Like many people I started barbecuing in the 70s on an Hibachi bought from Habitat. Mine was the two grill model - my friend had the three. The base was cast iron and the grills were chrome plated steel. It was great for steaks, chops, burgers and sausages but no use for thicker cuts of meat.

If the wind blew the charcoal burnt quickly and so did the food!

Moving on I bought a barrel barbecue. The grill was cast iron and so seared the food well. The charcoal was lower down so wind was less of a problem. It was great because I could cook chicken pieces on that BBQ. Being low on the ground though led to backache. I eventually dropped it on the patio and cracked the sides

One visit to the local garden centre I saw the Meco Swinger II. This looked like a real BBQ and at £99 was a serious piece of kit. The cooking area was much bigger - you could raise and lower the grill but best of all you could close the lid. That meant more control over cooking. It also meant that I could cook indirectly by placing a drip tray in the centre with charcoal either side. Now I could cook cook large joints. Best of all when I shut the vents and the lid the charcoal went out so I didn’t have to go to bed with a BBQ still burning. I bought the optional side tables later.

The charcoal grate burnt out quickly. I got a replacement and my father repaired the original with plate steel. The BBQ lasted ten years of hard use. It stayed outdoors all year with a cover to keep it dry in winter.

It was starting to rust through but I reckon it could have lasted another five years at least.