Weber 26 + SNS or Kamado E6?

[MillerTime]

I currently have a WSM18 and a 22" kettle with all of the SNS accessories. Over time I've realized that I really enjoy using the 22/SNS combo when space allows over the WSM18. But the WSM18 obviously can handle larger cooks. I've been thinking of trying to consolidate both items into one cooker (anathema! I know! ) and the two obvious options that came to mind are the larger Weber 26 or the 24" Weber Kamado E6/WSCG.

Once the space for the SNS is accounted for, I figure the total cooking area is about equal for the two options, assuming kamado mode in the E6 if needed. Other than cost, is there any advantage to the 26+SNS combo over the Weber E6? Thoughts from folks who've tried both?

[Huskee]

I can't help you in comparison to the E6, but I do know those that have them love them and rave.

What I can help you with is a top-down view of the 22" and 26" kettles w/ SnS side by side, to give you a real world visual of the space difference. (Red line is the outer edge of the SnS cuz it's hard to see)

[Rod]

I just ordered an E6. I have a 22 and 26 with all the SnS gear. By my calculations, the E6 will give you a lot more cooking surface than the 26 with the SnS. I forget the numbers as I wrote them down and left them at work, but I wanna say it's over 100 square inches more.

[Attjack]

Henrik I used bricks too. But I'm talking about a full deflator like in a Kamado so you can utilize the entire kettle. I think the newer European 22" kettles come with one now.

[Attjack]

Like this.

[Henrik]

Thanks Attjack, now I get it. Yes, that's another feature completely. Would be cool to try.

[kenrobin]

SnS makes a low profile version that fits in the Weber Summit Kamado. I'm about to start editing a video of my first cook with it. It works great!

Here's a shameless plug for my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ

[MillerTime]

SnS makes a low profile version that fits in the Weber Summit Kamado. I'm about to start editing a video of my first cook with it. It works great!

Here's a shameless plug for my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ

Yeah, I like that idea a lot. I imagined using it like a kettle until you needed more space and then going kamado style.

Does the fact that the air vent sits directly on top of the dome on the E6, as opposed to being toward a side that is able to be positioned opposite the SNS, affect the two zone setup at all? Seems like the airflow over the meat in the E6 SNS setup wouldn't be as good as in the kettle, but maybe the difference is insignificant?

[jfmorris]

I can comment a little on that. I have a SNS Deluxe Kamado, and use it both in kamado mode and with the SNS, and the vent is top dead center. I don't think it makes a huge difference, as I've had GREAT results using the SNS. I do get a lot better smoke ring and bark formation using the SNS than I do in kamado mode, but that is likely due to much higher airflow and a hotter fire. In kamado mode you barely have the vents open, and it is almost too efficient, with very low airflow.

[DTro]

Not sure if this is a good price but I just saw this if you leaning towards the E6 https://www.bbqguys.com/weber-grills...stand-18201001

[Uncle Bob]

Pricing doesn't matter much with a Weber product as the dealers sign an agreement to sell at list, so pretty much anywhere you buy it will be the same. Some dealers will bundle "free goodies" with the sale to simulate discounting. BTW, roughly a month ago you could have bought $100 less, before Weber raised their prices, but.............................

[Bbqmikeg]

I’ve got a 26 but use the 22” s&s on it and a Summit. If you want to use a s&s get the 26. The Summit with the lower charcoal grate setting and the deflector plate is just too easy to use. Plus the Summit exhaust vent being top center makes more sense using the deflector plate.
Which ever you choose you’re gonna have a good time!
My Summit and digiQ combo is as easy as it gets.

[LA Pork Butt]

Being a Kamado guy, I say go Kamado! While every cooker excels at one type of cooking or another, Kamados’ strength is that they do all styles of cooking well. The SNS Kamado addresses the 2-zone cooking weakness of most Kamados.

