reduck 0 Posted April 7, 2013 I checked these out last week at the A&D show on Pier 94 in NYC. They looked great but I don't know about finding wood to fit in the grill tray to be able to cook with it. I discovered with the Viking that there is also a smoker box so you can smoke salmon and meats in the grill. You can use chunk charcoal, or almost any chunk wood. Unless you cut your own, then it's easy! The little smoker box in the Viking does ok. I used it a few time for small q's, and fish. It's fairly well insulated so you can just run that burner and maintain 225 all day. The Viking infrared burners do a wicked prime rib or beef roast too. R Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duppie 73 Posted April 7, 2013 I did a ton of research when I bought my Weber Genesis about 2 years ago. The price tag was steep compared to the Home Depot specials...simple 3 burner, stainless inards with a side burner. Retail price was around $800+, but the thing is a tank! The Home Depot specials were half that, and some had some really cool features - a small oven and a fridge in one model. Then I thought "when am I ever going to use that?" Basically you either buy the special and replace it every few years when it rusts out, or spend the money and have it around for a very long time. Maybe it would be a wash one way or they other, depending on the lasting power of the cheaper unit. A couple of points to add...the Weber Genesis and Summit are still made in USA with real stainless casing and internals. The cheaper Spirit line is now made in China. I'm told that you really should bring a magnet with you to see if it sticks on the model you are interested in. Apparently not every 'stainless stell' is really stainless steel. And Weber service is top notch. I had the igniter button fry out after about a year, and they sent me a new one overnight for free with a 5 minute phone call. Hope this helps a bit. Again... the Summit and Genesis line is assembled in Illinois from both foreign and domestic parts. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AlDente67 563 Posted April 7, 2013 Again... the Summit and Genesis line is assembled in Illinois from both foreign and domestic parts. Yes, but the steel they use is quality, regardless of origin. The stainless HD specials are not as thick and not very well supported if you need a replacement component, IMO. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jon 264 Posted April 7, 2013 So, where's the best place to get a 'non-special' Weber? I'm in the market too this year. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duppie 73 Posted April 8, 2013 Yes, but the steel they use is quality, regardless of origin. The stainless HD specials are not as thick and not very well supported if you need a replacement component, IMO. Correct... I only stress the point because of some who demand a totally American sourced and made gas grill. I would have no problem in investing in a quality Weber Grill but one must do the legwork in order to find the right one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RecessedFilter 222 Posted April 8, 2013 Its Weber or nothing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mrlew 0 Posted April 8, 2013 I gave up on gas grills a while ago, charcoal all the time for me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MattH 0 Posted April 8, 2013 I gave up on gas grills a while ago, charcoal all the time for me. This. Charcoal and hardwoods are where it's at. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bhunted 887 Posted April 8, 2013 So far, 2nd season for my CharBroil Red Commercial series. Looks like new. All my past grills looked worn before 2nd season already. So far so good. Cooks great too. Sent from John's iPad 2 via Tapatalk HD Typos courtesy Apple... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
O-gre 7 Posted April 8, 2013 Guess I had a lemon of a Weber. Bought the 6 burner summit that was top of the line at the time and the cart has rusted out twice on me. Not at all hard on it and it lived on a clean deck. If I get another year out of it I'll be lucky. I called Weber CS and all they want to do is keep selling me replacement parts. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duppie 73 Posted April 8, 2013 I gave up on gas grills a while ago, charcoal all the time for me. I agree..... This afternoon's dinner...... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan 177 Posted April 8, 2013 I replaced my Charbroil that lasted only about 4 years (after 2 warranty claims even). I know have a Weber Genesis, couldn't be happier. It came with stainless steel grates, which are good for easy cleaning. I did want cast iron grates, since they seem to cook better getting those nice grill marks on food as they hold heat better then stainless. Quick phone call to Weber, and a reasonable cost, had the caste iron grates shipped to my door. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bhunted 887 Posted April 8, 2013 Yummm! Looks great! But someone Pea'd in your pan... I agree..... This afternoon's dinner...... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johnp 45 Posted April 8, 2013 I agree..... This afternoon's dinner...... Is that octopus? Is that some kind of Asian dish? What are the white things, eggs? Your dinner has me so confused..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duppie 73 Posted April 8, 2013 Is that octopus? Is that some kind of Asian dish? What are the white things, eggs? Your dinner has me so confused..... It's a classic sea food paella with grilled octopus,fish,shrimp,chorizo and quail eggs...... I prepare it on the grill to get a smoky element and socarrat. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kingsoverqueens 10 Posted April 8, 2013 i have a weber now thats about 14 years old and has finally succumb to the yearly abuse so i know the quality but was maybe thinking of going a little better ,You got 14 years out of a weber and you think you're going to find something better. lol Sorry....I'm a weber guy. I own a performer, which is my go to grill, a bullet smoker and a gasser...I forget which one. I'd buy another weber in the blink of an eye. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AlDente67 563 Posted April 8, 2013 So, where's the best place to get a 'non-special' Weber? I'm in the market too this year. I'm not sure it matters. Ace Hardware also carries them, in addition to the Depot, but I've never seen much of a price difference. Sort of like an XBox 360...available everywhere, but at the same price regardless. My nearest Depot does sometimes have markdowns at the end of the summer, but that doesn't help you now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bob2222 317 Posted April 8, 2013 So, where's the best place to get a 'non-special' Weber? I'm in the market too this year. I bought my last one from Amazon. