That happened to us twice before we figured out what was going on. If it had been full of hot ash, we would have had a real problem. For one, the screws are not much bigger than those that hold eyeglass frames together. When you think about the ash catcher’s job—to capture hot ashes and embers—the tiny screws don’t inspire much confidence. Also, the instructions are faulty, suggesting that you need to insert the screws yourself—after fruitlessly searching for them in the parts bags—when in fact they’re preinstalled on the vent assembly.
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.
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.
We were underwhelmed with the performance of the Napoleon 22-inch grill, which is most likely a result of the grill needing more briquettes to really work well. The kettle on this model is pretty deep and you can adjust the cooking grate to two different levels. We wouldn’t advise cooking weber genesis 2 with the grate at the highest level if you’re looking for a nice sear since it’s too far off the heat. The grill grate on a Napoleon is made of a thicker and flatter cast iron, which is an upgrade from the usual lightweight, stainless steel grates you see on most charcoal grills.
After you pop the cooking grate over the red-hot briquettes, you’re ready to start cooking. In our testing, the Weber Premium was hands down the easiest grill to control temperature on, with the flames inside the kettle responding expertly to any tap of the vents. During our cooking tests on the Weber Original Premium Kettle Grill, hamburgers cooked to a medium rare temperature and our chicken ended up juicy, with a solid sear on the outside. Other grills we tested either ran hotter and overcooked the hamburgers, or they weren’t hot enough and barely seared or cooked the meat.
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 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.
It’s the most-automated path to low-heat smoking possible while remaining perfectly capable of high-heat grilling. Functionally, it’s a turbo-charged hair dryer that speeds up lighting time significantly. It’ll get your fire going in just 10 minutes, and you can use it in a charcoal chimney, too. Once you factor in price, performance, and design, the Weber is the heavy hitter in the arena of charcoal grills. The lid sets this grill apart from a traditional Weber kettle, which features an unattached kettle top.