Expert: John Langenfelder - 4/24/2009

Question
I have a small apartment with a very small outside patio area. My current Charbroil LP(propane) Patio Caddie grill (model (4754960) is 8 years old; the push style piezo-igniter won't work, even though I replaced all the igniter parts; the heat plate is starting to rust away in layers.  I was thinking of replacing it with a Weber propane Q-100, but I notice the Q-100 does not use ceramic briquettes.  Do the briquettes have grilling advantages?  If there are no advantages to the briquettes, do you think the Q-100 or the Patio Caddie would be a better grill to purchase?


Answer
Scott,

The briquettes or flavor rods or whatever they have today have no advantage other than aesthetics. They mainly are there to catch the grease and food remnants that fall down.  The heat charcoals them, causing some smoke which them flavors the food.  

I would go with Weber only because parts are available.