The 8 Best Charcoal Grills in 2023 Charcoal Grill Reviews

This grill has a front shelf where you can place plates and condiments and a lower weber bbq shelf for supplies, and it’s mounted on wheels that make it easier to move.

Portable charcoal grills for tailgating and camping are popular and effective. This is typically accomplished by piling or corralling your charcoal fuel on one side to create a hot direct cooking zone over the fire and a moderate indirect zone on the opposite side. A two-zone setup helps you avoid charred chicken and exploding sausage, plus it gives you the option to gently roast or sizzle and sear at the same time.

weber charcoal grill

After your done grilling (and things have cooled down), you should always empty your ash tray. On our favorite Weber grill, this is located right below the grill and even has a handle for ease of use. Many folks strongly believe charcoal produces better flavor than gas. Let’s just say different fuels have different characteristics—and we won’t even get into all the different types of charcoal available today. Kevin Cortez is a Commerce Editor for Popular Mechanics, Bicycling, and Runner’s World.

A. Weber doesn’t permit converting a propane gas grill to a natural gas model due to safety concerns. The process would require disassembling the grill and gas components, which can be very dangerous and may not result in a functional grill. For the same reason, Weber doesn’t allow conversion from natural gas to propane either. A revamped model with a larger grilling space and solid price point. The difference between the two was largely in the crispiness of the skin, with the Weber producing the superior results.

In fact, most of the time the temperature hovered between 220 degrees F and 230 degrees F. As a result, ribs cooked in the Weber came out tender, juicy and full of smoky flavor. First, we set up each grill for a low-and-slow burn, using the charcoal snake method. In the case of kettle models, we arrange coals in a semicircle around the grill’s inner wall.

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 gives smoke plenty of time to leisurely caress foods and impart that magic, smoky goodness. For a long while, charcoal grills were the primary tool of backyard grillers. Hasty-Bake introduced its wonderful cooker with a crank that raises and weber charcoal grill lowers the charcoal rack in 1948, and it remains one of our favorite brands to this day. When Weber-Stephen rolled out its now iconic charcoal kettles in 1952, they lit a fire in backyards coast to coast and barbecue grew into a national pastime.

When you’re trying to decide what size Weber grill you need, think about the number of people you usually feed. It’s also important to consider the types of food you prepare most weber portable grill often. Hot dogs and hamburgers take up less cooking space than racks of ribs. If you’re in the market for a Weber grill, the shopping process can get overwhelming in a hurry.