They are more expensive to buy, and more expensive (I think) to run, but: Traeger

Searching their site by zip code, there are five dealers listed within 20 miles of you. The Traeger uses wood pellets to cook. You can cook low and slow to get a deep, smoke flavor, or turn it up on high and grill at 450 degrees.

If someone stole my Traeger, I'd go get another one. The food comes out awesome. I've never burned anything on it. Once, I left some chicken in a little too long and it got a little dry, but never burned . . . and for me, that is a miracle.

It does cook a little slower, even on high, because you're not right over that direct flame. You just have to think of it more like an outdoor, wood burning, smokey oven. I typically cook a thicker steak about 30 minutes on high . . . so it's a little longer than a propane grill, but once you taste the difference, that extra 10 min will be worth it.

You do have to buy their wood pellets. It is probably a little more expensive than propane, but it has its advantages too. You can pick from many different flavors of wood, and you always know how much wood (fuel) you have available. There is not guessing how much propane is in the tank. The pellets are $15.00 a bag which is about four gallons of pellets. How much wood you use depends on what you're cooking and how long. On high, it pushes the pellets through pretty quick, but you're done soon. On "smoke", they last a long time, but you have to cook a long time.

One of the things I really like about it is that you cook by time and temp, not by flipping and guessing. Many times I don't even flip what I'm cooking and it comes out very even. It's best to leave the door closed and let it do it's thing rather than opening it, dumping the heat, and it having to recover again. I have a thermometer with a flexible metal cord that I plug into the meat when it start it. Then, I can see what the temp inside the meat is without having to open the door. If I need it done quick, I turn it up. If the meat is up to temp, but we're not quite ready with everything else, I turn it down to smoke and let it smolder along until we're ready for the meat.

It does need electricity. It has an electric element that runs hot only long enough to start the wood on fire, and then it constantly runs a fan to push air through the grill the entire time you're cooking.

The Traeger has a little more maintenance to it. You have to clean the ashes out of the fire pot a few times a year (I just use a shop vac), and they recommend you line (and replace) the heat shield with tin foil every time.

Its a little more involved than a gas grill, but less involved than charcoal . . . but in my opinion, there is no comparrison to how things taste off the Traeger.

In case you can't tell, I love my Traeger.

Yup, but bring a friend because it's heavy.

I think that might be considered insurance fraud.

No, she'll just bark at you, jump on you, lick you, and tell you how much she loves you.

Sure. Just to help you get on her good side though, she don't like Milk Bones. She likes those square "Snaps" treats the best.

If you tell her she's a good girl, she will wag her tail.

Well, I decided to go with the CharGriller Duo. It has two sides - one charcoal and one propane. That will be the best of both worlds. I am picking it up this week and it will be ready to be broken in over the weekend. That way it is all set for when my family surfaces the following weekend.

I also bought the smoker box that goes on the side. I can't wait to "test" it out and smoke some pork spare ribs.