This $20,000 propane grill blew my mind


 
In my experience, wealth tracks with lots of cool skills, but cooking meat on a grill is not something that correlates at all. Heck, many wealthy people by me are religiously opposed to touching many of the things discussed on this site. I am beginning to think that Joe Richguy doesn't connect up the grill. He doesn't use it because he doesn't know how, it might be against his religion, and he doesn't want to get it dirty and smelly. So they include a secret spot for a 20lb tank so Joe Richguy can show his friends how it works. When it does run out of gas after a few years, Joe Richguy might even have to call Middleclass Mike down the road to help him figure out how to change the tank.
 
The reason for LP is the audience for that grill would likely install it in places too remote for NG. Since nowadays they're the only ones who can afford to live remotely :(
But that thing is a thing of beauty. And don't over look it can burn charcoal as well
 
Scott Smith said:
In my experience, wealth tracks with lots of cool skills, but cooking meat on a grill is not something that correlates at all. Heck, many wealthy people by me are religiously opposed to touching many of the things discussed on this site. I am beginning to think that Joe Richguy doesn't connect up the grill. He doesn't use it because he doesn't know how, it might be against his religion, and he doesn't want to get it dirty and smelly. So they include a secret spot for a 20lb tank so Joe Richguy can show his friends how it works. When it does run out of gas after a few years, Joe Richguy might even have to call Middleclass Mike down the road to help him figure out how to change the tank.
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Although, there are folks where we have our beach home in Avalon, NJ that hire people to do many of the tasks you mention. In fact, there are businesses that cater to their demands...purchase firewood, wines, food, caterers, chefs-for-hire, etc... if the owners decide to come down for a weekend in winter for example. The CEO of Utz chips has such a place...and there are others. Philly Mainline old money trust fund babies and the like. Another world.
 
Fire Magic would be on my short list of dream grills. That one is clearly meant to be their tour de force aspiration model. Wildly beyond my reach, but wow what a grill. +100,000 btus, all 304 stainless, and check out those grates!

For an average guy like me I am glad I get plenty of joy from my restored 1998 1st generation Summit. (Thanks, again, @LMichaels - Larry - for being willing to sell it to me!) I love how it cooks - and looks - and knowing that I disassembled it down to virtually the last bolt for a full “frame off” restoration gives a special feeling you can’t get from just spending more $.


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Jon Tofte said:
Fire Magic would be on my short list of dream grills. That one is clearly meant to be their tour de force aspiration model. Wildly beyond my reach, but wow what a grill. +100,000 btus, all 304 stainless, and check out those grates!

For an average guy like me I am glad I get plenty of joy from my restored 1998 1st generation Summit. (Thanks, again, @LMichaels - Larry - for being willing to sell it to me!) I love how it cooks - and looks - and knowing that I disassembled it down to virtually the last bolt for a full “frame off” restoration gives a special feeling you can’t get from just spending more $.


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Yep, you did some amazing work there. I had truly gotten so disheartened with it. So I was glad to see someone get enjoyment from it
 
There is something to be said for having an American factory with skilled American craftsmen stop whatever they are doing to go and build a super high end grill just for you. I bet they get a kick out of building the best they can whenever an order does come in.

Today my son and I finally started dismantling our player piano to get it out of the house. It was made in Newark, NJ in the 1920's. While you could still technically get it to "play" rolls, it wasn't worth putting money into and had to go. It needed a complete overhaul of the piano part and the player mechanism was leaky, and the case was rough. Anyway, the craftsmanship! Thousands of pieces made and fitted by skilled workers. Castings. Veneer over solid hardwood. Clockwork. Bellows. Probably 15 lbs of lead. Elephant ivory. All done without modern tools. Newark today does have an arts center and an insurance headquarters and a hockey arena and some nice restaurants and a federal courthouse, but other than that it is basically a slum. No skilled craftsmen there. (My apologies if you are a skilled craftsman and work in Newark)
 
Howdy everyone. It's been interesting "flaunting" a Fire Magic in front of guests and telling them the story of how I got it... most can't fathom ANY reason to buy something that expensive. They are beautiful units and built like tanks with commercial grade components... Mine gets freaking HOT enough to sear anything you want and some things you don't. The trade off is that it sucks LP like there's no tomorrow and the tanks are empty PDQ. I'm finding that I'd rather use one of my 20+ year old Genesis. They flat out grill great without all the extra fuss and the cleanup afterwards to keep the stainless looking pretty... real PITA in my opinion. Maybe it's because the model I picked up for $100 and rebuilt is "old tech" and the new ones are just "that" much better... probably never know because I'm sure not dropping that kind of coin on one! Pics for reference on the FM grill.
 

