Though a bit of an investment, the gas grill pays off with its convenience. It’s easy to start, easy to use, and heats up quickly and powerfully, delivering 12,000 BTUs of heat per hour. The 280-square-inch cooking area consists of porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grates, which should be enough to serve three to four people (pretty good for a portable model). Both times we tested it, we found the grill was really easy to use, as it’s easy to light, has immaculate temperature regulation, and practically operates itself. It was the fastest pellet grill to reach 500 degrees, achieving it in under 10 minutes.
The one-touch cleaning system comes with a 5-year warranty, also covering burn-through and rust-through, plus you get 5 years on the plastic bits, not including fading or discoloring. It’s a relatively large grill, which means it’s a versatile grill. You can arrange your coals for two-zone cooking, roasting, searing — anything you like! Up higher, food cooks on the food grate, and you top it all off with the dome-shaped lid to trap the heat and smoke. One look at this grill, and you know you’re dealing with a classic.
Add that to its solid warranty and well-regarded customer service, and it’s hard to see a better value. Based on our conversations with Joe Salvaggio of Big Apple BBQ and the many manufacturers at the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Expo, we eliminated kamados and pellet griller-smokers for this weber genesis 2 guide. Those designs offer attractive versatility, but they’re also expensive—$350 at minimum, and the most popular and best-regarded styles run twice that or more. And Salvaggio noted that wood pellets simply don’t produce the searing heat you need to make perfect burgers or steaks.
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. In cooking performance, the Weber was the best and most hassle-free grill in our tests. That’s a reflection of the Weber’s excellent ability to control how much heat your weber genesis 2 charcoal briquets are putting out, which you manage by adjusting the vents underneath the grill and on top of the lid. A gas grill uses propane or natural gas to cook, while a charcoal grill is a basin (usually stainless steel, porcelain-coated stainless steel, or ceramic) meant to contain charcoal fires.
Just to look at it is to conjure up memories of family cookouts and good times — even if you’ve never owned one. The Weber Original Kettle is no more difficult to use than any other charcoal grill. Temperature is controlled with vents at the bottom of the bowl, and one up top on the lid. If you’re looking to turn your Kettle into a smart grill, this is the way. It’s a lot of functionality that takes some of the pressure off of you to be an infallible pitmaster.
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.
Visions of tasty backyard cookouts never cease no matter what season it is. It’s always a great time to up your outdoor cooking game by using the best charcoal grill you can find. A charcoal grill might sound less luxurious than a gas grill, but when it comes to flavor, the best charcoal grills absolutely compete. 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.