Weber 741001 Original Kettle 22-Inch Charcoal Grill

I've had a lifelong obsession with outdoor grilling, and I've used dozens of different grills of various designs and fuel sources at the age of 57. I can afford the most expensive grills on the market, so what do I cook for my small family these days? For the following reasons, this Weber 22-inch grill outperforms all other grills in real-world everyday grilling: 1. br>br> Result-oriented The grill is highly adjustable, and the upper and lower vents make it simple to control heat levels. Food can be cooked directly over the coals or indirectly away from them for a more gradual cook.
2. Adaptability- With both vents closed, the grill is airtight and can be used as an indirect heat smoker. Use the Weber Charcoal Rails, which are available on Amazon for $7-$10, if you want to control the location of the charcoal more precisely than piling it up on one side. For longer smoking jobs, use the hinged grate to precisely contain coals on opposite sides of the grill and add more through the hinged grate as needed. I prefer the rails to the baskets because they allow for more positioning flexibility and better air ventilation. Use bricks instead of rails if you're on a budget, as they retain heat.
3. Efficiency and cost-cutting are two words that come to mind when thinking about efficiency and cost Good charcoal isn't cheap, but if you close the vents completely when you're done cooking, you can reuse it several times. This grill's airtight nature, which allows for charcoal recycling, is nearly impossible to find on other (non-charcoal) grills. In my experience, Weber) grills are the best. I'd love to hear from you if you've found one that seals up even better than this model and what other models compete in this category.
4. Taste- I'll only use a gas grill if I'm in a rush and don't have time to wait for the charcoal to heat up. When I'm in a hurry, I've discovered that grilling is probably not the best option. In my opinion, cooking over wood/charcoal produces a more smoky flavor than cooking on a gas grill. br>br>Have a great grilling season, and I hope you found this review useful.

Anahi Nixon

| May 13, 2021

I was about to purchase the $199 model because I wanted the hinged opening grate, but then I noticed that it was available as an add-on for $25. I already had a $12 Doyzant Temp Gauge on my old Aussie Meat Burner, so I moved it over to the Weber. The fancy ash catcher reminded me of headlight wipers: nice to have, but not necessary. br>br>It took a little fiddling to get the legs oriented to the bottom shelf, but assembly was quick and simple with the unit upside down on the patio table. Oh, and make sure you tap the wheels against something solid. br>br>It's been two months now, and there's been a lot of delicious smoked meat. Despite the advice of many You Tube Rangers, I've discovered that it's best to keep the bottom vent fully open while using the top vent to regulate the heat, as Weber recommends. Also, when it comes to heat regulation, the number of briquets used is just as important as the number of vents. Oxygen in the fuel equals heat.
Approximately 70 Kingsford Briquets arranged around about 40% of the circumference will burn at a steady 250 to 275 degrees for up to 6 hours. Even though I love to see% I simply push them up against the walls and light one end of them. It takes a little while, about the right amount of time, to season the meat and get the temperature just right with the top vent fully open, then after about an hour of cooking, the vent needs to be closed a little as the heat rises to 300 degrees or more. br>br>The temperature is more sensitive to small increments of ventage than one might think, and the temperature change takes a long time, resulting in a whipsaw that will have you jumping up and down and fiddling with the vent, as it did me at first. br>br>You'll notice that I've got three of those 99 cent hand clamps on the lid because there was smoke leakage and thus heat from the area around the lid. A 2"x 2" piece of hardwood was also used to make a better vent handle. The stock flange heats up quickly and doesn't provide enough leverage to easily move the vent against grease build-up after a few cooks. A table saw blade kerf is the exact size to fit a piece of wood over the flange, and a 10 cent bolt and nut secures it. You Tube would have you pay $25 for a big red handle, but a table saw blade kerf is the exact size to fit a piece of wood over the flange, and a 10 cent bolt and nut secures it. br>br>Because regulating the bottom vent is sometimes necessary, I used a Sharpie to mark an index on the ash catcher to line up with a leg, then 1/4, 1/2, and fully open marks. Brushing the ash onto the catcher disc and carefully removing it to empty one clamp is a breeze. Grease buildup can be easily removed by rubbing an unused briquet against the kettle's edges without harming the enamel. br>br>A grill/smoker that produces meat friends with a five-figure set-up can be purchased for less than $150. Ups are impressed with, which is a big deal in North Carolina.

Giovanni Walton

| Mar 28, 2021

Weber grills are one of my favorite things to cook on. I have a Weber Smokey Mountain smoker (18-inch) that I use for grilling. I have an inch) that I use on a regular basis - Overall, I give it five stars. To replace my old grill, I purchased this Kettle grill. In terms of the product itself, I'd give it five stars, just like my smoker. br>br>The reason for the average rating I've given this grill is that quality control failed to deliver on this one. The product I received was missing a threaded handle nut. There's nothing to be concerned about. Because these are made of a thin alloy, it's not surprising that a defective nut pops out every now and then during production; I just got one. br>br>After putting the grill together, I took out the two grates (one for charcoal and the other for cooking) from the box. I was dismayed to discover that one of the rods in the cooking grill had a severe upward bend, with the bend sticking up about 3/4 of an inch in the middle of the grill. I'm not sure how this thing passed inspection. I couldn't return it because I bought it for the Fourth of July cookout and didn't have time to return it before the cookout. As a result, I had to take a hammer and a few other tools to beat-up on the door. My new cooking grate needs to be straightened out. Bummer.

Briar Perkins

| Jan 10, 2021