Performer v. Performer deluxe review


 
AndyK

AndyK

TVWBB Wizard
I own both.
My first one was the standard Performer and then I thought I couldn’t live with out the gas assist so I got the deluxe for the cabin.

I think the deluxe is a cool option but truth be told I’m not really a fan.
Yes it’s nice and all that but for my type of cooks I rarely use the gas.

I normally just keep my slow n sear in the kettle along with that black drip pan thing.
I can’t use the gas to start the sns even when I remove the drip pan so that’s my gripe.
I tried but just using a cube or an oiled paper towel works best for me for lighting my coals.

Most of my cooks start way before sunrise and I just hate messing with the gas assist that early trying to light the few starter coals I need
Lighting a short dozen briquettes with a cube or oiled paper towel then adding a few more to bridge the basket to fill is just easier.

Could I possibly be doing this wrong?
I’m not sure but I doubt it.

Any thoughts, ideas or recommendations would be appreciated.

Thanks.
Andy.
 
I never would have committed to a brand new Deluxe at this time last year. Then, I got my Performer that happened to have gas assist. Now, I swear I’ll never not have at least one grill with the feature. Yeah, there are times when a cube is better for what I want to do, but even if I’m lighting a chimney to go on the 26” I like to do it over the gas tube in the Performer.
 
If by chance I had to buy another one for some reason sure I’d spend the extra $40 and get the deluxe again.
It is better to have it and not need it rather than to need it and not have it as the saying goes.
I just don’t seem to use mine.
That will no doubt change when I put my big boy pants on and finally get a WSM :).
 
Andy Kaminski said:
If by chance I had to buy another one for some reason sure I’d spend the extra $40 and get the deluxe again.
It is better to have it and not need it rather than to need it and not have it as the saying goes.
I just don’t seem to use mine.
That will no doubt change when I put my big boy pants on and finally get a WSM :).
Click to expand...
I don't use mine for either the kettles or wsms. It's more novelty then needed IMO. I use tumbleweed and chimney for all I have.
 
I enjoy having it since I converted mine over to the performer.
Right now I actually have 3 packages of cubes and what I have been doing is setting up my chimney with a cube directly on top of the burner tube.
I use the gas assist to get the cube going for 10 seconds give or take. Then I turn it off and walk away.
No more need to carry matches or lighter outside with me. Once I burn through the cubes I will try just using the propane to get them going and see how I like it.
 
LeeHarvey said:
I never would have committed to a brand new Deluxe at this time last year. Then, I got my Performer that happened to have gas assist. Now, I swear I’ll never not have at least one grill with the feature. Yeah, there are times when a cube is better for what I want to do, but even if I’m lighting a chimney to go on the 26” I like to do it over the gas tube in the Performer.
Click to expand...
Same thinking here as I am now considering adding a Weber 26' Kettle to park along-side my Weber Performer Deluxe(WPD). Generally it is just the Wife and I but the extra space on the Weber 26" will be of great help when we have guests. Also, I can then permanently park my Cajun Bandit Rotisserie Ring on the WPD.

Before buying the WPD I had the excellent Weber Master Touch Grill which lacks the two(2) great additions of the Propane Gas Assist and the spacious Metal table on the WPD. Also, the WPD is very easy to move when the Costa Rican Rain starts to pour.
 
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I absolutely love the gas assist. I would not buy one without it. I use the baskets almost all the time and reuse charcoal. Put the baskets over the burner and hit the button. It doesn't get any easier. I also never have to change the bottles since I converted to a 20# tank.

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I have a Deluxe and while the gas assist is useful I don't think that I will buy more bottles when my current batch run out. I've had experiences with the flame blowing out on windy days leading to wasted gas. On other days I have forgot about it and wasted more gas that way. At least with a cube or tumbleweed if it blows out there's not wastage. Not sure how much the bottles are in the US but here they are about $18 for 3.
 
I love the gas assit, I have it hooked to a 20lb tank and fire it up. I never have bought a performer new so saving 40 bucks means nothing to me but buying off CL I saved a couple hundred on each of mine so getting my toys,vortex,and SNS were a no brainer.
Performer may not be perfect grill but if fits the bill for all of my daily cooking , I only use my WSM for low and slow , so I do not tie up the performer.
 
I was the same with my Summit charcoal, until I used it almost two years later. Only time it gets used with tumbleweeds is on a smoke where I have the charcoal around the perimeter set up already
 
PDay said:
I have a Deluxe and while the gas assist is useful I don't think that I will buy more bottles when my current batch run out. I've had experiences with the flame blowing out on windy days leading to wasted gas. On other days I have forgot about it and wasted more gas that way. At least with a cube or tumbleweed if it blows out there's not wastage. Not sure how much the bottles are in the US but here they are about $18 for 3.
Click to expand...

Try cleaning the brass fitting that goes into the burner tube. There is a little pin hole that can get clogged and reduce the flow of gas to the burner.

This video shows how to clean it.
 
This Performer is "Deluxe"...so is the gas assist function. I use it...with a cube for a very quick burn. It's optional, I could live without it, but I like it. I like my little Weber gas tank in front of the Performer. It is a small "luxe" option.
That being said, none of my friends have bought this version, which I can understand. It's a matter of taste, really.
 
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