We got good results in one or another respect with the other models, but they didn’t perform consistently great on everything the way the Weber did. It’s compact yet big enough to cook an entire elaborate meal for a family, a simple spread for a party, or even a whole Thanksgiving turkey. Over the course of two days, we put three charcoal grills through a battery weber genesis 2 of tests designed to demonstrate their qualities and highlight their differences. We cooked burgers on high heat to see how well the grills seared meat and how even and intense a heat they could generate across the whole grate surface. Then we slow-grilled cut-up chickens to see if our contenders could hold a low temperature evenly across the whole grate.
To get reacquainted with the Weber Kettle Grill as a grown man, I first went down to my local Home Depot and bought the classic model for myself. The Weber Original Kettle grill comes in three sizes — 18, 22, and 26 inches in diameter. We like the 22-inch model because it allows you to roast a whole brisket or pork shoulder, but you may want to weber charcoal grill size up or down depending on your needs. Buy a cheaper grill as you like, but the difference of about $20 (give or take) isn’t worth the loss of several, if not more, years of the good use you’ll get out of a Weber. Save for grills made with painted galvanized steel (which, again, aren’t built to last), you’re not going to find a cheaper grill.
One thing to note is the inaccurate temperature on the built-in dial. We observed off readings and ended up relying on a secondary thermometer. Two aspects we didn’t like are the smaller hood can translate weber genesis 2 to too-high heat when kept closed, and the built-in thermometer was consistently inaccurate. You’ll want to make sure you have a second thermometer on-hand and be prepared for a small learning curve.
Charcoal grilling meets everyday life with the Performer Premium charcoal grill. Simply light a charcoal chimney of charcoal, arrange your briquettes or lump charcoal based on what you’re grilling/smoking, adjust your vents, and you’re off to the races. “Grilling is all about high heat and using direct heat to cook each side of the meat, so you don’t need to use the lid. If I were grilling steaks, I might use the lid to get some oven-like cooking while I’m grilling the meat. In that case, I’d put the lid on and open up its vents,” Karl told me.
First, we set up each grill for a low-and-slow burn, using the charcoal snake method. In the case of kettle models, we arrange coals in a semicircle around the grill’s inner wall. The charcoal briquettes (Kingsford Blue) form a line two coals wide and two coals deep. We also drop a few chunks of smokewood on top of the snake (aka fuse).