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Chris, that's a nice looking grill but really doesn't appear to be any nicer or different than a current Weber offering. Do you know what that model went for new?
 
Scott Smith said:
There is something to be said for having an American factory with skilled American craftsmen stop whatever they are doing to go and build a super high end grill just for you. I bet they get a kick out of building the best they can whenever an order does come in.

Today my son and I finally started dismantling our player piano to get it out of the house. It was made in Newark, NJ in the 1920's. While you could still technically get it to "play" rolls, it wasn't worth putting money into and had to go. It needed a complete overhaul of the piano part and the player mechanism was leaky, and the case was rough. Anyway, the craftsmanship! Thousands of pieces made and fitted by skilled workers. Castings. Veneer over solid hardwood. Clockwork. Bellows. Probably 15 lbs of lead. Elephant ivory. All done without modern tools. Newark today does have an arts center and an insurance headquarters and a hockey arena and some nice restaurants and a federal courthouse, but other than that it is basically a slum. No skilled craftsmen there. (My apologies if you are a skilled craftsman and work in Newark)
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So what will be the fate of the piano?
 
Steve Hoch said:
Chris, that's a nice looking grill but really doesn't appear to be any nicer or different than a current Weber offering. Do you know what that model went for new?
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Good question that I don't have a real answer for... This grill is a Regal 1 and I'm thinking it's about 10-15 years old. As I was taking it apart, I could see that It had a rough life without good maintenance. In fact I think it had a "sizeable" grease fire hot enough to melt the model/serial number sticker so I have no way to track down build dates (pick attached). Just did a quick search and found a Regal 1 counter top (w/o the cart) listed somewhere for $5,500... so, still stupid expensive. See below link.

Regal 1 Counter Top
 

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Chris-NV said:
Good question that I don't have a real answer for... This grill is a Regal 1 and I'm thinking it's about 10-15 years old. As I was taking it apart, I could see that It had a rough life without good maintenance. In fact I think it had a "sizeable" grease fire hot enough to melt the model/serial number sticker so I have no way to track down build dates (pick attached). Just did a quick search and found a Regal 1 counter top (w/o the cart) listed somewhere for $5,500... so, still stupid expensive. See below link.

Regal 1 Counter Top
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I guess you have to assume the cart model would be even more money. The data page for that drop in model says it weighs 200lbs. That's pretty heavy, I'm sure it's a very well made grill but I just can't see spending that kind of money.
 
Steve Hoch said:
So what will be the fate of the piano?
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Piano got broken up and sorted into scrap wood, metal, brass (pedals, bass, some mechanism), and lead. Too damn heavy for a couple of guys to get to the curb. I might hold onto some of the big wood pieces for something. My wife was thinking about cleaning up and spray painting the frame to hang on a wall as a decoration. My town will take the metal. I think the lead might recycle with car batteries. The ivory is illegal to sell and therefore has no value. The player mechanism is pretty specific to that manufacturer, so I don't think anybody would want it.

Player pianos can be rebuilt and there are shops that do this type of work. The paper rolls, on the other hand, haven't been made in decades. I have about one hundred. I will be looking for a new home for those, as well as the return roller and the vacuum tool for the chads, probably on Ebay.
 
Scott Smith said:
Piano got broken up and sorted into scrap wood, metal, brass (pedals, bass, some mechanism), and lead. Too damn heavy for a couple of guys to get to the curb. I might hold onto some of the big wood pieces for something. My wife was thinking about cleaning up and spray painting the frame to hang on a wall as a decoration. My town will take the metal. I think the lead might recycle with car batteries. The ivory is illegal to sell and therefore has no value. The player mechanism is pretty specific to that manufacturer, so I don't think anybody would want it.

Player pianos can be rebuilt and there are shops that do this type of work. The paper rolls, on the other hand, haven't been made in decades. I have about one hundred. I will be looking for a new home for those, as well as the return roller and the vacuum tool for the chads, probably on Ebay.
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It's too bad you couldn't find someone that wanted it intact to restore.
 
Steve Hoch said:
It's too bad you couldn't find someone that wanted it intact to restore.
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Yeah, I didn't even try. It was a good solid piano, but nothing collectible. And it needed too much - new strings, new hammers, new felt, new mutes, all new veneer. The ivory was chipped and needed to be 100% replaced with modern plastic. The player mechanism leaked so much it was a workout to get it to play at all. Some people fix that by overpowering the leaks with a constant vacuum source such as an ordinary vacuum cleaner.
 
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