How much should I spend?
What brands?
Where to buy one?

Any input would be much appreciated!

The best is the webber kettle grill, however I have had decent results with the cheap charbroil grill that I picked up at the grocery store for 30 bucks.  The main question would be how much food are you going to grill at one time and how often you are planning on using it?

Go get one of those 7-in-1 cookers.  You can use gas or charcoal, use the gas to start the charcoal, or boil corn in a pot with the gas while you grill steaks over charcoal at the same time.  If you have more people, they have two levels so you can double your capacity.  There's nothing that you can't do with these things... the water bowl keeps the food from drying out, indirect heat is a breeze and I haven't had anything come out badly on mine.  Plus it takes up a quarter of the space of a regular grill.

I can't wait for mine to rust out so I can get the stainless one from Cabela's.

ETA:  I got mine at Lowes for about $79, it is a MasterBuilt.

I have a cheap smoker/grill from walmart $30 + tax

good info...  keeper comin'!

Weber's the best.

Unlike most other grills, when you close the lid, open flames can't exist, so you don't have flaming fat burning the meat, and you don't have to stand there with a squirt bottle full of water to put it out.
This also means, that unlike most others, you don't have to stand there and watch it constantly.
You can go do something else.

After you're through, close the top and bottom vent, and the fire goes OUT.
Next time, you can use the left-over charcoal.  This save on charcoal.

Also buy the WEBER brand fire starter chimney. (It's bigger than the cheaper versions)
You wad up two sheets of newspaper and stuff them up in the underside.
Fill the top section full of charcoal and light the newspaper.  
You have RED hot charcoal in about 15 minutes.
This starts the charcoal WITHOUT using lighter fluid, which leaves a petroleum taste to the meat.
Old newspaper is also cheaper and safer than fluid, but mostly it's the taste that better without the fluid.

If you buy the better Weber with the impeller/vent on the bottom, cleaning the old ashes out is simple.
Just rotate the handle and the impeller chops the ashes up and drops them into the dump pan.

The better Weber also usually comes with the splitter pans.
These are two half-moon shaped pans.  You put these on the sides of the grill on the charcoal grate.
Start the charcoal with the firestarter, then dump the hot charcoal into the side pans.
You can now indirect-cook by putting the food in the center of the grill, and this also works as a smoker.

Last, the Weber lasts a LONG time, so you get your money's worth.

You can buy Weber's at Lowe's Hardware, Sears, and many Ace Hardware stores.
For the best selection, I bought our last one online direct from Weber.

+ a bajillion on the Weber Kettle.  

Quoted: + a bajillion on the Weber Kettle.

Times two.

Quoted: How much should I spend? What brands? Where to buy one? Any input would be much appreciated!

Watching the Food Network?

BBossman

Another vote for the Weber.  I love mine.  You really get what you pay for, and for 70 smacks, why not?

http://b.im.craigslist.org/z2/tj/gVq3DTwrXwrspg256BJaQPYGH9EJ.jpg
Weber One-Touch Silver 18.5" Charcoal Grill:

The legendary Weber kettle with its classic profile has become synonymous with outdoor cooking and backyard fun. Fire it up! We’ve decked it out with our exclusive One-Touch cleaning system so it’s easier to use than ever.

Another hard-core cooker here for the 22" Weber Kettle.  I own many, many grills, and the kettle is my fave.  Goooooooooo WEBER!

I have a tabletop Weber, looks like the big one, only smaller.  It's design is good for transfer heat and airflow.  I'm still guilty of using my gas grill a bit more because of instant-on ability, but I like the smoky taste.

Anyone ever been to Weber's restaurant?

I've wore out three "Webers" by now, haven't really tried any other grills so I might not be impartial


GM

+1 on the webers, but don't use briquettes
get the natural wood charcoal, burns faster and hotter, but taste so much better

easier to start too

Quoted: Quoted: + a bajillion on the Weber Kettle.   Times two.

Times Three. Nothing beats it. And please don't go gas whatever you do.

You can get this one for $1100- I made it, and the smoke goes out the headimg285.echo.cx/my.php?image=dscn00085rw.jpg]</a>

DDiggler was so convincing with his post (and I went to the store before you 10pm folks posted) that I got the $79 MasterBuilt at Lowes.

