The Napoleon grill, which we otherwise didn’t love, is a generous 34 inches in height at the grate, making it more comfortable to work on. 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. Outstanding Customer Service- Weber is well known in the BBQ industry for having excellent customer service. They go the extra mile to ensure that every purchaser of a finds a solution to any problem they encounter, and always feels satisfied with their grill. Built to Last- Charcoal Weber Grills feature a tried and true design and solid engineering.
Still, keeping an eye on the thermometer will help you determine if you need to add more coal, wood, or even adjust the airflow using the rust-resistant aluminum dampers. These vents are also useful when extinguishing the fire, as closing them cuts off oxygen. The Q 1400 is the electric cousin of the gas-fueled Q 1200 and is a good fit for balcony cooking where gas or charcoal are prohibited. The grill temperature on the high setting maxed out our thermometer at 610°F after five minutes.
I found that just pushing the leg in a little and then tapping the wheel covers on with a hammer (ball-peen, claw, or even a rubber mallet) worked. Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions.
All you need is a Phillips screwdriver to attach the side handles, and a hammer (or even just a chunk of firewood) to tap the end caps of the wheel axle into place. weber q One person can have the grill up and running within minutes of opening the box. By contrast, other grills we tested had cumbersome assembly processes.
The Weber grill has three legs—an inherently stable design, because having three points of contact means the legs will automatically “find their level,” even on bumpy ground. That said, the Napoleon model’s four legs felt just as stable, and more stiff, on a garden-variety concrete patio, and also allowed Napoleon to install a big, square shelf underneath the grill. The Weber grill has a smaller, triangular shelf, which is far less useful.
This Weber’s plated steel cooking grate is hinged so that it’s easier to load charcoal, even while cooking, onto the heavy-gauge steel grate below. With this method, the coals take about 10 minutes to light and another 10 for the grill to get hot. The secret to heat control with this grill is the top and bottom dampers that form convection during cooking. That control and responsiveness, combined with its heat-retaining design, results in intense, high heat for searing or a low-and-slow smoke.
It’s small enough to pack and transport easily, and it was pretty easy to clean. But the weight is also a product of the features that make it perform well, so we consider it a reasonable trade off. The Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill 22″ is a classic for good reason. In our tests it outperformed the other grills in cooking, ease of assembly, and user-friendly details.
The grate has a removable center, meant for adding a pizza stone or other Weber cooking accessories. While beginners may look for a more basic model, we’d argue that the Performer’s features make it approachable for grillers of all levels. Lesley Stockton is a senior staff writer reporting on all things cooking and entertaining for Wirecutter. Her expertise builds on a lifelong career in the culinary world—from a restaurant cook and caterer to a food editor at Martha Stewart.
I’ve never had the same quality of heating or longevity that I get from a Weber,” says Catherine Ward, our Taste of Home prep kitchen manager, who owns four of these amazing charcoal grills. To clean the grates, build a fire, heat up the grill, and then take a bristle-free wire brush (metal bristles can fall out and end up in your food, and you don’t want that) and scrape. Every few cooks, I like to use a Shop-Vac to remove any greasy ashes stuck in the bottom of the grill.