Welcome!


This is a membership forum. Guests can view 5 pages for free. To participate, please join.

[ Pitmaster Club Information | Join Now | Login | Contact Us ]

Only 4 free page views remaining.

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

New kettle decisions

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    New kettle decisions

    I'm replacing my Weber Performer Deluxe this week and I need some feedback from the kettle crowd.

    Should I get another or is there any advantage to going with the 26 in. kettle. I'll be getting a SNS of course so I'm wondering if the marginal difference in grill size make that much of a difference. I'm thinking in terms of ribs.

    There is a full sized smoker down the road for me in a couple of years so I'm looking primarily at grilling, but would like to do small turkeys and pork butts.

    Sure, I'd love a Good One or Hasty bake, but I don't want to spend more than $400.

    #2
    Why are you replacing the Deluxe?

    Not having a table has kept me from the 26".

    Comment


      #3
      Just an observation. I found the difference between the 22 and the 26 to be more than marginal. It amounts to almost 40% more cooking space. You can get a lot of food on the 26. It’s a lot of bang for the buck.

      Comment


      • Mr. Bones
        Mr. Bones commented
        Editing a comment
        Yup.

      • Troutman
        Troutman commented
        Editing a comment
        Yup. Yup. It's well worth the investment.

      #4
      With a 26", you would easily be able to lay two, maybe three, racks of St. Louis ribs flat, if that matters to you. But you lose the nice workspace provided by the Performer cart. And with my 26" I have never been able to approach the 10 hrs I used to get out of a SnS load of charcoal with my Performer. Also, the accessories for your current grill are plentiful and cheaper than the ones for the 26", if they exist at all in the larger size. I would say that if you have made it this long without a 26" and have been happy with the Performer, you may want to just stick with that. I like my 26", but I miss the Performer I sold when I bought it.
      Last edited by Steve R.; March 26, 2021, 06:53 AM.

      Comment


        #5
        Will the Performer cook enough for the number of people you want to feed? If yes, get another Performer. If no the get the 26". With the 26", you may want to buy or build a table, so add that to the cost.

        Comment


          #6
          Here's a pic I like to share when folks ask this question. It really shows you the tangible difference in real estate between the two. If you're even considering the 26 to begin with, then my advice is just get it.

          Click image for larger version

Name:	Both kettles with Sns grates.jpg
Views:	343
Size:	185.0 KB
ID:	1008881

          Comment


          #7
          I own both 26 and 22. I like my 26 but I will say I experienced some drawbacks. It cooks differently than the 22. Not by much but it is different. I was extremely familiar with my 22 and noticed an adjustment period. The biggest drawback for me initially was since the 26 has such an increased volume, a full chimney of charcoal would settle lower from the grates than the 22. It really changed searing. My wife got me the SNS XL for Christmas, and that solved that issue but I did not need that on the 22. I like the charcoal to be very close to the grate. Since you mentioned your primarily looking for a grill, be prepared for this. The grill + SNS is ~$500.

          As for smoke, it is noticeably less efficient but it makes up for that in capacity IMO. I recently reverse seared, 4 large tri-tips, and probably could of fit another one on the cool side. With the exception of ribs. When I purchased the 26, I was hoping to fit three St. Luis racks at a time, because the packs at Costco come with three. It simply was not possible. I tried multiple configurations and I'm not a fan of rib-racks. My 22 could fit 2 racks. So wasn't a huge benefit for pork ribs. That being said, for brisket, its much more capable. I've fit very large briskets on the 26. and with room to spare, without worrying of burning, or lots of rotating. The 22, it was always too tight for my liking.

          So to me, it really depends on what your plans are. I've often wondered if I'd been better off just getting a second 22 and building a table that incorporates both.

          Comment


            #8
            One more thing to add. The cleanout on the 26 does not work nearly as well as the 22. I think it has to do with the curvature difference between the two. I now keep a small hand-held broom by my grills to help clean out ash in the 26. I never needed this on the 22. As someone who grills very often, this has been annoying.

            Comment


              #9
              I always lusted after the 26" Weber. I wanted more room. It's surprising to me that 3 racks of ribs won't fit on it, as SchweinStein points out. Good to know. Or it would have been good to know had Weber not come out with the 24" Summit Charcoal Grilling Center a few years back. That solved all my space issues, plus I got to enjoy the kamado option as well. It's been a great purchase, coming with a sturdy table with plenty of storage--(much more than the E6 version currently offered as a cost benefit). Because of its double-walled design, it holds temps rock solidly and is extremely fuel-efficient for long cooks.

              To my mind, moving up from a Performer with table to a WSCGC is the perfect progression. More kettle and a great kamado as well.

