Which BBQ Grill is better: cast iron or stainless steel?

Go Weber!

Cast Iron FTW.. also makes better grill marks if you care about that.  Great looking steaks.
 
I've got one of these:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_44754-49769-2121_0__?productId=3033621&Ntt=char+griller&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dchar%2Bgriller&facetInfo=

Cast iron grills, old school charcoal, and cheap.  The only thing you have to be careful with cast iron is that you need to store it (just the grill, not the whole BBQ) indoors to prevent rust.
 
I had a weber for years and no rusting.. I did, however, have a decent cover for the BBQ grill. 
 
Cast iron all the way, you want a nice sear on the meat to keep it juicy, can't do that well with aluminum. 
 
jmoney74 said:
I had a weber for years and no rusting.. I did, however, have a decent cover for the BBQ grill. 
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+1!

In fact, I am preheating mine as I type!! Doing some Greek chicken kabobs, baked potatoes, and crinkle-cut zucchini coins / red bell pepper / onion skewers for dinner tonight. Just follow the scent trail to find out where I live in F.R.  :)

The Weber grill is every bit as good as I'd hoped it would be, especially after growing up with the "big green egg" kamado. I'm actually in love with it if not a little obsessed.  :)

1sm211grill.gif
 
Weber is the top choice for consumer level freestanding grills.  Excellent customer service, I know, I've used their CS before.  You can get a better freestanding grill such as DCS and Fire Magic, but you'll pay a hefty premium.

In terms of SS vs cast iron grate, it's personal preference.  A common misconception is that cast iron will give better grill marks, that's inaccurate, both will, you just have to preheat both enough to have super high heat before placing meat on them.  I use SS cuz I think it's easier to maintain but both work well.  One thing I recommend is if you go cast iron, avoid porcelain coated cast iron, go with the rough uncoated cast iron, it will last longer and will avoid chipping of the porcelain coating.

Another important point is that all grills need maintenance.  Clean the entire grill on a regular basis and scrape off the drippings and wipe the grease off the interior.  The igniter will eventually fail also, but simple to replace.  The flavorizer bars used in Weber also need replacing eventually and I recommend getting higher grade 304 steel as replacement for the cheapo steel that comes from the factory.  Oh, and a cover is a must.
 
OCgasman said:
Weber is the top choice for consumer level freestanding grills.  Excellent customer service, I know, I've used their CS before.  You can get a better freestanding grill such as DCS and Fire Magic, but you'll pay a hefty premium.

In terms of SS vs cast iron grate, it's personal preference.  A common misconception is that cast iron will give better grill marks, that's inaccurate, both will, you just have to preheat both enough to have super high heat before placing meat on them.  I use SS cuz I think it's easier to maintain but both work well.  One thing I recommend is if you go cast iron, avoid porcelain coated cast iron, go with the rough uncoated cast iron, it will last longer and will avoid chipping of the porcelain coating.

Another important point is that all grills need maintenance.  Clean the entire grill on a regular basis and scrape off the drippings and wipe the grease off the interior.  The igniter will eventually fail also, but simple to replace.  The flavorizer bars used in Weber also need replacing eventually and I recommend getting higher grade 304 steel as replacement for the cheapo steel that comes from the factory.  Oh, and a cover is a must.
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Not quite true.. but you can make grill makes obviously with both.. just that the weber grill bars are wider and make better looking marks.
 
Throwing in my 2 cents here.  Mr. Z did all the vetting here so I'm just relaying what he said. 

He's buying the Weber Gas Grill.  I wanted a side burner and he wanted to connect the grill directly to the side of the house.  He didn't want to go propane and risk running out of fuel in the middle of a grill.

He's also getting a cast iron smoker box so we some of the perks of a smoker. 

Home Depot assembles if all together for free.  But may not be the cheapest place to get a Weber.

I cook with a cast iron grill, skillet, and pot on a regular gas stove in the kitchen.  I plan on plopping those on the gas grill outside once our backyard is done.  I love cast iron.  Food just tastes better.  I heard the iron also seeps into the food and gives you added health benefits as well.  Of course I don't know if that can compare with actually eating a broccoli or spinach.
 
jmoney74 said:
eyephone said:
Jmoney - do you use propane or natural gas for your bbq
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Propane tank but considering hooking up to my gas line.
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Just curious is it safe to have nat gas bbq in the backyard? What if my kid plays and moves the BBQ a little or bumps into it?
 
If you're doing natural gas line to a BBQ, make sure that:

1. Put a valve on the bib next to the house.
2. If you running the gas line to a place other than right next to the bib, consider not burying the pipe under concrete but rather pavers.

We had our gas line buried under our concrete when we landscaped and then one of the earthquakes must have broke the pipe because the gas company was monitoring our line and noticed abnormal usage and detected a leak. We didn't have a shut off valve on the bib so had to cut the pipe and cap it just to check if that was the leak. It was... and since then we went back to the big Costco propane tank.
 
irvinehomeowner said:
If you're doing natural gas line to a BBQ, make sure that:

1. Put a valve on the bib next to the house.
2. If you running the gas line to a place other than right next to the bib, consider not burying the pipe under concrete but rather pavers.

We had our gas line buried under our concrete when we landscaped and then one of the earthquakes must have broke the pipe because the gas company was monitoring our line and noticed abnormal usage and detected a leak. We didn't have a shut off valve on the bib so had to cut the pipe and cap it just to check if that was the leak. It was... and since then we went back to the big Costco propane tank.
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Yikes
 
eyephone said:
irvinehomeowner said:
If you're doing natural gas line to a BBQ, make sure that:

1. Put a valve on the bib next to the house.
2. If you running the gas line to a place other than right next to the bib, consider not burying the pipe under concrete but rather pavers.

We had our gas line buried under our concrete when we landscaped and then one of the earthquakes must have broke the pipe because the gas company was monitoring our line and noticed abnormal usage and detected a leak. We didn't have a shut off valve on the bib so had to cut the pipe and cap it just to check if that was the leak. It was... and since then we went back to the big Costco propane tank.
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Yikes
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Double yikes
 
This thought has gone through my mind and one reason I am reluctant to do so.  I don't want the BBQ right next to my house so I'd have to run a line underground.  Might just stick with the Propane. 
 
jmoney74 said:
This thought has gone through my mind and one reason I am reluctant to do so.  I don't want the BBQ right next to my house so I'd have to run a line underground.  Might just stick with the Propane.
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Ip new construction homes are presided made (darn autocorrect) with an extra gas bib on the side of the house.  Does that make a difference?  Or is it still vulnerable to earthquakes and other natural forces?
 
My house has it.. side of the house.  I just don't want the BBQ to be right next to the house. 
 
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