The Best Charcoal Grills of 2023

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 weber genesis 2 $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.

weber charcoal grill

The enclosed ash catcher below the grill body is a major upgrade in this version and makes cleanup much easier (more on that later). Weber makes charcoal grills for every budget, ranging from around $50 to over $2,000. The most popular Weber charcoal grill, the Original Kettle, can be found for between $100 and $450, with the differences coming in diameter, ash management, colors, and cooking grates. With the ultimate grilling machine, mastering the art of grilling for special occasions and creating delicious, everyday meals is as simple as lighting a fire on your charcoal grill.

We set all air vents on each grill (top and bottom) to the halfway-open position. Lastly, we place one rack of ribs on each grill for indirect cooking, with the meat not sitting directly above the coals. Next, we tested each grill’s medium heat cooking weber q capability by roasting whole chickens. The trick here is to keep the grills at a hot enough temperature to cook a chicken for upwards of two hours. Hinged sections on opposite sides of the grate let you access the entire charcoal bed below.

I’ve thrown pork, burgers, steaks, chicken, veggies, and even some pineapple on the Weber with fabulous results. You can even use the Weber to slowly smoke more traditional barbecue by adding a little wood to the fire. Cook delicious burgers, juicy steaks, game-day hot dogs and yummy veggies to perfection with a new portable bbq or Weber smoker grill from Ace Hardware. Weber has the charcoal smokers, portable charcoal grills and all the accessories you need to become a true grill master. Find charcoal barbecue grills to handle everything from grilling to smoking your favorite foods online now. Brand-new grillers may struggle with maintaining an ideal temperature, but the efficiency and quality of the design will please experts and those looking to make the switch from gas grilling.

And sadly, the ribs it produced came out burned, charred and overdone. Interior temperatures had a greater swing, jumping up to 300 degrees F during periods of cooking. While its ribs came out tender and juicy overall, the exterior bark had a few burnt spots. The difference between the two was largely in the crispiness of the skin, with the Weber producing the superior results. Meat from the Nexgrill was delicious, with just a bit more flavor than the Weber. Between them, I’d say it largely depends on your budget and what style of grill you prefer for other meats like burgers or steak.

With nine collections of charcoal grills, there’s a Weber to meet your needs. Built to Last- Charcoal Weber Grills feature a tried and true design and solid engineering. Weber believes in the quality and craftsmanship of their grills, and offer the warranty to back it up. If you want a charcoal grill to last decades, then this is the brand for you. Believe me, I loved my Weber 18″ One Touch Silver Grill and still use it to this day BUT you simply cannot purchase all of the accessories that you can purchase with the Weber 22 Inch Kettle Grill. You can buy the Weber BBQ System which includes a Weber Gourmet Sear Grate.