I have a VC for going on 4 years now and find it to be a quality product. I admit I have left it in the snow for a full winter and to my amazement the ignitor still works every time. It is however slow to heat up and does require all three burners. Once at heat however the cast grills hold the heat well and I have no complaints from a cooking perspective. May want to compare gas consumption given the cost of propane...

Struggled with this same decision for the last year - Almost bought a Vermont Signature that was being cleared out but I did a little research and found out there are some problems with corrosion, confirmed by a friend who bought a smaller VC last year (screws/bolts all rusted). Throw in the financial problems the parent company is encountering (again) and compare to the stability of Weber and the Weber warranty and I'm suddenly wondering why I was having a hard time deciding. Sure, the VCs are beautiful to look at but if I'm spending that much on a bbq it would be nice to be confident you'll get 10 years out of it.
Finally picked up a Weber Genesis last week - Assembling it makes you really notice the quality of every component. I'm very impressed. I was originally thinking of setting up a standalone sear-burner but the Weber gets so stinking hot so fast I'm now thinking I might not bother.

Go with the Weber....I've got the Vermont Castings...extremely slow to heat up....and I only spent $1,300.00 on it...
or look into a Napoleon

Weber have the best warrantee in the business, and I think that they're hard to beat for how well they cook and the longevity they will provide. For a similar price to a Vermont Castings, the Weber will not come with as many features, but what you lose in that area you more than gain in quality.

I bought a Weber Genesis 10 years ago for about $700. I was reluctant to spend that much but today I'm happy to say the same BBQ is going strong. I love it. I had to replace nothing at all in all that time, even the igniter still works! That's Weber for you.

I like to say Vermont is a better looking bbq and Weber is a better cooking bbq. If your looking to impress the inlaws with a fancy new grill then VC is the way to go, good quality and well styled. If your looking for culinary excellence in the great outdoors then buy a Weber. There like and old volvo in that their style was last in the design list but function and reliability was first.

I have one of each and prefer the Weber hands down. The Vermont is slow to heat - there is no such thing as using one burner. You need all three going on high to heat a hot dog. The Weber gets piping HOT in minutes and cooks your steak to perfection. No contest here!

We've had a Weber for over a year - and BBQ year round. We LOVE our Weber. Never do we fail to mention what a great investment it was.

You are correct that charcoal is more popular in the US than in Canada. I moved to Florida 8 years ago and was quite surprised to have the smell of charcoal in the air (reminded me of my childhood) at least every weekend and more. Propane is used here but more for convenience. The fuel of choice is charcoal.

I've been told that propane is more popular in canada and in the US it charcoal all the way. I have a little hibachi for when I have the time and want to enjoy the flavour, but I use my propane a lot more simply for the conveniance.

AHHHH, ya can't beat charcoal (Real wood charcoal) for that great BBQ taste. Not that bricket stuff, that's made of pressed wood fibre full of chemicals, makes food taste awful.... I like Royal Oak brand. Just lay some soaked wood on the coals for that great smoked flavor. A little more work but way better than propane, after all, cooking should be fun, not fast..... Cheers.

I still use charcoal. It makes the food taste far better than gas grilling. There's no comparison. All the championship BBQ participants use charcoal and/or wood and there's a good reason for that. If you use charcoal instead of briquettes, you will find the fire lights a lot quicker, which is quite convenient.

I was at a professional BBQ in the States a couple of weeks ago and saw nothing but charcoal and wood chips being used. With today’s quick life-styles and potential health scare warnings, the charcoal BBQ has gone the way of the dinosaurs. When I can find it; I still enjoy mine from time to time!

Natural gas (NG) is by far the best option. It may cost more up front to get your system running (gas line to back yard or deck and extra $50 to $80 for BBQ) but the pros out weigh the cons. It is cleaner, more efficient and continuous in supply. It burns more evenly without any unwanted smell or taste. I have also found that it burns hotter as well, (may just be my brand of BBQ and burner).
Most people once they site their BBQ don't move it or only move it to cut the grass or do yard work. Almost all NG BBQ's come with a 10 foot hose that can be fitted with a quick disconnect fitting allowing you to move it in and out of shelter or out of the way for yard work. BBQ's these days end up spending their entire life on the deck at the back of the house so the 10 foot hose is all you will ever require. (Check your local Bylaws)
I have two BBQ's, one for the house which is NG, and a more portable LP (light propane) for camping and parties. Gives me the best of both worlds. However if you are like most people starting out portability and convenience as well as the pocket book usually take priority so the choice there might LP.
Remember if you are building a new house or are in the throws of renovation even if you never buy a NG BBQ, make sure to include a NG line to you deck or back yard. You will be happy you did.

as a journeyperson plumber, i put BBQ natural gas lines in alot, the least expensive line i've ran was about $200...and then upwards of $1000(depends on labour, for distance of pipe, fittings used and so forth) but, as stated, no more propane tanks to fill, natural gas is a 'purer' form of gas to burn then propane is, and i had found on occasion, i sometimes would have a 'propane' type taste to some foods cooked, not with natural gas.

natural gas is 10 times better as a HVAC contractor . I put gas lines in all the time for my custumers. Then they all come back to me and tell me how great it is. because it cooks the whole surface of the BBq just like a gas stove is better. I know people will ask how much the gas line is to put in I usually do it for about $300-350

If you were fortunate to have your home equipped with gas appliances and/or a fireplace; the nature gas BBQ would be an option for you. I understand that a chief’s first choice is a gas stove-top, more of an even heat. I am one for moving my BBQ around the yard, so with a nature gas BBQ, I would lose that portability. Try keeping a spare tank in the garage, it beats the costs of installing a nature gas hook-up and for that matter; a large storage tank in your yard unless of course, you already have one. Hope this helps?