[MillerTime]

I'd love that SNS Kamado if someone would just hurry up and DRAW MY NAME for first prize! (HINT, HINT! ).

Otherwise I think I lean more towards the E6 for it's extra 2" of space, the lighter weight, and the more agile temperature handling that I'm already used to with a kettle. But I'm all ears if I'm missing something else!

[LA Pork Butt]

MillerTime I am lifting up versatility. The radiant heat from the ceramic makes it excellent for roasting, baking and holding constant on low and slow
(especially in cold weather). But, if you don’t need that then go with you gut. I was pushing it as a do everything well grill.

[Old Glory]

I vote for WSCG. It is both a Kamado and a Kettle. It is THE most versatile cooker around.

[GoDuke]

I think it depends on what you value in your setup. If I think about the spectrum of fellow pit members, some people really enjoy the ingenuity factor of trying to extract as much out of a simple and affordable setup. At this end of the spectrum, I'm thinking of a kettle with a Bro n' sear or just firebricks. For these folks, an E6 will probably feel like a waste of money and they'd feel guilty about the spend, knowing they could replicate the same thing for much less.

At the other end of the spectrum, you have folks that enjoy convenience and a well designed product with fewer compromises. You could put any Kamado at that end. For these folks, I think the kettle would feel like they settled and the minor additional inconveniences vs the Kamado will put them off. They are also likely to eventually buy the E6 since they'll always have a wandering eye towards what they really wanted.

I'd put the 26" kettle with the SNS somewhere towards the "ingenuity" side of the spectrum.

[MillerTime]

This is a really good way of summarizing it! In general, while I appreciate the ingenuity for a bit, I generally lean more towards the convenience/good design end over time. So the E6 appears to be that solution, but if I ask myself why I'd upgrade from the 22" kettle/SNS setup at all, the answer would simply be "more space", which the 26" solves at a much cheaper cost. So sigh... still torn. But plenty of time to ponder. If Dave would come on out with that 26" SNS kettle I'd probably jump!

[GoDuke]

I'm still trying to figure out inline commenting, so hopefully this works.

MillerTime, I think the compelling reason for the E6 vs 22/26 would be temp stability and ease of use. For me, I'm just more likely to use my s6 than I ever did with my kettle because of the convenience factor. I think the temp stability and not having to babysit it also makes me more likely to do a cook. unless I'm cooking for a horde, it's plenty of space too. I can always use my 22 to augment it if I need to

[glitchy]

I think a big factor is how long you want to be able to run without adding fuel? You can run a WSCG/Kamado for 18+ hours without touching fuel in Kamado mode. Efficiency is the biggest difference. I like that I can run it overnight and not have to worry about it running out of fuel. I never had a 26er, but I didn’t miss my 22 or Performer at all after getting the WSCG.

[MillerTime]

Oh I'd love to get 18 hours with no touch! To me that's the biggest draw of the kamado. But I have consistently gotten 10-12 with kettle/SNS and a fan, and with the ease of just dropping coals in the top it hasn't been a huge pain or anything.

Is that 18+ with a fan, or just set it and forget it kamado setup?

[glitchy]

MillerTime I had a Fireboard and fan setup before getting a WSCG, so I’ve never run an overnight cook without it.

[Grillin Dad]

I’ve got the 22” + SNS and, at some point in the next several years, will be outgrowing it. I also go back and forth as to whether the ‘ultimate grill/smoker’ would be the 26” + SNS or the E6. As Rod has already pointed out, the E6 will give you a bit more ‘smoking’ room than the 26” + XL SNS. But, it’s still a lot of space, and should be enough for most larger cooks. My own estimations (which very well could be flawed) show that the 26” + original or deluxe SNS gives about the same ‘smoking’ room as the E6. Granted, you’ll have to refill the charcoal more often, but in a pinch, it should still work out well. The other big benefit of the E6 is the temperature stability. But you could also invest in a thermostatic fan and get that benefit as well.

