Spec me a Barbecue

I got the barbecue bug now....so looking to move onto the little league away from disposable and wondering what sort of equipment I would need.

Coal
Lighter fluid
Webley charcoal chimney (does it have to be this one? B&Q sell a similar looking one for £10)

but what barbecue should I get and what to look out for? Size? square one, round one?

Ideally I'd like one where it doesn't take up too much room and can be pushed around and may be put in the shed if needed.

I guess something may be easy to clean? How do you clean it anyway. Disposable is easy, once I am done I put water over it and bin the whole thing. Do you shovel out the used coal with a proper barbecue?

I don't really want to spend that much money, under £50 ?

Would that get me something that I can leave outside all year round and not rust over the winter?

In case it all goes wrong, I have a fire extinguisher at home in case of emergencies

You won't need any lighter fluid if you've got a chimney starter. Just a bit of scrunched up paper/card in the bottom and you'll be good to go in 20 or so minutes.

You can get the B&Q chimney rather than the weber..it's absolutely fine. And B&Q do a knock-off version of the Weber One Touch below which is also fine. It's a little more than £50 but not much.

I'd recommend the Weber One Touch. It's a good BBQ and very solidly built.


For a bit more you can get the One Touch Pro/Gold. Very similar but with an additional cleaning tray at the bottom (which is actually a god-send).


Pictures adjusted for OP.

Weber for sure, best you can buy. If you can get the one with the cleaning thing at the bottom, it really is fantastic.

Pop into your local B&M store - they have some great deals. I got one for £20 that retails for £50 in Argos


Oh and don't forget your lighter cubes!

Kimi said:

Weber for sure, best you can buy. If you can get the one with the cleaning thing at the bottom, it really is fantastic.

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Weber are pro but the OP has stated that he doesn't want to spend that much money (cheapest Webers are a fair bit over £100 unless you get an awesome deal).

phil_c_ said:

Pop into your local B&M store - they have some great deals. I got one for £20 that retails for £50 in Argos


Oh and don't forget your lighter cubes!

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With a chimney you don't need lighter cubes

Really depends on how much money you got and what you want to do.
If money was no object I would def have a x-large big green egg(£1200 ).


You can't go wrong with a webber one touch or the one touch premium, the thermometer in the top is useful when you are beginning. 57cm one not 47cm
I also got my self a couple of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ACU-RITE-...378?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item417322c39a
Very good they fit underneath the grill so take up no space can get a bit hard to read if you put stuff on top, but at least you have the option. You need a reading there, but at least with temp gauge in top you can judge when it's cooling off etc.

If you have medium range price, then personally I would get a barrel bbq with side box, most versatile, direct, indirect and smoking, but probably 300-400 for a reasonable qaulity one

Any chimney starter will do, the webers have been pretty rust resistant though, but so cheap anyway it's not really an issue.

Doh' jsut seen your price, in which case see who has a sale on and get the largest kettle (round not some stupid slight triangular one like me) bbq you can with most features. At minimum top and bottom variable vents.

what is the one touch cleaning system ?

I guess I can spend more than £50 but not sure how serious and how often I will do it so I don't want to thrown £500 and not use it.

In that case I would just get a cheapo and see how you do, then upgrade.

Tesco do a cheap one,mother build qaulity looks bed though from the reviews.
http://www.tesco.com/direct/tesco-57cm-kettle-charcoal-bbq/313-2833.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=313-2833

Or look on ebay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Factory-S...rden_BBQ_s_Accessories_LE&hash=item51aad754d6

You will need a thermometer if slow cooking. They're only a few quid, ones I posted above are good, or you could just get an oven one, but they take up slightly more room.

I can stretch to a Weber One Touch (don't think I'll get the Premium though)....unless one can explain what it is? is it like an eject button for all the coal ?

Then how do you remove coal in the normal One Touch ?

It's a removable ash collector on the bottom, see the big cylinder on the bottom, the ash falls into that(well you scrape it in) then it just twists off and away you go, it also has the thermometer in the top.

Normal one you turn bbq upside down, or use a dustpan and brush once it's cold, or some other way.

It basically makes it extremely easy to remove the ash.

Actually doesn't the one touch original have the removable ash thing anyway. Most BBQs do these day.

I though the little dish at the bottom is to catch the ash.

Does the normal one touch have a thermometer ?

Not sure what the difference is. It's not very clear, both have ash catcher according to description.

http://www.gardenxl.com/weber-57cm-...-thermometer?gclid=CNrY-dqC0rcCFTMQtAodKTcAaQ

Limited 10 year warranty
Fire and rust-proof lid and bowl made from porcelain-enamelled steel with integral thermometer
Rust-proof removable ash catcher
Rust resistant cooking grate
Weather-proof handle with protective heat shield
Crack-proof all weather wheels
Rust-proof vents regulate airflow
One-Touch™ cleaning system
Includes FREE charcoal measuring cup
Available colours: black

Click to expand...

And depending what it does, might just be a better solution and more control on the air, you can upgrade the bottom to the premium.
http://www.wowbbq.co.uk/products/on...--63063.html?gclid=CLLvpo-B0rcCFdLItAodfFgASQ

The original doesn't have a thermometer in the top(according to webers website), but that one in the link does. 57cm, thermometer in lid an can upgrade if you desire.

It is not essential, but it does make life a bit easier when starting out.

Edit - noooo posted the wrong link.
I'll try and find it again,s remedy a good deal at £110

Here you go
http://www.gardenxl.com/weber-57cm-...-thermometer?gclid=CNrY-dqC0rcCFTMQtAodKTcAaQ

Oh, so you can get an attachment later to change the base? That's cool

I guess I could get a oven thermometre and save money. I don't have a thermometre in the disposable one and not killed myself. I just make sure the meat comes off the bone when cooking chicken and always lean on the side of caution with meat anyway. Rather over done than under cook.

Thermometers are more for slow cooking rather than checking stuff is done, you need a meat thermometer if you want to check internal temps.

Got the right link now, that's what I would go for personally.

As Glaucus said the thermometer is only really for when you're slow cooking as you need keep the temperature lower, or normal every day bbqing there's no need for one.

Oh and this seems to explain the difference between the original ash and the premium ash
http://thefuj.com/2013/04/18/weber-silver-to-weber-gold-upgrade/

Get "slow cooking" down to an art and its brilliant. Sausages, chicken it all gets indirect cooking to cook it through with just a short time over the coals to caramelise it up. That way you don't overheat them, blacken them etc.

And then slowcooked ribs pork, beef or lamb oh my.

Apparently B&Q had the Original one touch at £75 a month ago ?!

Raymond Lin said:

Apparently B&Q had the Original one touch at £75 a month ago ?!

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Probably 47cm version.

That can be had for around that price anyway
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/compact-kettle-47cm-p155116?gclid=CL6tsuSE0rcCFbMftAodww8A7w

The blurred pics had me in stitches!

Cleaning a BBQ?! Say what?!

ive been looking at this one: http://www.bbqworld.co.uk/weber-57cm-one-touch-premium-and-starter-pack.asp

worth it for the extras?