Which grill to buy?

[stockjock]

I'm in the market for a new grill. I'm looking to spend up to about $500. Any suggestions? I don't need anything too fancy but I would like something that will allow me to cook rotisserie chicken.

Also I'd like a gas grill that I can connect to my house's gas line, rather than having to fill a propane tank. Any pros/cons of doing this?

 

[NCAAFBALLROX]

Are we talking exclusively gas or do you want to do some smoking as well?

Me, I'd skip the rotisserie chicken & go with a smoker that I can fit a vertical rear ended bird on.

Then again, you may like the speed & consistency of gas, dunno.

I'm still a fan of smoking for 90% of what I do & gas as a quick burger / hot dog type option.

 

[DieUCLA98]

Do you have an outlet for your propane set up outside already? If not, it might be cost prohibitive to do it depending on your house setup. I tried to install another line from the house's propane tank to my deck but the propane company said it wouldn't be worth the cost to even speculate due to the terrain my land is on.

If you are talking about natural gas, then go for it. Thats the way my dad does it and its fantastic (he had a natural gas line run to the deck, just had to get a special grill for it). I don't really notice a difference between using natural gas and propane.. Gas is gas is gas and its not charcoal/lump. I guess the only big con is there wasn't a big selection of natural gas grills (at least not 10 years ago when my father was looking).

 

[baboso]

The big difference between a natural gas grill and a propane grill is the burner. One of the gases, I believe natural gas, is a "wetter" burning gas that requires a heavier duty burner. With that said, I'd go with a Weber. Most of them have the rotisserie attachment. You may also want to look at the Jenn-air grills at Lowe's. They are advertised as either natural gas or propane setups.

 

[jimmyjazz]

Two nice things about the Weber Genesis grills are the easy-to-find replacement parts and their fantastic customer service. No matter how good your grill, some components will degrade over time. I spend $50 - $100 on my Weber every couple of years and it's as good as new. (I haven't had to replace burners yet, but just grates and flame guards. Burners might be more costly.)

 

[Brisketexan]

I did what you are talking about -- a natural gas grill with a line to the house, and wanted a rotisserie attachment (which I use frequently). I did my homework, and there wasn't any better answer than a Weber Genesis. I got one with a side "stove" burner, but honestly, I rarely use that. I use it sometimes when cooking something that I don't want to stink up the house, but it's a personal preference.

Weber Genesis silver series, for natural gas, and you can't go wrong. And for someone with a young family and a need to occasionally grill and get dinner on the table in 15-20 minutes, it's an indespensible part of my cooking plan.

 

[stockjock]

Thanks for the responses so far. You have confirmed what I have heard - the Weber Genesis is the way to go.