow electric grills

[ICE9]

Random thought anyone have any input on those small desktop looking Weber gas.

[ICE9]

Also has anyone had any experience with Oklahoma Joe's?

[Ka Honu]

Okay - late to the party but since everyone's entitled to my opinion...

I'm getting that you're looking for a moderately priced solution with the versatility to allow you more than one cooking style. That pretty well takes good Kamados, pellet poopers, and other high-end stuff out of consideration. I've spent a lot of time and money over the years looking for the same thing.

I've had 3 Char-Broils (still have the SRG and an IR 3-banger) plus a bunch of other grills, smokers, smoker-grills, gassers, hibachis, cheap grills, etc. Char-Broils are decent but if I were going to have only one or two cookers, they probably wouldn't make the cut. Char-Broil does the job but they're not built to last for years of frequent use/abuse. I've not seen the gas/coal model but it looks like another of Char-Broil's many marketing attempts that advertise more than they deliver in terms of quality and actual performance, especially since they're trying to be two grills in one.

After years of futzing around, most of my cooking is now back to a Weber kettle for grilling and some smoking, a basic Bradley smoker for long and/or cold smokes, and occasionally a bird on the SRG (still the best poultry machine around).

My choice today for a "go-to" grill is a Weber kettle. I'd make sure to get a 22" or larger for versatility. There's really not much in the outdoor cooking universe you can't do with a Weber and some practice plus it'll last long enough to will to your kids. The gas starter, table, and fancy grill (with the hole in the middle) are optional - think whether you need them. The money for those options might be better spent on Grill Grates (which I don't have but seem pretty popular with the brethren and sistren here). I have tables on the deck and near the grill so that doesn't do anything for me and I'm happy with a charcoal chimney - so much for the gas-assist. I think the fancy grill is kind of a pain unless you do a lot with the empty hole (since you can't hang or lean the whole grill without the center falling out unless you modify it).

I'd suggest you get the Weber and see what you can do with it. Then see what you can't do that you'd like to add to your repertoire and start looking for whatever that happens to be.

[TMB]

Just my 2 cents worth, I'd get an SRG since it will do so much in such a small footprint. As for reliability I own two and have abused them an they just keep asking for more.   If all of CharBroil products were built like the SRG they would be better than Weber but they are not.   

Now if you have a 22 inch Weber and an SRG all your bases would be covered for now

[ICE9]

I have decided to go Weber performer 22. =D

 http://www.lowes.com/pd_622600-505-15301001___?productId=50330251&pl=1&Ntt=weber+charcoal

Thanks for all the input guys, very valuable. Any grate upgrade recommendations?

[tailfeathers]

Grill Grates for sure!!

[Pappymn]

You made a great choice. Will last forever

[TMB]

I have decided to go Weber performer 22. =D

 http://www.lowes.com/pd_622600-505-15301001___?productId=50330251&pl=1&Ntt=weber+charcoal

Thanks for all the input guys, very valuable. Any grate upgrade recommendations?

Smart move and like tailfeathers said get you a set of GrillGrates

http://www.grillgrate.com/grillgrates-for-the-22-5-weber-kettle/  here is the link