Stack your charcoal briquettes in two rows of two deep along the inner wall of the portable bbq grill. To find out which are the best bets for your next backyard barbecue.
We measured charcoal in a chimney by grams, and in a ratio for that grill’s specific surface area. We lit the charcoal inside the chimney, letting it burn until the smoke dissipated and the coals began to turn grayish-white, then put the charcoal into the grill. After the grill was heated up for 10 minutes, the steaks were ready to hit the grill grate. None of the hood thermometers built into these grills mirrored the temperatures recorded by our own thermocouples and data software. “We’ve had the grill only a few weeks, but we’ve cooked delicious ribs, brisket, pork shoulder and a whole chicken,” reports one fan.
Both models shared a similar overall design, but the Weber model was comprehensively superior. With simple instructions and a minimal need for tools or acrobatics, Weber has clearly refined its engineering to maximize simplicity. The legs and ash catcher slot effortlessly into built-in sockets and lock into place with idiot-proof spring pins—not a bolt or screw in sight.
Over the course of two days, we put three charcoal grills through a battery of tests designed to demonstrate their qualities and highlight their differences. We cooked burgers on high heat to see how well the grills seared meat and how even and intense a heat they could generate across the whole grate surface. Then we slow-grilled cut-up chickens to see if our contenders portable bbq could hold a low temperature evenly across the whole grate. Finally, we roasted whole chickens indirectly to see if the grills could create browned skin and perfectly cook meat without charring. Sam Sifton, editor for the Cooking section of The New York Times , joined us for these tests. Spark your passion for charcoal grilling with the Kettle that started it all.
And sadly, the ribs it produced came out burned, charred and overdone. We noted similar temperature performance from the Nexgrill, along with similar rib results. Cooking ribs low and slow on the Nexgrill required just 4 hours, 30 minutes.
An easy-access door makes emptying ashes quick and easy. At this price, getting these features feels like a steal. Starting a charcoal grill is definitely not as easy as starting a gas grill, so it’s important to understand how to do it correctly.
It took over an hour to get this grill from 400 degrees Fahrenheit to the 300-degree range. The 22-inch Weber Original Premium Kettle Grill lives up to Weber’s storied history. The Weber charcoal grill has been around for nearly 70 years and, while the design of the kettle has barely changed, it’s easy to see why.
The steel housing and fold-out legs are lightweight and durable. The heat-resistant handle protects your hand when removing the hot lid. As with any good charcoal gill, vents let you adjust airflow to control the internal temperature. Anyone with a small apartment deserves to give this grill a serious look, too. The Smokey Mountain Cooker™ smoker has two cooking grates to smoke two large items at once or plenty of ribs. The fuel door is removable so that adding charcoal and wood is easy, and the dampers allow you to be in control of the heat for tender, fall-off-the-bone meat.
Add that to its solid warranty and well-regarded customer service, and it’s hard to see a better value. Over the course of two days, we put three charcoal grills through a battery of tests. But those judgments would have to wait until we got our hands on the things. After weeks of research, reporting, and discussion, we settled on three charcoal grills to test.
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