Weber Original Kettle Premium 22 Charcoal Grill Review
We also drop a few chunks of smokewood on top of the snake (aka fuse). On cart-style grills, we modify the snake to run in right angles to match their rectangular-shaped fireboxes. The best charcoal grill for steak searing in our lineup was the Weber Classic Kettle. The steak had nice grill marks while keeping a medium doneness on the inside. The worst was our Tacklife review unit, which didn’t hold much heat and didn’t sear while cooking. The steak on that grill needed an additional five minutes to get to a temperature of 135 F, the minimum for medium rare.
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 lack of a simple lid hook feels like a design oversight and removing and replacing the ash catcher isn’t as smooth as it should be because the damper handle gets caught on the legs. There’s no function for pushing the ashes into the catcher, either, so it has to be done manually with a grill brush or other tool.
Equipped with a Tuck-Away™ lid holder for convenient lid placement, taller legs, and Char-Basket™ fuel holders for easily arranging briquettes, all you need to focus on is mastering your dish. Combustion by-products produced when using this product contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. All products featured on Epicurious are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Weber Kettles are available in cooking diameters from 14″ to 37″, with the most common being the Weber “Original” Kettle at 22″.
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. We also compared how each of these grills performed in our grilling tests and evaluated other parts of the user experience, such as vent control and assembly. For most items over 150 pounds our free standard shipping service will be freight and will include free curb-side delivery and lift gate service. Upon delivery, the driver will take it off the truck for you but it is your responsibility to bring it onto your property. We inventory many of our products in our warehouse in North Liberty, Iowa to provide quick and flexible shipping options for the entire country.
Pick your favorite kettle color, trim, and then choose from an array of specialty accessories, upgrades, and features. The grates are just 27 inches weber portable grill from the ground, nine inches shy of the standard kitchen-counter height. So cooking on it can be a literal pain in the butt (and lower back).
I broke in my new kettle with steaks but you can grill anything you want and still follow the tips below. Email updates from our community of grill masters, food enthusiasts, and lovers of outdoor cooking. With a Weber, you’ll be grilling for years and years and years and—(you get it, for a long time).
An access door on the front of the grill makes it easy to add or manipulate coals while cooking too. While there are many kettle-style grills out there, don’t be fooled by those knock-off brands. Weber kettle grills are made with superior construction and built to last for years.
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. A clean grill is essential to flavor, and cleaning the Weber is a fairly simple affair thanks to the ash catcher. I managed to get it all in the can every time—something I can’t say about the original plate-style catcher, with which I probably lost an average of about 40 percent of the ashes to the wind. A heat shield just beneath the heat-resistant glass-reinforced nylon lid handle prevents you from burning yourself. The enclosed ash catcher below the grill body is a major upgrade in this version and makes cleanup much easier (more on that later).
It’s also a lot compared with the Weber’s 363-square-inch cooking area. They’re bulkier, the assembly is more involved and you’ll likely need more fuel to keep the larger space at a high temperature. Our results, however, were almost weber portable grill as good as with the kettle-style Weber, so if you’re interested in a cart-style charcoal BBQ, this is your best bet. If you do not have a grill, the Weber Original Kettle Premium 22” Charcoal Grill is the place to start.
There are certainly fancier and more expensive grills to use for cooking, but for a balance of affordability and quality, you can’t go wrong with this classic. Charcoal grills are also often more affordable than their gas counterparts, making them a good option for tight budgets and beginner grillers. All you need for charcoal grilling is a lighter, a bag of charcoal and your favorite ingredients. In no time you’ll be reaping the rewards of an easy meal with true smoky flavor.