Newbie with an old Genesis--learning to refurb!


 
Gotta have a grill brush, I buy a new one like this every few years. My next most used tool is an old spatula with a melted handle even though I have a really nice Weber one.Screenshot_20220723-191041_Amazon Shopping.jpg
 
My top five must-haves, probably in order

A sturdy spatula/flipper (these get debated a lot here - I use a regular kitchen one but sharpen the business end)
Salt and pepper shakers (goes on everything)
Digital meat thermometer (also debated a lot here, but anything is better than nothing)
Grill cover (There are ways to find deals on these - my preference is a Weber one on clearance at Home Depot that sort of fits)
Spare tank (Sure is satisfying when you can switch tanks mid cook and not have to finish in the oven)
 
Cassondra, the kitchen equipment and gadgets section along with Weber accessories section will have information on things you might want to enhance your grilling experience. Along with lots of advice and opinions on what’s best. Or, as people suggest things, use the search function to link to discussions on that item.
 
I do like the Weber spatulas and tongs. The spatulas are a bit weak, but I do like the tongs. They fit on the clips I have on my old grill well, and I've learned to use them well. I even use two sets of tongs to remove my heavy, heavy grates for rotisserie cooks, so I don't end up with black marks on my fingers, and then doors etc. But any accessories you choose are subject to your cooking style. I guess my favorite accessory is the rotisserie, which I use about three times a month. I even installed an electric receptacle where the grill sits, and a light above for the winter when I'm grilling at an appropriate dinner time with no sun. You'll likely get some accessories that seem like a good idea, and then over time you'll end up liking some more than others.
 
Good tongs. I like OXO. IMO they're the best. Good spatula. This is more "personal" some like flexible some stiff. I like both and keep a wide variety of them for different foods and uses. A GOOD grill brush. Do NOT buy anything with wooden handle, or Chinese. You will end up with a wire in your food. I made the mistake once of using a Chinese made (Weber brand IIRC) and we had wire bristles in our chicken. Luckily it was me who caught it not my little (at the time) grandson. Buy Libman brushes only. I swear by them. Made in USA, have never once had a loose bristle or an incident of any kind. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KYSNZS2/?tag=tvwb-20 Yes they're expensive but not nearly as much as a trip to the emergency room.
I would tell you a rotisserie but your Genesis is not a good candidate for one so I would not waste my time or $$$ for one.
Lastly, not long ago I came across some very nice 304SS grill toppers at Costco. Gotta say, they're "Da bomb" for my Soprano style sausage and peppers, asparagus, grilling jalapeno poppers and so much more. Cool thing was they were only $19 and were 2 of them in the package a large and a medium one.
That is about all I can think of for now
 
Good point about the rotisserie. Those work best on the older grills with "east west" burners, yours are "north south". For those of us with older grills, the burners are parallel to the rotisserie spit, which allows the heat to be in the exact correct direction for spit cooking. There are many who still do rotisserie cooking with grills like yours though. It's just a little less than perfect.
 
These are most of my favorite tools:

8BD77620-795C-442A-94E9-A67E17304BCA.jpeg
I am with Larry that having more than one spatula is a very good thing. The bottom one is the new Weber “Precision” version. It is stout and a notable improvement over the last one. But other times I like something smaller. I especially like an old Weber set - probably from the 90s - that has brown plastic handles. A favorite spatula…The sort of cross between a spatula and tongs 2nd up from the bottom is a tool I use all the time but which most others would probably find awkward. The third up silver spatula is also an old Weber design that I like for smaller burgers and similar. It has its own unique feel. Old Weber spatula sets show up on eBay from time to time. There are certainly higher end non-Weber ones and even some cheaper ones, like my Charbroil model, that also work just fine.

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I am not a big tong user as some, but Larry is right about Oxo. I don’t think mine is, but it is at least close. I like my Charbroil sauce brush because it is long and sits up off the table/plate thanks to an extension underneath. If you are going with stainless rod grates, I personally highly recommend the top tool - The Chargon. It looks tedious to use but really isn’t, and it cleans off even stuck on crud. If you prefer a brush, definitely follow Larry’s advice and buy a Libmann.

