Over the course of two days, we put three charcoal grills through a battery of tests. After much discussion, we also decided not to insist on a built-in cart, with side tables, on our charcoal contenders. Most manufacturers offer them as an option, but they can tack on hundreds of dollars to the grill price. weber q They’re handy, no doubt, but if your patio or deck already has a table or countertop, you’re paying for something you don’t need and giving up valuable living space, too. From burgers to chicken to slow-smoked ribs, this Weber model’s time-tested design produces great results—at a terrific price.
For the low-and-slow, whole-grate test, we let the same batch of coals burn down to the white-ash stage with the lid open, which took about 20 minutes. We then reoiled the grates and distributed a whole cut-up chicken—two each of breasts, thighs, drumsticks, and wings—skin side down. Then we closed the lids for 45 minutes, occasionally checking for charring and redistributing the pieces as necessary (ideally, it wouldn’t be necessary at all).
The true original Weber grill, the Weber Original Kettle Grill, can be purchased for under $100, making it our top pick for best budget grill. This grill measures 18 inches wide, which is a noticeable surface-area difference from the 22-inch grill. It does not include a lid hook or thermometer, and the ash catcher is not enclosed.
Its indirect/direct combination roasting application looks particularly tempting. The minion method calls for topping lit coals with unlit briquettes. However, for many, assurance that the grill will react to your signature and keep steady heat when needed is a massive bonus. If you too little, you may sometimes struggle to feed large amounts. But should you purchase too large unnecessarily, then you may use more gas.
A lot of Kamado-style grills are built with ceramic, however the Char Griller is built with double walled stainless steel to improve durability. The powerful performance and convenient features of the Performer charcoal grill is your excuse… Its build isn’t quite as heavy duty as some of the other models on this list, but this is very much a charcoal grill built with convenience in mind. Easy charcoal access is a key factor when looking for a good grill. You need to be able to replace coals as they burn out, and also when it comes to cleaning up after you cook. We noted similar temperature performance from the Nexgrill, along with similar rib results.
I personally pull it out at 160F since it’s easy to overcook poultry. Remember, heat levels will rise for a few minutes while the bird rests off the grill. However, there’s one technique that I swear by and it makes it easy to use your Weber as a smoker.
Cook delicious burgers, juicy steaks, game-day hot dogs and yummy veggies to perfection with a new Weber charcoal grill or Weber smoker grill from Ace Hardware. Weber has the charcoal smokers, portable charcoal grills and all the accessories you need to become a true grill master. Find charcoal barbecue grills to handle everything from grilling to smoking your favorite foods online now. For the high-heat, whole-grate burger test, we lit a chimney’s worth of briquets—the equivalent of six quarts, or about 90 coals of a former runner-up from our extensive briquet tests. We poured the lit coals into the grills, spread them in an even layer, and then heated the grills with the lids down and all vents fully open for 15 minutes (a standard manufacturer’s recommendation).
As the chicken cooked we monitored the grills’ temperatures, using the built-in thermometer where available and a probe thermometer where not. The goal was a steady hold at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and we adjusted the vents to get as close to that as we could. After 45 minutes, we flipped the chicken parts, slathered on a coating of barbecue sauce, and closed the lid for another five minutes. We repeated this step twice more, rounding out the cook time at an hour flat. Then we had a taste, paying special attention to the breast meat—a long cook can dry it out. The Blackjack Kettle Grill also features two air vents, and it was easy to control the grill temperature with them.