Grills w/Lava Rock
Thursday September 2, 2004
Ldyjarhead (Ldyjarhea1) Writes:
"We're trying to replace our old gas grill and can't seem to find one that still uses lava rock. I see lots of replacement parts and the lava rock itself, but no grills. Do they even make them anymore? My husband insists that's what he wants!"
Comments
I’ve been doing the same research. Ducane makes 3 models I’ve found :
Ducane 200 3-Burner w/stand – Item # D20007301. Price over $500 I think.
Ducane 12002101 -2 burner with stand – approx $300
Ducane 1300 – 2 Burner w/ stand Item # S`3007101 – approx $400
I too cannot believe most companies don’t make them with lava rock anymore. I think it is a conspiracy with the propane companies. No lava rock! 1. weighs less to ship 2. you use 1/3 more propane. BASTARDS!!!
I haven’t been able to find any Lava Rock Grills. I hate the new ones with “grates”. Gease everywhere….stained my deck! I bought a cheap charcoal grill for now. I like it better than the “grated grills” they are selling now. Surely someone will start making the lava rock grills again, once they know their is a demand for them. I HOPE!
I will replace my old gas grill with a charcoal one. A friend has a new one without lava rock and the cooked food tastes like you cooked it in a pan on the stove.
I agree! I have searched for a couple of years for anothoer lava rock grille. The new grilles do not do a good job of slow cooking.
I have been looking also for a lava rock gas grill with know luck.I have always cooked with charcoal but was getting lazy and looking for gas. T.S. I’m staying with the charcoal
I ate a steak for the 1st time with a Lava Rock Grill. Wow what a difference! I am looking for one now and I am quite disappointed not to be able to find one. What are we to do?
I am having the same problem. Lava rock is the only way to go if using LP gas. It definatly flavers and cooks the best. I guess I will go back to charcoal. Probably only one or two mfg’s. and in China no doubt.
Add my name to the list!!! We didn’t even realize we needed them until we used our new grill and the food was BLAH!!!! Now we can’t return it; but have looked everywhere and can’t find any grills that use the lava rocks anyway. We tried to modify our grill to make a place for the lava rocks, but the heat doesn’t distribute so well. I’m very frustrated!!!!
If you find a gas grill with lava rocks, please let me know. I’ve shopped around too and can’t seem to find one.
Thanks
in portugal gas grills with lava rocks are a novelty. try GALP ENERGY in portugal.
I too have a charmglow grill and it sucks.1year old burners are gone. ordered new ones 3months ago. still not here. had a Ducane with briquettes instead of stainless cook plates for 8 years better flaver cooked slower got quality cooking like the steak houses produce.!! bring back the lava and related cooking process no more stainless my george foreman cooks better.
ditto, ditto, ditto. Can someone comment on the Ducanes?
My bb pit w/lava rocks finally gave out and I too cannot find a source. The lava rocks still beind sold, but cannot find a pit powered by propane. Misery!
All of the above comments reveal my feelings about grilling on the bbq’s offered now, I spend hours trying to clean mine (not cheap) and it is so messy. There is no reason not to give customers what they want!
Amazing! The gas grill with lava rock was a great product but now is not available. If any manufacturer reads this, please resume manufacturing. Mine has been a Sunbeam Patio Master, and it’s nearly worn out.
My old Sunbeam Lava Rock grill finally died. I bought a new gas grill without the lava rocks and it sucks! The food takes forever to cook, it tastes bland and the grill is a pain to clean. I wish I had not thrown the old Sunbeam away. I’m gonna check on Ebay for an old/used one.
Rick
i see others are feeling my pain. i am going to rig a grill to fit my needs. i purchased a char-broil grill from Wal-Mart ($119). it has an oval shaped burner that is low in the pit. i also purchased a grill tray (also from Wal-mart) that i am going to place just above the burner and put lava rocks on it. if this doesn’t work…its back to charchoal grills.
If you go to barbcues galore.com they have gas grills with ceramic briquets, I just bought one today and will use it later this week. I am so excited because I have been looking for several years for a lava rock gas grill after replacing my old grill with a new one with the flash shields, ugh I hate them. Anyway the guy at the barbecue shop said they dont make lava ones anymore because of flareups. I say atleast they cooked the food without burning it. Anyway thats my story, good luck!
lAVA rOCK GRILLS ARE THE BEST, TO COOK WITH,HIGH EVEN HEAT, WHICH GIVES FOOD THE GREAT TASTE.. I AM A PROFESSIONAL CHEF, AND WE ONLY USE A BIG JOHN GRILL, THAT HOLDS LAVA ROCKS..THEY ARE NOT CHEAP TO BUY.. MY BEST
I found some at MarBeck.com
I agree, the new grills are worthless and a mess to try to clean. This is a case of manufacturers not listening to their consumers.
Came across this blog while looking for a new grill with lava rock. Very frustrating – can’t find one and after reading all of the above comments, I’m convinced that I’m going to keep my old Sunbeam Lava Rock grill and rebuild it!
I have an old lava rock grill and I am planing on rebuilding it.