2F9B2C08-3DE0-4C62-8056-A06ED13EB6FD.jpeg

Finally, you can grill consistently a lot easier with an instant read thermometer. I regularly use both of these. The bottom one is by ThermoPro who also makes several other very good and even less expensive models. The top one is the Thermapen One (special BBQ Relief version) by Thermoworks. It is pricier but considered the gold standard by many bbq fanatics. It does have a higher quality “feel” that is hard to explain. Still there are plenty of choices that will work quite well. Lots of threads here about these thermometers. Just do some searching. Look for a sale on whatever you decide on. The competition has really heated up.

There are lots of other items depending on what you like to cook. I am a fan of Crisco’s high heat spray for grills. I think it works better and is a better deal than Pam’s version.

I hope you have fun looking at so many options! Most of all ENJOY your grilling regardless of what tools or brands you go with.
 
Yeah I forgot basting brushes and thermometers. IMO for the $$$ cannot go wrong with ThermoPro. Having tried both it and the much more pricy version ThermaPen I see no difference in performance. But, I guess if you want to say you have "the best" you can go the $90 or so route. Otherwise for way less than half the price get the same performance. Basting brushes I too prefer silicone ones. So much easier to use and clean.
 
LMichaels said:
Yeah I forgot basting brushes and thermometers. IMO for the $$$ cannot go wrong with ThermoPro. Having tried both it and the much more pricy version ThermaPen I see no difference in performance. But, I guess if you want to say you have "the best" you can go the $90 or so route. Otherwise for way less than half the price get the same performance. Basting brushes I too prefer silicone ones. So much easier to use and clean.
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I do agree, Larry, that my ThermoPro thermometers are excellent and and a great value. The one I pictured is their “flagship” model and not as great a bargain. I do like the bright, large LED readout and no slip handle. Still the below $20 TP-19H is basically just as good. You can get maybe 4 of them for the price of a single Thermapen One. I like both and bought my Thermapen One because I am crazy and because I am working toward doing my own video comparison - hopefully someday anyway. I will admit that the Thermapen has a certain feel to it that does seem to exude quality. That may not justify its price, though, and I am also very happy using my ThermoPro thermometers.

For sure, though, getting ANY working instant read is a big help in grilling.
 
Steve Hoch said:
Gotta have a grill brush, I buy a new one like this every few years. My next most used tool is an old spatula with a melted handle even though I have a really nice Weber one.View attachment 55926
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I do like that one a lot, because I love wood. BUT...I've had kind of on-again, off-again experiences with wooden grill cleaning tools. Mine stay outside all season, and end up decrepit, so the wood tends to not last as long. (63" of rainfall per year here, and not much of that is snow.)

ETA: I meant to say and hit send too soon.....I have not had one made of Bamboo. So that may be the difference with this one. I'm a sucker for "branded" things like this, but I try to not let that influence me.
 
Bruce said:
An inexpensive steel or aluminum pizza pan for grilling pizza.
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I never would have even thought of that. I was reading through the thread about the pizza stone, and wondered, "why couldn't I just use a regular pizza stone on the Weber? (I don't own one, so it's neither here nor there in that regard) And I'm not likely to buy that rack thingy that holds it. (I have a Blackstone, so wont' buy the griddle accessory). Pizza is one of the things I'd really like to learn to make on the grill.
 
It is easy Cassondra. A 16" large fits great on a 3 burner genesis. I get the grill to about 350 and put the pizza with an aluminum pan in and just keep an eye on it. Try not to get too curious and keep opening the lid to check it. Every time you do, the grill has to reheat back to temp. After you do a couple, you will get a feel for how long it takes.

One of the biggest benefits is that you don't have to heat up the kitchen on a 90 degree day.
 
Scott Smith said:
My top five must-haves, probably in order

A sturdy spatula/flipper (these get debated a lot here - I use a regular kitchen one but sharpen the business end)
Salt and pepper shakers (goes on everything)
Digital meat thermometer (also debated a lot here, but anything is better than nothing)
Grill cover (There are ways to find deals on these - my preference is a Weber one on clearance at Home Depot that sort of fits)
Spare tank (Sure is satisfying when you can switch tanks mid cook and not have to finish in the oven)
Click to expand...
I love this list! I am SO. FREAKING. PICKY. About tools I use every day.

1-I am a snob about spatulas 🙃 and have favorites. CLEAR favorites...for the KITCHEN. One of the reasons I asked this question is because I have a decent set of simple grill tools that have lasted me for years. My beloved spatula is from Airgas. (How sharp do you get your front edge? I've never sharpened mine) You can see some rust starting in by the handle of my spatula, but it has been a tank. I will not complain. It practically lives in the dishwasher when it's not outside. I've had it about as long as I've had this grill. But my tongs (not Airgas--no idea what the brand was) have come apart, so I was going looking. I can't cook anything without tongs.

