The Best Charcoal Grill for 2022 Reviews by Wirecutter From burgers to chicken to slow-smoked ribs, this Weber model’s time-tested design produces great results—at a terrific price. The Weber grilling system is designed for even cooking, consistent results and incredible flavor. Plus, these grills are easy to clean, leaving you with more time to enjoy your BBQ. The durable, dual-walled insulated steel and unlimited potential of the Summit® Kamado S6 Charcoal Grill Center lands it in a class of its own. It quickly reaches desired temperatures, maintains heat for all-day smoking, and the gas ignition makes lighting charcoal as easy as pushing a button. With an extra-large 24” cooking area, Summit® Kamado is ready to handle any size feast. We then oiled the grates and distributed 10 to 12 six-ounce patties across the whole cooking surface . While the burgers cooked we kept an eye out for undesirable flare-ups, which can char the meat and create acrid smoke, and examined the evenness of cooking on the different areas of the grates. After about 10 minutes of cooking , we compared how well each grill had seared the burgers, looking for any patties that were charred or unacceptably raw, and took a taste. Over the course of two days, we put three charcoal grills through a battery of tests designed to demonstrate their qualities and highlight their differences. It does not include a lid hook or thermometer, and the ash catcher is not enclosed. That said, this Weber takes under 10 minutes to set up and requires no hardware. Like the Weber Original Premium grill, hamburgers tested on this grill cooked up to a perfect medium rare. The chicken we grilled took four minutes of sear time and 25 additional minutes on indirect heat to come up to a safe internal temperature. If you’re looking for the best affordable charcoal grill under $100 that will cook your meat to a perfect temperature, then this Weber is for you. Compared to gas grills, the anatomy of charcoal grills is quite simple. 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. Lid thermometers are seldom accurate, and they tell you the temperature at the top of the dome when you really need to know what’s going on at the grate. The Weber parts listed here are Genuine Weber Parts sourced directly from the manufacturer. A Probe Port for Your Meat Probe - Most probes have flexible wires that can go under the lid while maintaining a tight seal; They are also heat resistant. Side Shelf - Weber also offers other models with a side shelf. The Weber grills were the only grills that didn’t come with a hardware pack. You can easily set up either Weber grill by yourself and it only requires you to use a hammer or screwdriver for attaching the handle and wheels. The rest ranged in setup time from 27 minutes to over an hour, with varying levels of difficulty and number of persons needed to complete the task. The Cuisinart Kettle Grill boasts on its box that it only takes 15 minutes to set up; it actually took us 27 minutes to complete the task. Both the Char-Griller Kettle and the Oklahoma Joe’s Kettle Grill took us 45 minutes to set up. Next, you have to light the charcoal using a chimney starter or other tool. This particular kamado grill has triple-walled steel construction and features 314 square inches of cast-iron grill space, as well as a removable warming rack. It includes a built-in thermometer and can be used to cook at temperatures ranging from 200 to 700 degrees. The grill has two convenient folding side shelves and utensil hooks. Grilling cooks food quickly using high heat, while smoking uses indirect heat and lower temperatures to cook food slowly. Click here for more about what makes these grates so special. It’s easy to appreciate these cool-looking, colorful kettles. From a utilitarian standpoint, a standard Weber Premium Kettle cooks just as well. However, it’s sure hard to argue that it looks just as good as the retro anniversary model. We’ve seen some complaints about defective enamel and dented or bent parts, but the vast majority of buyers posting reviews of their special commemorative kettles are in love.