To clean cat hair the cheapest would be to use the paper towel and would be much cleaner to throw away,A rubber glove why clean and throw away they cost abit more then a piece of paper towel or why even clean a baby brush for cat hair and there is no such thing as maggys hair stuff in their food.
I like the paper towel used for cat hair it works,its fast and cheap to use.
Thanks for the great idea.

The best way that I have found to remove pet hair is to put on you rubber gloves ( the same ones that you use for cleaning) wet them, then wipe the surface covered in hair

to remove cat hair it is not safe for the animal to put stuff in their food or water they need to shed on their own,if not problems they will have.
the natural cleaning way is the best solution like using a lint brush,foam etc.

Use a fine bristled baby brush.. It will gather it in one clump.. If you cat sheds a lot you can purchase a product called Mrs Maggys.. You put whatever the suggested amount on the bottle into your cats water or food and after a week or so you will notice a drastic difference...

yes there is. We have a large goldendoodle that ruins the lawn every year but we discovered a product at the pet store for this problem. There are a few different kinds of organic tablets available that you give to your dog and it neutralizes the acid in their urine. We talked to the vet before we gave them to our dog, and she said they are safe and she even gives them to her dog. It takes about 2-3 weeks to kick in, at least it did for our dog. But, last summer the grass looked a lot better than it ever has.
I hope this helps.

If the dog is constantly running over the same spots and doing its business as well, that's a big problem. Any yard that has a dog in it is going to get extra wear from their claws digging into the ground and this is going to damage the grass. Add urinating to those already damaged grass plants and it doesn't really have a chance. If you want to try and repair it though, the main thing is to get rid of the acidic levels in the soil. Two things you can do there. One is to soak the area heavily and put some lime down as it will help to neautralize the acid.
If the grass isn't going to keep, try making a dog run or designated area with some mulch on the ground and train the dog to do its business on the mulch.

Get a bag of lime from a garden centre and spread it on the grass. Water well and the lime will take the acidity out of the soil and help reduce the effects of the urine. Be sure to water frequently, especially where the dog frequents. If you seed or fertalize I would keep the dog off the lawn for a while, tying the dog out in the front might help while the grass takes root.

To prevent future damage you will have to spray the urine spot with water immediately after the dog urinates. To correct damage we used planting soil and lots of grass seeds on each urine spot and watered heavily. Within a few days the damage was corrected. It was really that simple.

Some propane sensors work and the cheaper stick ons do not work.

yes the propane sensors work

Keep shopping around. I found a little inline propane gas guage that hasn't let me down in the 3 years that I've owned it. When it says it's empty, it's empty. Sometimes the simple solutions are the best.

Cat beds are good to have when I bought mine I sprayed it with cat nip and gave her treats in her bed and now she goes to it all the time.
I did just buy another one here from home Depot and she does not like it the reason for this is it is the sound of it it is not the cloth lining . she is afraid of it.
I would say give it a try with the catnip spray and the kitty treats.and the cloth on the inside.Much better cat in cat bed then hair in your bed:))

You'll have to train your cat to use the bed, just like you would train a cat to stay off the kitchen counters.

I totally agree with you Janey. We have spent sooooo much money on beds for our cat without any success. From day one, he has two favorite spots in which he likes to sleep, our rocking chair in the living room, and one certain padded chair in the kitchen. Sometimes, even a cardboard will suffice!

Yes! I have a gas grill for everyday cooking and a charcoal grill for when I really want the flavor just right. Charcoal is too much work to get started just for a regular diner. For that I turn to gas.

Most gas grills come with an ignitor of some sort. Either a Piezo electric (push down fairly hard and it makes a "clunk"), or battery operated that generates a spark. Both work equally well and break down about the same. No more sticking a match in or rolled up newspaper!

Absolutely. Most come with igniter switches that all you do is press to ignite the grill. Over time almost all igniter switches will wear out at which point all you need to do is light the grill with a match. The best part is almost all BBQs come with a neat little contraption that holds the match to simplify the process. Its called a match holder and looks like an elongated J attached to the BBQ with a chain.

yes you can buy this online

For landscape block in the search bar top left hand side of Home Depot TYPE IN
easy gardener this will take you to the page with the landscape blocks are.
There are 2 kinds shown there for sure.
The one for sure is the 4th one down on the page
.If you read you will know which one you need.
If you do a search for landscape block it does not take you to it.
Have a nice day.:))

I was in the store the other day and an associate showed me a great Gardena hand-reel push mower. It was a little pricey, but the quality is great. How often you have to sharpen the blade will depend on things like how often you use the mower, whether you clean it regularly, etc. I have heard that some blades can go as long as 5 years without being sharpened.

I remember when we could pick these reelers up at a garage sale for a song. Now with postage size lots and the environment they are coming back strong, with a wide choice of manufactures and models. They still involve a bit of muscle power and a fairly flat property, so you might want to consider a small electric mower? Any mower blade should be sharpened at least twice a year, once at the opening and a second time during mid-season (late or mid July). Hope this helps?