Originally posted by Justin Soeder:
I know you are probably reading this thinking "another idiot worrying about gas vs. charcoal--just buy both." Truth is I just don't have the money to buy both and I really ought to just buy charcoal and forget it, but there's that allure of gas.
-Justin
While I may have been thinking "another idiot worrying about gas vs charcoal", my conclusion is not the same. My conclusion is, this guy has never tried charcoal tasting the food from it, or cooking with it.
I have a WSM, a kettle and a gas grill. The gas grill has not had a tank hooked up to it for 2 years. I cook with charcoal during the week, and, once you are good at lighting it, it doesn't take much longer than letting a gas grill get up to temp.
On the other point you made is with the table space. As I mentioned, I have a kettle without the table, and I am looking at building a table or something to go beside it, I know that when I do it, I will go way overboard, and no way will it be less expensive that it would have been to get the performer to start with.
My recommendation is to get charcoal, and, if you can afford it, get the performer. But, if you are really still on the fence, buy a budget kettle. My first charcoal Q was terrible, but it cost me $40 and got me hooked.
