And this updated model, when we used the charcoal snake method, demonstrated temperature control almost as good as the Weber. To keep the One-Touch cleaning system operating at its peak, make sure to clean the bowl of the kettle grill regularly. If small pieces of charcoal fall through the grate, they can jam up the system, causing the blades to curl upward when you apply pressure to the handle. If you’re in the market for a kettle-style charcoal grill, it’s hard to go wrong with a Weber. The founder of the company actually invented this type of grill, and the Weber name has been going strong ever since.
However, the legs on the 26-inch unit can sometimes require a bit of fiddling around. We’re not sure if this is due to the increase in size or a simple design flaw. At any rate, the 22-inch grill is easier to put together than the larger one. This is also true of the grills in the Original Kettle Premium series by Weber, with one minor exception. The 22- and 26-inch grills use a spring clip/push pin leg assembly, which is designed to be easier on the buyer. Although aluminized steel conducts heat better than stainless steel, that’s not particularly relevant when it comes to the damper system.
Our editors selected these deals and items because we think you will enjoy them at these prices. If you purchase something through our links, we may earn a commission. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time. When it comes to flavor, experts say it’s hard to beat a charcoal-fired grill. Is a lighter, a bag of charcoal and your favorite ingredients.
In 1992 the first generation Master Touch kettles were introduced. This would serve as a premium model charcoal grill through the remainder of the 1990s. The Weber charcoal kettle was first available to the bbq buying public in 1952. However, the original grills, known then as “George’s BAR B Q KETTLE” were made from buoys cut in half and surviving examples are extremely rare.
Gold also comes with a useful hinged cooking grate that allows you to easily replenish coal without removing food. Pick up a digital thermometer and you’ll weber q see an immediate improvement in your grilling. The ritual of charcoal grilling meets the convenient features and the wow factor of the Master-Touch®.
The trick here is to keep the grills at a hot enough temperature to cook a chicken for upward of two hours. We placed two steaks on each grilling grate near the center and seared for five minutes before flipping them over and searing for another five minutes. In a good, reliable grill this will give you a steak with a seared outside and a medium rare to medium center. If you prefer meat that’s more done, you can extend the cooking time or sear and finish cooking in an oven. The 22-inch unit also offers a low and slow vent setting, so this unit can pull double duty as a smoker.
We reserve the right to change prices without notice and to correct errors. In 1979, Weber started using the letter stamp (their ‘serial number’) to date their kettles. However, the features and details continued to evolve. This page is a collaborative effort put forth by the club founders and historians – owners of 50+ vintage Weber grills – and hours and hours of research.
“Those early articles actually had instructions for digging a pit in the ground—a small pit,” says Moss. Those pits echoed the 19th century communal pit barbecues that eventually morphed into modern backyard grilling. Even so, “there’s a bit of a mystique in the shape,” says Kempster. “It’s a hard shape to manufacture because it takes really, really big presses to draw steel.” The design was also totally different than the boxy grills of the day.