I can’t believe that they no longer do them. I agree with the other comments nothing does a good steak like a lava rock fire.
I agree with all the above comments. I have been looking for a lava rock gas grill and can not find one. I am shocked that they are no longer made. In May 2008 I bought a Char-Broil gas grill at Wal-Mart, and after less than 10 uses, gave it away. It was extremely difficult to clean after use, does not clean well, appears dirty and greasy inside, the flare tent is a mess, grease and ash fall through the holes on the bottom of the grill onto my deck and WHAT A MESS!! I too will now go back to a charcoal grill. Manufacturers – listen up!! Bring back the lava rock gas grill — PLEASE.
Tescos Stores in england U.K has lava grills for £75 – About $140, it’s a 2 burner model, hope this helps you!
I am from singapore…i just opened a new stall at makansutra glutton bay@ esplanade using LAVA ROCK GRILL…please come down n try my food using the LAVA ROCK grill….
It really give a different taste using that…
hope to see u there…thankz
I converted my gas grill with the the metal reflector plate to a lava rock grill.
It was really easy, I removed the metal reflector that all the new grills seem to have. Bought a grate that fit above the burners at home depot. The grill already had knotches for the grate above the burners. Bought a $6 bag of lava rocks and covered the lower grate. As the rocks get used and soiled i turn them over (when its cold..haha.) or replace them. The flavor is much better and if you have any flare ups just give a little squirt of water.
I have a grill 14 yrs old that uses lava rock, every two or three years I replace the grids and the burner parts because I refuse to “update” to the new no lava rock grills, my husband thinks I am silly for spending the money to update my “dated” grill but until they start making the grills with lava rock I have no other choice… If any of you have a grill that is still in decent condition you can still order the replacement parts… I hope some company wakes up and gives us a choice…. the grills today cook food with no flavor whatsoever….
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WHAT I AM LOOKING IS FOR FLAT LAVA ROCK FOR A RESTAURANT THAT COOKS WITH LAVA ROCK. iTS HAS TO BE FLAT IN ORDER TO PLACE A DISH OF 12″ ON TOP. CAN ANYBODY CAN HELP ME!
Chefs know that the best grills use lava rocks (or similar). Flare-ups are a good thing (not a bad thing). Rocks eliminate dripping fat. No cleanup is required, ever.
Experience shows us that stainless steel yellows and streaks. Black iron requires no polishing or maintenance.
I’m so glad I found these comments. I was just about to throw out my 10 year old lava rock Sunbeam grill for one of the new deflector plate styles. I guess I just need to re-build the one I have for like the 4th time. Except for the brick burners and racks, and now the pot burner, there really isn’t anything wrong with it, even after 10 years of use. Fortunately parts can still be had…
Check MHP (Modern Home Products) for a gas grill that uses brickettes.
How do you know where to put the rock grate (i.e., how far above the burner/below the cooking grate)? We want to remove the heat plate and put in a rock grate, but there are none made explicitly for our grill.
look at twin eagles, they have briquettes…pricey
Purchase from the UK, there are plenty of Lava Rock grills for sale over here. I just bought a firefly eclipse 300 and it is great.
I purchased a new gas grill, and our 16yo won’t eat food cooked on it ! And, I hate it. I am digging out the old Sunbeam (lava rock) grill that is over 20 yrs old. I’ve replaced the burners, etc several times, but it looks like I’m going to have to do it again – Thank goodness it was buried in the garage, otherwise it would have gone to the landfill. Someone please, make a moderately priced lava rock grill !!!
I have been looking to buy a lava rock bbq for over a year now, your just not going to find one in a shop or store, best thing to do is used advanced search on ebay, type in lava rock bbq and it will only show the old ones we all want.
can i use lava rocks on a charcoal grill?
Wow, thought I was the only one pissed-off there’re none of these grills in the market to be found – I miss the one I had back in Texas because allowed to use mezquite chips that add flavour to the steaks – some folks use hickory, but either way it doesn’t work the same with charcoal and obviously can’t use any kind of chips in a gas grill – straight open flame bb’queing doesn’t make sense to me, might as well just throw your chicken & ribs directly on your stove’s top – Lowe’s had a parking lot sale, lots of them, but I refuse to buy one of those gas grills. This is definitely a conspiracy cooked-up by the manufacturers, all lava rocks grills just can’t dissapear like that. I guess some of us will remain in grilling purgatory until …
OMG, so many ppl thinking the same thing as me. I loved my $100 grill with lava rocks. After it died, I got an expensive stainless steel one but I don’t like it. Now I can’t find one with lava rocks.
Glad to see I am not the only person who hates the new gas grills. I bought a $400 Charmglow 2 years ago, it looks great on the patio but I am ready to give it away. The clean-up is something else. Grease and drippings goes everywhere so the the inside of the unit has to be taken apart & scrubbed down after every use. I have gained a new appreciattion for Brillo pads, I hadn’t bought them for decades. And the meat is flavorless. And on top of everything else it uses 4 times the propane. The damn tank is always empty. I am going to buy a charcoal grill for now, (Shopko has a Char-Broil 23″ kettle for $59) then hit the yard sales every weekend until I find an old gas BBQ with lava rocks. Then it will be my mistress.
