It has 406 square inches of total cooking space and a built-in thermometer, along with side shelves for storage. I have had over 50 grills—from a Weber gas grill to a Traeger pellet grill. In my search for the best grill, I have found it,” said one buyer.
Weber charcoal grills also tend to have a smaller cooking capacity and fewer special features than gas models. Has 580 square inches of area with cooking and warming zones. This full-size Masterbuilt is another model that came out on top when we tested charcoal grills. It fires up to an impressive 700 degrees Fahrenheit, and the charcoal is stored inside a vertical hopper so the heat is drawn in horizontally and diffused before it hits the grates. Temperatures can peak in as little as 15 minutes after lighting the charcoal—that’s really, really fast for a charcoal grill.
If you’re cooking for one or two people, you can afford to lose some cooking space, but for events and dinner parties, you should skew larger. The larger the surface size, the more vegetables and meats you can cook at one time. No other grill in this group could match the rock-solid temperature control of this iconic cooker. Readings from our own thermocouples, plus a digital pit thermometer, confirmed this. Throughout the Weber’s 6-hour, 32-minute cook time, the grill’s internal heat levels never strayed beyond 25 degrees of our target, 225 degrees F.
Although cooking on charcoal requires a little more skill and labor, you don’t need a PhD to start the fire. Yes, you do have to remove ash but, unlike with gas grills, most of the grease that drips off food will burn up on the hot coals, rather than collect at the bottom. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good gas grill—in fact, you can read about my favorite gas grills right here—but I’ll take cleaning a charcoal grill over a gasser any day of the week.
However, for about $200, we think a lot grillers will be happy with the Weber Original 22-Inch Kettle Grill. For five or more people, look for a grill with at least 550 square inches of cooking area. For one or two people, look for a grill with approximately 200 square inches of cooking area. It also has a rail system, letting users raise and lower its coal basket at nine different heights, and adjustable tripod legs to level it out on uneven surfaces.
A culture and product journalist for over nine years, he’s covered everything from men’s fashion and sneakers to e-bikes and video games. He was most recently the style editor for a leading product-recommendation site, and previously covered the music and podcasting industries at Mass Appeal and The A.V. Club. In his spare time, he walks his perfect weber portable grill little dog, Cash, and reads graphic novels. Rachel Klein is a Senior Commerce Editor for Popular Mechanics, where she writes about everything from garden hose reels and patio furniture to mesh wifi systems and robot vacuums. Fast-forward another five years and her area of expertise includes home decor, appliances, tech, and outdoor adventure gear.
Start by lighting your coals and letting your grill heat up for about 10 minutes. This should heat the grates enough that any crusted-on weber bbq food can be easily removed with a grill brush. After you clean the grates, oil them using a paper towel dipped in oil and held in tongs.
This brings about more smoke flavor in barbecue meat like pork ribs, pork butt and beef brisket. Next, we tested each grill’s medium heat cooking 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. We placed two steaks on each grilling grate near the center and seared them for five minutes before flipping them over and searing for another five minutes. With a good, reliable grill, this will give you a steak with a seared outside and a medium rare to medium center.
A small gas grill usually costs between $500 and $1,000; a medium costs between $1,000 and $2,400; a large costs between $2,400 and $3,800. A small charcoal grill usually costs between $90 and $400; a medium costs between $400 and $1,200; a large costs between $1,200 and $2,300. For a family of four, look for a grill with approximately 400 to 500 square inches of cooking area. When summer rolls around, there’s nothing like a delicious barbecued meal.