As GoDuke as already stated, and I agree with, I think a lot depends on where you get your enjoyment from grilling/smoking. If you really enjoy the process and the ‘ingenuity’ of running a simple kettle (though I would not describe anything I do on a grill as ‘ingenious’), then you would probably enjoy the 26” more. If you like convenience and cool toy factor (and the E6/S6 is pretty cool), then you would probably enjoy the E6.

Personally, I go back and forth weekly, but am currently leaning on the 26”. I think the 26” + XL SNS would give me enough room for larger smokes (which can be expanded with the originally-sized SNS) and the addition of a thermostatic fan gives the temp stability of the E6. With those factors considered, I just don’t see a real benefit to the E6. I also consider myself more in the camp of enjoying the process and get a kick out of making great (for me) BBQ with a really simple and cheap setup. Plus, I already run the 22”, so I expect the learning curve with the 26” would be much shorter. But hey, I’m all ears if someone else feels differently or can show a benefit I’m not thinking of.

[Grillin Dad]

Dude, there’s a club? If you guys got jackets, I’m in!!

[Old Glory]

Grillin Dad The benefits of the WSCG are that it is insulated making it more stable and better in the cold weather, it has a moveable fire grate allowing you to run it like a Kamado using the full cooking grate (more SQI than a 26 with half the cooking area taken up by a slow and sear) raise up the fire grate and pull out the diffuser and you have a 24 inch kettle. It is better than a ceramic Kamado and better than a straight kettle. More versatile than both.

[Grillin Dad]

That's a really great point about the insulation. I know the couple of times I've smoked with my kettle in the winter months, I've chased temps all day. To me, that would be the biggest reason to get the E6 over the 26".

That and the E6 is still pretty cool

[Rod]

MillerTime Since my E6 is supposed to arrive Wednesday, I can do some side by side photos before you decide. I have both the Weber 26" and Performer with the SnS, DnG and Easy Spin grates. By my calculations, this is the square inches you are left with with various set ups:

26" out of the box: 508
E6 out of the box: 452
22" out of the box: 363
26" with SnS XL: 340
E6 with SnS low profile: 318
22" with SnS: 230

So for me, I want more room for slow smoking and roasting. I know I can put 2 racks of STL ribs side by side on the indirect side of the 26 with the SnS XL. I'm guessing I can do 3 with the E6 in kamado mode.

[Grillin Dad]

Okay, so based off these numbers (which may very well be more accurate than my own ‘eyeball estimations’), it looks like the 26” + originally sized SNS allows for 375 sq inches. That’s still about 80 sq inches smaller than the E6 in Kamado mode, worth noting.

[Old Glory]

Exactly!

[MillerTime]

MillerTime Since my E6 is supposed to arrive Wednesday, I can do some side by side photos before you decide. I have both the Weber 26" and Performer with the SnS, DnG and Easy Spin grates. By my calculations, this is the square inches you are left with with various set ups:

26" out of the box: 508
E6 out of the box: 452
22" out of the box: 363
26" with SnS XL: 340
E6 with SnS low profile: 318
22" with SnS: 230

So for me, I want more room for slow smoking and roasting. I know I can put 2 racks of STL ribs side by side on the indirect side of the 26 with the SnS XL. I'm guessing I can do 3 with the E6 in kamado mode.

Awesome feedback! Yeah pics would be cool if you literally have both side by side. Otherwise numbers work fine. Sounds like the E6 has almost the full space of the WSM18 (481 sq in), and the 26+SNS has the same coverage as the full 22 by itself. Both of those should be plenty, but if I'm trading in the WSM then it'd feel better to know I've still got mostly the same real estate available. Thanks!

[MillerTime]

Awesome discussion points all around - this place rocks! Thanks for the help, all...I've got plenty to ponder while I start saving some cash.

Unless y'all wanna draw my name, of course (subtle hint #2). 🤪