Isn’t it a little difficult for you to avoid being dogmatic, wolfpup? 
My dig at gas grills was mostly good-natured snark delivered back to @Gatopescado , whose catty comment regarding charcoal grills seemed a little fishy to me.
Whenever I’ve had a problem getting coals going with newspaper, it’s been one of a few things:
- The newspaper is even the slightest bit damp (I’ve kept it in a shed that kept the rain off, but it was still exposed enough to the elements that humidity had dampened it. Keep it in the garage or the house).
- I forgot to open the bottom grill vent
- Either not enough or too much newspaper-- there’s a sweet spot in filling the chamber with enough crumpled newspaper to get a good fire going, without packing too densely.
- Bad quality charcoal that’s hard to light.
There are also propane and charcoal combination grills like this one.
I use a Weber kettle grill because 1) it’s what I’ve always used, and b) there are only three of us (wife, daughter and self) so I don’t need anything bigger.
Okay, now I’ve got one more to look at! And a combo would be great for me, since I prefer gas. I would actually use this, too!
I was curious how they did that. Apparently it’s just a charcoal grill and a gas grill side by side on the same stand. Interesting idea except that both grills are rather on the small side, which is probably fine for most folks but not for those who like to throw big barbecue parties!
Easiest way (and less mess) to light charcoal is Weber lighter cubes.
I’ve used both. Charcoal is a LOT more hassle. Cleanup with a gas grill is basically “scrub the grate”. NO ashes to deal with.
On the other hand, the way the grills in the US are designed, with opaque propane tanks, it’s a crapshoot as to how much gas you still have left; I’ve certainly swapped out half-full tanks in the past (we bought a spare, last time we got a grill, to avoid that).
As far as flavor: you can get wood chips, for any kind of low-and-slow cooking (which I would NEVER try on a charcoal grill). Soak the chips in water. Put them in a smoker box or just some heavy foil with a few holes poked in. Lay on the grill’s “flavorizer bars” or whatever they call them (below the food grate, above the actual flame).
Mega-yum. First time I tried this, it was with a whole chicken, and the only problem was, I had to open the cover to check the thing’s temperature - which of course cooled off the entire thing, adding time to how long it took to cook. But when we ate, at 9 PM, that chicken was dee-lishus.
Whereas I wouldn’t try it any other way.
Normal briquette smoke is fairly neutral. There’s plenty of options for distinctive smoke flavors with chunk or chip smokewood on a well-laid charcoal cooking system, either as a slight adjunct during direct-heat grilling or in a slower offset cooking setup.
There are various solutions for at least approximating the propane level. My model of Weber has the tank hanging on what is basically a spring weigh scale, but for some reason that I don’t recall I never really found it reliable. Pressure gauges seem to rarely be used, possibly because they’re not very accurate either, but I have a tank with a pressure gauge and it works fairly well. It properly reads “Full” when the tank has been filled, but it goes to “Empty” when there’s still enough propane for maybe half a dozen more grilling sessions. So I have to interpret “Empty” as “Getting low”, equivalent to a car’s “Fuel” light coming on, but otherwise it’s a pretty decent indicator.
We had a side-by-side for several years that worked out well. I just found myself using the gas side less and less, so when it came time to get a new one, we went full charcoal.
My eldest son has one and likes it. The gas side eliminates the time factor. If they suddenly want hot dogs for dinner, they don’t have to wait for the charcoal to be ready.
That’s what I was thinking. It sounds like a great idea for those devoted to charcoal but looking for practicality, too. And I take back my comment about grill size – if you want to throw a backyard barbecue party, you’d just have both grills going. It’s too bad that Weber doesn’t make one (AFAIK) because I’m really sold on Weber quality. The burners on mine are heavy stainless steel and still going strong after nearly 25 years!
Big charcoal fan here. I’ve enjoyed our 22" Weber kettle (the UFO style) the past seven years and it’s still in good shape. It was also affordable. I’ve owned other brands of charcoal grills in previous years and found they were not as good of quality construction and did not hold up well, as they rusted out after only a few years. I probably grill about a couple dozen times a year, so having a grill that holds up to frequent use is important to me. My suggestion for a ‘must have’ accessory for any charcoal grill would be to get him a charcoal chimney to start briquets without the use of lighter fluid (which can impart an off-taste).
My father was always a charcoal devotee and he had regular Weber kettles ever since they came into existence. But he got tired of the hassles of charcoal as well outlined in this thread and capitulated to a Weber gas grill. Had that thing for years.
Then he came for a visit and I made steak for dinner. The only difference in how I prepared his steak was the charcoal v. gas. He was gobsmacked at the difference in flavor. When I showed him how easy the propane assist makes lighting the charcoal, he went out and bought one the very day he returned home.
I live alone and as previously mentioned, I grill a lot. Just for me.
Fill the charcoal trays with briquets of my choice, position them over the propane flame outlet, turn on the gas and press the igniter button. Seven minutes later, the coals are well lit. I usually give it ten minutes more before the grill is ready. So 17 minutes from deciding to grill to a grill ready to go.
If I’m in more of a hurry, I use the propane assist for 10 minutes. Coals will be ready to go as soon as I turn the propane off. Usually not worth it to me to save 7 minutes, but YMMV.
Emptying the ash catcher is my least favorite chore, but I only have to do it a couple times per season. Into each life some rain must fall.
Hmmm…this charcoal with propane assist idea intrigues me, and I’ve been kicking around the idea of getting a new grill and donating my old one to my friend for his place up north. What make / model do you have? You may convert me as well.
I love my Weber Performer. I light my charcoal in a Weber chimney with a couple of sheets of newspaper in the bottom soaked in a bit of canola oil
I made a link in my Post #10:
That was just for reference purposes. It’s a Weber Performer 22" kettle. It has all of the joys of owning a Weber charcoal grill and very little of the hassle.
They run about $500, but if you keep your eyes peeled, you can often get them during sales for less. The model I have has the charcoal storage tub that is stashed under the work surface. I love that, too. I just drop a bag of charcoal in there and scoop it out as needed.
Weber’s design to snuff out the charcoal after you’re done grilling also saves a lot of money. Close up the vents and the burning coals quickly extinguish. I often only add 10-12 new briquets to what is already there from the last time I grilled.
My Weber Performer doesn’t use a chimney. You load the coals into 2 trays specially designed to fit inside the grill either for direct or indirect grilling. The propane assist takes care of lighting the coals. For direct heat grilling, leave the trays sitting close together after you turn off the propane flame. If you want indirect heat, simply take a pair of tongs and separate the trays. Then set your grill over the coals and grill away.
Yes, I too use Weber lighter cubes to light the charcoal in the chimney. Works well even on the windiest of days.
Oh right, I had glanced at that link earlier but didn’t grok that it was a propane start. Thanks.