After your done grilling , you should always empty your ash tray. On our favorite Weber grill, this is located right below the grill and even has a handle for ease of use. For this review, I focused on the top-rated Gold and Platinum Medal winning models from the AmazingRibs.com database of almost 600 searchable equipment reviews. The list below spans a range of features and prices, including both newer models and well-established leaders in the field. I also consider look, feel, functionality, durability, and price.
Depending on the season and how your charcoal grill is set up, your experience cooking and grilling will likely be very different from ours. For example, a kettle-style charcoal grill left in the July sun all day will run a lot hotter than it will in the cooler spring months. We tested the 22-inch weber charcoal grill in black, but Weber also offers an 18-inch version of its original kettle design. There are certainly fancier and more expensive grills to use for cooking, but for a balance of affordability and quality, you can’t go wrong with this classic. In cooking performance, the Weber was the best and most hassle-free grill in our tests. For the indirect-cooking test, we cooked a whole chicken at as close to 500 °F as we could get (emulating Barbara Kafka’s famous oven-roasting method).
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. Cooking over charcoal takes longer than cooking with a gas grill, and we typically need to add more fuel during cooking to keep our grills above 350 degrees F for the full duration.
The Cuisinart Black Kettle Grill is one of the smallest we tested with its 18-inch kettle. It’s similar in size to the Weber Original Kettle Charcoal Grill, though unlike that grill, it comes with an ash pan and a thermometer. However, a major downside to this grill was that the built-in thermometer barely worked.
The Cuisinart was also the only grill with which we experienced grease flare-ups when cooking. Though you only have to endure setup one time, build time is definitely relevant if you’re picking up a charcoal grill for a last-minute barbecue. The Weber Original Premium Grill took 15 minutes to assemble, while the Weber Original Grill took only 10 minutes.
After you clean the grates, oil them using a paper towel dipped in oil and held in tongs. Finally, make sure to empty your ashes, and keep that grill covered when not in use. 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 will keep its fire humming along close to 225 degrees F for as long as possible. If you’re looking for the fanciest kettle grill out there, this one might just be it.
You could readily cook half-a-dozen steaks at once or enough burgers to feed a baseball team, including the relief pitchers. Up top, you’ll find a single vent offset from the center of the lid to help you control the out-flow of smoke. Right at the peak of the dome is a nylon handle with a heat shield to keep you from burning yourself when you lift the lid.
Experience the evolution of the iconic Kettle where charcoal grilling meets low-and-slow smoking. With a push of a button, coals are lit and the smell of barbecue will soon embrace the neighborhood. Whether smoking, grilling, or even baking, the Summit® Charcoal Grilling Center is the answer to any craving and the ultimate backyard kitchen. With a push of a button, the coals are lit, and the essence of BBQ fills the air. The Performer® Deluxe charcoal grill performs from beginning to end.
If you like to switch up your cooking style once in a while, you’ll love The Original PK Grill & Smoker. This model delivers the best of both worlds, and it’s perfect for weber charcoal grill both casual grillers and professional chefs. For a lower price point and a little less grilling space, check out the Weber Original Kettle 18-Inch Charcoal Grill.
The Napoleon’s four legs, versus the Weber’s three, make this grill more stiff and stable, and allow for a nice big shelf underneath. Its construction is simple and solid, and the materials—rust-proof aluminum legs, porcelain-coated steel for the body, and a nickel-plated steel grill—are designed to last. And while the basic design has barely changed since 1952, Weber has added helpful new details over the years—this latest iteration has convenient tool hooks on the side handles, for example.