Gas Grill Features?

I have a Weber Genesis Silver series gas grill. No frills, just the basic. I like it well enough; it does well at low temps for a good long, slow BBQ and has plenty of heat for searing meat.

What I don't like is the 3 latteral burners. If I were buying a gas grill today I would probably get one with crosswise burners which I think allows for better direct/indirect heat.

 

For me, no matter what fuel source you are using it has to be the grate / grid it self.  I prefer to have a heavy cast iron grate especially for steak.  I have improved a few barbeques by going to a metal fab shop and getting a new, heavy grate for the barbie made which is not too expensive with the new technology in plasma and water jet metal cutting.

 Other than that, the other top features would be the utensil rack, a smoker feature for gas barbeques, and a covered storage compartment to keep bugs and outdoor debris off the food.

 

After so many grills, over so many years, I'm now an avowed Weber addict, so keep that in mind.  For a supplemental grill, take a good look at the Weber Q.  I think you will like it, cast iron grates, excellent design, big useful grill area.  During the week, you'll end up using it all the time.  For the crowds, I settled on the Weber Summit S-650.  Big difference between the 6 burner models is having the "sear" plate.  I declined that feature.  Rotis is a little small compared to the overall grill size, but you can still do a pork loin or 2 scrunched up chickens.  I feel their cost/quality/performance is outstanding.
Fridge, side burner, cocktail cabinets, barmaids, etc..... I think if you are ready to leap to that level, I would go built in all the way with professional equipment (Lynx, Delfield, Big John wok, BevAir beer tower, etc...).  The additional couple of grand will be a minor amount in the entire build out cost.
Good luck.

 

KHY-
Before you make the decision, you might want to look at the fairly large gas grills made in China (where else?) by Grand Hall.  They are available from both Sam's and Costco.  For around $600, they offer a lot of goodies. 

Three 17,000 btu burners (front-to-back) a side burner, a back-mounted, 12,000btu infra-red rotisserie burner, and all-stainless construction. Here's a website for enthusiasts

http://www.grandhall.com/

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/bbq/msg042120418366.html?100

I've used one for seven or eight years, and am quite pleased with it. It's holding up very well.

Mike

 

I am absolutely in LOVE with the Silver Giant

http://silvergiant.flagro.on.ca/gas_grills.htm

Extreme quality, 90,000 BTU on the cook surface, no nonsense like other models that add up BTU with side burners and all, this is apparently the highest BTU per square inch in the industry. It's hard to find well built stuff like this any more, these are outstanding and exceptional units.

There have been recalls of cheapo grills made in China, a safety issue in addition to a quality issue. Plus I hate buying things of poor quality and having to replace them, junk them in a landfill, and end up spending more money than if I got something of lifetime quality to begin with, and something that is amazing to use.

Things to look for I was advised before buying this, is good quality stainless steel inside and out, not just cosmetic lid then non-stainless burners/flavor plates, etc. Also if you buy something made in North America should anything ever go wrong there are normally parts available. These China grills can be a VERY expensive disposable item when parts aren't available. I would rather buy something of really solid manufacture, well built, and cooks PHENOMENALLY well like this one.

You don't need the gimmicky "sear zone" on a grill like this - other grills need them IMO because they have inadequate heat on the grill. The whole grill on the Silver Giant gets to the serious temperature you need to do anything you want like sear, not just some 4"x8" infrared unit added to a weak grill.

The price is actually reasonable, especially for the quality, this is not some over-hyped yuppie brand where the label means more than the quality, this is a really outstanding commercial grill, top quality stainless, etc.

There's a chef's testimonial: 

http://silvergiant.flagro.on.ca/testimonial.htm

(they have American site too, google flagro usa)

If you're looking at that $1300 price range for some fancy outdoor kitchen type thing, but might not have the longevity and quality, I would say consider getting a real deal like this instead. A grill over a thousand bucks is too much of a major purchase to get into that "made in China" disposable route we've become used to in blow dryers and blenders. I would say look more at the quality and the cooking power than the bells and whistles KYH. It's going to make a difference in how it cooks, and also whether you're throwing out that expensive purchase in a few years.

I know BBQ caterers use these, rental companies, restaurant/hospitality industry, but while these are commercial grills, they have a residential size as well. Time for the next trend after commercial-type ranges/cookers in the kitchen, long live the commercial BBQ!

 

Such a deal!! Good for you KYH.