The Best Charcoal Grills of 2023

The enclosed ash catcher below the grill body is a major upgrade in this version and makes cleanup much easier (more on that later). Weber makes charcoal grills for every budget, ranging from around $50 to over $2,000. The most popular weber genesis 2, the Original Kettle, can be found for between $100 and $450, with the differences coming in diameter, ash management, colors, and cooking grates. With the ultimate grilling machine, mastering the art of grilling for special occasions and creating delicious, everyday meals is as simple as lighting a fire on your charcoal grill.

After 45 minutes, we flipped the chicken parts and applied barbecue sauce every five minutes until the cook time reached an hour flat. Then we had a taste, paying special attention to moisture in the breast meat. Those designs offer attractive weber genesis 2 versatility, but they’re also expensive, and kamados especially have difficult learning curves. And Joe Salvaggio of Big Apple BBQ noted that wood pellets simply don’t produce the searing heat you need to make perfect burgers or steaks.

weber charcoal grill

And sadly, the ribs it produced came out burned, charred and overdone. Interior temperatures had a greater swing, jumping up to 300 degrees F during periods of cooking. While its ribs came out tender and juicy overall, the exterior bark had a few burnt spots. The difference between the two was largely in the crispiness of the skin, with the Weber producing the superior results. Meat from the Nexgrill was delicious, with just a bit more flavor than the Weber. Between them, I’d say it largely depends on your budget and what style of grill you prefer for other meats like burgers or steak.

As is, it requires some effort to roll the grill through the grass into storage or when the kids need the yard for a soccer game or water fight. A minor complaint for sure, but I think it is an easy and obvious fix. I set up the grill in under 15 minutes, and three or four of those were spent taking it out of the box.

The bird cooked on the Nexgrill cart-style grill came in right behind, a close second in terms of flavor and texture. We measured charcoal in a chimney by grams, and in a ratio for that grill’s specific surface area. We lit the charcoal inside the chimney, letting it burn until the smoke dissipated and the coals began to turn grayish-white, then put the charcoal into the grill. After the grill was heated up for 10 minutes, the steaks were ready to hit the grill grate. The Nexgrill Cart-Style Charcoal Grill is a compelling alternative to the Weber, especially if you prefer a cart-style backyard cooker.