When it comes to flavor, experts say it’s hard to beat a charcoal-fired grill. Karl likes to spread the charcoal so that it covers about half of the kettle. We didn’t have a charcoal starter on hand this time around, so we used some firestarter gel from Hasty-Bake. It doesn’t evaporate quickly like traditional lighter portable bbq fluid and doesn’t give your meat that gross lighter fluid taste. 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. Since then they have continued to expand their indoor showroom and outdoor patio.
The resulting chicken was tasty, and the grill features really well-made cast-iron grates across its 365 square inches of cooking area. The lid houses a temperature gauge and a handy hinge that makes it easy to add charcoal. This grill can hold up to nine burgers on its plated steel cooking grate, and it features an enameled porcelain lid and bowl, lid hook, and easy-to-adjust dampers. It has durable wheels for easy transport, and you can clean up quickly using the one-touch cleaning system, which sweeps ash and debris into the rust-resistant ash catcher. In our testing, the Weber Premium was hands down the easiest grill to control temperature on, with the flames inside the kettle responding expertly to any tap of the vents.
This same desire for escapism led the growing Tiki culture—an adaptation of what was perceived as the tropical lifestyle. In the mid-1950s, his father told him that he had to make a choice, says Kempster, either he sells grills or he works at the metal company; he couldn’t do both. So without much financial backing, Stephen took a chance, struck out on his own and began to grow his burgeoning business. At the time, Weber Brothers Metal Works was filling orders for metal buoys for both the Coast Guard and the Chicago Yacht Club. So Stephen took two of the half spheres for the buoys and created a grill.
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, but it’s far less useful. We backed this reporting up with comprehensive research—the in-depth, professional reviews at AmazingRibs.com being a standout source—and hands-on time with grills at the big hardware chains. Featuring the biggest selection of sauces, rubs and accessories! The Weber Original Kettle dots the backyard of millions of American homes, making it practically synonymous with summer grilling.
The oval shape of the grill made it easy to cook multiple types of food, from skewers to roasted corn. After she was done testing, cleanup was a breeze, whether using a grill brush or removing the grate to clean in the kitchen sink. A couple of downsides discovered during testing were that the lid can detach while cooking and the portable bbq lack of a built-in thermometer means you’ll need to have your own. There’s a built-in lid thermometer and dampers on the lid that allow you to monitor and adjust the inner temperature. Gas grills are mainly for convenient, quick cooks — they work “hot and fast,” says Horsman, great for firing up hot dogs and burgers after work.
If a rounded barbecue like a BGE can have one, surely this could, too? At least you get a small shelf down in the legs, but I’d love a handy spot to rest my sauces, rubs, tools, thermometer transmitter, drink, and so on. Additionally, I can cook just about anything I like portable bbq thanks to the ample diameter and the bulbous dome. Just about every part can be ordered if you’ve broken or lost something, and you can send an email to ask just about anything. If you’re the type that likes to talk to actual people, give the toll-free number a ring.
You’ll also want to wipe down the inside of the lid and bowl using a mild soap. After cooking, the best way to put out hot coals is to close the lid and shut both the upper and lower vents to cut off the oxygen supply. Closing the lid and vents will extinguish the coals, but it may take a while for the coals to cool down. Whether you’re replacing a well-loved grill or buying your very first one, you can’t go wrong with the Weber Original Kettle Premium 22-Inch Charcoal Grill. While widely viewed as the best charcoal grill you can buy, this thoughtfully-designed grill is also quite affordable, costing hundreds less than high-end models. Plus, our reviewer said it took him less than 15 minutes to put it together.
On balance, gas is probably the better choice if you favor no-fuss cooking or grill often . If you’re an occasional griller or you enjoy getting hands-on with your cooking, charcoal is an economical choice that, with a bit of practice, produces superb results. Nothing beats the smoky barbecue flavor that can only be created on a charcoal grill. The Big Green Egg, which debuted in the 1970s, is a kamado grill that also burns charcoal but with a more airtight design and a bigger basin.
The Weber can also smoke low and slow at a rock-steady cooking temperature. 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. This high-tech model offers 560 square inches of cooking space, and its reversible cast iron grates can be used for both smoking and searing. For instance, the grill is equipped with cast iron cooking grates, as well as a convenient side drawer for adding charcoal. It even has a built-in wooden side shelf where you can keep tools and serving dishes.
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 weber genesis 2 time to clean up, simply remove and dump the ash pan. If you’re looking to host a big gathering, or just fire up some burgers with friends and family, a grill is a must-have for any outdoor cookout.