So the DH went to pick up a BBQ today. Yesterday we decided we needed a propane one with a side burner and that we'd go up to $200 excluding taxes. I mean, it's a BBQ right? Won't be dirt cheap but shouldn't be outrageous right? Yeah, right. I did my research last night and this morning with the internet and by making some phone calls and I can not believe what they go for now. The local hardware store only had two models left, one for $699 and one for $1000! Yikes! Another store had some big sales, 50% off and such but only on models that even with the sale were twice our budget. The choices in our range were very limited. We've been holding off on a BBQ for 10 years. We finally decided to pick on up now because we have the extra money this pay and we've got a hurricane warning for tommorrow and need some way to cook if we lose the power for a few days. I'm sure that last time I looked (and this may have been a few years ago) there was a wide range of cheaper BBQs. Now they seem to all be stainless steel monsters that are practically second kitchens. And people buy these! $1000! I guess I just don't get it.
Wow I'm so sorry you are having a hard time finding one. Out here you can get some really great ones for about 300. Grilling though is big out here because of the heat, no one wants to deal with the oven or stove when it's 115+ degrees outside, so we grill and then eat in the a/c.
I think we did find one - Just hope it's in stock by the time DH gets there! I'm just marveling at the fact that BBQs seem to have gone from a cheap way to cook in the summer to massive second kitchens. I know those big ones are really what some folk need but I can't help but think that for lots of people they're just shiny status symbols.
