Currently got a cheap gas bbq that you can get from most camping and caravan retailers for about £15 - 20 but have cursed it everytime i've used it due to the hot cooking area only being in the centre of the grill and am looking to get something better . Not sure wether or not to go for a charcoal one this time , seen one of these http://www.iwantoneofthose.com/son-of-hibachi-bbq/index.html?&gclid=CMHsrI7z0ZQCFQyR1QodvRL1kg for £50 or do i spend similar on a better gas bbq ? Any advice be great .
I had same trouble and decided to ditch the barbi alltogether. looked at cadac but too much for budget. we had a spare 2 ring stove so i bought a rectangular cast iron skillett and it fits great and cooks great too. tastes good, full cooking area and never goes out
------------- Oh am loving the tin tent after campaining against it..........I was wrong.
having owned and used two different gas bbq's the next one i buy would be charcoal powered. yes ok with the gas you can light it and start cooking almost immediatly you can turn the heat up or down as required, you dont need to keep replacing the 'coal'.
on the other hand, with a charcoal bbq, you dont need to shell out a 'deposit' for your fuel, you know exactly how much fuel you have before you start cooking, this time of year, even your local corner shop sells charcoal, should you need some urgently and the biggest reason for me is that food cooked on a proper charcoal bbq, actually tastes like it has been cooked on a bbq.
but those are just my opinions and i'm sure everyone else has their own.
------------- Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional
With the new Cobb fuel ('Cobblestones') you can start cooking in just 4 or 5 minutes, it stays intact so once it cools you can pick it up and put it in the bin. It has green credentials being made from coconut fibres or some such and each piece cooks for approx 2.5 hours. All good reasons to go charcoal. Downside - a Cobb is an expensive investment. It is worth it in my view, but nevertheless at over 100 quid not to be taken lightly and the cobblestones are not cheap either - havent used mine yet, maybe this Friday when if the weather man is right and its 29 degrees, the fuel will self ignite !
I had a Cobb for a season and just gave it away as I thought it was useless. It doesn't take enough fuel to cook long enough or hot enough to cook a meal and it is too small to be of any practical use.
I've tried gas barbies and not been keen on the end result but I've had great success with a charcoal one. I've got a Weber and I use a Weber chimney to light it - it's a dream, works every time once you know how to light it. Webers are very controllable for temperature and they last forever.
To light a chminey easily, scrumple four double pages of any tabloid and put them in the bottom. Fill the chimney with charcoal. Scrumple up another page, put it on the coal grill and light it. When it's burning, hold the chimney over it to get the paper in the chimney alight, then just put it down and leave it. For the first 10 minutes you will be sure that it has gone out. Have a beer and check back and you'll find that it's alight.
I'd highly recommend the grilletto (it is now branded that way rather than the 'son of hibashi'. I have some pics of what they look like on my profile).
It is a great bit of kit. Used it a few times last week and was very impressed. Cooked lots of burgers/bacon/sausages etc. Space not huge but can keep things warm underneath the bbq and space across the middle is ideal for heating a pan of beans etc. Coals probably ready after 15-20 mins.
Snuff-out bag works a treat as well - gets warm but not hot hot. Good thing is that can snuff out the bbq itself by closing the slider after cooking and use what coals were left for the next time.
I bought it because want to use as a campfire type thing as well with logs and as a tent warmer when it is in the bag (and cooled off a little) - will be ideal for both uses.
Bought mine for £50 (inc delivery) from mode.co.uk and the bag had a little tear on the lining and so mode send me a new one straight away without wanting the other one back. Great customer service.
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Topic: Gas or charcoal bbq ?
