Weber Original Kettle 22 In Dia. Green Premium Charcoal Grill It has changed very little since the actual original Weber… and why should it? Just to look at it is to conjure up memories of family cookouts and good times — even if you’ve never owned one. The Weber Original Kettle is no more difficult to use than any other charcoal grill. 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. It's relatively inexpensive as far as grills/smokers go and it will essentially last a decade or longer. A good example is the Slow N' Sear deluxe - which is an add-on for kettle grills that essentially creates a quintessential two-zone fire . In this setup, the lid thermometer is measuring the temperature of the hot zone rather than the cool zone . When you’re done cooking, the Weber grill has a one-touch cleaning system that lets you sweep ash and debris into the removable ash catcher for disposal. Next, we tested each grill's medium heat cooking capability by roasting whole chickens. The trick here is to keep the grills at a hot enough temperature to cook a chicken for upwards of two hours. We placed two steaks on each grilling grate near the center and seared them for five minutes before flipping them over and searing for another five minutes. With a good, reliable grill, this will give you a steak with a seared outside and a medium rare to medium center. When you invert the assembly to screw it to the grill, the inner collar can slip down unnoticed and prevent the screws from attaching to the grill body. That happened to us twice before we figured out what was going on. If it had been full of hot ash, we would have had a real problem. Finally, after all our tests were done, we did routine maintenance, emptying the ash catchers, brushing the grates, and washing out the grills. Over the course of two days, we put three charcoal grills through a battery of tests. In 1952, George Stephen took his love for barbecue - along with his passion for the perfect grilled steak - and combined them with a revolutionary grill design inspired by the shape of a buoy. 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. With simple instructions and a minimal need for tools or acrobatics, Weber has clearly refined its engineering to maximize simplicity. The legs and ash catcher slot effortlessly into built-in sockets and lock into place with idiot-proof spring pins—not a bolt or screw in sight. Weber even supplies a simple plastic tool to help you attach the thermometer without digging out a wrench. All you need is a Phillips screwdriver to attach the side handles, and something dense to tap the end caps of the wheel axle into place. One person can have the grill up and running within minutes of opening the box. Because of its dominance, the Weber kettle has spawned a lot of copycats. Cooking ribs low and slow on the Nexgrill required just 4 hours, 30 minutes. Its rack came out well too, though like the Napoleon, its bark was more pronounced than what the Weber produced. Weber sells one for its 22-inch kettle for about $40, usually. The Weber grill has three legs—an inherently stable design, because having three points of contact means the legs will automatically “find their level” even on bumpy ground. That said, the Napoleon model’s four legs felt just as stable, and more stiff, on a garden-variety concrete patio—and also allowed Napoleon to install a big, square shelf underneath the grill.