Anyone else think that CR is smoking crack?

[-cp]

Comon' a freakin' Kenmore and Char-broil over a Weber!??

Looking at its latest round-up of gas grills, here's how they rated em' from best to worst:

Vermont Castings VM400XBP (Home Depot) CR Best Buy $400 84.
Broilmaster P3[BL] $1000 83.
Kenmore (Sears) 16324 $450 82.
Vermont Castings VM450SSP (Home Depot) $630 82.
Char-Broil Advantage Series 463453305 (Lowe's) CR Best Buy
Advantage Series 463453306 (Lowe's) $270 $270 80.
Weber Genesis Silver B 6221411 (Home Depot)
Genesis Silver B 6721411 (Home Depot) $450 $450 79.
Fiesta Optima Pro Series EZD555-B428 [Item # 209647] (Home Depot) $165 78.
TEC Patio II $1500 78.
Thermos Stainless 461262006 (Target) CR Best Buy $300 77.
BBQ Grillware GSF-2616 (Lowe's) CR Best Buy $200 76.
Kenmore (Sears) 16211 $200 75.
Napoleon Ultra Chef UP405RBPSS $550 75.
Ducane Standard Series 1605SHLPE $750 74.
Modern Home Products WNK4P-OCOL $900 73.
Weber Summit Gold B4 5720001
Summit Gold A4 5710001 $1000,
Summit Gold D4 5740001 $1400 $1100 72.
Charmglow 720-0036-HD-05 [sku #573005] (Home Depot) $350 71.
Holland Tradition BH421SG4
Heritage BH421SG5 $480 $675 71.
Jenn-Air 720-0163 (Lowe's) $700 71.
Char-Broil Commercial Series 463268706 (Lowe's)
Commercial Series 463268606 (Lowe's) $300 $400 69.
Ducane Standard Series 1305SHLPE $650 69.
Brinkmann Pro Series 6330 810-6330-W (Walmart)
Pro Series 810-6345-0 (Target) $200 $200 68.
George Foreman GBQ440 $450 64.
Kirkland Signature (Costco) [Item 963157] 720-0193 $800 64.
Ducane Stainless Steel 24 30400040 (Home Depot) $700 60.
Frigidaire Gallery GL30LKEC $1100 58.
Superb by BroilMaster 200 Series SBG200 $700 58.
Kenmore (Sears) Quantum Series 16234 $250 41.
BBQ Pro Deluxe 24" [item #116396] (K-Mart) $350 37.

[spoiledmickey]

i have thought for years that cr is not a reliable sourse of unbiased info. They must be paid, just as an advertiser. :rolleyes:

[Dave C.]

No matter what, you have to think for yourself. There are a lot of folks out there who swear by any thing that Weber builds. There are some (not that many) that don't like Weber at all. IMHO, I feel that each manufacturer makes top some of the line stuff & some things that should be thrown in the dump. A lot of this depends on what you can afford vs. what you want/need. Most us (myself included) started on something a lot less than what we wanted. You play with what you can afford, then you learn what you want on the next one. If any of us ever win the Lotto, then we probably still wouldn't know what we want for the "perfect" set-up. Although, if I ever got the right numbers, I'd damn sure give a try to finding the "perfect" set-up :rolleyes: :rolleyes: .
Dave

[Dave C.]

Well, I didn't win the lotto (yet), but I did get a new toy last week. I bought a WSM on e-bay for $170 plus $30 s&h. I got it put together last Sunday, but haven't fired it up yet, I hope to do that in the morning.
I've never cooked on one before, so the practice burn will be just charcoal & the ET-73. I've got four 6 foot long probes for the Maverick, so I can check temps at both grates & the dome. This is gonna be kinda like "play-time" to learn fire & temp control before I ruin a good chunk of meat. :D
I picked the WSM for my newest "upgrade" mainly because of all the positive posts on this & other forums. Will it replace my BSKD? I doubt it, but it should make a longer cook easier, right?
Dave

[Dave C.]

Bump---

O.K., the WSM works pretty darn good IMHO. My first "cook" on it was a Cajun chicken Alfredo lasagna done for a Friday night supper at a BBQ competition that a friend of mine was entered in. That went alright, so the next weekend I started smoking this, that whatever. It's not totally set & forget, but it comes close, real close for the price.
Thanx to everyone that kept saying WSM, WSM, WSM. I like this one so well that today I bought another one off of e-bay :D
Dave

[StarsfaninCO]

Kewl deal Dave. I went with a propane smoker (GOSM) last summer and I've put about 4 tanks through it (many butts, briskets, ribs) since. It's pretty set and forget with the minor exception of filling the water bowl. I toss a couple of charcoal lumps in with the wood and get the rich flavor, but the temp part is definately set and forget.

I tell you though, I think my next smoker will be a Stumps or a clone. That bad boy is a true set and forget 18 hr or longer smoker and it runs on charcoal. Pricey, but NICE.

[Dave C.]

Yeah, I know what you mean "pricey but nice". I'd love to have a Stumps, or a Lang, or a Backwoods or a..., or a..., or a ............(you get the point), but I'm in enough trouble with the Secretary of Domestic Tranquillity right now :rolleyes: .
Dave
p.s. - then again, it's easier to beg forgiveness than to get permission, right? :D

[StarsfaninCO]

Damn straight!!! Thats why I've had my credit card privledges revoked :)