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Just found your site.  Realize you prefer charcoal vs gas but we do use the gas grill and didn't use the charcoal grill.  Just lazy, I guess.  Our last gas grill went to pot and we're looking for another.  I notice that some use lava rocks or similar media and others just use a shield over the burner.  It appears to me that those with the burner shields don't use any rocks.  Is there going to be an appreciable difference in taste between the two?  Seems that without the rocks, you might just as well do it in the oven?  (messy, I know)  I haven't asked any sales people yet as I wouldn't expect a very knowledgable response from those at the mass marketers and there are no specialty marketers around here.  I like the idea of protecting the burner as the last one just got to be a mess and when I tried to take it out to replace it, I broke the aluminum casting.  We're not serious enough about it to spend much more than a couple of hundred bucks.  

Appreciate your advice.
Jim Weggen
 
 

 Hi Jim,

Sorry you broke your grill. Usually cast aluminum lasts forever.

Lava rocks serve two purposes. 1: to absorb heat until they are hot enough to radiate for broiling 2: absorb grease. The heat plates in the new grills absorb heat, but not the grease, therefore they have to have some means of collecting the grease.

Click into "According to Smoky" and read ":Choosing a Gas Grill." Better yet click into the Barbecue Store and take look at "The Great American Barbecue & Grilling Manual" which has chapters on choosing, operating and maintaining gas grills.

Have fun,

Smoky