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Featured Replies

I have a Kitchen Aid outdoor grill that looks great from the outside, but the inside has seen better days. Are there any refurb kits? 4 years seems like a short lifespan especially when it is under cover and looks good externally.

1 hour ago, Bevo said:

I have a Kitchen Aid outdoor grill that looks great from the outside, but the inside has seen better days. Are there any refurb kits? 4 years seems like a short lifespan especially when it is under cover and looks good externally.

Not sure about KitchenAid, but Weber has all of the replacement parts online.  Weber parts are easy to swap out.  Just use the google.

I would look for oem parts or at least parts of good quality.  Much of the stuff on Amazon is cheap and won't last very long.

  • Author
1 hour ago, Jerry Callo said:

Not sure about KitchenAid, but Weber has all of the replacement parts online.  Weber parts are easy to swap out.  Just use the google.

I would look for oem parts or at least parts of good quality.  Much of the stuff on Amazon is cheap and won't last very long.

Thanks. How long do Webers last before having to replace burners and drip plates? Just curious what the lifespan is of quality outdoor grills.

We've had this Kitchenaid since ~2009 and it's still in great shape. Under a covered patio and it's AZ so it never sees wet. Is really well built, heavy gage metal, valves still feel tight. Only thing that has broken is the metal mesh above the sear burner, but we never use it, so it's a non-issue.

I'd try contacting KitchenAid for parts first.

 

kitchenaidgrill.thumb.jpg.df6dac95a70586de38b059a1e24eb17f.jpg

Thanks. How long do Webers last before having to replace burners and drip plates? Just curious what the lifespan is of quality outdoor grills.
I've had my Weber since 2001. Have never replaced the burners, but have had to do the regulator and flavorizer bars.
  • Author
On 6/13/2023 at 2:11 AM, Sam Lin said:

We've had this Kitchenaid since ~2009 and it's still in great shape. Under a covered patio and it's AZ so it never sees wet. Is really well built, heavy gage metal, valves still feel tight. Only thing that has broken is the metal mesh above the sear burner, but we never use it, so it's a non-issue.

I'd try contacting KitchenAid for parts first.

 

kitchenaidgrill.thumb.jpg.df6dac95a70586de38b059a1e24eb17f.jpg

That thing looks like it was made for a family of 50.

 

I'll probably wait until after the 4th for the project. I guess the first step is to just clean up the inside because it needs it and so I can see how everything connects together. Hopefully, nothing breaks when taking it apart in a way where the new part can't be installed. Nothing is more frustrating than replacing working parts and screwing something up in the process. 

It's a beast, has fed a whole lot of people. That's a large (22") WSM dwarfed next to it. Rotisserie has never been used. But everything else has!

Where did you get that cover for the WSM?  My Weber one has already torn where it sits at the top handle on the dome.

That's the Weber cover from 2013. It's under a patio roof so doesn't see direct weather at least half the time, and is sheltered from winds.

  • 2 years later...

I need a small portable grill to take to a family party near some as yet undefined lake.  ~ 10 people, burgers, dogs, etc.  I'm happy to cook in stages.  I prefer charcoal.

Is there any reason to avoid the Weber Smokey Joe 14" charcoal grill?  Is there some alternative out there that's better in some way?  I mean, it's only $50.  It would be a nice complement to our Weber smoker at our empty-nester home, too.

Smokey Joe® Charcoal Grill 14" image number 0

Edited by jimmyjazz

2 hours ago, Jerry Callo said:

It's a little more expensive, but the Nomad grill is exactly what you need*.

Holy shit, $700?  I'd rather just take everyone to Jeffrey's.

 

1 hour ago, Herbie Hancock said:

My dad burnt the shit out many a hotdog at Garner State Park with this bad boy.

I cannot tell you how many propane-flavored dogs I've had off of those.

16 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Holy shit, $700?  I'd rather just take everyone to Jeffrey's.

And let them order a salad and water?

Joe’s work, but gotta say for 10 people it’s not got much room.

Don’t they make a “jumbo joe” that’s a hair bigger? Might save yourself a batch or two, depending on menu. 

3 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

I need a small portable grill to take to a family party near some as yet undefined lake.  ~ 10 people, burgers, dogs, etc.  I'm happy to cook in stages.  I prefer charcoal.

