...But charcoal grills are so DIRTY!

[Hell Fire Grill]

A clean grill is a sign of a sick mind

[jaynik]

I guess I'm the minority here.  I like my genesis as much as my performer or 26 or even the 18.  They are all great and each has a role. I don't know why everyone hates gas so much....

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[MeatAndPotatos]

I guess I'm the minority here.  I like my genesis as much as my performer or 26 or even the 18.  They are all great and each has a role. I don't know why everyone hates gas so much....

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My intent with the thread wasn't that gas is bad (though it is )

Its just that using my charcoal grill is not any messier, despite the constant complaint that I am met with that charcoal takes so long and is so messy... I load coal without touching it, light it with a torch and in ~10 minutes its ready... then dump ash without touching it. It took about as long to get my gasser hot, and was more difficult to use a catch pan to catch drippings and keep things from getting greased up.

I just don't find my performer to be dirtier then my old gasser, and in some cases the simplicity of it allows for it to gather less crap and grease inside of it.

[jaynik]

Oh no. I agree with your post. Many of the responses to this and other conversations on here though are "throw out your gas grill".  I find my charcoal to have more mess but it doesn't bother me.

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[Uncle Al]

In a way you are comparing apples to oranges.

[Lumpy Coal]

It's fun to hate gas. 

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[jcnaz]

I have a classic Genesis, a Q, and many kettles and WSMs. I can get filthy using any of them, and ruin at least three t-shirts a month.
I wouldn't have it any other way!

[toolhead]

Gas/charcoal...imo both dirty n messy.  I havent lit my ss gas grill in a long time.
Gas grills messy if you prep the grill right..removing grates and cleaning the heat shields..dirty heat shields block heat.  My ss grates are heavy and this is a messy process.  Kettle..dirty too..remove grate/prep chimney ..light..pour lit coals..ash flies
around...its messy..

Most gas grillers dont clean their heat shields so..its just light and drop food..but dirty heat shields will block heat/max heat in the firebox.

Both are dirty and messy...dumping my charcoal pan and bucket in garbage bags leaves a nice cloud of ash smoke when dumping...again..mess.

Overall comparison...charcoal is a bit dirtier...but the taste and controlling the fire/cool process is well worth all my dirty gloves

[MrHoss]

Whiners gonna whine. Grillfellas gonna bbq. It's me and my Webers against the world Ma.

[TheDude]

Argument can be made either way. With a 3 wheeler, there's no choice but to get in there after a couple cooks. Perfect vessel for burning a butt though. The key word a few people mentioned... Disposable gloves. I prefer black. BBQ just looks cooler in black rubber gloves.

[MeatAndPotatos]

In a way you are comparing apples to oranges.

Yeah but apples taste better then oranges.

Argument can be made either way....

Kinda the point. People make a big deal out of the hassle and mess of a coal grill... but I think they make up their own problems as its not so much worse then using a gas grill, particularly if you actually cleaning and maintaining it. As you point out arguments can be made for both sides, and gas grills can be just as bad.

Meanwhile almost all of the people I am talking about say they like charcoal better... but it just takes so much more work and is so much messier. But if the arguments go either way, they kind of cancel each other out, and your left with the fact that they like charcoal better so they should use it.
 

[SmokenJoe]

After the cook I close all vents and wait for the next cook.  At the next cook; I sweep as much loose ash as possible out of the bowl, I check the inside of the lid for ANY loose carbon build up and remove it if it's there, start the coals and, when ready, distribute them on the coal grate, and then I let the cooking grate heat well before I brush it clean.  Now I recover the bowl w/ the lid and bring the kettle up to cooking temp.  Hummmmmm, I just thought that's how everyone prep'd                             SJ

[weldboy]

My family used to be gas only, but me and my kettles have converted them. My dad just ditched his gasser when I bought him his otg for Christmas


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[MacEggs]

Lots of black around the door knobs … and light switches in my house … That's what Spring-Cleaning is for. 

Do you handle coal by hand?

Perhaps that is the distinction here? I don't touch any coal or ash with my hands, I load coal with tongs and dump ash from the pan...

Ya, I don't want my gloves to get dirty ….

[AZ Monsoon]

My hands get filthy almost every time I cook. I throw some new coals in a chimney and then go all neanderthal with my bare hands and load up the rest of the chimney with the coals from the prior cook.....It's awesome