We experienced even heating and few flare-ups during our testing, with our home tester claiming that it’s “worth the splurge.” We’ve long recommended Weber’s charcoal kettle grill to anyone looking for a phenomenal cooker at a reasonable price point. But our recent gas grill testing proved Weber is a powerhouse in that department, too (four out of six of our winners in our gas grill test were Webers). If you’re looking to buy on a budget, and/or favor a smoky flavor and scent while grilling, consider Weber’s charcoal grill options. If efficiency is on your list of grilling must-haves, consider a gas grill, which takes less time to heat up.
For that reason, Weber offers generous warranties; years for the cookbox on almost all their full-sized models. Other grill parts, like the knobs, grates, and burner tubes have slightly shorter warranties, ranging from three to 10 years. Yes, you can smoke meat on a Weber charcoal grill, also known as a kettle grill. The simplest way to use your kettle grill as a smoker is to place all of your charcoal briquettes on one side of the grill and your meat on the other. Adding a few small chips of wood to the charcoal will give your meat a more traditionally smoked flavor.
You’ll want to make sure you have a second thermometer on-hand and be prepared for a small learning curve. The Spruce Eats Editor Siobhan Wallace compiled testing data from our official Lab as well as insights from our home testers’ full product reviews to compile this roundup. Jason Horn, The Spruce Eats commerce writer, weber gas grill also contributed to this roundup. Raised in Chicago, he knows that hot dogs should never be topped with ketchup. Beginners will quickly be able to learn the correct damper positions in order to achieve a consistent temperature, as we did. One thing to note is the inaccurate temperature on the built-in dial.
This compact but mighty electric grill delivers great flavor and doesn’t require propane or charcoal. Instead, plug the unit into an electrical outlet, adjust the temperature setting, weber charcoal grill and then get ready to grill. This grill’s open cart design provides additional storage space for your favorite tools, and it has integrated hooks on the side tables, as well.
Placing a pan of water underneath the grates where you will be putting your meat will help to catch drippings, keep the meat more moist, and enable the smoke to adhere better to the meat. If you’re looking for a well-built gas grill to sizzle your steaks, the Weber Spirit II E-310 is our top pick for a gas grill. If you want to use a wood pellet grill, you’ll definitely get great-tasting food, though you’ll have to plan in advance to have pellets on hand. Since wood pellet grills work by indirect heat, you’ll be able to smoke food as well, without any accessories. You will need to make sure there’s an electric outlet nearby since most need to be plugged-in for the ignition and the auger.
This iconic brand’s grills are well-made, sturdy, easy to use, and come with a generous warranty. The 22-inch diameter gives 363 square inches of cooking space within the porcelain-enameled lid and base. Both times we’ve tested it, the assembly has been short-and-sweet, and moving it into place was a breeze. From there, it turned out pork, burgers, steaks, chicken, veggies, and even grilled pineapple with fabulous results. Another great component is the hinged grate’s circular insert where you can quickly add charcoals while cooking.
For grilling, the two important rules to follow are that you’ll need about a pound of meat per person and that you’ll need 72 square inches for each of those servings. For a family of four, 400 to 500 square inches is sufficient—that allows enough room for sides, extras, or the occasionally dinner guest without being too big a grill for everyday use. The SmokeFire EX4 has a 20-pound pellet hopper, as well as a DC-powered engine designed to prevent auger jams. It can even walk you through the grilling process, letting you know when it’s time to flip food—a handy option for novice grillers. For the more fearless among us, they’ll use this as is, but if you want to be a little more careful, it’s easier to take the whole grate off. Another feature that makes the Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill great is its one-touch cleaning system, which sweeps ash into a removable high-capacity container for easy disposal.