What kind of barbecue should I get?

I've recently moved into a house with a big enough yard that I can have a barbecue, but never having done it myself, I don't know what kind to get. Charcoal or propane? How much should I spend? Do I need it to be a smoker? What other features are important? How much should I spend?

I'm almost sold on The Big Green Egg, based solely on Bear's paean to it, and the fact that it looks really cool, and I like green. Maybe those aren't the primary criteria I should be applying to this problem though.

If you want to do both grilling and smoking (and even outdoor baking), something like the BGE is versatile and worth the expenditure, in my opinion. I'd probably still recommend it as just a smoker.

But if all you want to do is grill, you can get a good grill for a lot less.

What are your biases?

A simple Weber charcoal grill is inexpensive and works well. But charcoal, while a wonderful fuel, is a hassle, you have to start early, mess with it. and then when you are done, its a big mess.

Propane grills are a lot less hassle, you turn it on almost like a stove, give it a minute or two to warm up and you are ready to cook.

After years of using a Weber and charcoal, I switched to a Ducane with a rotisserie. I love to rotisserie. It makes wonderful chicken. Nothing I can do will make the main burners of the Ducane get as hot as a good charcoal fire.

If you head in the gas grill direction, I can vouch for Ducane. I had mine for over 7 years --- far longer than any other gas grill has lasted for me.