You want to find a grill made of quality materials to ensure longevity, heat dispersal, and heat retention. Weber uses a variation of enamel-coated metal for the body of most grills, weber portable grill which is suitable for all of those factors. Enamel-coated cast iron grates are excellent for their non-stick properties, searing, and easy cleaning, but they’re heavy.
It’s also ideal for large families or anyone who regularly cooks for a crowd. 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. To my childhood mind, firing up a Weber charcoal grill had existential significance. It felt like an important, manly task because in my home, like I’m sure in many homes across America, my dad was in charge of it. Then he’d empty out the old ashes into a brown paper sack and hand me the cooking grate to go clean in the laundry room.
Below, a slide-out ash tray/shelf/drawer runs the entire width of the grill. The pop-up stand takes little effort to operate, and the wheels make moving the grill from the car to the cooking spot a simple task. The Traveler requires assembly, a job that took us about 15 minutes, and given its heat retention, it cooled quickly, making it easier to pack after cooking. We suggest taking out the grill grates to scrub them, though, as cleaning them made the entire setup shake. The innovative design and unlimited potential of the Summit® Charcoal Grill lands it in a class of its own. Sear the perfect steak, grill a whole chicken, or transform your grill into a smoker, creating mouthwatering ribs.
Stay true to the modern version of the kettle that started it all—the Original Kettle®, invented by Weber’s founder, and loved around the world. Its ultra-durable, porcelain-enameled lid and bowl retain heat, while the weber charcoal grill dampers easily adjust for precise temperature control. In evaluating charcoal grills, we evaluated their performance with evenness of cooking, grill marks, caramelization and char, tenderness, and overall flavor.
Stainless steel grates don’t leave the same degree of charring and grill marks, are more prone to sticking, and require more effort to clean. If your grill has wheels, examine the material carefully, as you want hard, preferably rubber, wheels and a solid construction where they attach to the grill. We have a whole guide right here to help you get started with charcoal grilling, from arranging your coals to determining temperature and even controlling flare-ups. The best way to light your grill without the scent of chemicals is to forgo lighter fluid and use a chimney starter. This model from Weber is our favorite for size and usability.
But even within the category of charcoal grills, the price varies widely. We performed a variety of tests on popular models, including smoking baby back ribs and cooking T-bone steaks, to determine which charcoal grills hit the mark in five key categories. The enormous capacity of the Ranch® kettle charcoal grill sets the tone for a party that lasts until tomorrow. With more than 1,000 square inches of grilling space and a stainless steel hinged cooking grate for easily adding charcoal, you’re set up to grill for the masses. The 26-inch Original Kettle® Premium is the charcoal grill you want at your next party.
The gas ignition makes lighting coal as easy as pushing a button. A cheap charcoal grill isn’t worth the savings if it’s unstable, struggles to maintain temperature, or is awkward to use. Likewise, a high-end, expensive grill is only worth the splurge if it helps you cook a superior steak (or burger, or whatever), and is a pleasure to use. While a charcoal chimney is one of the most highly recommended methods for lighting charcoal, Electric starters, such as the Looftlighter, work great (and they’re fast).
Wake up and light the smoker, because succulent pulled pork and fall-off-the-bone ribs come to those who wait. 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. It’s a portable grill with full-size performance, thanks to its enamel cast iron grates and a single, circular burner that ensures even heating across the cooking area. It stood out in multiple rounds of tests for excellent heat retention and quick recovery time after we opened the lid. There were also minimal flare-ups and no excessive charring or undercooked spots during cooking tests.
Its ultra-durable, porcelain-enameled lid and bowl retain heat, while the dampers can be easily adjusted for precise temperature control. The authenticity of charcoal grilling started with the Original Kettle® Series grills, invented by Weber? His idea was that the rounded cooking bowl with a lid was the key to success. The ultra-durable, porcelain-enameled lid and bowl are uniquely designed to retain the charcoal’s heat, while dampers are easily adjusted for precise temperature control.