It’s also ideal for large families or anyone who regularly cooks for a crowd. When used as a smoker, it produced large amounts of smoke and heat, with ribs that ranked among the highest in tenderness and overall rib quality. Due to their comparably simple construction, they tend to cost less than a similarly sized gas or pellet grill. Another powerful weber genesis 2 draw of these grills is the intense smoky flavor they create in the food they cook. They’re versatile too since they can use either traditional charcoal briquettes or lump charcoal as fuel. This Weber’s plated steel cooking grate is hinged so that it’s easier to load charcoal, even while cooking, onto the heavy-gauge steel grate below.
It’s easy to clean, too, with a push-button to empty ash into a catch below the kettle. Neither the coal grates nor cooking grates are adjustable, but that’s a check in the “pro” list for this not-too-complicated, high-performing grill. 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. Ideally, a quality charcoal grill (or any smoker) will keep its fire humming along close to 225 degrees F for as long as possible.
The round grate has ample cooking space for an entire Thanksgiving turkey, at least 10 burgers (Weber claims you can fit 13, but nobody likes an overcrowded grill), or a few beer-can chickens. Retailing at around $200, this grill is well-priced considering the upgrades from the original. To me, that’s money well spent considering how much easier it is to discard ashes, one of my least favorite things about operating my previous Weber. The built-in thermometer and dampers also enhance the cooking experience and justify the cost. Once you factor in price, performance, and design, the Weber is the heavy hitter in the arena of charcoal grills. They’re bulkier, the assembly is more involved and you’ll likely need more fuel to keep the larger space at a high temperature.
It’s also super sturdy, with four wheels and plenty of work and storage space. A quality charcoal grill should be simple to set up, ideally requiring just one person and limited tools. It should also be simple to light, maintain or adjust heat, and create zoned cooking.
Overall, this is a good basic barrel grill, but assembly was frustrating and it lacks many of the features that made the Classic our pick for best upgrade. Charcoal grills are great for beginner grillers, thanks to their relatively low price point (gas grills can cost double or triple their charcoal competitors). They’re simpler to use and master, and have a wider temperature range, making them ideal for smoking, moderately hot cooking, and ripping hot searing. But even within the category of charcoal grills, the price varies widely.
So cooking on it can be a literal pain in the butt (and lower back). The Napoleon grill, which we otherwise didn’t love, is a generous 34 inches in height at the grate, making it more comfortable to work on. Because this grill is so popular, both Weber and other manufacturers offer a bunch of add-ons (such as charcoal baskets, pizza stones, and rotisseries) that increase its capabilities. Once we knew the Weber was our pick, we used a popular third-party accessory, the Slow ‘N Sear Deluxe charcoal basket, to smoke a rack of baby-back ribs. The grill performed terrifically, turning out tender ribs with great smoky flavor.