It might have to come down to trial-and-error to see what suits your cooking best. That said, my wife recently got me a porcelain coated cast iron grate that I like. It has a removable center section like the Weber, and looks like it will fit their accessories. The Performer I got came with a stainless steel grate with flip up sides, which I found handy when offset cooking with the baskets. A couple weeks ago, I came across a 1978 MBH kettle in great condition, so I'm able to use either grill surface when convenient. My preference? Flexibility, as opposed to just one grilling platform.