Each bite tasted of the charcoal-imparted flavor of smoke. Three tiny screws are all that keep the Napoleon’s ash catcher and bottom vent attached. Throughout, we also tested our “necessities”—accessories such as spatulas, tongs, grill brushes, and sheet pans.
In both cases, they make it possible to move the grill from one side of the property to another. Although Weber has other 22 and 26 inch grills in its lineup, the Kettle Premium line is the only one that includes both options. Because we’re looking to perform a side-by-side comparison of the two, these are the ones we’ll be reviewing. After several successful years, Stephen returned to the company in 1958. “He scraped up enough money to buy out [his father’s] partner,” says Kempster and changed the company name to Weber-Stephen—keeping the “Weber” name in case the barbecue venture went up in flames. This safeguard gave him the option of returning to metalworking.
These units come with a 10-year warranty on the lid and bowl. This means that the buyer is entitled to free replacements if either of those components should burn or rust through during the first decade of use. Weber’s One-Touch cleaning system, present in both units, is covered for a 5-year period.
As the chicken cooked we monitored the grills’ temperatures, using the built-in thermometer where available and a probe thermometer where not. The goal was a steady hold at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and we adjusted the vents to get as close to that as we could. After 45 minutes, we flipped portable bbq the chicken parts, slathered on a coating of barbecue sauce, and closed the lid for another five minutes. We repeated this step twice more, rounding out the cook time at an hour flat. Then we had a taste, paying special attention to the breast meat—a long cook can dry it out.
Big winds could kick up ash or set the precious meat ablaze, and rain would fill the grills with water. Even worse, backyard chefs had to breathe in the excessive smoke from the grill top and the meat rarely had an even cook. Wake up and light the smoker, because succulent pulled pork and fall-off-the-bone ribs come to those who wait. The Smokey Mountain Cooker™ smoker has two cooking grates for smoking multiple items at once, and dampers that adjust easily so that you’re always in control of the heat—and your feast. Stay true to the modern version of the kettle that started it all—the Original Kettle®, invented by Weber’s founder, and loved around the world.
At $75 to $95 for a grill equivalent to the plain $100 Weber Original Kettle, they’re not much cheaper, and the quality just isn’t there. If the ash catcher is even slightly warm, the ash inside is still a fire hazard. Indirect grilling can produce a great roasted chicken—the Weber’s is a textbook example.