If your favorite recipes require on-the-fly adjustments, like changing the grate height and temperature, find a charcoal grill with the features to accommodate. Next, we light each grill’s snake at one end of the chain with five lit briquettes (tumbleweed fire starters work, too). We set all air vents on each grill (top and bottom) to the halfway-open position. Lastly, we place one rack of ribs on each grill for indirect cooking, with the meat not sitting directly above the coals. Simple construction means there aren’t too many parts to assemble or too many features to handle while cooking. A vent on the lid controls airflow and a well-designed ash tray beneath the Weber grill facilitates easy cleanup.
This sturdy charcoal grill is as effective for cooking burgers in your backyard as it is for feeding hungry sports fans while tailgating. And, during our last round of grill testing, it won our top prize for best overall. Cast iron components add substantial weight to your charcoal grill, so if you’re leaning toward that material, get yourself a grill with wheels. The heavier the grill, the more troublesome moving and cleaning it may be. Dropping ash around the yard, in the garage, or, worse, on your clothing, can be annoying to clean up, so ensure you’ve got the space to make moving your charcoal grill a breeze.
Even if it costs a little more, you’ll be glad you shelled out the extra dough for that convenience, which takes away much of the pain in the ash. A grill grate is the surface you put your food on to cook, and it’s the only part that makes direct contact with your ingredients. With that in mind, the material your grate is made of directly affects your food’s taste and cook time, as well as the lifespan of your grill.
Overall, it’s a fantastic grill for a fair price considering its features. If you’re new to the world of charcoal grills, this is an easy, user-friendly option that you can grow into as you become more experienced. There’s a 560-square-inch cooking surface for grilling and smoking, plus you can keep an eye on your steak remotely via the app. Thanks to its smart design, ashes fall into a bucket at the hopper’s base, and cleanup is as easy as opening the door to empty it. Make grilling season easier on yourself and clean your grill at the start of each grilling session, not at the end.
I assemble products, measure temperatures, slam lids, turn dials, kick casters, study warranties, take pictures, and cook a lot of food. For grillers looking for a popular model with a modest amount of storage space, there’s the Weber 22-inch Performer charcoal grill. “The Weber Kettle 22 really is the perfect charcoal grill for weekly use. It has space for making 13 burgers at once, and hooks for hanging grill tools, along with a small shelf for keeping food nearby. This is the proper way to use a charcoal chimney to get your coals going. Many Weber gas grills feature side burners, which you can use for whipping a sauce or grilling vegetables while you prepare meat in the main cooking area.
Be mindful of marketing copy advertising how much food will fit on a grill’s grate. A charcoal grill that claims it can fit eight burger patties may only be able to cook one prime rib at a time. In this case, it’s helpful to look at user photos and consider the shape of different foods you like to cook. Charcoal briquettes and lump charcoal are easier to ignite and keep lit than ordinary firewood. That said, charcoal (especially in briquette form) produces a lot more ash than hardwood. And if you plan to cook low and slow we suggest adding a few chunks of hardwood to your charcoal pile.
The Weber can also smoke low and slow at a rock-steady cooking temperature. With three heavy-duty grates for cooking, you’ll have plenty of room for all those burgers and brats with this stainless charcoal grill from Dyna-Glo. The smoke stack allows for temperature control and the side shelves weber charcoal grill and storage basket have room for keeping food and grilling tools nearby. “We used our grill for a large BBQ at our house and it was able to handle a large amount of food—chicken, dogs, burgers, veggies. The features make this grill easy to use and adjust to cook your food as you like it.
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. Whatever grill you choose, do not rely on the built-in dial thermometers, which can be off by 50°F to 100°F (10-38°C). These dials are usually located in the lid, not down on the grill surface where the food is—and you’re not eating the lid, so its temperature is irrelevant.