BBQ Grill

[RoadRunner]

We're wondering if we should take our gas BBQ Grill with us to NZ?

We currently have a small propane tank that we simply refill every couple of months at a local gas station (for approximately US $7). We also could buy a kit that would allow us to hook the gas grill directly to a gas line.

Can you refill propane tanks in NZ? Do most homes have gas lines on the patio for BBQ grills?

Thanks in advance for any advice on this.
RoadRunner

[Moorf]

Hi

Yes, you can refill the gas bottles at most garages here... or they do a bottle swap where you drop your bottle off and just pick up a full one.

Haven't seen any properties here with a patio gas connection.. but we don't have mains gas on the South Island so that's probably why!

We didn't have a decent BBQ in Scotland so not sure whether it's a good idea to bring yours.. but a good one here can cost upwards of $299nzd (imo) - ours is a hooded 4 burner with wok burner on side and it cost just over $400nzd at Bunnings.

Moorf

[RoadRunner]

Thanks, Moorf. Sounds like we'll plan on bringing the grill with the gas "bottle" and skip the gas line kit.

(I need to start learning the lingo!)

[Diny]

I bought a new gas BBQ in the summer as our old charcoal fired Weber had rusted into oblivion. I was very proud of my BBQ, lots of places to put things, a retractable hood, different burners, and natty little cups underneath to catch any drips - thought I was Queen Bee of the BBQs.

That was until PB saw it

Everytime we fired the darn thing up he starts ranting about what a useless piece of junk it is, how you may as well go and stand by the cooker in the kitchen, how a 'real BBQ' is coals only and usually making comments along the lines of "you Poms have got it all wrong - a barbie should have a solid plate, not a grill".

I initially included it on the list of things to ship to NZ - he soon scrubbed it off the list, telling me that he'd die of shame if he stood there cooking on a ponsey thing like that infront of his Kiwi mates & family.

So there you go .... make of that as you will.

p.s. In one of our old houses he did actually build a BBQ and it was for charcoal and it did have a solid plate. I have to admit it was brilliant. The plate has the occasional hole in it to let oils drip away and to let the BBQ smoke get to the food. Never had any disasters.

Doesn't alter the fact that I like my gas barbie with a grill.

Diny

[Moorf]

How odd!!

Ours is gas and compared with all the faffing around with coals we had in the UK we're WELL chuffed with it.. it has a grill plate and a solid plate and its a joy to use!!

We've plenty of Kiwi friends, none of whom have said anything remotely derogatory.. and they would.. they're the "Deliverance" hummers trying to put us off Rangiora!

I don't give a monkey's what anyone else would say..

[DB]

Can you refill propane tanks in NZ?

No.

The gas bottles referred to by others are LPG, not propane.

I wrote a story up on this on another site, see my entry on this thread: http://www.uk2nz.co.uk/chat/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=3421

We brought a UK patio heater designed to run on propane, using it with LPG and locally bought LPG regulator, it runs just acceptably well on LPG, but not as well as on propane.

Do most homes have gas lines on the patio for BBQ grills?

Most homes dont have gas :eek Depends where you're moving to; some parts of the north island have piped natural gas, outside that its LPG generally out of bottles, or some places (Christchurch CBD for example) have piped LPG. Every gas barbie I've seen just has a LPG tank hanging off it...

And... err... bringing gas bottles in a container - I'd hope your shipper wouldn't allow such a thing; the consequences of a gas leak into a container could be <fill in you choice of bad news adjective here>. When new gas bottles arrive here from wherever they come from, they are filled with a bit of nitrogen only, you buy them empty and then get them filled at the gas station.

[veronica]

PB might have a bit of a shock when he has a look around the shops here at BBQ's as they all seem to be gas and its Kiwis buying them too, not just immigrants.

[Diny]

Hope he reads this thred - I may be able to take my prized gas BBQ with us.

Although I'm not holding my breath.

Diny

[sarahw]

Hee hee! Veronica is right - its not just us 'Poms' that have gas BBQ's most of the BBQ's on sale here are gas & big beasts they are too! (which makes us really glad we've shipped our lovely gas BBQ from home) By the way - if anyone is bringing a BBQ & needs to know what will clean the grill - Fairy Powerspray (for those in the UK don't know if its sold anywhere else) is fantastic - it cleaned our entire Grillplates & hotplate all sparkly like new!

Is PB going to be there when the container is packed? Can't you just get the shippers to put it in the container?! whilst he's not looking (oops he's probably reading this! and I'm going to get told off for leading you astray!)

[Diny]

Nahh - I'll let him build us one - it'll keep him out of mischief. Far be it from me to arrive in the country and start telling his family and friends that they've got it wrong.

Although I'm a great fan of the gas grill BBQ (would be my first choice every time) - when I actually think about the BBQs I've been to over there (family & friends etc) .... I have to say that I think I remember them all being solid plate charcoal contraptions.

One thing I am sure about .... with everything else to do with immigration, I'm not going to spend too much time worrying about a BBQ at this stage

Diny