The Best Charcoal Grill for 2022 Reviews by Wirecutter (Weber grills are still assembled in America, but with some imported components.) The metal in the legs seems to bend pretty easily. The most significant difference that stood out to me was that all the handles on the new models have plastic instead of wood. The wood on the 1970s and 80s versions really classed things up. A few twists of the knobs, and I can have a high-heat zone, medium-heat zone, and low-heat zone at the ready. As you can see, there is a lot to like about the Weber Kettle. Burning charcoal produces carbon monoxide, an odorless, deadly gas. Indoors, it can overwhelm and kill in minutes, without warning. After much discussion, we also decided not to insist on a built-in cart, with side tables, on our charcoal contenders. Most manufacturers offer them as an option, but they can tack on hundreds of dollars to the grill price. They’re handy, no doubt, but if your patio or deck already has a table or countertop, you’re paying for something you don't need and giving up valuable living space, too. Email updates from our community of barbecue masters, food enthusiasts, and lovers of outdoor cooking. If you prefer meat that's more well done, you can extend the cooking time, or sear and finish cooking in an oven. They're bulkier, the assembly is more involved and you'll likely need more fuel to keep the larger space at a high temperature. Our results, however, were almost as good as with the kettle-style Weber, so if you're interested in a cart-style charcoal BBQ, this is your best bet. The PK Grills company has recognized the need for an update, and in February 2017, it launched the PK360, a bigger, slicker design with front access vents and a better lid attachment. It still has no significant backstop for the grates, however, and no bottom tray for catching ash—which means it just kind of pours out on the ground. And at $750 at the time of writing, it was beyond our price consideration. These are not paid placements, they are a curated selection of reviewed products. 3) Tell us everything we need to know to help such as the type of cooker and thermometer. Dial thermometers are often off by as much as 50°F so if you are not using a good digital thermometer we probably can’t help you with time and temp questions. Max Good - Max Good, AmazingRibs.com's Vice President of Product Reviews & Keeper of the Flame, is the man in charge of finding the best products for the AmazingRibs.com Equipment Reviews section. Max bottles his own barbecue sauce recipes and now sells them around the country. As with all Weber Kettles, the straightforward design made assembly easy. You do not have to be present at the time of pickup, please leave all items outside in a fashion similar to how they were delivered. From 1999 to 2001 there was a period of tremendous growth for the business. Several additional product lines were added and delivery/setup services were expanded. Many folks strongly believe charcoal produces better flavor than gas. Equipped with a Tuck-Away™ lid holder for convenient lid placement, taller legs, and Char-Basket™ fuel holders. Recently, they changed the company name to SnS Grills and introduced their very own Slow 'N Sear Kettle Grill. If you add the cost of a Slow 'N Sear insert to a Weber Performer the Slow 'N Sear Kettle is about the same price. This makes it a solid package deal that's definitely worth the consideration of folks on the lookout for a new charcoal burner. Speaking of Slow 'N Sear, this company was built on their innovative charcoal insert, mentioned above. It's a high quality, stainless steel accessory that instantly upgrades Weber kettles and many other round, charcoal-burning cookers by enhancing two-zone separation and intensifying sear power. Clean the cooking grate as you would any other grate — use a good grill cleaning tool to remove food debris (when it’s still warm), but don’t use anything metal. You may want to occasionally wash it with warm water and perhaps a mild soap. Similarly, you’ll probably have to scrape stuff off the lower charcoal grate, though possibly not after each use. It’s a fairly large grill with lots of primary cooking space. Grilling for a large family or a crowd of guests is no problem. We love this grill, and it always appears highly in our roundup of the best charcoal grills available. 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. Performer Charcoal Grill in Black with Built-In Thermometer and Storage Rack available in this collection. Upon extinguishing the coal and allowing the grill to cool down, you canclean the gratesusing a scraper or wire grill brush. If needed, you can take the grates off and soak them in soapy water for a few hours to loosen up burnt-on food and grease. Once they're clean, make sure to oil them using a rag or paper towel to prevent rust. We noted similar temperature performance from the Nexgrill, along with similar rib results. Since 1995, Epicurious has been the ultimate food resource for the home cook, with daily kitchen tips, fun cooking videos, and, oh yeah, over 33,000 recipes. Whether you're grilling a big batch of burgers, a delicate whole fish, or a ton of cherry tomatoes, the grill basket's got your back. This simple, inexpensive tool will help you take on grilling's biggest challenges with none of the stress. Karl likes to spread the charcoal so that it covers about half of the kettle. We didn’t have a charcoal starter on hand this time around, so we used some firestarter gel from Hasty-Bake.