Advice Please! MT or PD

[Craig]

Welcome to the WKC! All great advice, I'd say either model but the Performer has more color options plus the gas assist is nice to have from a convenience standpoint. But personally I don't have experience with the gas assist. I get along beautifully with my chimney starters and lighter cubes from Weber. I do use a work table with my MTs. So that is one more thing that has to be dragged out unless you want to leave it attached to the kettle. I think Weber makes a cover that fits the 22 kettle and the work table accessory if need be.

[Josh G]

I would say keep the old kettle and get a performer.  You always need extra grills.

[shkish]

Can you tell we're all excited for you? Er, your husband, that is. (If you're nice he may let you use the grill ...)

Thanks, you can be excited for both of us!  I gladly hand over the grill master position to my husband.   

[shkish]

Wow, I'm so grateful for all of your responses!  Everyone is so passionate and helpful.  Yay for this community!   

You didn't post where you are located, but I second the advice of @addicted-to-smoke to consider checking craigslist. Used performers regularly pop up around me (Boston area) for between $100 and $150, and I've personally scored 3 for $20, $20 and $30. Your husband sounds like the type of guy who would have no problem with saving money and getting used. I've never used a MasterTouch, but I love my performer.  It is my favorite grill to use, and almost everything about it is very well thought out and engineered.  Like others have said, you really can't go wrong.  Good luck and welcome.  Hope that you and he stay on the forums.

You are correct, I am all about a great deal -- new or new-to-me (aka used)!  I live on the MS Gulf Coast.  I regularly check our local and regional  Craigslist, but rarely do we have consistently 'good' stuff.  Now my sis in TX always has luck with CL... Oh well. 


[/quote]

I would say keep the old kettle and get a performer.  You always need extra grills.

We do not have any kettle, yet.  Just asking everyone's preferences & recommendations between MT vs PD.

Crate & Barrel also has medium/dark blue for 2015, http://www.crateandbarrel.com/weber-blue-performer-deluxe-charcoal-grill/s379523

I think Ace is the or one of the dealers for it in Crimson.

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=50759396&cp=2608353.4235681.21391086

the Performer Deluxe is a special grill and the 2015, current model, is the best yet.

I LOVE that C&B blue, but their shipping is quite high.  I am specifically looking at the 2015 models of both MT & PD because of the current options and accessories.  AND because of all the glowing reviews here on WKC.

The Gas Assist is an absolute game changer. My chimney are ready in half the time, and if i am lighting just a few coals for a minion cook on my WSM they are glowing in minutes.

Are you saying it takes less time to use the chimney as compared to the gas assist or vice versa?  please clarify!

[pbe gummi bear]

Welcome! I'm surprised no one has said BOTH! yet.




In all seriousness the performer is great. I would buy one just for the table. The gas assist is cool but a chimney and firestarter work just as well. Chances are you'll be using a chimney either way. Also if the kettle will rarely move you can put a table next to the MT it for the money you save. Good luck!

[shkish]

Welcome! I'm surprised no one has said BOTH! yet.

In all seriousness the performer is great. I would buy one just for the table. The gas assist is cool but a chimney and firestarter work just as well. Chances are you'll be using a chimney either way. Also if the kettle will rarely move you can put a table next to the MT it for the money you save. Good luck!

@pbe gummy bear, I'm noticing lots of folks have more than one!  Since we are kettle newbies and space is an issue, only one for now.  In our case, the grill will live under a carport at all times and rarely to be moved.  I am drawn to the PD table option for the obvious reasons, but because it will be protected we could leave a WT with attached table up permanently.  A cover would be a nice option for either, but more for the residual salt in our air down here.

Since my husband is the current griller, I am not that familiar with techniques and if/how beneficial the gas assist option is.  All I know is that currently there's a considerable wait from the time we decide it's a grill meal to when the coals are hot... We are currently using a chimney with our found-on-a-trash-pile grill.  Does a gas assist speed this time up? You say I may have to use one regardless, why?