I hate my SS grill without lava rocks. These new grills are messy, hard to clean and the parts have fallen apart including burners and grills made with inferior products. Bring back the lava rocks and save my cleaning time and give me better tasting food.
I thought it was only me searching. I have been re-building my Sunbeam for years hoping there is a lava rock grill out there and I am just not finding it. I guess back to get more parts!
I just went to San Jose and had steak that was grilled on top of a brick of lava rock. I wanted to buy one for my house but the ones that I find online are charcoal sized. Has anyone come across a textbook size brick of lava rock online?
I thought I’d replace my 10 yr old Sears Kenmore lava rock burning grill with a new one today with none to be found!
I decided to call Sears parts and just replace those rusty broken little parts on the old one–Probably worth it. For $77.00 I got what I needed to restore to like new. The new styles just don’t give the same taste and performance. If it weren’t for the high cost of the new parts I’d say I almost beat the system??!!
(28)John may have the right idea here by converting the newer linear burner type to a H style burner if that’s do-able with most new BBQs It would have to sit securely and then you’d need a rock grate to somehow fit in to suspend your lava rocks.You’d void every warranty that comes with the grill but so what
The idea rocks if you can do it.
We too are very dissapointed that we cannot find the gas grill’s with the lava rocks.
Spring of 07. I bought the new type of gas grill’s, paid over two hunderd for it. We used it one season and have not used it since! I agree with the one that the food we cook on it, taste just like the food we cook in the house! We are very disappointed in it!
I’ve searched high and low two seasons now trying to find one that takes the lava rocks, without success!
Manufacturers! Give us BACK our lava rock gas grills!!!????? They probably say well the majority of people do not like them. Well, that depends on what majority they are asking, if at all! Just a lame brain excuse! If we wanted to taste metal’s cooked into our food we would cook inside in a pan!
We are in need for a grill in our summer home, but refuse to buy a new one that doesn’t take the lava rocks! We don’t seem to have good luck with charcoal grills!
I found one at “The Christmas Tree Shop”
- a Fiesta model BH24030- it apparently is an older model but it is the grill with the Lava rocks ! I had just about given up hope – they apparently buy old stock so who knows how long they will be available.
You can buy a bag of lava rocks at http://www.bbqparts.com for 7.99 You just need to type in a grill for replacement parts and it will show you the lava rocks, as an accessory.
My best cooking ever was with lava rocks. like most the rest, couldn’t find one! However, my neighbor (could kill her did) at Lowes Home Improvement for about $ 150 bucks on sale. It’s called Barbique Grillware. Anyway thats what I snuck a peak at it, maybe more. Went down there and they were out of them. So back to Walmarts, 8 hrs assembly time!
Just bought a 24×24 13gauge expanded steel sheet and a bag of lava rock. I removed the drip plateand holder and cut the steel to fit in replacement with a pir of bolt cutters. I bought the steel at Sears Hardware (where they have sheet metal) and the lava rock at Lowes (which is a builders paradise here on the east coast). Getting ready to try it out now. Wish me luck
I have a gas grill and I hated it because the grease ruined my burners, so I decided to replace the burner with stainless steel ones and had a grill made for it to hold lava rock just above the burners( there were grill holders there already). I picked up some lava rock off the grond from a volcano near my town. It works wonderfully and I am saving gas too, the food taste better and I get a more even cooking. I live in Latin America in case you are wondering about the volcano. You can see if your BBQ grill has grill holders below the top grill, if so, then have someone make you a grill to hold the lava rock and buy lava rock to put there.
i bought three oblong cake cooling racks, modified them by bending up the ends to fit, then covered them with lava rocks. cheap (only £1.50 a rack and £8 the rocks) effective and quick.
Although not as good as the lava rocks, but still better than nothing is to replace your grill’s cheap metal “wire” grates with one of the same dimension that is made out of thick cast iron. Replacement cast iron grates can be found at most hardware stores. they take the lava rock’s place in storing up heat. Sure, like with a grill with lava rocks, its takes a bit longer to get the grill super hot, but once the cast iron is hot, it stays that way for a long time. and does a nice job of ditributing heat. As far as the flavor loss, some of that can be regained by following Al Bundy’s best grill advice ever…except for the grate…never ever ever clean it.
Buy a Fiesta Optima Gas Grill model 450 series. This grill is easy to convert to lava rock. I just bought one and converted it. All you need is a rock grate 13 x 26 or 27 and lava rock. The casting of the grill has the supports inside from previous lava rock applications.
http://www.campingaz.com/c-469-barbecues.aspx
I just bought one made by these guys in Norway for only 500kr (50 UK pounds!) has lava rocks, is great!
I used a weber go anywhere propane stove. replaced the vaporizor with a charcoal grate that I ordered from weber. works fine!
I found one!!!! Fiesta Grills #ezd5555-b438. 49,000 BTU. It has a ” flavor bar” but if you buy a universal grill grate it will fit perfectly, add lava rocks and your good to go!!! The grill costs about $ 160 at Menards, grate another $ 20 or so. It works great.