As you cook your food, control the grill’s temperature by using the upper and lower vents. For the hottest fire possible, you’ll want to open both vents all the way, or for a lower temperature, close the upper vent to a half or quarter. All in all, the Masterbuilt Portable would be a great introduction to charcoal for a beginner, as it makes managing the fire very easy. Though it’s easy to move around, it’s also big enough that a small family could use it as a main grill, too. It’s priced on the higher end for a portable grill, though it’s more in the middle for charcoal grills in general. That electronic charcoal ignition system worked each and every time we lit up the Performer Deluxe grill.
Grilling cooks food quickly using high heat, while smoking uses indirect heat and lower temperatures to cook food slowly. If you like to switch up your cooking style once in a while, you’ll love the PK Grill & Smoker. We tested (and still recommend) the original version, and enjoyed the “new original” even more. Weber is one of the top charcoal grill brands today and makes the splurge-worthy Performer Deluxe 22-Inch Charcoal Grill, which performed the best during our testing. In 2023, Weber launched its own line of standalone gas-powered griddles — a testament to the growing popularity of flat top grills. The Weber Griddle can hit temperatures over 500 degrees in a hurry and is capable of everything from searing steak to preparing eggs and pancakes.
The durable, dual-walled insulated steel and unlimited potential of the Summit® Kamado S6 Charcoal Grill Center lands it in a class of its own. It quickly reaches desired temperatures, maintains heat for all-day smoking, and the gas ignition makes lighting charcoal as easy as pushing a button. With an extra-large 24” cooking area, Summit® Kamado is ready to handle any size feast. With a push of a button, the coals are lit, and the essence of BBQ fills the air. The Performer® Deluxe charcoal grill performs from beginning to end. Light coals with the Touch-N-Go gas ignition, prep food on the large work table, and know that cleanup will be easy with the One-Touch™ cleaning system.
And this updated model, when we used the charcoal snake method, demonstrated temperature control almost as good as the Weber. We looked for charcoal grills with good heat retention, but that also allowed for easy airflow adjustments through dampers and vents or other functions like an adjustable charcoal tray. This grill hits the sweet spot size-wise too since it’s lightweight and fairly compact, but still has plenty of room to create both a high-heat and indirect-heat zone. It takes some effort to light (do yourself a favor and buy a good chimney starter to handle this task) and arrange the charcoal, and you have to empty the ashes regularly. Vents above and below need to be adjusted, oftentimes during cooking.
We replaced or unfolded the cooking grate, depending on the grill, put the lid on, and let each grill warm up for 15 minutes. The most exciting thing about this grill, however, is the crank handle that raises and lowers the charcoal tray. An access door on the front of the grill makes it easy to add or manipulate coals while cooking too. Check out the handy list that Weber provides to charcoal grill owners for helpful instructions on how to control the temperature of your grill. Cooking on a charcoal grill is a bit more complicated than using a gas-powered model.
Our last test is grilling barbecued ribs, specifically baby back pork ribs. This style of cooking requires strict temperature control over a period of weber bbq multiple hours. Ideally, a quality charcoal grill (or any smoker) will keep its fire humming along close to 225 degrees F for as long as possible.
Weber believes in the quality and craftsmanship of their grills, and offer the warranty to back it up. If you want a charcoal grill to last decades, then this is the brand for you. Simple construction means there aren’t too many parts to assemble or too many features to handle while cooking. A vent on the lid controls airflow and a well-designed ash tray beneath the Weber grill facilitates easy cleanup.
When grilling things like hot dogs and hamburgers, you don’t need to put the lid on. When he’s firing up his charcoal, Karl likes to shove all of it to one side of the kettle. You can spread the briquettes out across the bottom once they’ve transformed into hot coals. We didn’t have a charcoal starter on hand this time around, so we used some firestarter gel from Hasty-Bake. It doesn’t evaporate quickly like traditional lighter fluid and doesn’t give your meat that gross lighter fluid taste. There’s truth to the idea that you get what you pay for – and what you overpay for.