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[Hank D Thoreau]

You can see from the picture that I have been more focused on function rather than orderliness or aesthetics when it comes to my BBQ choices.

No built-in's with granite table tops. Just pure grilling functionality and chaos. I was a little better off until my wife decided she needed some raised bed gardens.

Turns out her original placement idea was not going to work and she had to take prime BBQ space. We adapted and even added a couple of grills since then.

So what is your preference? Do you go for order and aesthetics? Do you like the built in grill with the granite tops and refrigerator?

Do you prefer order but still rely on stand alone products rather than built in?

Do you like the flexibility of standalone or the simplicity, aesthetics and order of built in?

My BBQ's: The front is a Weber kettle. Next row is my Rhino Blue Razor griddle and small but mighty Weber Q2200 gas grill. In the back is my GMC Daniel Boone, and in the far corner is another Weber kettle with table and camping gas bottle igniter. I am thinking of trying out a ThermoWorks Billows on one of the kettles since I now have a Signals Wifi Thermometer which it uses as a controller.

Add: I just finished cooking breakfast on the griddle and there are two chuck roasts in the smoker.

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[Bentley]

Space is not an issue when you have the simplicity of doing everything you need on one unit!

[Osborn Cox]

I’m in Bentley’s camp, for my BBQ needs I wanted one unit that could do everything that I asked of it, couldn’t be happier with my choice.   The addition of the griddle is a perfect compliment to my PG1000.    So I guess I have to say aesthetic, I wanted a minimalist look.

[BigDave83]

Mine are all in the garage, not  much use in the winter other than the little cookshack electric, I have it under a range hood vented to the outside. My pellet cookers leak to much smoke to use without smoking up the whole garage. I do use the griddles though in the winter inside. I am more of a function person, as long as it works the way i want I am good. Would love to have some sort of outdoor cooking area set up, somewhat covered of course.

[Bar-B-Lew]

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[Hank D Thoreau]

So far no built-in's. That doesn't surprise me. I would expect that many serious BBQ'ers would want more flexibility and not want to commit to a built-in unit.

By the way, I think Bar-B-Lew needs a few more smokers.

Add: two of my grills are portable. The Weber Q2200 is designed to run off camping bottles. The Blue Rhino Razor actually folds up so it can be transported.

That adds some value to the units. The griddle would be excellent at a camping pot luck.

[pmillen]

I read griddle, griddle, griddle.

I have been jonesing for one for a few years but I don't cook well on the griddles that fit on my gasser.  I wish that Kristin and Bentley would start GriddleFan.com.

EDIT:  My gasser and Kamado are on my deck.  My Cookshack PG500 and Weber kettle are on the patio under the deck, my Karubecue K-60 is in the basement (rolled out to the patio for use), my UDS is in the landfill and my Original Bradley Smoker with PID controller is loaned out (I don't expect to get it back).

[Kristin Meredith]

So far no built-in's. That doesn't surprise me. I would expect that many serious BBQ'ers would want more flexibility and not want to commit to a built-in unit.

Why?

[Hank D Thoreau]

So far no built-in's. That doesn't surprise me. I would expect that many serious BBQ'ers would want more flexibility and not want to commit to a built-in unit.

Why?

The desire to upgrade to new technology; to have the best and most suitable gear for the purpose at hand.

Having gear that is modular and flexible so that your equipment can adapt as your cooking adapts.

Built-in is like having a built-in GPS in your car. 5 years later it is old technology.

Notice that I said many and not all or most. That was intentional.

I am a competitive archer. We see this all the time. The new stuff does not put more points on the scoreboard, but that does not stop folks from wanting it.

The difference is that I think there is still a lot of functional innovation going on with grilling; pellet grills being an example.

Some folks take pride in how long they have had their equipment. I am that way about cars. So I assume there are folks in both camps.

[Kristin Meredith]

I guess I think you can be a serious bbq'er on a homemade UDS.  So I think we have different definitions of serious.  Wanting the newest gaget and trend doesn't make you serious in my book. Lots of folks run around buying the newest and latest and they know jack about good bbq. But then I have been a competitive bbq'er for about 13 years, so maybe my perspective is different.

[Hank D Thoreau]

I was not making a definitive statement.  I was reflecting on what was being used by some of the serious BBQ'ers who responded to my post. That is a pretty small sample size.

I know serious BBQ'ers who use grills made from 55 gallon cans. I learned to grill over fires and using small backpacking stoves in the back country long before I got my first BBQ at home.

I would not classify myself as a serious BBQ'er. I am just someone that cooks nearly every meal year around on some sort of outdoor grill. My outdoor grills are my kitchen.

Hopefully, we will get some additional comments, possibly from someone using a built-in system to see why the prefer that option.

[smokin soon]

Sometimes I think more tech makes folks think better control = better food. Not so in my book. The best BBQ I've ever had in my life came from a Church that camped out at an empty gas station every weekend. They had Tri-Tip, Ribs & Chicken going in some really rough cut in half 55 gal drums. They had fun, enjoyed what they were doing, always singing. The City shut them down. It's been an enjoyable journey trying to duplicate that with what I have!

[cookingjnj]

I guess I am really just a function type of cook.  My stuff does not need to be or look fancy, as you can tell from the picture.  I have two kettles, one a weber (sitting between the gasser and the RT), the other a 1979 Happy Cooker (up against the house next to the RT).  I have the RT, which is primed and ready for a couple of Chuck Roast tomorrow morning, and the Weber gasser (pic from behind).  They all serve their purpose.  The gasser has really just become my outside Stainless Steel shelving unit...… it does not get used to cook much anymore.

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[Canadian John]

 I am in the stand alone camp. That way I have the option of being able to move things around and replace or update if I wish to. With my Fort BBQ gazebo, I don't move things around much, mostly to clean

 under and behind.  As nice as built-ins are they are not for me. I just don't want to get stuck on a permanent location and size finding out that a replacement pit or appliance won't fit or match the original

 design. Then there is the issue of vogue. Will the built in be come out of date and unpopular, and would that detract from the value of the house?

 In the end it depends on the person. There just isn't an answer to this, anymore than one pit fits all.

[GREG-B]

At the end of the day size, mobility, design doesn't matter to me much.  But when you live in the Pacific Northwest, if you ain't got a roof over your head, you better love standing in the rain and grilling your steak. And having what you personally believe will give you the end results of what you want.  Plus, I need everything as much as possible in my favor for good grub.