# Piezo Or Electronic Ignition On A Gas Grill ?



## Dix (Mar 8, 2009)

Time to replace the 5 YO BBQ. The doors rusted off during the last snow storm  :smirk: 

So, what's the differance, and pro's & cons?


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## fossil (Mar 8, 2009)

Doing The Dixie Eyed Hustle said:
			
		

> Time to replace the 5 YO BBQ. The doors rusted off during the last snow storm  :smirk:
> 
> So, what's the differance, and pro's & cons?



I've never had a grill I had to put batteries in or provide power to.  I've had grills with the piezo-electric lighters, and they got all crapped up and quit working in short order.  I just use a fireplace lighter through a hole in the side of my Broilmaster.  Of course, if you're buying one of them really fancy grills that has lights & side burners & a surround sound system, then you may opt for a fancy flame initiation system.  Rick


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## Dix (Mar 8, 2009)

So, it's gonna crap out like all of my other ones did? Regardless?


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## fossil (Mar 8, 2009)

Doing The Dixie Eyed Hustle said:
			
		

> So, it's gonna crap out like all of my other ones did? Regardless?



I can't say.  All I can do is relate my personal limited experience.  The little piezo ignitors are like teeny tiny spark plugs that depend on clean electrodes to work.  They stick right out into the grill (as they must), where all sorts of cooking juices are flying around.  I've found that they get dirty enough to cease functioning fairly quickly.  Sometimes a cleaning restores them to working order, sometimes a replacement is necessary.  I just got tired of fooling around with them, and so I use a lighter.  Rick


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## Dix (Mar 8, 2009)

I've always ended up using a lighter with any gas grill I have had once the ignition wears out. PITA to replace, and the one time I had it replaced, it died in 3 months.

Ah well, a learning experience.

This was the grill I was looking at

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=296449-52491-GGP-2501&lpage=none

I'd never heard of piezo ignition.


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## Hogwildz (Mar 8, 2009)

Any one I ever had took a dump after the first summers use. 
Fireplace lighter is sued here also. Just remember to lift the lid prior to turning on and light as quickly as possible. Or you may lose some hair & eyebrows.


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## fossil (Mar 8, 2009)

^ Yup.  Lid wide open, one burner on low, light with face away from grill.  I like the fact that my grill has a hole in the side so I don't have to reach the lighter down in from the top while the gas ignites.  Rick


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## Hogwildz (Mar 9, 2009)

fossil said:
			
		

> ^ Yup.  Lid wide open, one burner on low, light with face away from grill.  I like the fact that my grill has a hole in the side so I don't have to reach the lighter down in from the top while the gas ignites.  Rick



I think most have this hole. Prolly cause they know the igniter ain't worth shat.


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## fossil (Mar 9, 2009)

Yeah, a lot of them seem to.  My cousin had an old one without a side hole, and he damned near singed his face off every time he lit it until I showed him there was a hole through the bottom he could use.  If I had a grill I liked and it didn't have a hole in the side I could light it through, it would in about 5 minutes.  Rick


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## Dix (Mar 9, 2009)

Hogz, Hun, I'm 51 years old. I've had singed eyebrows, Babe  :-S Buit TY for the heads up.

I hate this BBQ thing. I thought I had a winner, then the burners crapped out after 2 years.

 :coolsmirk: 

Oh, BTW, Hogz = Captain Jack Sparrow  ;-)


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## rowerwet (Mar 9, 2009)

I've never had a grill that the ignitor worked on for very long, until I got my last one, I figured that I was paying a lot of money every few years for a grill so I bought one of those little $40 ones from wallyworld that takes the 1lb bottles. I got the adapter hose so I could use 20lb botles and figured I would still be ahead if I had to replace it every year. Now four years later it is still going strong sitting on the carcas of my last big one for a base. And the ignitor works like a champ! the difference I noticed is that the gas feeds from the side and the ignitor is so far over to the side that grease doesn't get into it. Most other grills feed in the middle at the bottom and the ignitor is under that right where the grease will fall and clog.


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## Dix (Mar 9, 2009)

I've got a BBQ like that in the trailer. It's been a champ for girls weekends away. 

