Charcoal and Kettle Grills

For an electric grill that performs great wherever there is a power outlet, choose the Q 1400 from Weber. This compact but mighty electric grill delivers great flavor and doesn’t require propane or charcoal. Instead, plug the unit into an electrical outlet, adjust the weber charcoal grill temperature setting, and then get ready to grill. Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions.

For our tests, each grill gets a full chimney of lit charcoal and a 6-pound chicken opposite the coals for indirect heat. But the biggest problem is that the instructions completely overlook what we found to be a potentially dangerous design flaw. The Napoleon’s vent assembly consists of two metal collars, one inside the other. When you invert the assembly to screw it to the grill, the inner collar can slip down unnoticed and prevent the screws from attaching to the grill body.

weber charcoal grill

Masterbuilt’s Gravity Series charcoal grills work similarly to how an electric-powered pellet grill works, minus the auger that pulverizes the fuel ahead of it hitting the firebox. The grates are made of cast iron, but they are coated in porcelain. The porcelain coating prevents food from sticking, so the grates don’t need seasoning.

Plus, the size-to-weight ratio is fabulous; there’s a lot of grate space, but it’s light enough to move it around to wherever I feel like grilling. There’s a learning curve, of course, when it comes to controlling heat on a charcoal grill, but once learned, it’s plain sailing from there. 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. Spider Grills Pella manages to make the charcoal-fueled Weber a wood-pellet grill in an elegant and easy way.

The basic kit comes with an aluminum pizza tray, but we recommend using a classic pizza stone for a crispier foundation. Naturally, this isn’t going to give you the same results as a dedicated pizza oven, but it’s still a fun and affordable way to cook a pizza outdoors. Sixty years ago, Weber Brothers Metal Works, later called Weber-Stephen Products, used to make mailboxes, fireplace equipment and a number of various other metal-based products. George Stephen, Sr., a salesman at the company, then decided the grills of the day weren’t up to snuff. Not to beat a dead burger, but the aforementioned thermometer really did help me manage my fire better.

We enjoyed the ease of being able to hinge open the lid on the Blackjack for a quick flip of our meat during our tests. If you want to use a wood pellet grill, you’ll definitely get great-tasting food, though you’ll have to plan in advance to have pellets on hand. Since wood pellet grills work by indirect weber charcoal grill heat, you’ll be able to smoke food as well, without any accessories. You will need to make sure there’s an electric outlet nearby since most need to be plugged-in for the ignition and the auger. The SmokeFire EX4 has a 20-pound pellet hopper, as well as a DC-powered engine designed to prevent auger jams.

Sign up to receive new product news, exclusive offers, grilling tips & recipes, and more from Weber and its affiliates / subsidiaries! Combustion by-products produced when using this product contain chemicals known to the State of California weber q to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. From 1999 to 2001 there was a period of tremendous growth for the business. Several additional product lines were added and delivery/setup services were expanded.

What you will have to do after each use is remove unused charcoal and ash that falls to the bottom. Buy a wireless digital meat thermometer, you’ll be much happier over the long run. That’s just one of the questions I’ll answer in this review of the OG of Weber grills. She was helpful, kind, thorough, and an absolute pleasure in helping me with my defective kamado smoker (apparently shipping a 260lb giant clay pot acr … At Texas Star Grill Shop, we take pride in offering the best prices in Houston, guaranteed.

Another great component is the hinged grate’s circular insert where you can quickly add charcoals while cooking. You do have to take the whole grate off to re-adjust your fuel though, one of the few downsides. When grilling time is over, this again has an advantage over older kettle grills. The ash is swept into the bottom catcher for easy disposal once it’s cooled, while everything else only needs a quick wipe-down.