With the cast iron screaming hot and leaving all burners on HIGH, place two ground beef balls onto the surface, far enough apart to allow room for smashing. I used a flexible stainless steel spatula (with no holes or slots) plus a potato masher to press down for extra smashing force. Of course, if you have a rigid restaurant-grade spatula, you’re all set. With everything set up, I placed a propane tank on the tank scale in the main storage area, attached the regulator, and checked for leaks using a spray bottle of soapy water.
There’s no function for pushing the ashes into the catcher, either, so it has to be done manually with a grill brush or other tool. I also worry about longevity, mainly because the handles, ash catcher, and lid damper are identical to the same parts on the worst grill we tested. With a weber charcoal grill price tag well below $100, this is also the kind of grill you could have shipped to a vacation destination and wouldn’t have to feel bad leaving behind. The Lumin is the newest electric grill from Weber, released in 2023, and is largely aimed at people without much grilling experience.
Our testers then offered additional insights on each grill’s strengths and weaknesses. If you’re in the market for a smart gas grill that delivers perfectly cooked food and comes with lots of bells and whistles, look no further than the Weber Genesis EPX-335. Its $1,599 list price might seem high, but it’s sturdy and packs features that can change (and improve) your cooking.
If you do want something a bit cheaper or smaller, we’ve also tested and recommend the Q 1200. As you might know, starting a charcoal grill usually begins with simply getting the coals warmed up in a chimney starter. It comes with an auto-start gas ignition that consistently lit the coals for us.
It’s not just the nostalgia talking; for value and performance, the Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill really delivers in both areas. If you’re looking for a gas grill with fewer hands-on requirements, the Weber Genesis E-325s 3-Burner Gas Grill or its Smart counterpart are excellent choices, as well. The Original’s bottom damper also weber charcoal grill serves as part of the ash management system, scraping spent ash into a detachable unit at the bottom for easy disposal. Other drawbacks were the grill’s clumsy lid and inaccurate temperatures on the dome thermometer. I was in need of Bull replacement burners for my grill and was having trouble locating them on-line, until I found BBQGrills.com.
Stainless steel grates don’t leave the same degree of charring and grill marks, are more prone to sticking, and require more effort to clean. If your grill has wheels, examine the material carefully, as you want hard, preferably rubber, wheels and a solid construction where they attach to the grill. The Weber Q 2200 Propane Gas Grill is one of our top picks for portable grills by any brand.