Weber 70th Anniversary Kettle Grill Reviewed And Rated Is a lighter, a bag of charcoal and your favorite ingredients. In no time you'll be reaping the rewards of an easy meal with true smoky flavor. Lesley Stockton is a senior staff writer reporting on all things cooking and entertaining for Wirecutter. Her expertise builds on a lifelong career in the culinary world—from a restaurant cook and caterer to a food editor at Martha Stewart. Shortly thereafter he began selling the invention, which he called 'George's Barbecue Kettle', for which there was considerable demand. Venture to the backyard, where your mood will gently change. Finish mixing salad on the side table while grates heat in preparation for the main course. Once all is done, and the timer sounds, take in the warm feeling of serving company amazing food. Charcoal grilling meets everyday life with the Performer Premium charcoal grill. And each made-to-last option comes with the promise of quality and innovation. The world of the charcoal grill is essentially back to basics – returning to the original experience of cooking over an open fire. Light the charcoal with a Rapidfire® Chimney Starter, watch as the coals transform into a glowing heat source, practice controlling the temperature, and enjoy the process as the food cooks. This is pure meditation after a busy week – and precisely what the charcoal grill provides. Stay true to the modern version of the kettle that started it all—the Original Kettle®, invented by Weber’s founder, and loved around the world. Its ultra-durable, porcelain-enameled lid and bowl retain heat, while the dampers easily adjust for precise temperature control. Leaky grills are harder to control and get rated accordingly. To dial in my target cooking temperatures accurately, I use multi-channel digital thermometers with temperature probes clipped to the cooking surface. Charcoal grills usually don't have as many bells and whistles as gassers, but I assess whatever goodies are included, particularly ash removal systems. The premium version of the original kettle measures 22 inches wide and comes in three colors. The premium version also includes Weber’s One-Touch cleaning system, meaning that it comes with a large enclosed ash pan for easy cleanup, and it also boasts a built-in thermometer and lid hook. In fact, it’s probably easier than most, given how roomy it is. Temperature is controlled with vents at the bottom of the bowl, and one up top on the lid. Initially this was a “premium” model before becoming Weber’s standard kettle vent design by 2000. It's true that great charcoal grills don't have to cost a lot, but there are many high-end models with superb construction and compelling features. For most of us, price is a key element in all purchasing decisions. Whatever your charcoal grill budget may be, I strongly advise getting a model that has an ash removal system, such as Weber's One-Touch removable ash bucket. Another powerful draw of these grills is the intense smoky flavor they create in the food they cook. They're versatile too since they can use either traditional charcoal briquettes or lump charcoal as fuel. In the case of kettle models, we arrange coals in a semicircle around the grill's inner wall. The charcoal briquettes form a line two coals wide and two coals deep. We also drop a few chunks of smokewood on top of the snake . Where-as with the Slow N' Sear Kettle you essentially get everything you need to smoke with. Due to the issue above, one of the only modifications I'd make is adding a second thermometer to the lid at grate-level. The exhaust vent is placed over the food because you want to pull smoke over your meat. Gear Patrol participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. From the Smokey Joe to the brand-new Genesis range, here’s everything you need to know about Weber, America’s favorite grill makers. Our customer service reps are real people offering great service, backed by 8 weeks of hands-on training with all of our products. The lifespan of any grill is affected by several factors including cleaning frequency, maintenance, amount of use, weather, and the overall environment where the grill is located. There is an abundance of Weber owners who have been using the same grill for decades. This arrangement is better than the Santa Maria-style grill where the food moves up and down and the coals are stationary because the head room above the food isn’t reduced. Weber-Stephen is one of the oldest and most respected manufacturers of BBQ equipment and related accessories in the world. Weber grills and smokerscook beautifully and have great features that are clever, effective and easy to use. Even in this crowded marketplace, many consumers are still willing to pay more for the Weber name and they are rarely disappointed. Their iconic black charcoal kettles are known throughout the world. Weber makes charcoal grills for every budget, ranging from around $50 to over $2,000.