My wife and I saw the review on the AmazingRibs Facebook page and she really wants to get me this for Father's Day. I'm definitely not going to say no to a new toy in June, but I'm wondering if I might be better off trying something else. We've had a Char-Broil TRU Infrared gas grill for years, and we have always loved how easy it's been to produce tasty food without the typical gas grill flareups. I think her idea was to give us a similar cooking experience using charcoal, which she has become much more receptive to my cooking on as I've gotten better with using my PBC. My question is if anyone else has tried this grill themselves, and would a better alternative be to get a Weber kettle with SNS? Price may play a part, as my last check on Amazon revelaed the Weber SNS combo cost is about double the Kettleman.
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Never used it so I can't help with any hands-on. From looking afar, my observation is you can make it work but for better handling & smoking, go Weber & SnS.
I will say though the cheapy Char-Broil TRU infrared gasser was a favorite of mine for a long time. Wouldn't hold a temp in any cool or windy weather, but in good weather that was a GREAT gasser. -
Got one. It has a shallow coal bed so it’s a bit more difficult to set up for any kind of low and slow. The shallow bed also means you get less raw searing power than the SNS with a Weber.
It does work really well for fast grilling with the IR grate, but I see it as a kind of one trick pony and went back to the Weber.
I like Ike the lid hinge and other design features.Comment
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Yeah, the TRU infrared was awesome in Reno; only maybe two months out of the year where there might be a temperature problem. It'll be interesting to see how the new one will work in Tennessee. Also, to clarify, the way I see myself using these: the PBC will handle just about all of my smoking. The TRU infrared gasser will be my "get something grilled quick" cooker, while this new choice will be the "experiment and play around when I have time" cooker.
PS: How necessary is the SNS for the Weber kettle if I'm not as interested in turning it into another smoker?Comment
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+1 on Huskee, but I am a Weber loyalist. I looked at a couple of the vids, and it looks like temp control would be a little more tricky on the Char-Broil because the holes in the body of the grill can't be shut - only the top vents. The kettle/sns combo is a rock though, but it is more expensive.
Thanks for reminding me about father's day. Time to start dropping MCS hints.
Follow up - I posted this about the same time VideoWolf88 was posting the sns question, so it is not applicable. About the sns, I used kettles for years without one, but now that I have the sns, I use it a lot. So while it isn't necessary, it is a nice tool to have.Last edited by klflowers; April 18, 2019, 03:03 PM.Comment
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VideoWolf88 in looking at that, it appears similar to a Weber kettle with the addition of a full set of Grillgrates. Does it save money over a kettle+Grillgrates? Yes. However, it is not as flexible, as according to the review, the charcoal grate is a lot closer to the unique V-shaped grate.
Personally, I would go for a 22" Weber kettle, and as you have spare cash, splurge on a full set of Grillgrates if you want the same flare-up free grilling experience. You will have spent $100 more than on the Char-Broil grill, but have the flexibility to add items such as a Slow 'N Sear, a rotisserie, and many other Weber compatible accessories that I don't think will work with the Char-Broil version of a kettle.
I use my Grillgrates in my kettle for a flare-up free grilling experience when doing burgers or chicken. I more often though use my kettle as a smoker, or for reverse searing steaks, with the Slow 'N Sear, Drip 'N Griddle, etc.
Below are random kettle cooks that I do not think you will be able to do with just that grate that comes on the Char-Broil. In summary - the kettle is just more flexible, unless ALL you want are direct cooks with that grill-grates style grate.
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Now that I dumped all those photos, here's the deal. The Char-Broil looks like a one trick pony. It would be like cooking on my kettle with the Grillgrates installed all the time. But without the flexibility to flip them flat side up, like you see in one burger cook above. You would be basically cooking "rail side" all the time. And having less than optimal ash removal, versus the easy sweep system and ash pan on the $149 Weber kettle is a minus as well.
I say START with the Weber kettle. You can *ADD* accessories each Father's Day, birthday, and Christmas until you have a full arsenal! Master the 2 zone setup and master smoking with techniques like the snake, and you can grill and smoke without adding anything else for a while.
My personal thought on order of acquisition of accessories, based on the fact you already have a PBC, would be:
1. Slow 'N Sear. This would be for smoking and reverse searing of steaks over an 1100F blazing inferno of coals, and easy 2 zone setups.
