"Sheldon" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> "Dave Bugg" wrote:
>> markm75 wrote:
>>
>> I have mine hooked up to a 500 gallon propane tank, so I don't have
>> preferences with regard to your choices.
>
> I don't see any benefit to the Performer, unless someone sees paying
> double the price of an ordinary weber kettle grill (the same grill) is
> somehow a benefit?!?!? And the Performer is bulky and heavy for so
> little cooking area.... to me it's just a gimmick and a waste of a lot
> of money.
>
> Seems awfully Rube Goldbergish to deal with gas to light charcoal, if
> yer gonna bother with gas why not just get a Weber gas grill from the
> git go? duh Otherwise if you just gotta go charcoal get the ordinary
> kettle grill. But make up yer mind, gas, charcoal, gas, charcoal....
> what's so friggin' difficult to decide. Were I desireous of a
> charcoal grill (so I could play with ashes too) I'd get the small
> Weber kettle grill (~$65) to compliment my Genesis. But I have many
> years of playing with charcoal, I'd never go back.
>
>
The Performer with the gas lighter makes all the difference in the world for
me.
Throwing charcoal in the baskets, lighting for 5 minutes, and you have a
heat
source that is better than gas for many things. You can sear a steak with
the lid
up to insure rare meat inside. You can indirectly roast standing ribs,
turkeys, etc,
much better than with gas. You can smoke-cook at a lower temp. for ribs, and
fowl.
You can use wood on gas, but it really doesn't work very well.
Gas is better for fish, especially flaky fish, boneless chicken breasts, and
for ground meats,
plus a few others. The latter is true only, if you have the porcelein coated
cast iron
grate with the flat side up.
I use my Performer 70% and my Genesis 30%. As I enter the pre-geezer phase
of life,
I'm using the gas more, mostly for dietary[cholesterol] reasons.

Kent