Revisiting the Classic Weber Kettle Grill When I got back, he’d pour a big pile of charcoal into the Weber’s shiny black bowl. Then came a spray with some lighter fluid, and the strike and toss of a match. Cart-style grills have a handle and wheels that make them easy to move around, and the Char-Griller Patio Pro BBQ Grill is a compact and budget-friendly option for your deck or patio. It features a modest 250 square inches of cooking space, but it has all the features you need to whip up a delicious meal. The oval shape of the grill made it easy to cook multiple types of food, from skewers to roasted corn. The main grates are made of heavy-duty cast iron and resemble the grates of some of the best gas grills we tested this year. Like the Char-Griller Classic, the Super Pro can also be converted to a proper smoker by attaching an optional side fire box, and the enameled steel body does a great job of retaining heat. Overall, this is a good basic barrel grill, but assembly was frustrating and it lacks many of the features that made the Classic our pick for best upgrade. 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. You’ll need to purchase a bag of briquettes, and either lighter fluid or a handy charcoal starter. We filled it up to the top with briquettes and then put newspaper underneath, which we lit on fire and then allowed the coals to heat up for exactly 15 minutes. The Weber Summit is widely considered to be the best charcoal grill Weber has ever produced. With nine collections of charcoal grills, there’s a Weber to meet your needs. From enameled steel to stainless steel to ceramic, grills are made from a wide variety of materials, and each has its pros and cons. Ace Rewards members spending $50 or more are eligible to receive free Next Day delivery on in-stock orders. Orders must be placed on days the store is open, before 4pm local time or 2 hours before store closing time, whichever is earlier. The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Although cooking on charcoal requires a little more skill and labor, you don't need a PhD to start the fire. Yes, you do have to remove ash but, unlike with gas grills, most of the grease that drips off food will burn up on the hot coals, rather than collect at the bottom. Don't get me wrong, I love a good gas grill—in fact, you can read about my favorite gas grills right here—but I'll take cleaning a charcoal grill over a gasser any day of the week. The lack of a simple lid hook feels like a design oversight and removing and replacing the ash catcher isn’t as smooth as it should be because the damper handle gets caught on the legs. There’s no function for pushing the ashes into the catcher, either, so it has to be done manually with a grill brush or other tool. Updated the last year 2021, the $139 Nexgrill Cart-Style Charcoal Grill is a compelling alternative to the Weber, especially if you prefer a cart-style backyard cooker. That design gives you a handy side tray and more cooking surface room. In fact, at 572 square inches, this updated larger grill has even more cooking space than the previous version, which offered 390 square inches. It's also a lot compared with the Weber's 363-square-inch cooking area. When it came to assembly, the only direct comparison we could make was between the Weber and the Napoleon. Both models shared a similar overall design, but the Weber model was comprehensively superior. Given the enormous variety of products and designs, there is no one-size-fits-all test. The Weber One-Touch Gold 22.5-Inch Charcoal Grill is our favorite kettle grill, but it has a flaw... We like to barbecue in the Parks on the weekends and bring a portable charcoal barbecue with us. Also, we go camping in a tent, and we put our gear in our SUV and there isn’t a lot of room. When purchasing a new charcoal grill or smoker, understanding the different styles of Weber charcoal grills and what each type can do is important. No matter your grilling experience, use this convenient charcoal grill buying guide to select the charcoal barbecue grill that's right for you. This charcoal grill can hold up to 13 burgers at a time, and you can monitor the internal temperature using the built-in lid thermometer. This Performer Deluxe grill has an electronic charcoal ignition system and a removable timer that mounts to the side work table. Additionally, there’s a convenient charcoal storage bin integrated into the design, as well as the brand’s one-touch cleaning system. Reviewers say the quality of this product is great and that the grill will undoubtedly serve you well for years to come. I’ve used the charcoal snake to smoke on my kettle many times. It’s a fun rewarding experience, though to be perfectly honest I now never smoke on this grill because I tend to always smoke on my Kamado Joes. However, you can smoke on it, and many people do very often. It’s a relatively large grill, which means it’s a versatile grill. You can arrange your coals for two-zone cooking, roasting, searing — anything you like! The Original Kettle is a practical barbecue for straight-up grilling — searing and finishing steaks, chops, fish, veggies, and more.