My 100 yr old Hasty Bake (best damn grill ever) got taken out by a tree in a storm recently. Need a cheaper grill until I can save up for a good one (could be awhile with two kids in college). Any recommendations on affordable grills? Not a fan of the Egg or wood pellet really.
OT: Inexpensive Grill
- Thread starter Cooterpoot
- Start date
Never heard of a Hasty Bake. They aren't cheap! If you are looking for "cheap" but still decent, Weber has always been solid for me.
I know it was mentioned that you do not like pellet grills and I do not know where 500 bucks ranks on being cheap or not. That being said, this smaller Traeger is only 500 bucks and is one of the best grills I ever owned. Honestly I got more use out of it that my Yoder, BGE, and my backwoods smoker combined. Easy to use and easy to clean up.
https://www.traeger.com/pellet-grills/other/junior-elite-20
https://www.traeger.com/pellet-grills/other/junior-elite-20
If you keep them clean and dry they last forever too. If you ever do upgrade to something nicer a Weber is great to have as a backup or supplement. They can cook just about anything. I have cooked steaks all kinds of different ways but nothing does as well as my Weber Kettle.
Get a Weber until you can get something "better". If you take any care of it at all you can give it to one of the kids when they get out of college.
^^^ This. My weber is approaching 15 years old. I replace the grates (bottom and top) about once every three years. Otherwise, the MFer sits outside in all weather and conditions without significant negative impact. There will never be a Merle Haggard song written about a Weber not lasting ... like it should.
Get a cheap 2 burner gas grill from Lowes of HD. Many of them are about to go on sale because grilling season is "almost over". Buy a cover as well. It will prolong the lifespan. That's what I use coupled with a set of Grill Grates. Perfect for a quick burger, steak or sausage.
Cowboy Kent Rollins uses them whenever he's cooking on a grill instead of cast iron or "Bertha" in his YouTube videos.
Can't go wrong with the Weber 22 in.
If you prefer some a little more rectangular love dynoglow that allows you lower or raise your coals and open from below to add more
If you prefer some a little more rectangular love dynoglow that allows you lower or raise your coals and open from below to add more
If it's just something to 'get you through', then yes, it's an option. But those Lowe's/HD grills are crap, and will only last 2-3 year max, and they rust out quickly so you can't replace much on them. I've done that twice in a row and about to splurge for a Weber, where you can actually replace parts and such.
ETA: I'm talking gas here. If you're doing charcoal, concur with others on the Weber kettle. Can't be beat. I have to cook a lot of things fast and we use it during the week so need something the wife can use as well. So I have to go with gas, much to my chagrin.
Last edited:
Sounds like the Weber 22 is the move for you. Really, the next best option is a cheapie on-sale gas grill. Don't get suckered into one of the cheapie read and black grills in front of Walmart - doing anything on those sucks.
Slight thread hijack but I recently got a Smoke N Sear for my Weber, my favorite thing I've bought in a while. Helped me make a pretty solid brisket a couple weeks ago, hoping to do a pork butt soon. https://smile.amazon.com/Adrenaline...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
Slight thread hijack but I recently got a Smoke N Sear for my Weber, my favorite thing I've bought in a while. Helped me make a pretty solid brisket a couple weeks ago, hoping to do a pork butt soon. https://smile.amazon.com/Adrenaline...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
Last edited:
Another data point for future consideration: After cooking steak sous vide and then searing it in a cast iron skillet, I won't ever cook another one on my BGE.
You'll still want a good charcoal grill for burgers, etc. and I trust the other recommendations in the thread.
You'll still want a good charcoal grill for burgers, etc. and I trust the other recommendations in the thread.
Parts are easy to get. I got a weber 2 burner for $199 at Lowes. It's lasted me 6 years so far. I do keep a cover on it. I've replaced the burners once to the tune of $30. It is about to rust itself out of commission. I've gotten my money's worth.
I'm simply not fooling with charcoal if all I need to do is grill a pack of Conecuh or 4-6 burger patties. With a gas grill, I can be eating my burgers by the time the coals get right on a kettle grill. Not to mention I don't have to 17 around with charcoal and ash.
I'll never use a kettle again. Don't get me wrong, I like the taste of charcoal, but I don't like it enough.
I'm simply not fooling with charcoal if all I need to do is grill a pack of Conecuh or 4-6 burger patties. With a gas grill, I can be eating my burgers by the time the coals get right on a kettle grill. Not to mention I don't have to 17 around with charcoal and ash.
I'll never use a kettle again. Don't get me wrong, I like the taste of charcoal, but I don't like it enough.
Interesting that with all the grill and grilling posts that have been on SPS, this is the first time Hasty Bake has ever been mentioned. I never heard of it as others on this post have also stated. Guess Cooter wanted to keep it a secret as obviously Hasty Bake does.
Another vote for the Weber Kettle. Get it, a cover, Slow n Sear, charcoal chimney, and a vortex. You can cook just about anything on the Weber Kettle with those options. Not a bunch at one time, but anything any other grill/smoker can.
Plenty of youtube videos on setup and cooking methods for it as well. Check out Chuds BBQ. He has been doing a whole series about weber kettle on his YouTube channel.
Plenty of youtube videos on setup and cooking methods for it as well. Check out Chuds BBQ. He has been doing a whole series about weber kettle on his YouTube channel.
I have a slow n sear and vortex. Love them both but especially love the vortex. Best way to cook chicken in my opinion, especially skin on chicken.
I have to respectfully disagree. I cook in cast iron about 6x a week in dutch ovens, bean pots, skillets, cornbread pans, griddle, etc but steak is not anything I ever put in cast iron. I've seared, reverse seared, started them w/ sous vide then grilled, etc, etc. Meat in a plastic bag simmered in water then scorched in a skillet to give it some smoke flavor and crust just can't replace the flavor of wood generated smoke from the fat drippings of the meat
View attachment 24976
View attachment 24976
How do you cook with the vortex? I've heard of them but not sure what all they do.
I have a buddy coming up this weekend that just got back from Chud's BBQ school in Austin. He learned how to make sausage there and is bringing some up to my place Saturday. He just sent me some pics of the sausage and the Chud-Box he's building in the garage right now. We are going to build us a couple of Chud Tables in the not distant future as well.
If you watch Chud, you will appreciate our sausage text exchange.
View attachment 24977
View attachment 24978
LOL, I used to do steak competitions and it's the gold standard IMO. I'm not going to lie, I cried a little when it got crushed.
I thought 2 guys were going to come to blows arguing about the HB and an M1 a few years ago when I went to an SCA event. I really was into steak cooking and thought about trying to get competitive, but the judging standards and rules just seemed punitive. I wanted to do steakhouse quality steaks. Cooking a choice steak to medium with exotic rubs and perfect 90 degree grill marks didn't get me excited. But, I have to admit, if you can cook in those suckers, I bet you are tits with a bottle of salt and a nice prime ribeye at mid rare.
Check out that video posted below. I watched it and that covers it. I generally only use it for chicken. I have the slow n sear that I will use for searing off a steak or pork chop. The main benefit to me is it does a very good job of getting crispy skin, especially if you dry brine your chicken for a bit before using the vortex.
I have used it once for searing like the guy did in that video, by turning the vortex upside down, and it worked fine.
I think you will enjoy it. I’ve had mine for 10 years. Tried to replace it a couple years ago with a pellet grill because I wanted a more set it and forget it smoker. I have since sold the pellet grill and back to cooking in the kettle. Not knocking a pellet grill at all, but it’s impossible to replicate the flavor you get from cooking on charcoal and wood chunks.