However, many grilling purists don’t feel that gas grills offer the same smoky flavor that you can get from a charcoal grill. Weber gas grills tend to cost more than charcoal models, but gas is usually cheaper to operate in the long run. The grill is a classic 22-inch kettle, offering 363 square inches of cooking space, and there’s a weather-protected charcoal storage bin underneath the grill’s shelf. Most charcoal grills are simple, but this one has various extra features that make it more convenient.
Leaky grills are harder to control and get rated accordingly. To dial in my target cooking temperatures accurately, I use multi-channel digital thermometers with temperature probes clipped to the cooking surface. Charcoal grills usually don’t have as many bells and whistles as gassers, but I assess whatever goodies are included, particularly ash removal systems. This multi-level charcoal grill from KamadoJoe features a thick-walled, heat-resistant ceramic shelf that locks in smoke and moisture when cooking.
Meat from the Nexgrill was delicious, with just a bit more flavor than the Weber. Between them, I’d say it largely depends on your budget and what style of grill you prefer for other meats like burgers or steak. For our tests, each grill gets a full chimney of lit charcoal and a 6-pound chicken opposite the coals for indirect heat. For this review, I focused on the top-rated Gold and Platinum Medal winning models from the AmazingRibs.com database of almost 600 searchable equipment reviews. The list below spans a range of features and prices, including both newer models and well-established leaders in the field. Weber provides the dimensions of a grill’s primary cooking area, secondary cooking area, (including side burners and warming trays), and total cooking area.
The charcoal briquettes (Kingsford Blue) form a line two coals wide and two coals deep. 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. Testing charcoal grills requires a lot of hands-on cooking, and your results will obviously vary based on your technique and ingredients, among other factors. Depending on the season and how your charcoal grill is set up, your experience cooking and grilling will likely be very different from ours. For example, a kettle-style charcoal grill left in the July sun all day will run a lot hotter than it will in the cooler spring months.
Even if it costs a little more, you’ll be glad you shelled out the extra dough for that convenience, which takes away much of the pain in the ash. A grill grate is the surface you put your food on to cook, and it’s the only part that makes direct contact with your ingredients. With that in mind, the material your grate is made of directly affects your food’s taste and cook time, as well as the lifespan of your grill.
Portable charcoal grills for tailgating and camping are popular and effective. This is typically accomplished by piling or corralling your charcoal fuel on one side to create a hot direct cooking zone over the weber charcoal grill fire and a moderate indirect zone on the opposite side. A two-zone setup helps you avoid charred chicken and exploding sausage, plus it gives you the option to gently roast or sizzle and sear at the same time.
“For the money you cannot beat this grill.” Cook up the best ribs with these five grilling tools. When it comes to charcoal grills, sometimes workspace is limited. This deluxe charcoal grill from Weber changes that, with space for food prep along with storage space underneath. It features an electronic touch-and-go gas ignition system and removable LCD cook timer and built-in lid thermometer.