When it comes to grills and grill performance there are a few brands that lead the pack in just about every respect. Year after year, Weber is one of those brands. Their grills get consistently good reviews, and offer the kind of performance even the pickiest grill master loves to see.
But, like all the best things in life, there are a lot of different options to choose from to find the right grill for you.
Depending on what fuel types you are most comfortable with, and what kinds of flavors and grilling you’re looking for, Weber has a model for you. You just have to find the right one!
Plus, grilling can be one of the most diet-friendly ways to cook your food. Since you need minimal additional fat with grilling, and grilling can also render out some of the fats in meat while it cooks, it’s a great way to cut calories without sacrificing flavor.
We’ve chosen from a range of different Weber grills that all work a little differently. That way you’re sure to find a grill that does what you’re looking for.
Not sure about the brand? Read our 10 Things To Know Before Buying A Weber Grill first, it’ll help you know what to expect.
The Best Charcoal Grill – Weber Original Kettle Premium 22” Grill
Charcoal grilling is the most familiar way to grill for most people. This is the kind of grilling you probably grew up with, and is a classic way to get a great sear and delicious flavor in your foods. Charcoal also tends to produce less smoke than wood pellets, which makes it a good alternative for people with smoke sensitivities.
The Original Kettle is well named, in part because this black kettle-style grill is probably the most classic and recognizable grill design out there. However, Weber's design has a few secret weapons up its sleeve.
For one thing, the grill has top and bottom dampers, which help cycle heat and provide good heat convection while cooking. Heat convection is critical for getting evenly cooked food, so that’s a huge part of what makes this grill so successful.
It's also good for ash management and cleanup, making this grill relatively easy to maintain.
However, you don’t necessarily want to trust the included thermometer on the top of the grill. It’s not the most accurate temperature guide out there. An infrared thermometer will give you more accurate results, and using a meat thermometer during cooking can help give you a better sense of how quickly your meal has cooked.
Best Gas Grill – Weber Genesis E325S
Next to charcoal, gas grills are probably the second most recognizable and common grill type.
Not only is it common to see people using a gas grill on their porch, but gas grills also give you better minute-by-minute control over how quickly your grill is heating, and on the internal temperature.
The Genesis E325S has a few advantages over Weber’s other gas grills that make it worth the higher price. For one thing, this grill has a huge grilling space, expandable to up to 787 square inches. It’s also got high heat tolerance, which makes searing and getting that classic grilled color a lot easier.
Heating is also very consistent, and the design makes grease flares a little less likely than with other gas grills.
Better yet, this grill is built to last, with a durable design that isn’t too bulky considering its size. You won’t want to move this grill around too much though. Coming in a bit under 200 lbs, it’s a project to move from place to place.
A 12-year warranty on the cookbox and lid also work to give you a little more confidence in the overall design. If you’re looking for a grill that’s still going to be working like it’s brand new in a decade, this is the grill you want.
Want more ways to use your grill? Check out the 23 Healthy Recipes we’ve found that are perfect for grilling.
The Best Pellet Grill – Weber Smokefire EX4
Wood pellet grills are a little different from the gas and charcoal alternatives. The design is newer, and they’ve only really started getting popular, compared to the competition, recently. But, pellet grills offer some serious flavor advantages you just can’t get any other way.
That’s thanks to the wood pellets themselves. The smoke from the burning pellets is concentrated flavor, and it seeps into anything you’re cooking for that signature BBQ flavor.
The nice thing about the Smokefire is that this grill doubles as both a smoker and a grill and unlike some grills that do double duty, this grill actually maintains smoking temperatures consistently over time. Plus, you can still crank up the heat to get an incredible sear on your meat at the same time.
Plus, this model comes with an app to make smoking easier, and two probes to monitor cooking temperature.
The Best Traditional Smoker – Weber 18-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker
If you’re more of a smoker fan than a grilling fan, it might be worth getting a traditional smoker instead of a grill or a grill/smoker combo.
This smoker is well-built, incredibly durable, and locks a ton of the smoke and the flavor in your food. Technically the smoker also works as a grill, if you’re willing to get down on the ground to use it, but if you’re looking for grilling options, you’re better off with a pellet grill.
There is a larger size of this grill, which would be better for cooking larger amounts of meat or using larger cuts without having to cut them smaller, however, the larger sizes have less temperature consistency and need more attention to make sure you’re in the right temperature ranges.
So, while this smoker is size-limited, we'll still recommend this version over the larger Weber smokers.
The Best Kamado Smoker – Weber 18201001 Summit Kamado E6
This is a hybrid grill smoker design that uses Kamado smoking style. On the surface this might look like another kettle grill, but there are a lot more options that come with this design compared to the Original Kettle.
For one thing, the adjustable grill height gives you the option of cooking a lot closer to the heat than you would in the traditional kettle grill. That helps make up for the slight reduction in heat intensity.
As a charcoal-fueled smoker, this grill performs well. It’s easy to use, easy to adjust the flavors, and helps cut back on smoking time when you aren’t looking for an all-day cook.
The Best Portable Grill – Weber Traveler Portable Gas Grill
Portability might not be critical for every grill, but it’s super important if you want to be able to get your grill from place to place without causing problems. For one thing, most traditional grills are entirely too heavy to move from place to place with any kind of ease.
There are both portable grills that are freestanding and tabletop versions that are designed to go on a durable surface instead of working on their own.
We've gone with a freestanding model, while Weber offers both because this model doesn't need anything other than space and fuel to work.
That’s important since this grill is also hot enough to perform basically the way you want it to. Unlike a lot of grills that have a problem maintaining enough heat to work with them, at least if you’re looking for a good sear and a tender interior.
However, the fuel tank is a little bit of a trick to get a good seal. You’ll want to make sure you’ve got it on tightly, and that there isn’t a leak when you’re connecting the fuel.
Additionally, this design does rely on the food to help retain heat in the grill. So, it’s not going to work as well lightly loaded. If you’re looking to make a small amount of food, this grill may not perform as well.
The Best Electric Grill – Weber Q 1400 Electric Grill
This grill is a cousin to the Q 1200, a gas-fueled alternative. However, if you're looking for a fuel-free grill to take with you, use in your backyard, or as an option in fuel-restricted communities, this is the grill for you.
Its high heat tolerance and speedy times heating up make this a good option for cooking in almost any scenario. It actually heats up a bit faster than other fueled grilles.
However, it maxes out the heat at about 600 degrees. That’s enough heat for a lot of cooking, but still a little more limited than other grills. That temperature is low enough that getting classic grill marks is a bit of a challenge.
At the same time though, the food cooked on this grill still comes out great, and it’s a good option for people who aren’t as comfortable with the high temperature of a grill, or who don’t have the space for a larger model of grill.
This grill also borders on being a portable model. It’s smaller and lighter than almost any alternatives, which means that you can take it with you to parties and gatherings if another cooking surface is needed. Not sure a grill is the right option for you? Our Grill Vs. Griddle article will help you figure out which cooking surface is better for your needs.
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