Weber’s warranty covers most of the hardware—including the lid, firebox, burners, cooking grates, and plastic components—for five years. The Jumbo Joe Charcoal Grill is lighter than our gas pick, weighing under 20 pounds, but it’s not smaller. Its cooking surface holds about seven burgers or one whole, cut-up chicken. As one of the sturdier models we tested, one tested noted it was a good option for apartment dwellers and those looking to grill occasionally. It packs up efficiently, and when fully assembled has two wing-like side tables that are helpful for prep and tool storage.
That said, most of the time when I hit the road I grab Weber’s Connect Smart Hub ($100). It’s not as sophisticated as the SmartFire, but it’s more portable, and two probes is generally all weber kettle bbq I need on small grills. If you can’t face the prospect of going without your Big Green Egg for a weekend, the MiniMax Big Green Egg is much smaller, but it still isn’t terribly portable.
Judging by the char, the surfaces were the hottest just outside of the solid ring on the grates that is meant to protect grease from spilling onto the burners. The very inner and outer parts of the surface were the cooler zones. I highly recommend cooking cheeseburgers on this grill by the way. Since the grates have areas that are solid, excess cheese can sit on there and form a delicious crust as it melts, giving flat iron and charred flavors at the same time.
Consider the size of the group you’ll regularly be cooking for. Smaller grills in the 100- to 150-square-inch range are suitable for one or two people, maybe three in a stretch. One of the only problems encountered was correctly positioning the grates.
Easy to clean; the porcelain-coated grates lift right out, and the burner area can be thoroughly cleaned without removing the burner. I bought an accessory griddle that replaces one of the two grates, which makes it a snap to cook eggs, pancakes, and other stuff when you don’t want dripping into the burner. I typically cook easy dishes and only for me, so the single burner is adequate and keeps things simple.
It would probably even fit in a purse, if you had a big purse. Cooking the food was very much like cooking on my other Weber at home. I fit a full 10 pack of burgers that took minutes to get to medium-rare. Due to the amount of cooking space, I also managed to char about 6 hot dogs and 4 turkey burgers at the same time.
But it weighs 40 pounds and is quite bulky for one person to carry—we wouldn’t want to lug it very far on foot. If you’re looking for a bigger portable grill, the Weber Q 2200 Gas Grill has the same features, performance, and build as our pick, but with almost 50% more grilling capacity. It can fit up to 10 large burger patties, two cut-up chickens, or 16 large bratwurst links at a time.
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