For our tests, each grill gets a full chimney of lit charcoal and a 6-pound chicken opposite the coals for indirect heat. None of the hood thermometers built into these grills mirrored the temperatures recorded by our own thermocouples and data software. We tested several brand-name models to find out which is the best charcoal grill for your next cookout. Up top, the Weber model’s lid vent is a simple disc of aluminum; you just flick it left or right to open or close the vent holes.
The Nexgrill definitely gets hot enough to create a nice sear, but you do have to work a little harder than you do with the Weber to avoid overcooking your meat. You can also raise the Nexgrill’s adjustable charcoal tray basket to its highest position. The grates are just 27 inches from the ground, nine inches shy of the standard kitchen-counter height.
The Napoleon grill we tested had hinges on opposite sides of the grate, too. But the PK Grill had a hinge on only one side, which proved inconvenient. All the grills we tested featured simple, thin-wire grates that worked well, with no notable sticking. What really sets the Premium version apart from the standard 22-inch kettle is the enclosed ash catcher, which eliminates concerns about stray embers and makes cleanup easy. There’s nothing quite like the simple pleasure of cooking over charcoal on a nice grill like this. If you’ve never cooked with charcoal before, the Original Kettle is an excellent grill for discovering this style of barbecue.
With a price tag well below $100, this is also the kind of grill you could have shipped to a vacation destination and wouldn’t have to feel bad leaving behind. But once you factor in price, performance, and design, the Weber is the heavy hitter in the arena of charcoal grills. A high-end portable bbq ceramic kamado grill, while a superior cooker thanks to its insulation, will run you $800 minimum. Barrel-style charcoal grills, while larger, can be more difficult to manage and harder to clean. No matter what you slap on it, the Weber can cook it—hot and fast or low and slow.
This is a straight-up charcoal grill that would be right at home in a Norman Rockwell painting. If you’re looking to turn your Kettle into a smart grill, this is the way. It’s a lot of functionality that takes some of the pressure off of you to be an infallible pitmaster. The basic kit comes with an aluminum pizza tray, but we recommend using weber charcoal grill a classic pizza stone for a crispier foundation. Naturally, this isn’t going to give you the same results as a dedicated pizza oven, but it’s still a fun and affordable way to cook a pizza outdoors. One other trick to note during assembly is that you will have to apply a little bit of tension to the legs when installing the wheels.