When i first started out grilling i had an el cheapo gaser i think we all start out on that it seems lol then i got a weber thats is when i knew charcoal was the way i wanted to cook after that i moved up to bge and had 2 of those for many years prior to my new kk 23 arriving i sold them both and down road plan to get another one just like everyone else said the kk is simply the best to cook on and why cook on anything else