I'm thinking about using that one for the house, and getting another one for the trailer.

Save me some $$$'s.


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## Hogwildz (Mar 9, 2009)

Doing The Dixie Eyed Hustle said:
			
		

> Hogz, Hun, I'm 51 years old. I've had singed eyebrows, Babe  :-S Buit TY for the heads up.
> 
> I hate this BBQ thing. I thought I had a winner, then the burners crapped out after 2 years.
> 
> ...



LMAO, I won't even mention eyebrow pencils then 

And thank ya for the kind compliment. Cept hes better looking and has lots more money.


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## seige101 (Mar 9, 2009)

Have the electronic one on my grill. Uses a triple A or double A battery. Don't remember, only changed it once, from the crappy generic battery that came with it to a duracell ultra. Been going strong for just over 3 years now, grilling several days a week in the summer and some use in the winter.


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## woodmeister (Mar 9, 2009)

i've got a Vermont Castings, heavy duty works great.


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## John_M (Mar 9, 2009)

Eileen, It has been my experience, as others have said, the Piezo electric starters last for about one or two years during normal use. I've never had a battery operated electric starter. I would agree with others that when the Piezo electric unit goes bad, use one of the extended hand held lighters. They eliminate the frustration of a starter that works intermittently. 

As far as other parts of the barbecue are concerned, they seem to be pretty much the same quality within each price range. My experience has been that the more stainless steel, the better. But stainless is also more expensive. More stainless means more money. It also means less rust and longer life. 

I used to be a DuKane fan. However, with my latest four year old Weber Platinum series, all stainless steel barby, I have become a Weber fan. It is plumbed into my 1,000 gallon propane tank via a quick disconnect and I am very satisfied with its performance. I paid about $1,300 for it when I built my house four years ago. The barby  still looks new. 

Good Luck with your decision.

John_M


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## Highbeam (Mar 9, 2009)

It is a piece of cake to replace the burners on most BBQs. I go through a burner every two years or so and am getting pretty good at swapping them out. I light with a long lighter too. This last burner has lasted almost three years now since I stopped adding garlic salt to the meat while the meat was still on the grill. 

Mmmmmm, garlic salt on a nice thick T-bone. Spuds with pepper and butter. Black butte porter......


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## fossil (Mar 9, 2009)

Highbeam said:
			
		

> ...Black butte porter......



C'mon over, Highbeam, I'll introduce you to the owner of Deschutes Brewery and treat you to lunch at the brew-pub downtown.  Rick


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## woodsman23 (Mar 10, 2009)

I have a 3 burner s/steel grill with the electronic ignition (1 d battery) been using it for 3 + years and it has not failed yet. I hear it click click then it ignites and the cooking begins. Much better than the pezio crap.


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## DAKSY (Mar 10, 2009)

I've had gas grills with piezo igniters for the last 10 years & NEVER had a piezo fail...
They stop working for two reasons...
Bad ground or bad wiring...
I HAVE had the wires melt at the igniter end, but they're just a plug & play replacement.
The same piezos are used in many gas stoves fireplaces & inserts, & they rarely fail...
YMMV...


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## Highbeam (Mar 10, 2009)

fossil said:
			
		

> Highbeam said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thanks for the offer fossil. I have some family in LaPine and any trip out that way would surely include a trip to the brewery. I've even dragged my young girls on factory tours of the local coffee roaster, we love that stuff.


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## Czech (Mar 10, 2009)

Charcoal. Period.


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## Dix (Mar 10, 2009)

I thought about charcoal, wouldn't be the first time I've had one of those.

Even I admit to the fact that there are just times when charcoal is way better 

Actually, I saw a gas/charcoal combo, even has a side burner ! Electronic ignition for the gas only, I figure.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=5050-49769-5050&lpage=none

**ETA** Salt corrodes the burners quicker?


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## John_M (Mar 11, 2009)

GotzThe Hotz is mostly right; charcoal barbecued meats can be made very tasty. Be reminded, though, that many Fire Marshals would strongly suggest you not use a charcoal barbecue on a wood deck.

Best Wishes, John_M


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