Airgas spatula:

Airgas spatula.jpg




2-Outdoor Salt/Pepper shakers. I need some! Don't want to pay for the branded ones unless they are exceptional, heavy (so they don't blow off the shelf), will survive getting rained on, and can be washed in the dishwasher. Yeah, I don't want much, do I? :ROFLMAO:

3-I got this last summer, thinking I would learn to slow cook meat (like pork butts, etc) on the Weber kettle, cuz I met a new friend with five Weber kettles, who smokes meat and cooks on his kettles constantly (plus at that time I thought my Weber gas grill would soon be toast) I've never even had it out of the box. I keep getting it out, then shoving it back in the cabinet when I realize I don't have time to even clean up the kettle. I have no idea whether it's any good or not. :(

Maverick LW377

Maverick_LW_377_DigitalThermometer_ReceiverTransmitter_Probes.jpg

4-Grill cover---deals is what I need! The Weber cover we had was way better than the aftermarket covers we have had since, but I have nothing right now. Need to rectify that.

5-Spare Tank--Got that one covered! We have the Weber Genesis, a Blackstone griddle, and three tanks. I hate running out of gas in the middle of cooking. :ROFLMAO:
 
Richard in NS said:
Cassondra, the kitchen equipment and gadgets section along with Weber accessories section will have information on things you might want to enhance your grilling experience. Along with lots of advice and opinions on what’s best. Or, as people suggest things, use the search function to link to discussions on that item.
Click to expand...
OH! I missed that forum!

See what I mean? I go down a rabbit hole, and never make it to the rest of the stuff that's there.

Thank you!
 
THyde said:
I do like the Weber spatulas and tongs. The spatulas are a bit weak, but I do like the tongs. They fit on the clips I have on my old grill well, and I've learned to use them well. I even use two sets of tongs to remove my heavy, heavy grates for rotisserie cooks, so I don't end up with black marks on my fingers, and then doors etc. But any accessories you choose are subject to your cooking style. I guess my favorite accessory is the rotisserie, which I use about three times a month. I even installed an electric receptacle where the grill sits, and a light above for the winter when I'm grilling at an appropriate dinner time with no sun. You'll likely get some accessories that seem like a good idea, and then over time you'll end up liking some more than others.
Click to expand...

I also use my tongs to move my grates when I need to move them (last five years, I've been lighting the grill with one of those long grill lighters, so have been moving both grates every time. Maybe that's why they're coming apart! :eek:
 
LMichaels said:
Good tongs. I like OXO. IMO they're the best. Good spatula. This is more "personal" some like flexible some stiff. I like both and keep a wide variety of them for different foods and uses. A GOOD grill brush. Do NOT buy anything with wooden handle, or Chinese. You will end up with a wire in your food. I made the mistake once of using a Chinese made (Weber brand IIRC) and we had wire bristles in our chicken. Luckily it was me who caught it not my little (at the time) grandson. Buy Libman brushes only. I swear by them. Made in USA, have never once had a loose bristle or an incident of any kind. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KYSNZS2/?tag=tvwb-20 Yes they're expensive but not nearly as much as a trip to the emergency room.
I would tell you a rotisserie but your Genesis is not a good candidate for one so I would not waste my time or $$$ for one.
Lastly, not long ago I came across some very nice 304SS grill toppers at Costco. Gotta say, they're "Da bomb" for my Soprano style sausage and peppers, asparagus, grilling jalapeno poppers and so much more. Cool thing was they were only $19 and were 2 of them in the package a large and a medium one.
That is about all I can think of for now
Click to expand...

I love Libman brushes! I didn't know they made a grill brush! I will absolutely get one of these! Thank you!

So "grill toppers" are the things that keep stuff from falling through the grates?
 
THyde said:
Good point about the rotisserie. Those work best on the older grills with "east west" burners, yours are "north south". For those of us with older grills, the burners are parallel to the rotisserie spit, which allows the heat to be in the exact correct direction for spit cooking. There are many who still do rotisserie cooking with grills like yours though. It's just a little less than perfect.
Click to expand...

What about something like beer can chicken? Is that okay on the Genesis? Or is it better on the Weber charcoal kettle?
 
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