Grilling purists will tell you that charcoal cooking is the only way to go, and seasoned grillers I’ve spoken to maintain that a Weber kettle is the best charcoal grill you can buy. It’s hard to argue with the first part because propane simply won’t give you the same smoky flavor you get from charcoal. It’s a bold claim, even given Weber’s reputation for manufacturing high-quality charcoal and gas grills.
And sadly, the ribs it produced came out burned, charred and overdone. Interior temperatures had a greater swing, jumping up to 300 degrees F during periods of cooking. While its ribs came out tender and juicy overall, the exterior bark had a few burnt spots. The difference between the two was largely in the crispiness of the skin, with the Weber producing the superior results. 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.
Unlike the lower vents, this gets hot, so make sure to use a spatula or your tongs. Finally, after all our tests were done, we did routine maintenance—emptying the ash catchers, brushing the grates, and washing out the grills. We also compared how each of these grills performed in our grilling tests and evaluated other parts of the user experience, such as vent control and assembly. We knew the classic Weber kettle would be the centerpiece of our testing; it’s durable, it’s versatile, and it’s dominated the charcoal-grilling field for decades. It’s also spawned plenty of copycats, most of them cheap knockoffs that aren’t worth the minor savings.
The enclosed ash catcher below the grill body is a major upgrade in this version and makes cleanup much easier (more on that later). Weber makes charcoal grills for every budget, ranging from around $50 to over $2,000. 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. With the ultimate grilling machine, mastering the art of grilling for special occasions and creating delicious, everyday meals is as simple as lighting a fire on your charcoal grill.
In our smoking test, the ribs had a quarter-inch pale pink smoke ring, and a nicely glossy, caramelized exterior. It produced a “very nicely cooked” steak without any sticking or flare-ups. We placed two steaks on each grilling grate near the center and seared them for five minutes before flipping them over and searing for another five minutes. With a good, reliable grill, this will give you a steak with a seared outside and a medium rare to medium center.
From burgers to chicken to slow-smoked ribs, this Weber model’s time-tested design produces great results—at a terrific price. After spending two days cooking 40 pounds of burgers, BBQ, and whole chickens, we recommend the Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill 22″. Thanks to more than seven decades of continuous refinement, it’s portable bbq the most versatile, most user-friendly, and best-performing charcoal grill we’ve tested. I love cooking outdoors over live fire and smoke whatever the weather, using various grills, smokers, and wood-fired ovens to produce epic food. My goal with this site is to help as many people as possible enjoy and be good at doing the same.
Read on to see how well the Weber Original Kettle Premium 22-Inch Charcoal Grill performed under fire. At $139, Weber’s original, kettle-style charcoal grill continues to stand the test of time. In our high-heat searing tests, Weber delivered the best balance of seared exterior and medium-rare interior steak. The Weber kettle grill gave us tasty chicken too, with crispy chicken skin. The Weber can also smoke low and slow at a rock-steady cooking temperature.
I do make it a point to cover it with a grill cover made specifically for this unit so I try to ensure that it lasts for a good long time. I’ve owned enough Weber grills over the years to know that they are well-built and last a good long time. There’s no table or workbench, which is a boon for those looking to streamline storage. The warranty weber genesis 2 isn’t as generous as other models—one year for the grill, and five for the burner—but for under $100, we still think it’s a great deal. Our favorite charcoal grill is the Weber Original Kettle Premium 22” Charcoal Grill. We also recommend the Weber Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill 22” and PK Grills Original PK300 Grill & Smoker.
I’ve thrown pork, burgers, steaks, chicken, veggies, and even some pineapple on the Weber with fabulous results. You can even use the Weber to slowly smoke more traditional barbecue by adding a little wood to the fire. Cook delicious burgers, juicy steaks, game-day hot dogs and yummy veggies to perfection with a new weber charcoal grill or Weber smoker grill from Ace Hardware. Weber has the charcoal smokers, portable charcoal grills and all the accessories you need to become a true grill master. Find charcoal barbecue grills to handle everything from grilling to smoking your favorite foods online now. Brand-new grillers may struggle with maintaining an ideal temperature, but the efficiency and quality of the design will please experts and those looking to make the switch from gas grilling.