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.
To see for myself, I filled my yard with highly rated grills and enlisted the help of a year-round charcoal grillmaster who also happens to be a Weber enthusiast (and also happens to be my husband). With open minds and lots of raw meat, we tested seven promising charcoal grills under $500. And to learn more about how we tested and what we looked for, scroll to the bottom. The authenticity of charcoal grilling started with the Original Kettle® Series grills, invented by Weber? His idea was that the rounded cooking bowl with a lid was the key to success.
If you prefer meat that’s more well done, you can extend the cooking time, or sear and finish cooking in an oven. In our medium, indirect-heat chicken tests, the Nexgrill delivered flavorful, juicy meat as a close second to the Weber. And this updated model, when we used the charcoal snake method, demonstrated temperature control almost as good as the Weber. Simple construction means there aren’t too many parts to assemble or too many features to handle while cooking. A vent on the lid controls airflow and a well-designed ash tray beneath the Weber grill facilitates easy cleanup. Unfortunately, the Napoleon grill’s assembly was overly complex and potentially dangerous.
As is, it requires some effort to roll the grill through the grass into storage or when the kids need the yard for a soccer game or water fight. A minor complaint for sure, but I think it is an easy and obvious fix. I set up the grill in under 15 minutes, and three or four of those were spent taking it out of the box.
I found that just pushing the leg in a little and then tapping the wheel covers on with a hammer (ball-peen, claw, or even a rubber mallet) worked. There are many seasoned grillers who will only use lump charcoal no matter what kind of grill they’re using. Our experts lean toward lump charcoal due to the lack of additives often found in briquettes.
Our results, however, were almost as good as with the kettle-style Weber, so if you’re interested in a cart-style charcoal BBQ, this is your best bet. The legs and ash catcher slot effortlessly into built-in sockets and lock into place with idiot-proof spring pins—not a bolt or screw in sight. Weber even supplies a simple plastic tool to help you attach the thermometer without weber charcoal grill digging out a wrench. The Weber kettle is round, so you can spin the grate to adjust heat exposure. Without having to move your food around, you can expose burgers, chicken, or whatever else you’re cooking to higher or lower heat. In contrast, rectangular grates (like those on the PK Grill) can’t spin around; you have to move the food or the coals to adjust the cooking.
Unless it was not an option (like with the PK Grill model), we opted to test versions of these grills without built-in carts or side tables. They can add unnecessary bulk and cost to a type of grill often chosen for being compact and cost-efficient. If a rounded barbecue like a BGE can have one, surely this could, too? At least you get a small shelf down in the legs, but I’d love a handy spot to rest my sauces, rubs, tools, thermometer transmitter, drink, and so on.
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.
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.
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 weber charcoal grill 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.