we've got a not-too-expensive weber - the Q100? it's got all the functionality of a larger grill, but without the size (good for our tiny garden!) and the associated pricetag. at least over here in europe we came to discover that everything we looked at was inferior in quality, and this was the perfect solution - also, the grill is portable and so can be taken camping/to the beach/to the park etc.

we love it!

I'm with Brie! The Weber Q100 is a great little grill and very reasonable priced. Easy to tote around and it works wonderfully. Sits on the ground or a table easily, or you can get a separate stand if you want.

I grew up in a family that grills 2-4 times a week year round. We would burn through cheap grills ever two years, melt the racks and burners, eat holes through the exterior etc. I convinced my parents to buy a Weber after noticing our neighbors had had theirs for upwards of 6yrs...
They splurged in probably 2000, and after 8 years with the same Weber (Genesis Silver B, maybe $350 then), they gave it to me, I spent $75 on new grates, bars, and burners, and its been in use at my new house a few times a week since.
Point? If you're going to really use it, spend the money now. A cheap grill will rot out in a couple years, a quality one will last 5x that easily, and pay for itself.

if you're going cheap on price, don't skimp on brand. go with a Weber or a Char-broil. and learn to maintain it properly to increase its lifespan.

Weber. Even the lower-end models are worth it.

Non-Webers just aren't worth it. My in-laws rarely use their grill, but still have to replace it every few years. When I grill over there, I find it a PITA. My folks have had their Genesis for almost 20 years, and I've had mine for over 10. You can replace just about any part on it.

I should also note that my folks' Genesis is their first of 2. The old Genesis resides at their home in the Bahamas, and the island elements. It takes a beating, but still serves up a great meal.

Weber all the way! I've learned my lesson after going through two cheaper grills in the past 8 years (I grill 3x week all year round.) The problem with my last grill was there were no replacement parts- I couldn't maintain/fix the grill even if I wanted to. My husband bought me a Weber Spirit for my birthday and I'm couldn't be happier. It's quality construction and easy to clean. Also gets hotter than my previous grills.

I also agree with the Weber! We learned from the mistakes of friends and family who went with cheaper grills to start and we got the Stainless steel weber genesis as our first grill. It was pricey no doubt at close to $1k but we use it many times a week and it will last us for years to come.

I'm also a Weber fan - for the warranty and longevity. In my experience, even their lower-end grills will outlast the rest of what's out there.

That said, you can still get a solid grill for less money if you pay attention to a couple of things. Look for heavy-duty grill grates - cast iron (coated or otherwise) or stainless steel. You'll bet better heat transfer, and they'll last longer. Pay attention to the quality of the burners, too - in general the longer the warranty, the better. Burners can be replaced but that gets tiresome and expensive after awhile, and they become less effective as they're dying. Plan on the igniter dying, and make sure there's an easy way to light the thing when that happens.

My wife and I bought a Kenmore at K-Mart. It's actually made by Char-Broil but you know how Sears/Kmart prefers to sell something with their moniker on it. I got it during a sale so it was a bit cheaper (it was free to us as we got giftcards to Sears/Kmart for our wedding)

This is the model we got and so far I like it.
http://www.kmart.com/kenmore-4-burner-gas-grill-red/p-028W003982838000P

Grills are like cars, though. The key is maintaining them! If you let them get coated with gunk and leave them out in the rain (even with a cover) they will rust, corrode and wear out faster. Keep them clean, treat them right and they'll last you a while.

The WeberQ is awesome. It's a smaller model, and you purchase the stand separately because it's the perfect grill for taking to tailgate, camp, etc. I've had mine for 4 years and it's wonderful

We bought a Kenmore for a little over $100 ten years ago, and it's just starting to croak now. We've never had to replace anything--the ignitor died, but that wasn't a big deal--and because we kept it covered year round, it's just now starting to get rusty in spots. We plan on replacing it at the end of the season, as the fire is now increasingly hard to control, but we can't complain about $100 for a ten-year grill!

We had a cheeaaap grill that my dad went and got us from the home improvement store the week we moved in to our first home. It lasted for three or four years and we grill a lot. If would have lasted a lot longer if we'd had a cover on it and taken better care of it. We learned our lesson, to be applied to our fancy new grill!