# Well, I just got me a barbeck! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 27, 2007, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-just-got-me-a-barbeck/417116 "2007-08-27T17:11:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-just-got-me-a-barbeck/417116/1 "2007-08-27T17:11:00Z")
Or rather, a barbecue, more specifically a Char-Broil gas grill–one of [these](http://www.charbroil.com/consumerwebhome/gascaddie07.aspx) to be exact. About two weeks ago, I met my wife’s brother in law for the first time, and at some point we got to talking about barbecuing, and I told him I was interested in getting a gas grill since my building doesn’t allow old fashioned charcoal grills on the terraces. Which is understandable, as they are messy and do create a potential hazard. Anyway, the sister and BIL just went out and bought me one! What nice people that they would do that for me. And how great it is that I live in SoCal, where barbecuing knows no season. But what now? Do I need to buy those ceramic briquets I hear about? They were mentioned in the instructions, but only in terms of how to clean and replace them. They didn’t say I have to have them. And this past Saturday, when they gave me this gift, we had dinner prepared on an identical grill, and they weren’t using ceramic briquets either. I can’t complain about the way last night’s food came out, but do I need the briquets anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-just-got-me-a-barbeck/417116/2 "2007-08-27T18:04:00Z")
Many models have gone the route of large expanses of metal, instead of the rock. The grease landing on the heated metal smokes. I don’t know what type yours is. ---
**Author:** ![Omegaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e480ec/32.png) [@Omegaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omegaman)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-just-got-me-a-barbeck/417116/3 "2007-08-27T18:20:42Z")
I like using lava. It self cleans better, in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-just-got-me-a-barbeck/417116/4 "2007-08-27T18:53:37Z")
[QUOTE=Harmonious Discord] Many models have gone the route of large expanses of metal, instead of the rock. The grease landing on the heated metal smokes. I don’t know what type yours is. [/QUOTE] This one does have that. You can’t see from the link, but the the whole unit is probably about 14 inches in diameter, and there is a metal disk near the bottom, just above the flames, that radiates heat. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-just-got-me-a-barbeck/417116/5 "2007-08-27T19:06:42Z")
[QUOTE=Spectre of Pithecanthropus] This one does have that. You can’t see from the link, but the the whole unit is probably about 14 inches in diameter, and there is a metal disk near the bottom, just above the flames, that radiates heat. [/QUOTE] There you go. I figured you could tell when I gave the Information. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-just-got-me-a-barbeck/417116/6 "2007-08-27T19:14:09Z")
[QUOTE=Spectre of Pithecanthropus] This one does have that. You can’t see from the link, but the the whole unit is probably about 14 inches in diameter, and there is a metal disk near the bottom, just above the flames, that radiates heat. [/QUOTE] I have a Char-Broil with a large expanse of metal in an inverted V and it works just fine in my experience. I’d have to put the lava rock under that bar, meaning that most of it would be useless and I’d risk getting it too close to the burners, which are also under the bar. I don’t really see a need for rock.