In our tests, this looked like caramelized steaks with light grill marks and tender ribs with a defined smoke ring beneath a dark bark. The one we have needs a bit of a longer regulator so it would be weber q easier to screw on the propane tank. The tank lasted longer than we thought it would so that’s great. The only thing that would make this better is if there was a washable carrying case or container.
We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. Register your grill and gain quick and easy access to manuals, replacement parts and warranty. Most grills have a mechanical igniter of either the push-button or rotary design.
It’s a great mid-range grill that’s great for home use but compact enough to take out about in certain circumstances. Even though these are smaller grills, Weber still made sure that there was some shelf space with two fold-out shelves on both grills. You can have a plate for burgers when they are done sitting on one shelf.
The simplest way to use your kettle grill as a smoker is to place all of your charcoal briquettes on one side of the grill and your meat on the other. Adding a few small chips of wood to the charcoal will give your meat a more traditionally smoked flavor. Placing a pan of water underneath the grates where you will be putting your meat will help to catch drippings, keep the meat more moist, and enable the smoke to adhere better to the meat.
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. Both times we tested it, we found the grill was really easy to portable bbq use, as it’s easy to light, has immaculate temperature regulation, and practically operates itself. It was the fastest pellet grill to reach 500 degrees, achieving it in under 10 minutes.
It retained heat well, dropping a maximum of 30 degrees after we opened it and recovering its temperature in one to two minutes. The Performer also has Original’s top and bottom damper arrangement, which allows high-heat cooking and serves as an excellent smoker in low-heat applications. Its temperature fluctuated no more than 20 degrees over six and a half hours of smoking. The hinged sides and pop-out center of the grate are nice for adding charcoal while cooking.
Our tester called it “pricey, but worth it” for anyone who regularly grills on the go. If you do want something a bit cheaper or smaller, we’ve also tested and recommend the Q 1200. The 22-inch diameter gives 363 square inches of cooking space within the porcelain-enameled lid and base. Both times we’ve tested it, the assembly has been short-and-sweet, and moving it into place was a breeze.
This indicates grill temperature when only one or two of the burners are on, to represent a cooking task where the food is placed between or alongside the direct flame. Charcoal is easy to pick up at just about every grocery store, home improvement weber charcoal grill store, or gas station, so you won’t need to make a special trip. But you’ll need to have a charcoal starter on hand, will have to wait for everything to cool down before you can dispose of it, and need to deal with the messy ash afterward.