On 2008-05-22 13:05:54 +0100, Janet Tweedy said:
I know not strictly gardening but loosely relevant.
Just want to know recommendations for gas or charcoal (British charcoal
of course) and any features as a must have/
Family want a medium sized one to enjoy the hot weather we'll no doubt
be suffering this year. New daughter in law is Texan so she is
expecting to at least try some steaks!! Hopefully living in Aylesbury
she'll not expect too much by the time we get one and arrange some sort
of al fresco meal.
It usually involves me cooking but spotting weeds etc and wandering
around tidying up whilst everyone else eats 
You won't find anything better than a Weber kettle type barbecue
(technically it's a grill however, as barbecue is actually a style of
slow cooking)
Anyway - my recommendation would be the larger size Weber "one touch
Gold" charcoal grill ( I think it's 23" diameter) with the built in
ashpan underneath.
Why a Weber?
Lifetime guarantee, very solid construction, excellent airflow control,
very solid grates that will last for years and can be easily replaced
if required and CRUCIALLY the abilities to cook indirectly and to cook
with the lid down. Effectively, this allows you to direct grill over
charcoal, offset cook (i.e. not directly over the coals when you want
things to cook a bit slower) and broil/roast fast or slow with the lid
down.
This flexibility is the key to getting foor cooked properly as opposed
to the typical UK "carbonised on the outside and raw on the inside"
results, which are neither big nor clever!
I have turned out recipes on a Weber that you find almost impossible on
most other types - including bread, pizza, smoked roast turkey,
multi-award winning ribs and..........baked alaska.
Always, always use lumpwood (from hardwood) charcoal, never use
briquettes (even though the Weber literatures say to use them) and
never use lighter fluid. The best way to start the coal is with a
chimney type starter and a couple of sheets of newspaper - you should
only even need one match!
Make sure to buy a real Weber though - not just a grill that looks like
one. They are not the same!
Enjoy your grilling. If you want to know about REAL barbecue, go he
http://www.bbq-porch.org/faq/