I have two options...

1. Keep it and see how it goes...
2. Return it and get the Weber, as I have not opened the Masterbuilt yet...
3. Get both!

What say you?

Cant go wrong with Weber kettle
But my next "charcoal" type will probably be a heavier barrel-tpye with the side bin for the charcoal/smoke chips.

Quoted: Another vote for the Weber.  I love mine.  You really get what you pay for, and for 70 smacks, why not? b.im.craigslist.org/z2/tj/gVq3DTwrXwrspg256BJaQPYGH9EJ.jpg Weber One-Touch Silver 18.5" Charcoal Grill: The legendary Weber kettle with its classic profile has become synonymous with outdoor cooking and backyard fun. Fire it up! We’ve decked it out with our exclusive One-Touch cleaning system so it’s easier to use than ever.

I have wanted one for years and finally bought one for $64. I can't wait to use it excpet for the damn rain that has not stopped in about 14 straight days. This is why I left the valley for the drier side of Oregon. Oh well.......

Quoted: How much should I spend? What brands? Where to buy one? Any input would be much appreciated!

Weber Kettle.  

Mine has lasterd nearly ten years.  The only two things I don't like about it are its bulk and the lid.  If you have a small deck or patio or whatever, it's going the get in the way although there are small models.  The lid has a tab on it that's supposed to let one hang the lid off it, but I find it to be nearly useless so I sit the lid in the corner of the deck rail, which of course adds to its bulkiness.  

Quoted: Quoted: How much should I spend? What brands? Where to buy one? Any input would be much appreciated! Weber Kettle.   Mine has lasterd nearly ten years.  The only two things I don't like about it are its bulk and the lid.  If you have a small deck or patio or whatever, it's going the get in the way although there are small models.  The lid has a tab on it that's supposed to let one hang the lid off it, but I find it to be nearly useless so I sit the lid in the corner of the deck rail, which of course adds to its bulkiness.

that's weird...I've had several weber kettles, and never had a problem hooking the lid onto the kettle part when I need to...have you tried tweeking the hook part...maybe it's not bent right or something?

I've had several other grills over the years, but I'll be buying another Weber this season, and chucking the $700 outdoor concepts one I bought right after my dad died.  The webers are just too easy to use, and cook so well.  

WooHoo
I just bought a Weber grill today.
The Omaha steaks got here yesterday.
WooHoo

Weber for grilling.  Not that great of a smoker though but then again it's not made for that.  

Return the Masterbuilt and go by a Weber.  NOW.

I like the New braunfels brand smoker/grill I have. It costs about $120.00 if I remember.

This is the one you need:

I have a Weber Gold kettle but I hate the time it takes to prep the thing.  I am thinking (gasp) of going to the Dark Side and buying a propane grill.  

+1 X 911 X 2037 for the Weber Kettle!
They be the schnitz

Quoted: I have a Weber Gold kettle but I hate the time it takes to prep the thing.  I am thinking (gasp) of going to the Dark Side and buying a propane grill.

DON'T DO IT, SON!  

Using Kingsford charcoal and standard lighter fluid, it takes exactly 30 minutes to go from grabbing the charcoal bag to throwing on the food.  Use that time to mix the salad, put the rolls in the oven, aerate the wine, savor a beer, whatever.  If you invest in a charcoal chimney, you can cut the time down to 15/20 minutes...you just need to learn to factor this in to the equation.  

Propane - Taste the meat, not the heat!

I've had my Cahr-griller like the the pic kpel308 posted.  Great for grilling and a damn fine smoker.

Quoted: Propane is cheaper, easier, and faster!

And doesn't taste as good.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Propane is cheaper, easier, and faster! And doesn't taste as good. You can flavor with a propane grill too.

Actually I was referring to the propane flavoring that gets added to the food.  But whatever, call BS if you feel the need.

I've recently bought a new home and it's plumbed on the back patio for a natural gas grill, before I invest , I would like some opinions on NG grills, oh and sorry for the highjack.

Quoted: I've recently bought a new home and it's plumbed on the back patio for a natural gas grill, before I invest , I would like some opinions on NG grills, oh and sorry for the highjack.

Wagner Char King

Propane is God's gas!