I am hoping to attempt grilling as well with this new grill.  Hubby isn't so much into veggies, but I am eager to attempt lots and maybe try a pizza!  Also would like to tackle smoking! (not quite ready for a smoker yet).

[G$]

What a grate thread.

kish, I would vote performer for your needs.  When you all want to expand (you will) then you can add the three leg kettles,  probably in their classic and vintage forms!

[G$]

Since my husband is the current griller, I am not that familiar with techniques and if/how beneficial the gas assist option is.  All I know is that currently there's a considerable wait from the time we decide it's a grill meal to when the coals are hot... We are currently using a chimney with our found-on-a-trash-pile grill.  Does a gas assist speed this time up? You say I may have to use one regardless, why?

Gas assist is awesome.  Really really really awesome.  Take it from a person that has used all sorts of ignition methods, from a weed burner torch to a pyramid of briqs and one match and everything in between.  Having the gas assist function is really really really convenient.  It is the best lighting method, IMO, because it is so convenient.

That said,  we are still talking a manual ignition of a fuel source, and that takes time.  It is not and never will be 'instant on'.  I use a chimney starter with my gas assist maybe half the time.  It gets things going a bit quicker to use the GA to light the coals in the chimney and keep them focused on their job of getting lit.  OTOH, sometimes i just push the coals in a pile over the flame, or use baskets, or the vortex cone, or whatever.   But the constant here is that the gas assist is a little simpler, a little cleaner and a little faster than using a chminey and news paper or whatever, and A LOT faster than old school charcoal pyramids!

[pbe gummi bear]

The chimney lights more charcoal faster than the baskets. The chimney also allows you to more easily dump the charcoal where you want it. The GA can be used for the chimney as well.

[shkish]

thanks @G$ and @pbe gummy bear! 

This may seem quite silly to most here, but why do you all have more than one kettle grill?!?  (Other than purely collecting them)

[Hell Fire Grill]

They're nuts!

[Jeep]

More than one grill is easy... a lot of times a cook takes more room than one grill allows.  that and were nuts.

[austin87]

@shkish I started with one 22.5" One Touch Gold (same size as the MasterTouch with a few less features) It is extremely versatile and I can do a lot with it, but since I'm usually cooking for 2 people I had a lot of wasted space on the grill and was using more charcoal than I needed to, so I got an 18.5" OTG. I use it more than I do the larger one because it is a really efficient little machine. If I'm cooking for a group, I can have the larger kettle set up for low, indirect heat and the smaller kettle set up for high, direct heat. Sometimes I use the one that I'm not cooking on as a staging area for chimneys, wood chunks, overflow cutting boards, etc. Then I have a red 26" I'm in the process of restoring, and a red 18" that I got from family. I have those two because I'm nuts

I do not have a Performer but I don't miss the gas assist. For me, lighting the chimney while I crack a beer and do some prep work while chatting with my girlfriend is therapeutic. I work hard and am constantly go go go.  I never want to be in a rush when I'm cooking because I enjoy food and enjoy the process. When I have hungry kids a Performer might make a little more sense, but right now taking the time to set everything up is one of  my favorite parts of the day. Just something to keep in mind as you consider your options.

For me, I had a similar question posted here when I got started in WKC... MT or Performer. Here's my posting from then: http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/introduce-yourself/hello-and-help!/

I went with a used 22.5" and don't regret it for a minute.

Here are my two every day cookers:



Good luck on your decision!

[1911Ron]

thanks @G$ and @pbe gummy bear! 

This may seem quite silly to most here, but why do you all have more than one kettle grill?!?  (Other than purely collecting them)

What???

note the group has grown since this picture! 

[1buckie]

thanks @G$ and @pbe gummy bear! 

This may seem quite silly to most here, but why do you all have more than one kettle grill?!?  (Other than purely collecting them)

Loaded question for this bunch.....some merely choose to build out rather than up.....




.....and we're nuts.