In the market for a charcoal grill....


 
So I've been really drooling over that Weber 1487001 Performer Platinum in Brick Red for a while now and I think I'm ready to give myself an early Christmas present. This will be my 7th Weber grill and quite probably my last, so I want to get the very best grill they make.

So my only remaining question is this. Is the gas assist start faster than the chimney method? Often times I will grill 3 or 4 times a week and getting the grill going quickly is a definate plus. So if the gas assist is faster than the chimney then that would definately be icing on the cake.

Thanks all,
Russ
 
I use them together. Fill chimney, turn on gas & light, go prep for 5 minutes, come back turn off, finish up prep while chimney does the work. Not sure if it is faster but it is a heck of a lot more convenient.
 
The new K really starts fast in a chimney. With fresh charcoal it's probably a tie, but it's easier to pile up used coals and use the gas assist than to try and get them back in a chimney.
 
One note is that my performer came with 2 charcoal baskets so I use them to dump my charcoal in, and position them over the propane assist burner. I have a chimney but like the baskets better.
Kg
 
I always use the baskets also. Just makes it easier to control the fire, because you can move them around. Still, I would guess that using a chimney is a faster fire.

My opinion is that the Performer with gas assist is the best grill available. I love mine. I'm sure you won't be sorry.

One note is that my performer came with 2 charcoal baskets so I use them to dump my charcoal in, and position them over the propane assist burner. I have a chimney but like the baskets better.
Kg
 
I was cooking for a crowd this past weekend and did what was effectively a speed test.


I lit up two baskets of K centered on the charcoal grate of my Performer.
At the same time, I lit up a chimney of K (same bag) on my 26" using newspaper and 1 white Weber starter cube.

The Performer was hotter & faster, but not by a whole bunch.... about 5 minutes.

For daily use, I prefer to just use the chimney, mostly because old newspaper is effectively free, while the propane canisters go for $3.

But that extra few minutes is not really important. What is important is that I can get a chimney set up & newspaper lit in under 1 minute, which allows me to focus on food prep for 10 or 15 minutes while they heat up.

When I build my dream outdoor kitchen, I'll build in a Smokey Joe whose only purpose is to be a stand for starting chimneys.
 
I just pile them up over the burner and let it burn for about 5 minutes and then spead them out.....I did use the chimney yesterday for the mini wsm.I would not want one without the gas assist.
 
"For daily use, I prefer to just use the chimney, mostly because old newspaper is effectively free, while the propane canisters go for $3."

Do Performer Owners ever hookup directly to propane tanks instead of using cylinders?
 
Do Performer Owners ever hookup directly to propane tanks instead of using cylinders?

I suppose you could hook one up using the little hose you can purchase for a Q grill but for me I wouldn't do it even if I could. I only run the gas for 5 minutes each time to get the charcoal going with the chimney. At that rate, the little cylinders last a long time. I can't even imagine how long a large tank would last. Plus, I move my Performer out of a storage location when I use it so a large cylinder would just be an extra burden to me.
 
A lot of time I use more than one grill, so I first set the baskets down and fill them with charcoal, then I place the chimney on top of the baskets and fill that, hit the gas ignition and it good to go. THe I can move the charcoal around in the chimney anywhere I want. Two grills lit at once. I always use the gas starter. I got it and I'm using it. Mine usually lasts a ling time. A month or so, maybe longer.


Brian
 
+1 to what Don said.....

The Performer ISN'T a gas grill (we obviously know that). It's a charcoal grill designed to use gas as a charcoal starter. I live less than 5 minutes from at least five different retailers for the small cylinder (WalMart, Ace Hardware, Lowes, Home Depot, Harbor Freight). Five additional minutes and that number triples. So there's no shortage of convenient sources for me.

For you guys that live further away from retailers I can kinda/sorta understand the desire to go to the larger tank for convenience. But the small ones are so easy to remove, I'd rather buy 6 or 8 at a time and swap out when needed. Thankfully gas start or no gas start does not impede the cooking ability of this grill. :)
 
I picked up the refil adapter for the small tanks, when 1 is out throw it in the freezer for a bit and fill it from the larger tank, much easier to move the grill around with the small tank than having to unhook the larger tank every time, but if you dont move your grill the larger tank may suit you better
 
I was cooking for a crowd this past weekend and did what was effectively a speed test.


I lit up two baskets of K centered on the charcoal grate of my Performer.
At the same time, I lit up a chimney of K (same bag) on my 26" using newspaper and 1 white Weber starter cube.

The Performer was hotter & faster, but not by a whole bunch.... about 5 minutes..

The thing is though, a chimney holds roughly twice the amount as two baskets, if I'm not mistaken.

I use the baskets as well, but it depends on how much I'm grilling. I often will use two chimneys over the burner, side by side.
 
yea 1 cylinder will last most of the summer for me.I do use an refill adaptor because I use the 1lb on my Q grill.
 

 

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