40th Bday Present for Hubby - Best BBQ for $3k??

[Mali]

Hi! I'm hoping to glean some advice from the forum on the best BBQs to buy since I know nothing about BBQs and wasn't too impressed with my initial visit to BBQ's galore...

If you were starting again what about you buy for about $3,000?
I am going to build it into stonework so I guess it's just the main bit that I'm after.

Any tips/suggestions/things to watch out for would be greatly appreciated

[yakabot]

GMG pellet cooker and a Weber Q of some sort. That's what I'd buy.

[ozwaz]

Hi Mali,

First off I must say perfect 40th present.

Can we have a little more info please. Are you looking for a single gas bbq? Could there be a combination of different bbq's? You mentioned building it into stonework, does this exist already and so do they need to be a certain size. If stonework does not exist is the $3k part of this, if so how much will be left over after stonework?

How does hubby currently cook? Has he had exposure to charcoal, pellet smokers, Kamado's, etc. Is he a grill a few steaks kind of guy or do you think he would like to get into the world of low and slow cooking/smoking and start churning out pulled pork sliders or melt in your mouth 12 hour briskets?


Cheers
Wazza

[Mali]

Hi Yakabot and Wazza, thanks for your input already

Wazza, we are at the stage of looking for some inspiration, which it looks like there is plenty here. Hubby loves to cook on the weekends, and we make good use of our little bbq for grilling especially in the warmer months. His mate has a pellet smoker so he was super excited about your suggestion. And his brother's has a large flat plate for pizza's. Personally I'd like a go at a rotisserie for a small lamb.

The budget for the main unit is approx. $3k. Our only quote so far is for the stone mason which is just under $6k for our area so he will build it around the unit. The overall budget is about $10k. If there was money left we'd like a water filter pout for drinking water but not a sink (I have no plans for doing dishes out there!). Maybe a beer fridge... I figure if it's done well it will be a feature of the house

Hubby just had a look at the Weber website (after following another post on the forum) and has opened the Summit S-620 preview. A few mixed reviews. And no price... looks like that one might only be available in the USA.

Feeling like we are getting on the right track. So long bbq's galore

Really appreciate your help.

Cheers

[Bentley]

I am not a big fan of the Stainless Steel option, but I say GMG too!

[Davo]

If I was going to spend that kind of money on a BBQ, I'd definitely go with a pellet grill, a GMG, or the new Louisiana pellet grills soon to come out to Australia, $3 K won't by you a Yoder.
The thing is that pellet grills are really meant to be stand alone units primarily because at the exhaust stack end, there is also usually a little grease bucket that hangs down to catch the fats and stuff as it drips externally out that end as well......so if you want to have a pellet grill sitting in masonary, I reckon it'll look a bit odd.
That is why that design goes well with the big gas bbqs as theres no sticking out parts.

If me, and not taking into account the shape and design of your outdoor area, I would have say a Beefeater (or similar gas bbq with rotisserie) gas bbq inbuilt unit in the masonry, but have a pellet grill as a stand alone perhaps opposite to the bench so you can swing around and use both units simultaneously. The picture Bentley placed there is a nice idea but i'm not sure where the grease bucket is there as it usually hangs below the main body.....but in the instance with that picture, it would take up valuable bench space (unless you got heaps of bench)

The beauty with pellet cooking is that you can do low n slow cooking all night without too much worry (ready for the party the next day, and you get that nice wood cooking aroma we so enjoy in the great outdoors.

There is a small downside though and that's why I recommend a good gas unit for the masonry work.....in times of fire bans....woodpellets are still classified as solid fuels and you can't use them....even though the fire is contained.....it's the fuel type that makes it illegal to use in fireban conditions.....but you can still use gas.

Cheers

Davo

[steinyboys]

My 2 cents worth, sounds like a day sitting out side with the BBQ is your thing, so how much fun would a stick burner like the Hark Texsas pro pit be? beer in hand feeding logs into it, low and slow, and then have you given this a thought? a Maximus Pizza oven http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... 40&t=14203, you can do the best Pizza in the street and do lamb and pork and make bread like the Italians do, and still have a bit of money left over for a weber Q Now to me a day at home like this is all a man wants

[Bentley]

Grease bucket is accessed at doors below unit.

[Commander Cody]

pleased to read you saw the dangers of purchasing a BBQ orf BBQ galars, they are not specialists and do not listen to their potential customers.

buy your BBQ from a local weber specialist, they love BBQ and can walk the talk.

i like the idea of the evil stick eater, i have one and it is fantastic for great low and slow.

pellet poopers are cool also.......traeger make a model that does not have a flue as such, the smoke exits from along the top of the slide down lid.

there are a couple of good vertical water smokers on the market.....weber smokey mountain and pro-q. both are easy to learn to fly, and when you know how, are set and forget.

you can low and slow on a gasser but it really is not the same as the above Qs. i have a weber 200 Q for those total fire ban days, when you cannot use a solid fuel BBQ.

i reckon..............get the best GMG grill you can afford and a webber q, that is all you will really need. the gmg does the lot, and the q does the fire ban days.

good luck

kevin

[ozwaz]

Hi Yakabot and Wazza, thanks for your input already

His mate has a pellet smoker so he was super excited about your suggestion. And his brother's has a large flat plate for pizza's. Personally I'd like a go at a rotisserie for a small lamb.

Maybe a beer fridge... I figure if it's done well it will be a feature of the house

I guess the next question is how many are you cooking for? Is it primarily for family dinner for ? number of people or are you planning on throwing regular parties and catering for a crowd.

Not sure if you've seen this one yet: $999

http://www.weberbbq.com.au/barbecues/we ... n-q3600au/

Also, how long is your 'bench' going to be.

A spit to fit a sheep, something like this, would have to be a smallish sheep but you did mention that, 40kg rating so should be fine. I'm sure a good stone guy could build one of these in and work out how to allow air flow to it. $399 Plus you could also cook kebabs or steaks over charcoal on one of these.

https://www.bbqbazaar.com.au/shop/gasma ... ge-gsb003/

What pellet smoker does your friend have?

Something like this will feed a crowd, just not sure about building it in, others on here may have more idea: $1700

Another option could be to get one of these and it could simply sit on the stone bench: $999

The one Bently showed above would be ideal but I don't know if it's available in Oz.

[Davo]

Grease bucket is accessed at doors below unit.

Ok thnx Bently......didn't know that.

Cheers

Davo

[Smokey]

Lots of options,
Personally, to cover most anything Id go for a Weber Genesis (Not sure they have a built in) Or a Beefeater Or a Galore's Turbo wih rqt burners. All of them are good things. Spend $2200 on one of them.
Then Id buy a "Smoker" for weekend relax time.
Get the right smoker and the two combined can cook for 70+ ,, Ive done it.
For $800 you can get a weber WSM, Pro Q bullet, GMG Davy Crocket pellet grill, weber kettle, Some with cash to spare.
With the left over cash, Get a bench top Hibachi and a bag of wood charcoal, A plate of high end wagu steak cubes and a bottle of Pinot.