Is there any reason to avoid the Weber Smokey Joe 14" charcoal grill?  Is there some alternative out there that's better in some way?  I mean, it's only $50.  It would be a nice complement to our Weber smoker at our empty-nester home, too.

Smokey Joe® Charcoal Grill 14" image number 0

There's no reason to avoid the Smokey Joe.  If you're willing to pay a little more though and have the space, I'd suggest upgrading to an 18 inch over the 14. It'll make a big difference.

In that space I'd go with either the Jumbo Joe: $90
Or the SnS Travel Kettle:  $160

Edited by TexasHooch

16 minutes ago, TexasHooch said:

There's no reason to avoid the Smokey Joe.  If you're willing to pay a little more though and have the space, I'd suggest upgrading to an 18 inch over the 14. It'll make a big difference.

63% more cooking area for 80% more cost.  I'd be better off buying 2 Smokey Joes for $10 more.

We're not huge eaters, I think 5 burgers and a few dogs at a time will be fine.

Fair.  But in that case, go to Market Place and buy a barely used Smokey Joe for $20.  It's full of them.

40 minutes ago, Gene Parmesan said:

Go primitive.  Dig a hole and and dump some lit charcoal in and throw a grate on top.

Or, better yet.... Hobobeque.

Cleaning ... With FIRE! ... AGAIN!

 

On 6/23/2025 at 12:18 PM, jimmyjazz said:

I need a small portable grill to take to a family party near some as yet undefined lake.  ~ 10 people, burgers, dogs, etc.  I'm happy to cook in stages.  I prefer charcoal.

Is there any reason to avoid the Weber Smokey Joe 14" charcoal grill?  Is there some alternative out there that's better in some way?  I mean, it's only $50.  It would be a nice complement to our Weber smoker at our empty-nester home, too.

Smokey Joe® Charcoal Grill 14" image number 0

I'd go with the Jumbo Joe at 18" wide.  Still portable.

Thanks. How long do Webers last before having to replace burners and drip plates? Just curious what the lifespan is of quality outdoor grills.

Bought the one we have for my wife when we were first dating. Probably 2013 or 2014. I haven’t done a damn thing to it but I need to replace the flavorizer bars soon. It’s sat outside and uncovered for a lot of its life. Love Webers.

The fact that most parts are on the shelf at Home Depot doesn't suck, either.

I have a wild hair to make a smoker out of a small tabletop Weber charcoal grill and a larger 22"-ish standing kettle grill.  Use the shortie at ground level as the firebox, plumb the lid vent up to the lower vent on the full-sizer, wallah!  

Of course, I already have a smoker, but still . . . projects.

Sounds like some welding would be in order. Think the webers could take it? I’m not confident with the newer ones, but maybe. They just seem a good bit thinner than the old school reputation. Fine grill on its own though. 

22 minutes ago, thunderlounge said:

Sounds like some welding would be in order. Think the webers could take it? I’m not confident with the newer ones, but maybe. They just seem a good bit thinner than the old school reputation. Fine grill on its own though. 

I was thinking high temp tape, maybe in conjunction with a few magnets.  Magnets, how do they work?

Maybe? Never really thought about it. But seems like a decent enough tinker “because you can” type project. 

10 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

The fact that most parts are on the shelf at Home Depot doesn't suck, either.

I have a wild hair to make a smoker out of a small tabletop Weber charcoal grill and a larger 22"-ish standing kettle grill.  Use the shortie at ground level as the firebox, plumb the lid vent up to the lower vent on the full-sizer, wallah!  

Of course, I already have a smoker, but still . . . projects.

Good way to cold smoke. 

 

cold-smoker-conversion-shaolin-12.jpg

 

No welding required.

 

Here's the how to:

 

https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/cold-smoker-conversion/

Edited by dcbc

That's exactly what I was thinking, except a kettle grill as the bigger chamber.  Thanks!

On 7/2/2025 at 9:47 PM, jimmyjazz said:

That's exactly what I was thinking, except a kettle grill as the bigger chamber.  Thanks!

I think the advantage of the "Joe" versus the Kettle is the former's being shorter and leading to a natural chimney-draft.

Edited by dcbc

7 minutes ago, dcbc said:

I think the advantage of the "Joe" versus the Kettle is the former's being shorter and leading to a natural chimney-draft.

I might not have been clear -- I was thinking of a ground level "Joe" feeding a "kettle" at normal height.  So yes, veritcal draft.

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