Read on to see how well the Weber Original Kettle Premium 22-Inch Charcoal Grill performed under fire. It really doesn’t get any more classic than a kettle BBQ grill, and when it comes to durability and maximum performance, look no further than Weber charcoal grills. The Original Kettle charcoal grill series is quite versatile and features a heavy-gauge porcelain-enameled bowl and lid, a spacious cooking area and a steel-plated cooking grate. Depending on your personal grilling needs, you can opt for 18-, 22- and 26-inch grilling diameters. Weber kettle grills are precision engineered for perfect convection. Also, rust resistant dampers allow for easy control of the airflow into and out of the grill.
Opening the dampers will allow the heat to rise, while closing the dampers will cause the fire to die out. Set the dampers in the middle and the grill will maintain a moderate constant cooking temperature necessary for slow cooking. This Weber’s plated steel cooking grate is hinged so that it’s easier to load charcoal, even while cooking, onto the heavy-gauge steel grate below. With this method, the coals take about 10 minutes to light and another 10 for the grill to get hot.
But even if you have a gas grill or a pellet smoker (as I do), sometimes the charcoal option is simply superior. But once you factor in price, performance, and design, the Weber is the heavy hitter in the arena of charcoal grills. A high-end ceramic kamado grill, while a superior cooker thanks to its insulation, will run you $800 minimum. Barrel-style charcoal grills, while larger, can be more difficult to manage and harder to clean.
It’s easy to clean, too, with a push-button to empty ash into a catch below the kettle. Neither the coal grates nor cooking grates are adjustable, but that’s a check in the “pro” list for this not-too-complicated, high-performing grill. I decided to buy your kettle grill and will replace my 30+ year old Weber charcoal weber portable grill grill. I was a little disappointed with the quality control of some of the pieces. The probe port and smoke hole covers do not fit flush against the kettle so there is some air leaking through. The bottom 5 vent ash removal fins also do not fit flush to the kettle as well as the top vent on the cover.
This is located below the kettle or barrel of the grill, and many models include a handle that dumps the ash. Do not put hot ashes in a trash can, or scatter them over grass or in wooded areas until they are entirely cooled. The circular cooking surface area is relatively petite, with a 22-inch diameter, but testers noted that when set up as a smoker, it can still handle two to three racks of ribs. In our smoking test, the ribs had a quarter-inch pale pink smoke ring, and a nicely glossy, caramelized exterior. It produced a “very nicely cooked” steak without any sticking or flare-ups.