Add that to its solid warranty and well-regarded customer service, and it’s hard to see a better value for the $175 cost. Salvaggio spent an hour explaining the fundamentals of charcoal-grill design, function, materials, and maintenance to us. And because he’s an independent retailer, he was able to speak freely about what he sees as the relative strengths and weaknesses of the various designs.
You can thank the porcelain-enameled bowl and lid, which are heat retention pros, for that. Still, keeping an eye on the thermometer will help you determine if you need to add more coal, wood, or even adjust the airflow using the rust-resistant aluminum dampers. These vents are also useful when extinguishing the fire, as closing them cuts off oxygen. The cooking area is 147 square inches — it fits six burgers at a time — and the porcelain-enameled lid and bowl come in six different colors. “It’s a mini version of our winning grill,” said McManus.
From Bluetooth speakers to patio furniture to gas and charcoal grills, here’s what we think you need for backyard entertaining and cooking. Every grill we tested had a hinged grate, a nice feature that lets you add or adjust the coals without lifting the whole grate off. We preferred the Weber and Napoleon designs, which each have a pair of hinged sections, on opposite edges of the grate, that let you directly access the entire bed of charcoal below. We noticed no performance differences, and all worked well, with no notable sticking of the items we cooked. Its construction is simple and solid, and the materials—rust-proof aluminum legs, porcelain-coated steel for the body, and a nickel-plated steel grill—are designed to last. And while the basic design has barely changed since 1952, Weber has added helpful new details over the years—this latest iteration has convenient tool hooks on the side handles, for example.
It doesn’t evaporate quickly like traditional lighter fluid and doesn’t give your meat that gross lighter fluid taste. Then, I called my friend and resident AoM meat-cooking consultant, Karl Engel, and asked him to show me the ropes on how to cook with it. To get reacquainted with the Weber Kettle Grill as a grown man, I first went down to my local Home Depot and bought the classic model for myself. After enjoying the sound of a newly birthed charcoal fire, we’d stand around the grill and watch the flame slowly get smaller and smaller, and the charcoal get whiter and whiter. When it comes to BBQ-ing around here, I’ve been using a gas grill during the 10 years I’ve lived in my house.
It is a US federal crime to publish or distribute anything on this website without permission. Weber BBQ Kettles enjoy evergreen popularity from one generation to the next because they are durable and you can cook just about anything you want on them. Pile up coal on one side to sear steaks or set up 2-zone roasting, Build a nice even bed of coal for general cooking. The tight seal between the lid and body makes the dampers very effective and provides excellent heat control. The larger version of the Original Kettle Premium grill features a cooking surface that measures 508 square inches in total.
But once you factor in price, performance, and design, the Weber is the heavy hitter in the arena of charcoal grills. A high-end ceramic kamado grill, while a superior cooker thanks to its insulation, will run you $800 minimum. Barrel-style charcoal grills, while larger, can be more difficult to manage and harder to clean. There are cheaper versions of the kettle out there, but the Weber’s quality construction makes it a valuable purchase that should last you a long time. Although the Big Green Egg is at a higher price point than other traditional charcoal grills, “these ceramic cookers are almost a must for any backyard kitchen,” Jonathan Fox of Fox Bros.
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 difference between the two was largely in the crispiness of the skin, with the Weber’s results being superior. Meat from the Nexgrill was delicious, with just a bit more flavor than the Weber. Between them, I’d say it largely depends on your budget and what style of grill you prefer for other meats like burgers or steak. Weber certainly had the superior sear in that category. Once the grates were hot, we put two steaks on each grill.
The charcoal briquettes form a line two coals wide and two coals deep. We also drop a few chunks of smokewood on top of the snake . On cart-style grills, we modify the snake to run in right angles to match their rectangular-shaped fireboxes. Next, we tested each grill’s medium heat cooking capability by roasting whole chickens.
That should give you enough space to accommodate 25 regular-sized hamburger patties. For a while, Weber-Stephens Products claimed the original kettle grill’s round body was weber charcoal grill superior to other grills on the market. “The unique dome shape reflects the heat evenly all around, just like a kitchen oven,” according to a Weber ad from the 1970s.