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bry@n 195 Posted April 8, 2013 Njpilot and I were buying grills at the same time last year. I am usually buying big things from there so j know if you create a new email and say you moved, they send you s 10% off coupon. I used mine on the weber purchase. I'm not sure what model we got but it was the same model anywhere I looked. Was the same at webers website also. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NJdiverTony 27 Posted April 8, 2013 Weber Genesis with Cast Iron grates, which I got about 3 yrs ago as my fathers day present... BEST grill I've ever owned. The cast iron grates make such a difference and creates perfect sear marks that just add so much flavor to the food. I've had several different kinds of grills in the past and none have been as good as my Weber. I'm a Weber fan for life now. Their customer service is totally awesome too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NJdiverTony 27 Posted April 8, 2013 I agree..... This afternoon's dinner...... WOW!!! That looks amazing!!!! I love quail eggs... and octopus is to die for. Where do you find the octopus? It's not something your normally see in a regular supermarket. When I lived in Greece as a kid, my dad and I would go spearfishing for octopus... we would grill it right on the beach sometimes right after it was caught... just cook it right over a fire and throw some sea salt, wild Greek oregano, lemon juice and olive oil on it... and it was amazing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duppie 73 Posted April 8, 2013 WOW!!! That looks amazing!!!! I love quail eggs... and octopus is to die for. Where do you find the octopus? It's not something your normally see in a regular supermarket. When I lived in Greece as a kid, my dad and I would go spearfishing for octopus... we would grill it right on the beach sometimes right after it was caught... just cook it right over a fire and throw some sea salt, wild Greek oregano, lemon juice and olive oil on it... and it was amazing. I get most of my seafood from a Korean Supermarket chain called HMart, amazing selection of everything from live abalone,conch,eels.9 types of clams to 20lb groupers.Also seasoned the octopus the Greek way by marinating overnight in Olive oil,garlic,fresh oregano,lemon zest,salt,pepper and a pinch of ground cloves and grilled quickly over white hot coals before warming back up in the Paella. Glad you like, I bought that pan specifically to fit on a 22 inch Weber charcoal grill and it's well seasoned. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NJdiverTony 27 Posted April 8, 2013 I get most of my seafood from a Korean Supermarket chain called HMart, amazing selection of everything from live abalone,conch,eels.9 types of clams to 20lb groupers.Also seasoned the octopus the Greek way by marinating overnight in Olive oil,garlic,fresh oregano,lemon zest,salt,pepper and a pinch of ground cloves and grilled quickly over white hot coals before warming back up in the Paella. Glad you like, I bought that pan specifically to fit on a 22 inch Weber charcoal grill and it's well seasoned. That's awesome! And yeah, octopus is gooooooood stuff! I'll have to check out this Korean Supermarket chain... I know the Hong Kong market on Rte.18 in East Brunswick has a lot of selection too... but the place smells so bad and I worry about the cleanliness or quality of the seafood they sell. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duppie 73 Posted April 8, 2013 That's awesome! And yeah, octopus is gooooooood stuff! I'll have to check out this Korean Supermarket chain... I know the Hong Kong market on Rte.18 in East Brunswick has a lot of selection too... but the place smells so bad and I worry about the cleanliness or quality of the seafood they sell. I still shop at HK Supermarket regularly but never for seafood......The HMart in Edison is the nearest and has so many other food options,My new favorite is Soft Tofu which specializes in Spicy Korean casseroles and a new Korean fried chicken joint called BON BON.I would be happy to take some of the forum on a food safari in the future. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheLugNutZ 21 Posted April 8, 2013 Got a $1200 webber for $400 last year on craig's list. WE just bought the house and wanted something to hook up to natural gas. I researched a ton and couldnt justify spending 400-600 on some kenmore POS that would rust out in 2 years. So i started to the search for a webber and luckily found this one that was only used for 2 summers. Keep your eye out for used ones. The gun that sold me the webber just had hardscaping put in the backyard and wanted a built-in grill. So i got kind of lucky... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
msokad 3 Posted April 8, 2013 Weber was the only grill I saw hold up to NJ winters when I landscaped back in the 90's. I purchased one about 6 years ago and may need to replace the flavor bars.This will be the first part I am replacing. The biggest selling point for me was the fact you can order OEM parts directly from Weber. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
plode 0 Posted April 8, 2013 We have a Weber. We replaced a bunch of the internals with stainless parts(flavorizer bars and grilling grates). I want to switch it over to natural gas from propane so I don't have to keep getting tanks refilled. On the plus side, my friend owns a propane company so I get pretty cheap propane, but never running out mid-steak would be nice . Speaking of which, that reminds me, I need to replace the igniter, we've been using a lighter for the past 2 years. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scohen2002 0 Posted April 8, 2013 Get a price from this place: http://www.karlsappliance.com/by-brand/web/Weber.html Trust me on this, i saved over 500 dollars off from what amazon wanted and 700 dollars off from what lowes wanted. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hopper 36 Posted April 8, 2013 You got 14 years out of a weber and you think you're going to find something better. lol Sorry....I'm a weber guy. I own a performer, which is my go to grill, a bullet smoker and a gasser...I forget which one. I'd buy another weber in the blink of an eye. Wasnt saying that i didnt think the Webers were good i was just thinking of going to the next step of grills and wanted to know what was out there , still leaning to a weber but going to a place tomorrow to check out some Napoleons ..http://www.napoleongrills.com/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AlexTheSane 236 Posted April 8, 2013 I agree..... This afternoon's dinner...... I'll take it! Is PayPal alright? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites