The Best Charcoal Grill to Buy in 2022: Tested and Reviewed Buy a wireless digital meat thermometer, you’ll be much happier over the long run. One feature you also don’t get with the Original Kettle is a thermometer in the lid. In 1964, Weber upgraded the metal handle on the lid to a wooden one. One fellow wrote, “There’s a price tag on having your grill double as a piece of art.” Some just want to stand out and be the envy of their neighborhood. Before you rush out to grab one of these beauties, we need to mention they cost twice as much as the standard Original Kettle Premium Grill. That double-dollar whammy will stop a lot of grillers dead in their tracks wondering, “Why should I pay twice as much for a few extra ornaments? ” If you don’t think these special edition grills are worth the price you probably shouldn’t buy them. There is no appreciable performance benefit over the standard Premium Kettle which we have previously reviewed and awarded a platinum medal. And to learn more about how we tested and what we looked for, scroll to the bottom. At $129, Weber's original, kettle-style charcoal grill continues to stand the test of time. In our high-heat searing tests, Weber delivered the best balance of seared exterior and medium-rare interior steak. The Weber kettle grill gave us tasty chicken too, with crispy chicken skin. The Weber can also smoke low and slow at a rock-steady cooking temperature. The Smokey Mountain Cooker™ smoker has two cooking grates to smoke two large items at once or plenty of ribs. The fuel door is removable so that adding charcoal and wood is easy, and the dampers allow you to be in control of the heat for tender, fall-off-the-bone meat. With 360 square inches of primary cooking surface, the grill box is larger than the 300 square-inch Classic model, but retains PK's characteristic flat bottom and rectangular shape. There's also a unique configuration of bottom left and right adjustable air intake dampers and corresponding top left and right exhaust dampers. The wide flat bottom makes it easy to push charcoal to one side and create two very distinct direct and indirect zones. With charcoal grills, I test for effective air control by smoking low and slow at 225°F, roasting in the mid-range around 350°F, and letting 'er rip with a blazing, red hot fire. The Smokey Mountain Cooker™ smoker has two cooking grates for smoking multiple items at once, and dampers that adjust easily so that you’re always in control of the heat—and your feast. Make grilling season easier on yourself and clean your grill at the start of each grilling session, not at the end. Start by lighting your coals and letting your grill heat up for about 10 minutes. This should heat the grates enough that any crusted-on food can be easily removed with a grill brush. After you clean the grates, oil them using a paper towel dipped in oil and held in tongs. Max Good is the vice president and director of equipment reviews for AmazingRibs.com. Because of the kettle-shape design, there’s no practical way to include a secondary cooking surface for cooking delicate items, warming buns, etc. The bowl and lid are protected against burn-through and rust-through for 10 years. The one-touch cleaning system comes with a 5-year warranty, also covering burn-through and rust-through, plus you get 5 years on the plastic bits, not including fading or discoloring. There’s a hook inside the lid for hanging on the bowl which helps prevent damage to it, and a special handle just for rolling the grill around. From an aesthetic standpoint, it’s hard not to like this classic-looking grill. The goal was a steady hold at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and we adjusted the vents to get as close to that as we could. After 45 minutes, we flipped the chicken parts, slathered on a coating of barbecue sauce, and closed the lid for another five minutes. We repeated this step twice more, rounding out the cook time at an hour flat. Then we had a taste, paying special attention to the breast meat—a long cook can dry it out. Enjoy the great outdoors and barbecue to your heart's content with charcoal grills from the brands you trust like Masterbuilt, Char-Broil, and Weber. A high quality grill made from heavy duty, weather-resistant stainless steel will provide years of tasty burgers, juicy bratwurst, and cherished memories.