You’d be forgiven for thinking this charcoal grill was “just” a smoker, thanks to its design. With features and functions that optimize low-and-slow grilling and smoking, this handsome grill is well-worth the moderately high price. We considered how simple (or not) it weber charcoal grill was to empty the ash catch and wipe out the kettle, as well as clean the grates. Charcoal briquettes and lump charcoal are easier to ignite and keep lit than ordinary firewood. That said, charcoal (especially in briquette form) produces a lot more ash than hardwood.
As with all charcoal grills, your briquettes or lumps rest near the bottom of the bowl on a grate that keeps them off the base of the pit to allow airflow. The main cooking grate is actually three separate pieces that can be lifted off of the grill for access to the charcoal tray—which has holes big enough to brush ash through. Below, a slide-out ash tray/shelf/drawer runs the entire width of the grill. Great Value for the Price- Weber offers a charcoal grill for everyone. Weber grill sizes range from the 14 inch Smokey Joe Portable to the 37 inch Ranch Kettle. The Weber Summit is widely considered to be the best charcoal grill Weber has ever produced.
Lesley Stockton is a senior staff writer reporting on all things cooking and entertaining for Wirecutter. Her expertise builds on a lifelong career in the culinary world—from a restaurant cook and caterer to a food editor at Martha Stewart. She is perfectly happy to leave all that behind to be a full-time kitchen-gear nerd. 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, which is far less useful.
With a price tag well below $100, this is also the kind of grill you could have shipped to a vacation destination and wouldn’t have to feel bad leaving behind. But once you factor in price, performance, and design, the Weber is the heavy hitter in the arena of charcoal grills. A high-end ceramic kamado grill, while a superior cooker thanks to its insulation, will run you $800 minimum. Barrel-style charcoal grills, while larger, can be more difficult to manage and harder to clean. No matter what you slap on it, the Weber can cook it—hot and fast or low and slow.
This grill has enough room for a three-zone charcoal fire—and a handful of beer-can chickens, multiple racks of ribs, or (at least) 20 burgers. It’s also a great grill for slow cooking a whole pork shoulder and then some with or without Char-Griller’s optional side fire box. The lack of a simple lid hook feels like a design oversight and removing and replacing the ash catcher weber charcoal grill 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. I also worry about longevity, mainly because the handles, ash catcher, and lid damper are identical to the same parts on the worst grill we tested.