Where can we find an hibachi?

June 24, 2008 11:37 AM

Where have all the hibachis gone? Long time cooking!

So my inamorata and I live in Doylestown, PA, and enjoy grilling food outside in the summertime. Although we have a decent charcoal grill we'd really like to purchase an hibachi. Trouble is -- we can't find one for sale anywhere! Home Depot, K-Mart -- nothing. I've Googled to no avail. Does anyone have a clue where we might pick one up in Bucks County (or even Hunterdon, in NJ)?

posted by Guy_Inamonkeysuit to Food & Drink (16 answers total)

Lodge makes one. It's pricey, but their products are good. This one has a nifty little door in front where you can add more charcoal.
posted by mudpuppie at 11:46 AM on June 24, 2008

Like this?

Lodge makes them.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 11:46 AM on June 24, 2008

Are you inquiring about a ceramic, enclosed style hibachi?
posted by bz at 11:51 AM on June 24, 2008

(Isn't a hibachi just a portable charcoal grill?) You can buy a "hibachi" thru Amazon.
posted by neuron at 11:51 AM on June 24, 2008

I think, in it's most common form, that it is just a portable charcoal grill. The inquirers' frustratio at not being able to find what he or she recalls as a hibachi led me to think that perhaps the enclosed ceramic cooker is perhaps the sought after item.
posted by bz at 11:57 AM on June 24, 2008

Response by poster: I had no idea the damn things were so expensive. The Lodge ones are pretty much what we were thinking of, although I once had one that was a tad smaller with two adjustable grills whose height from the coals could be easily adjusted.
posted by Guy_Inamonkeysuit at 11:58 AM on June 24, 2008

Response by poster: I had not even seen the ceramic ones before. Interesting!
posted by Guy_Inamonkeysuit at 12:00 PM on June 24, 2008

There are indeed a bunch like this on ebay. That's close to what I normally think of when you say "hibachi." But it looks more cheaply made than what I remember having years ago.

What I had was made with a deeper coal area and used heavier materials, but the functionality of the linked on seems similar. I always considered the main difference between a grill and a hibachi was the shape and adjustibility of the grills.
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 12:05 PM on June 24, 2008

Response by poster: Fuzzy Skinner has it right -- that's what we want. Now: where to find in Bucks County, PA?
posted by Guy_Inamonkeysuit at 12:07 PM on June 24, 2008

Yeah, the scarcity is weird, huh? I haven't looked for one in ages, but if I was ever going to picnic and wanted one, I would have assumed I could just pop into Wal Mart and get one.

How 'bout a camping supply store? It seems I saw one at such a store a while back. I think I even saw a disposable one.
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 12:20 PM on June 24, 2008

Here.
posted by mkultra at 12:37 PM on June 24, 2008

Response by poster: That might work... there's an EMS around here somewhere. It just puzzles me that the things can't be found.
posted by Guy_Inamonkeysuit at 12:37 PM on June 24, 2008

Response by poster: Thanks, mkultra, but no cigar there -- those are all gas jobs. Not an hibachi in the lot.
posted by Guy_Inamonkeysuit at 12:39 PM on June 24, 2008

Best answer: Ace Hardware has this on their website. You could call around and see if a local one has them in stock.
posted by Lazlo Hollyfeld at 12:55 PM on June 24, 2008

Response by poster: Lazlo, that's perfect. There's an Ace about 6 miles from my house. You rock!
posted by Guy_Inamonkeysuit at 1:22 PM on June 24, 2008

FWIW, the Rite Aid here has them by the box load, for something around $20.
posted by self at 1:22 PM on June 24, 2008