The most popular Weber charcoal grill, the Original Kettle, can be found for between $100 and $450, with the differences coming in diameter, ash management, colors, and cooking grates. Superior Heating and Temperature Control- The circular shape of Weber Grills creates a convection heating system which cooks evenly and consistently. Hot and cold spots are a relic of the past with the charcoal grills Weber offers today. Their heat dampening system allows for excellent temperature control and longevity of fuel. Since Weber Grills released the iconic Weber Kettle Grill in 1952, they have become the biggest name in BBQ. For over 60 years, Weber has been a leader in the BBQ industry, and for good reason.
For over 15+ years I simply used the minion method or charcoal snake to smoke (pictured below) with and that still works perfectly fine. I mean I didn’t even have the fancy lid thermometer that I have now and did everything with a old meat probes hanging from exhaust vent near the meat. A good example is the Slow N’ Sear deluxe (read my review here) – which is an add-on for kettle grills that essentially creates a quintessential two-zone fire (pictured below). This durability is due large in part to Weber using nearly the same exact design since 1952.
Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time). 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.
Maintaining a consistent temperature is crucial, and the Weber does this better than any other in its price range. You can thank the porcelain-enameled bowl and lid, which are heat retention pros, for that. Still, keeping an eye on the thermometer will help you determine if you need to add more coal, wood, or even adjust the airflow using the rust-resistant aluminum dampers.
It was also one of the better pellet grills when it came to searing steaks. Due to their comparably simple construction, they tend to cost less than a similarly sized gas or pellet grill. Another powerful draw of these grills is the intense smoky flavor they create in the food they weber genesis 2 cook. They’re versatile too since they can use either traditional charcoal briquettes or lump charcoal as fuel. Our last test is grilling barbecued ribs, specifically baby back pork ribs. This style of cooking requires strict temperature control over a period of multiple hours.
That said, charcoal (especially in briquette form) produces a lot more ash than hardwood. And if you plan to cook low and slow we suggest adding a few chunks of hardwood to your charcoal pile. This brings about more smoke flavor in barbecue meat like pork ribs, pork butt and beef brisket. We tested the 22-inch Weber charcoal grill in black, but Weber also offers an 18-inch version of its original kettle design. There are certainly fancier and more expensive grills to use for cooking, but for a balance of affordability and quality, you can’t go wrong with this classic.
We then oiled the grates and distributed 10 to 12 six-ounce patties across the whole cooking surface (depending on the grill). While the burgers cooked we kept an eye out for undesirable flare-ups, which can char the meat and create acrid smoke, and examined the evenness of cooking on the different areas of the grates. After about 10 minutes of cooking (five minutes per side, lid open), we compared how well each grill had seared the burgers, looking for any patties that were charred or unacceptably raw, and took a taste.