Summer is coming. .. so I am thinking to buy our first bbq :) never had any. Need to feed family of 3 adults. Will mainly use for grilling chicken, seafood, veggies ( no red meat) etc. Easy to use and maintain.
Any suggestions for the bbq guys?
Please help me choose a BBQ.
anonymoususer on 04/10/2014 - 15:00
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Thanks. I think im more after a portable one. As this Aldi one looks big for our occasional usage.
Im waiting for a new BBQ galore sale, they are usually 50% off. Can pick up $400 BBQs for under $200.
Thanks for the tip. Will keep eye on their website. Hopefully someone will also post the bargain once they have any :)
Weber Q for sure!!!
Contact tom
You definitely want the Weber Q but here's a pro tip:
You can ONLY get the model with the thermometer in the lid from smaller 'independent' stores. They don't sell them through the big chains like BBQs Galore etc.
Who knew?Yep ours has a themometer and can reach up to 300 degrees. We had a gas connection in our outdoor kitchen so we had to go to an "independent" store to find the weber Q that could connect directly to our gas connection.
we have this from Masters. A great BBQ and cooks better (and looks better) than my sisters Weber Q 200 (the q200 just doesn't get hot enough and I don't like the plastic shelves etc). We used to have a bigger 4 burner but wanted something smaller for the deck. Comes with a cover as well. The side shelves fold down when you don't needs them.
We paid something like $400 but now it looks to be $198. The company is a big US brand.
https://www.masters.com.au/product/900027243/char-broil-quan…
they also have this https://www.masters.com.au/product/101181787/char-broil-2-bu… which seems to be the same but different handles for $348. looks like it is just the new model.
Our family is 3 adults (well mum dad and 16yo boy) and is big enough for us but they have bigger ones if you want.
Thanks PVA will check it out.
What fuel type bbq would be better wrt cost and overall if we plan to use it occasionally?
What fuel type
electric is easiest but hardly BBQ'in
gas is still easy (until your gas runs out unexpectedly 1/2 way through a BBQ, it happens to everyone at some stage. best to keep a full spare bottle on hand) if you use an open grill the flavours a little better but you still dont get the best flavour
charcoal briquettes are a bit step up in flavour over the previous but you can taste the "glue" in them. still a lot better than gas tho
hardwood lump charcoal is by far the best. the flavour it gives your food is amazing but it can be a little harder/dirtier to work with but well worth it imho
ive just got myself a lotus grill in the ebay 50% off sale. i wasnt sure originally if it was going to be good or not but since getting it ive used it pretty much every night. it really is that amazing. for 3 adults you will probably want the XL version which is slightly larger than the normal one i use.
I use to sell a Rinnai Impressor 10 Outdoor Kitchen. It was like the size of a mini bus but oh so beautiful to look at.
Electric is probably the worst option in terms of flavour and running cost. Gas is a little better, but as someone once put it, "You're cooking with farts!" You are never going to get the real BBQ flavour with gas alone, although you can put in a small smoker box and some wood pellets to start generating some aromatic smoke that will flavour your food. The best option is a solid fuel (wood and charcoal) BBQ. It's the cheapest to run and will produce the best flavour. Although the Weber kettle style is popular, it's the most primitive and I would not recommend it at the prices it normally retails. So far the best BBQ choice I am aware of is the Chargriller Akorn Kamado style BBQ from Bunnings. It normally sells at $499 and it comes with a flavour / pizza stone as well as a secondary rack.
I've got 4 BBQs and the Akorn is definitely getting the most use. An excellent accessory to go with it is the Looftlighter (around $40 from Bunnings too), which is an electric lighter that works a bit like a heat gun / flame thrower. You can get a raging charcoal fire going in about a 2-3 minutes.
Whatever BBQ you end up getting, make sure that it has a dome / hood that you can close to keep the heat in and cook your food using indirect heat. Cooking with the lid up is a huge waste of energy and will result in food that is overcooked on the outside. Use lower heat setting and trap the heat and moisture with the lid for a more even cook and juicier results.
If you really want some expert opinions, visit http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/
What is your budget?
Aldi had a really nice 6x burner (+ side/wok burner) stainless steel hooded one last week for $399.
Whatever you buy though, invest in a decent cover for it…you'll extend the life of your BBQ by many years! ;)