2. Grillgrates. These would give you the flare-up free experience you are looking for, and use of the entire cooking surface without worrying with a 2 zone setup. You can use the flat side as a griddle like surface, or the rail side for stuff like chicken and chops. This was the first accessory on my kettle.
3. Drip 'N Griddle. I use this as a drip pan most cooks with the Slow 'N Sear, and also as a pan for frying and sautéing things on the kettle and the gas grill.
4. Easy Spin grate. I bought this only after my original grates wore out and were looking crappy. I don't think you need to rush on these, but they are the last replacement grate you will ever need to buy for a kettle.
5. Rotisserie. I don't have one yet, but will get one eventually.
6. Temp controller. Not 100% necessary if you master the Slow 'N Sear, but nice to have. I got mine for Christmas. I have a Party Q. I like that it is cordless (except for the temp probe or course). This means you don't have to be tied to an electrical outlet.
As a parting thought, I cannot say enough about how nice the Performer Deluxe is. I love love love the gas ignition of charcoal, and I love having a huge prep surface as well as a charcoal storage bin and a large accessory storage shelf underneath. My performer lives out in the elements with a cover on it, and everything stays dry in the bin and on the storage shelf.Last edited by jfmorris; April 18, 2019, 03:22 PM.Comment
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jfmorris , This is an awesome checklist, and your cook photos are fantastic! I think I'm definitely leaning Weber at this point. Next question is if the $55 difference between the original 22" kettle and the premium is worth it?Comment
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Yes, you NEED the premium one with the ash collection and sweeps. I had an old kettle with just the pan about half way down the legs, and cleaning it was pretty much dumping the kettle upside down in the yard. I would never have one that doesn’t have the ash sweeps and ash collection pot underneath.
I hate that they jumped in price by 10% since the first of the year. Maybe someone still has it for 149 instead of 165 somewhere.Last edited by jfmorris; April 18, 2019, 09:23 PM.
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VideoWolf88 the main issue with the Premium versus the standard kettle is that the standard kettle, when you move the ash sweep handle (which doubles as the bottom vent control), all the ashes and any bits of burning coals that have fallen to the bottom dump out the bottom of the kettle, and if you are lucky, land in that aluminum disk suspended about halfway down the legs. In practice, not all of it lands in there, and if cleaning all the ash out from a cook, you probably gotta remove and carefully empty that pan a couple of times. I would be concerned about doing it with a kettle that is in use on a wooden deck, at least while the coals are burning, due to the possibility of an ember falling out. On the premium, all that stuff is contained in that ash catch assembly, and nothing ever falls out. You sweep it a few times, clearing the ash, and it all drops into a removable metal pot. I empty that pot before the next cook. It holds a lot of ash, sometimes I forget about it until it is pretty full!
I have a Weber Performer Deluxe, which is the premium kettle set into a cart with a large table surface, a charcoal storage bin (holds about 30 pounds), and propane ignition for the charcoal. I was lucky and got it with a full set of Grillgrates and a cover from a friend, for only $100. It was 7-8 years old at the time, but had been maintained very well. It's my favorite grill due to the large prep surface. I would be hard pressed to own just a standalone kettle again, as I am used to the table now. I gave away the kettle I was using before I got the Performer.
Keep an eye on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. You are smack dab between Nashville and Chattanooga, so odds are someone is getting rid of a Weber kettle or Performer series even, as we speak...Last edited by jfmorris; April 19, 2019, 07:55 AM.Comment
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What about the Master Touch vs the Premium?Comment
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If you would consider a used kettle for a discounted rate, I've had a lot of luck on both Craig's List and Facebook Marketplace buying cheap, used kettles in good condition. A lot of times, the seller will throw in the cover and a chimney starter along with the grill. Can sometimes score some interesting package deals on there.
It doesn't look like this is too close to you, but here is an example of the kind of deals you sometimes find. Here is a barely used, perfect condition (according to the seller) Master Touch, modified to include a temp probe port and and BBQ Guru Adapter. He includes the ABC Quadfecta (Slow N Sear, Drip N Griddle, Easy Spin Grate, GrillGrate that sits above the Slow N Sear). All or $299. Doesn't mention it in the add, but looks like it comes with a cover too. https://huntsville.craigslist.org/fo...853375720.html
I do live in an area (outside DC) not far from places where a lot of people with plenty of disposable income come and go and look to unload these types of things when moving out, so I am probably spoiled in how much I am able to find these second hand deals online, but I'd say it's worth keeping an eye out.Comment
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