Kenmore 15221 3-burner 30k btu was $249 on sale Kenmore 15540 4-burner 40k btu was $349 on sale Kenmore Elite was at least $499 (out of my range) I am trying to decide between Kenmore 15221 30k btu or Weber Silver A 22k btu. The Kenmore costs less and has more btu. Any recommendations or suggestions for consideration? Thanks...

We had a stainless steel Kenmore with cast iron burners. Fortunately, we purchased the extended warranty. They replaced the burners every year after they rusted out. By the end of the 4-year warranty, they had replaced everything inside. The stainless discolors from the heat because they did not use double wall insulation. We sold it to my brother-in-law and he's still using it. We grill about 4-5 nights per week, so we're a little harder on grills than other people.

After about 2 or 3 years, I discovered that I needed to change the batteries for the Tank Gauge Display (which I figured out how to do but had to use pliers to bend part of the metal to get it back in). The manual tells how to put it together, but nothing about how to change the batteries or the direction to put the battery in for the Ignitor (which does not work). It is usually a good grill, but it seems to be falling apart and the manual does NOTHING to help. As usual, the manual that comes with a product made in Asia (Taiwan to be exact) is horrible (incomplete, no index, etc...). Sorry for the griping, I was just hoping to save someone else the same aggrivation

The unit seems nice enough, especially for the sale price of $499. But, I look at what the grill has to offer and it's features, and I would be very hard pressed not to spend another $100 and go with the Members Mark from Sam's Club. Both the Kenmore grill that you are looking at and the one at Sam's are made by Grand Hall, so the quality is equal. The one at sears seems to have a few things I would not like. The plastic casters for one, they seem to remind me of cheap office furniture casters. Also, the grates are porcelin coated iron, the Members Mark is three seperate grates made of SS, so nothing to chip. The BTU's seem to be about the same for the side burner and rotisserie, but the entire grill is only 40K BTU's. That seems to me to leave only 18K for the three main burners, only 6K each! That seems alot less than the three 18K burners that the Members Mark offers totaling 54K just for the mains. If you really wanted to sear a steak nicely, I think the Kenmore might not do it very well. The included smoker box is nice, but that is an item you can pick up reasonably anywhere. I see a little SS on the lid, panel, and doors, but that seems to be about it. The Members Mark has SS hood, side shelves, side burner and practically everything you can see. The exceptions are a few items made from steel and the lid has cast alluminum ends similar to the Kenmore except they are not painted like the Kenmore seems to be. I do like the slide out tray for the lp bottle on the Kenmore better than the exposed one on the Members Mark, but that is probably a personal preference. The draw back is that you have less interior space underneath for storage of rotisserie, griddle, smoking chips, etc... In my honest opinion, it seems the Members Mark from Sams club is a much better value for only another $100. Even if you don't have a membership that's another $35. Still worth it! I am not trying to push the Members Mark (actually I own a Virco and love it), but for the difference in features and $$ I think the Members Mark is one hell of a grill for $599 if that is all you can spend. Now, of course, if you've got $799.........Well, the Virco can't be beat! (You Virco guys new that was coming) If you haven't seen the Members Mark from Sam's, I highly suggest you check it out. I have included a link below of Alek's site. A very happy MM owner who has an excellent site on this grill that is very informative. Good luck on your purchase. Oh, by the way, if you haven't seen pictures of the Virco, you can see those at MY web site! http://www.equinoxcs.com/Grillingweb/index.htm Here is a link that might be useful: Members Mark from Sams club