The Nexgrill definitely gets hot enough to create a nice sear, but you do have to work a little harder than you do with the Weber to avoid overcooking your meat. You can also raise the Nexgrill’s adjustable charcoal tray basket to its highest position. We tested several brand-name models to find out which is the best charcoal grill for your next cookout. Burning charcoal produces carbon monoxide, an odorless, deadly gas. After much discussion, we also decided not to insist on a built-in cart, with side tables, on our charcoal contenders. Most manufacturers offer them as an option, but they can tack on hundreds of dollars to the grill price.
It still has no significant backstop for the grates, however, and no bottom tray for catching ash—which means it just kind of pours out on the ground. And at $750 at the time of writing, it was beyond our price consideration. weber genesis 2 From burgers to chicken to slow-smoked ribs, this Weber model’s time-tested design produces great results—at a terrific price. The vents in the grill’s bowl and lid allow you to control the airflow into your grill.
(Weber grills are still assembled in America, but with some imported components.) The metal in the legs seems to bend pretty easily. The most significant difference that stood out to me was that all the handles on the new models have plastic instead of wood. The wood on the 1970s and 80s versions really classed things up.
Shockingly, you could find yourself paying much more for a grill of similar if not equal construction. And, if you already know charcoal, but you’re looking for a better experience than what you’ve got now, you can’t go wrong with a Weber. If a rounded barbecue like a BGE can have one, surely this could, too? At least you get a small shelf down in the legs, but I’d love a handy spot to rest my sauces, rubs, tools, thermometer transmitter, drink, and so on. Overall, it’s well-designed, well-built, and deserving of the Weber name. One feature you also don’t get with the Original Kettle is a thermometer in the lid.
Clean the cooking grate as you would any other grate — use a good grill cleaning tool to remove food debris (when it’s still warm), but don’t use anything metal. You may want to occasionally wash it with warm water and perhaps a mild soap. Similarly, you’ll probably have weber genesis 2 to scrape stuff off the lower charcoal grate, though possibly not after each use. To clean the grates, build a fire, heat up the grill, and then take a bristle-free wire brush (metal bristles can fall out and end up in your food, and you don’t want that) and scrape.
Finally, after all our tests were done, we did routine maintenance, emptying the ash catchers, brushing the grates, and washing out the grills. Over the course of two days, we put three charcoal grills through a battery of tests. On balance, gas is probably the better choice if you favor no-fuss cooking or grill often (and especially if you grill on weeknights, when time is at a premium). If you’re an occasional griller or you enjoy getting hands-on with your cooking, charcoal is an economical choice that, with a bit of practice, produces superb results.
Weber’s Genesis line offers high-quality grills without super-premium prices, and its EX-325S is designed for easy grilling so you can enjoy each and every party. We tested the smart and more basic model, and while both gave us an impressive performance, the addition of the app gave us a more modern experience. Cooking over charcoal takes longer than cooking with a gas grill, and we typically need to add more fuel during cooking to keep our grills above 350 degrees F for the full duration. Our favorite bird from this batch was the one cooked on the Weber, though it was a tough call. The bird cooked on the Nexgrill cart-style grill came in right behind, a close second in terms of flavor and texture. The Nexgrill Cart-Style Charcoal Grill is a compelling alternative to the Weber, especially if you prefer a cart-style backyard cooker.
In this setup, the lid thermometer is measuring the temperature of the hot zone (above the coals) rather than the cool zone (where the food is place). The biggest piece of meat that people will smoke is a brisket and the 22″ kettle can fit a lb brisket no problem. The hinged grates also make adding charcoal or wood chunks much easier. The last Weber kettle I owned was given to me by my father and lasted 10+ years; The grill is so old that it doesn’t have newer features like a lid thermometer, handle heat shield, or lid hanger. Cooking with a Weber Kettle Grill certainly takes more time and attention than using a gas grill. But as with all things in life, that effort transforms the task into more of an experience.