The 363-square-inch cooking area can easily handle a pair of whole chickens or about 10 to 13 burgers, depending on how large you make your patties. Any more than that and the grill can get overloaded, making it difficult to cook everything weber portable grill evenly and to flip the patties. Finally, make sure to empty your ashes, and keep that grill covered when not in use. “Grilling is all about high heat and using direct heat to cook each side of the meat, so you don’t need to use the lid.
Weber’s Original 22-inch grill has name recognition going for it, and it certainly delivers on the marketing lore. Our testers praised it for its versatility in both grilling and smoking, thanks weber portable grill to a highly adjustable damper and rotational lid. We found it had just enough “upgrade” features without being flashy, like hinged grates that allowed for additional fuel while grilling.
Maintaining a consistent temperature is crucial, and the Weber does this better than any other in its price range. You can thank the porcelain-enameled bowl and lid, which are heat retention pros, for that. Still, keeping an eye on the thermometer will help you determine if you need to add more coal, wood, or even adjust the airflow using the rust-resistant aluminum dampers. These vents are also useful when extinguishing the fire, as closing them cuts off oxygen.
So if you’re having trouble getting your kettle grill to do what you want it to do, read on or visit my YouTube Channel. The Weber Kettle is designed for both grilling and smoking. While the kettles don’t include the wifi connectivity of many high-end smokers, by using a Bluetooth or wifi grilling thermometer you can easily track your temperatures.
An automatic propane start makes this an ideal grill for beginners—you don’t need to master the use of a chimney to get the fire started. Although our testers found it a little awkward to put together without a second person, it’s a sturdy, well-built grill that you’ll feel confident about using once it is fully assembled. With four smooth-rolling wheels that lock into place, it’s easy to maneuver around your patio or yard. A cheap charcoal grill isn’t worth the savings if it’s unstable, struggles to maintain temperature, or is awkward to use. Likewise, a high-end, expensive grill is only worth the splurge if it helps you cook a superior steak (or burger, or whatever), and is a pleasure to use. A good example is the Slow N’ Sear deluxe (read my review here) – which is an add-on for kettle grills that essentially creates a quintessential two-zone fire (pictured below).
Once we knew the Weber was our pick, we used a popular third-party accessory, the Slow ‘N Sear Deluxe charcoal basket, to smoke a rack of baby-back ribs. The grill performed terrifically, turning out tender ribs with great smoky flavor. 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.
A heat shield just beneath the heat-resistant glass-reinforced nylon lid handle prevents you from burning yourself. The enclosed ash catcher below the grill body is a major upgrade in this version and makes cleanup much easier (more on that later). The Weber kettle grill has been around since the early 1950s, so chances are good you’ve eaten a burger, a hotdog, or a steak cooked on one. As a kid, our family had a gas grill, while the neighbors had a Weber. Their food was always a little bit tastier, so I made the Weber Original my first grill when I got a home of my own. Essentially just a grate sitting between two pieces of metal atop a tripod, it’s hard to imagine a simpler cooker beyond just an open fire on the ground.