Has anyone else seen the $99 charcoal grill that Char-Broil has out? I
believe it's called the Sante Fe. It is relatively large (591 sq.
in.), has 4 vents (2 above and 2 below) and has an adjustable charcoal
pan. Oh it also has a large door below so you can access the charcoal
while cooking without disturbing the grate.

This grill seems to have some nice features for the price, but it is
so big, it makes me wonder if it would be hard to get hot. Are there
any other downsides to this grill?

Thanks,

-Trent

Trent Moorehead wrote:
> Has anyone else seen the $99 charcoal grill that Char-Broil has out? I
> believe it's called the Sante Fe. It is relatively large (591 sq.
> in.), has 4 vents (2 above and 2 below) and has an adjustable charcoal
> pan. Oh it also has a large door below so you can access the charcoal
> while cooking without disturbing the grate.
>
> This grill seems to have some nice features for the price, but it is
> so big, it makes me wonder if it would be hard to get hot. Are there
> any other downsides to this grill?

If it's the one I'm thinking of, it has a one piece stainless grill. Very
bad design.
There are some really really dumb designs out there, be careful before
purchasing.

> Thanks,
>
> -Trent

--

"Duwop" > wrote in message > If it's the one I'm thinking of, it has a one piece stainless grill. Very
> bad design.
> There are some really really dumb designs out there, be careful before
> purchasing.

Are you talking about the actual grilling surface itself? The grill
body is painted sheetmetal. The grilling surface is porcelained wire
form.

Trent Moorehead wrote:
> "Duwop" > wrote in message > If it's the one I'm
> thinking of, it has a one piece stainless grill. Very
>> bad design.
>> There are some really really dumb designs out there, be careful
>> before
>> purchasing.
>
> Are you talking about the actual grilling surface itself? The grill
> body is painted sheetmetal. The grilling surface is porcelained wire
> form.

I was thinking of the cooking surface. Anyway, my parents have had the good
fortune of finding 2 different bad designs in the last 5 years and wanted to
warn you against bad design in general. Does the one you are looking at
require the grill to be fitted into a slot in order to lay properly? One I'm
thinking of has a sheet metal "keeper" at the back that you have to slide
the grill into, then lower the front end into position, making it difficult
to work with when cooking.

Probably the most important test : can you add coal when the meat is on?

And how does the cooking grate get adjusted? Does it hang from stays mounted
on the body of the grill? That's the best way, anything else is worrisome,
IMO at any rate.

D
--

(Trent Moorehead) wrote in message om>...
> Has anyone else seen the $99 charcoal grill that Char-Broil has out? I
> believe it's called the Sante Fe. It is relatively large (591 sq.
> in.), has 4 vents (2 above and 2 below) and has an adjustable charcoal
> pan. Oh it also has a large door below so you can access the charcoal
> while cooking without disturbing the grate.
>
> This grill seems to have some nice features for the price, but it is
> so big, it makes me wonder if it would be hard to get hot. Are there
> any other downsides to this grill?

I've seen one in use -- it's not bad for $99. I wouldn't
expect it to last forever. I don't think it's hard
to get hot. The size is an advantage because you
can start a fire on one side, and then cook indirect
or direct. The way the fire gets raised or lowered
is a bit awkward -- not sure I'd want to mess with
it while the thing is hot. But like any other
charcoal cooker, the key is using the right size
fire for what you want to cook.

If you are willing to spend more consider one of
these:

http://www.bbqgalore-online.com/bbq2...asp?sku=165267

-- Yip

"Duwop" > wrote in message news:<bo5pjs$897>

First of all, thanks for your help....

>I was thinking of the cooking surface. Anyway, my parents have had
the good
> fortune of finding 2 different bad designs in the last 5 years and wanted to
> warn you against bad design in general. Does the one you are looking at
> require the grill to be fitted into a slot in order to lay properly? One I'm
> thinking of has a sheet metal "keeper" at the back that you have to slide
> the grill into, then lower the front end into position, making it difficult
> to work with when cooking.

The way this grill works is there are two holes in the sheetmetal rear
flange. The flange is horizontal in nature and similar flanges make up
the other three sides of the cook surface area, minus holes. The grill
(grate) has two extended grill grate members that are about 1-1/2"
longer than the rest. These are bent downward ninety degrees. You put
the grate on by inserting these two downward-pointing tines into the
holes in the rear flange and then let the front of the grate lay on
the front flange. It's as if you just laid a grate on the flanges
(which are completely underneath the grate, no part extends above the
grate surface) but the grate won't slide around because of the
wireform tines inserted into the rear flange. Downside here is to
replace the grate, you would have to get it from Char-broil.

>
> Probably the most important test : can you add coal when the meat is on?

Yeah, there is a quite a large door (approx. 12 by 7 inches) on the
front face of the grill below the cooking surface.

> And how does the cooking grate get adjusted? Does it hang from stays mounted
> on the body of the grill? That's the best way, anything else is worrisome,
> IMO at any rate.

The cooking surface is stationary, it's the charcoal rack that hangs
below and is adjustable. There are two holes in the side flanges into
which the charcoal rack's hangers hook into. These hangers have 4 sets
of hooks, so you just pick the level that you want the charcoal to
hang at and you insert the hooks into the holes on each side. At the
top of each hanger is a handle that extends above the cooking surface.
To adjust while cooking, just grab the handles, lift the hooks out and
clear of the flange then hook the new hooks into the holes at the
desired level. Everything is completely clear of the cooking surface,
so there's nothing to get in the way.

Does this sound like a decent design for a $99 grill? It won't last
forever, but it looks like it would last at least a couple of years
until I get my dream grill.

-Trent

Trent Moorehead wrote:
> "Duwop" > wrote in message news:<bo5pjs$897>
>
> Does this sound like a decent design for a $99 grill? It won't last
> forever, but it looks like it would last at least a couple of years
> until I get my dream grill.
>

Shoot, it's your money. It *sounds* decent, A, you can adjust the fire
during a cook, B, you can get at the fire during a cook, to add, move
whatever. A regular weber will cost you that much these days. So really,
it's this or a Weber, your choice.

You've checked it out against it's competition I'm sure, go for it and
enjoy.




> -Trent

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