To test the indirect heat, we cooked raw beer brats and bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. Cooking a variety of meats allowed us to observe grill marks, crispiness, and doneness. After the grills had fully cooled, we cleaned each, following the manufacturer’s instructions as closely as we could. We assembled each grill according to the manufacturer’s instructions. I timed each build and noted any confusing directions or hard-to-finagle parts.
Then, I called my friend and resident AoM meat-cooking consultant, Karl Engel, and asked him to show me the ropes on how to cook with it. To get reacquainted with the Weber Kettle Grill as a grown man, I first went down to my local Home Depot and bought the classic model for myself. Once the victuals were hot and sizzling, they were eagerly placed inside soft Wonder Bread buns, slathered with ketchup and all the other fixins, and devoured with gusto. After enjoying the sound of a newly birthed charcoal fire, we’d stand around the grill and watch the flame slowly get smaller and smaller, and the charcoal get whiter and whiter. And, if you already know charcoal, but you’re looking for a better experience than what you’ve got now, you can’t go wrong with a Weber. Overall, it’s well-designed, well-built, and deserving of the Weber name.
The handle on the lid stays cool to the touch, and there’s an adjustable air vent on the side of the unit to help you regulate temperature. The whole grill is powder-coated for durability, and when it’s time to clean up, simply remove and dump the ash pan. 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. Ace Hardware has everything you need to become a grilling pro. The 26-inch Original Kettle® Premium is the charcoal grill you want at your next party.
Reviewers say the quality of this product is great and that the grill will undoubtedly serve you well for years to come. The authenticity of charcoal grilling started with the Original Kettle® Series grills, invented by Weber? His idea was that the rounded cooking bowl portable bbq 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. It’s the grill made for everyone and loved around the world.
Stay true to the modern version of the kettle that started it all – the Weber Original Kettle. Invented by Weber’s founder, and loved around the world, this is the essence of charcoal grilling. Portable table fits under grill cover – when you’re not using your charcoal grill, this portable table folds up and lies flat so that you can insert it underneath your grill cover for storage. This is the only add-on grill shelf that can be stored inside the grill.
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 weber q grill. After the grill was heated up for 10 minutes, the steaks were ready to hit the grill grate. Napoleon delivered excellent cooking results in our ribs test. In our chicken test it held a high temperature for longer than any other grill in the lineup.
They’re not much cheaper than the Weber, and the quality just isn’t there. Add the extra money you pay for the Napoleon grill over the Weber kettle that it weber q emulates, and the Weber model’s superiority is even starker. Nothing beats the smoky barbecue flavour that can only be created on a charcoal barbecue.
From an aesthetic standpoint, it’s hard not to like this classic-looking grill. It has changed very little since the actual original Weber… and why should it? Just to look at it is to conjure up memories of family cookouts and good times — even if you’ve never owned one. The Weber Original Kettle is no more difficult to use than any other charcoal grill.
Other than a couple of convenience features, this is just straight-up grilling. Nicholas McClelland is an expert on all the topics that will help you have a great summer, from grills to whiskey to golf. He graduated from The Missouri School of Journalism and has been testing products and writing for The Spruce Eats since April 2019. Sixty years ago, Weber Brothers Metal Works, later called Weber-Stephen Products, used to make mailboxes, fireplace equipment and a number of various other metal-based products. George Stephen, Sr., a salesman at the company, then decided the grills of the day weren’t up to snuff.
We were underwhelmed with the performance of the Napoleon 22-inch grill, which is most likely a result of the grill needing more briquettes to really work well. The kettle on this model is pretty deep and you can adjust the cooking grate to two different levels. We wouldn’t advise cooking with the grate at the highest level if you’re looking for a nice sear since it’s too far off the heat.