With open minds and lots of raw meat, we tested seven promising charcoal grills under $500. And to learn more about how we tested and what we looked for, scroll to the bottom. There’s nothing quite like the combo of enjoying the great outdoors while smelling the delectable aroma of fresh-grilled foods. A Weber charcoal grill makes the perfect addition to tailgate parties, camping adventures and backyard entertaining. When purchasing a new charcoal grill or smoker, understanding the different styles of Weber charcoal grills and what each type can do is important. No matter your grilling experience, use this convenient charcoal grill buying guide to select the charcoal barbecue grill that’s right for you.
With its illustration-only manual, Weber doesn’t make this critical assembly easy—nor does it warn you of the consequences if you don’t get it right the first time. Holds utensils and seasonings portable bbq – this sturdy side shelf can hold a variety of items. You can place a tray or plate full of meat on this tabletop, or use it to hold your seasonings, rubs, and sauces while cooking.
The worst was our Tacklife review unit, which didn’t hold much heat and didn’t sear while cooking. The steak on that grill needed an additional five minutes to get to a temperature of 135 F, the minimum for medium rare. The 22-inch Napoleon Rodeo Charcoal Kettle Grill (model number NK22CK-L) is considered one of the better Weber clones available (the pros at AmazingRibs.com, among others, rate it highly). In our cooking tests it performed well, though not quite as well as the Weber. In particular, we didn’t find its unique heat-diffusing plate—a shallow metal dome that sits in the middle of the coal bed—to be as effective as we would have liked. However, at 34 inches at the grates, it’s nearly counter height, and a full 7 inches taller than the Weber, so it was less tiring to work on.
Charcoal grills also tend to be less expensive than gas or pellet grills, so you can cook outdoors, even if you’re on a budget. It’s a three-probe temperature tracker and ventilation control system weber q that feeds all the grilling data you could want to your phone. If your fire is gaining too much heat on a low-and-slow pork shoulder, the Tempmaster will cut back airflow to cut the heat down.
One thing that I noticed while putting the grill together was that the materials just seemed chintzier and more flimsy than those on the Weber Kettle Grill my dad owned. (Weber grills are still assembled in America, but with some imported components.) The metal in the legs seems to bend pretty easily. The most significant difference that stood out to me was that all the handles on the new models have plastic instead of wood. The wood on the 1970s and 80s versions really classed things up. We didn’t have a charcoal starter on hand this time around, so we used some firestarter gel from Hasty-Bake.
Sam Sifton, assistant managing editor at The New York Times, also joined in and added his extensive knowledge. The Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill 22″ is a portable bbq classic for good reason. Under Weber’s leadership, Ducane marketed propane and natural gas grills through big box home improvement and specialty outdoor product stores.
Equipped with a Tuck-Away™ lid holder for convenient lid placement, taller legs, and Char-Basket™ fuel holders. The oval shape of the grill made it easy to cook multiple types of food, from skewers to roasted corn. After she was done testing, cleanup was a breeze, whether using a grill brush or removing the grate to clean in the kitchen sink.