              Kathryn

              Comment


                #10
                I had a 26 years ago that I used primarily as a bbq and I loved the surafce area. could fit four 3-5 lb. tri-tips or more if i recall correctly and lots and lots of burgers and dogs. i went to the 22 performer when i got it as a gift and the 26 got put set aside and eventually gave it to a friend. now i use two or three 22s or a a 22 and 18 when i have larger groups to cook for. i actually like running dual grills since i can run one hotter than the other and cook in stages. the table is huge. i almost forget and drop stuff where the table is on my performer when usuing one of my 22s without a table. probably more a happy hour cooking thing though.

                Comment


                  #11
                  If I was choosing between a 26 and a Performer Deluxe I would pick the 26 every time. The larger capacity is really nice to have when you need it. The SNS XL holds temps as steady (maybe even a bit better?) than the regular SNS does in the 22.

                  I have no science or testing to back this up but since the 26 is a bit larger you will have more airflow going through it so I think for slow cooking (pork butts, brisket, etc.) everything tastes a bit "cleaner" if that makes sense?

                  Comment


                  • Polarbear777
                    Polarbear777 commented
                    Editing a comment
                    The 26 has much more surface area so it loses heat faster, causing a hotter fire needed to maintain temp.

                    Definitely less efficient. But the space is worth the trade on all but overnight cooks.

                  • Richard Chrz
                    Richard Chrz commented
                    Editing a comment
                    Polarbear777 yet, compared to smoking a brisket or shoulder on a 26 vs a 22wsm, the 26 uses half the fuel.but, yes, far less efficient then a 22, and definitely requires a lot more fuel then a 22 kettle, no doubt.
                    Last edited by Richard Chrz; March 26, 2021, 07:40 PM.

                  • JoeSousa
                    JoeSousa commented
                    Editing a comment
                    Yeah, it requires more fuel but it seems to also burn cleaner as well with the increased area and volume. I think it is worth an extra $10 of charcoal.

                  #12
                  I would get the 26" and would skip the SNS. Just buy a pan and use the snake method for low n' slow, and if you need to sear then you can get some brackets or pile the charcoal on one side. When it comes to grills I think bigger is better because you're less concerned with efficiency than you are with a smoker. That said, the 26" is probably going to run pretty efficiently.

                  If I could, I'd buy the Weber Ranch Kettle!

                  Comment


                  • Steve R.
                    Steve R. commented
                    Editing a comment
                    Panhead John, it got to where I was only using it a handful of times per year, and it took a LOT of charcoal to run it. It was also taking up a lot of garage space and I was ready to move on to a shiny new toy like I tend to do. So 26" kettle and 22" WSM handle anything I need to do now. I knew I could sell it for what I paid for it, so that made it an easier decision.

                  • TripleB
                    TripleB commented
                    Editing a comment
                    I experienced the same as you Beefchop. I found that the SnS was not any more effective than a pan and the minion method. Ended up giving the SnS to my brother.

                  • Beefchop
                    Beefchop commented
                    Editing a comment
                    TripleB I think I'm going to list mine on Craigslist.

                  #13
                  26, you can build a table.I do love my 22Kettle though, it’s like a little sports car.
                  Last edited by Richard Chrz; March 26, 2021, 07:14 PM.

                  Comment


                    #14
                    My Performer, performing!

                    Two St. Louis racks on the grate, side by side, another on top of them, and rotate their positions every hour. When they're done they all look alike, taste alike, and share the same doneness. 26" is more than I need for cook size, and less than I need since thry're not yet Performers. This pic was before I got a SnS, which still allows two racks os St. Louis side by side. <burp!>
                    Attached Files
                    Last edited by zinfella; March 26, 2021, 03:27 PM.

                    Comment


                      #15
                      Another reason why I haven't got a 26"

                      The PBC can hang (so I'm told) 8 wacks of wibs!

                      Comment


                      • Richard Chrz
                        Richard Chrz commented
                        Editing a comment
                        Yet a wsm 22 can hang 22 racks, from what I have read.... WSM, WSM, WSM. Lol! 😜

                      • Alabama Smoke
                        Alabama Smoke commented
                        Editing a comment
                        It can do 8. I have done it.

                    Announcement

                    Collapse
                    No announcement yet.
                    Working...
                    X
                    false
                    0
                    Guest
                    Guest
                    500
                    ["pitmaster-my-membership","login","join-pitmaster","lostpw","reset-password","special-offers","help","nojs","meat-ups","gifts","authaau-alpha","ebooklogin-start","alpha","start"]
                    false
                    false
                    {"count":0,"link":"/forum/announcements/","debug":""}
                    Yes
                    ["\/forum\/free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-downloads","\/forum\/free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-downloads\/1157845-paid-members-download-your-6-deep-dive-guide-ebooks-for-free-here","\/forum\/the-pitcast","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/bbq-news-magazine-2019-issues","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/bbq-news-magazine-2020-issues","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/bbq-news-magazine-2021-issues","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/bbq-news-magazine-2022-issues","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/current-2023-issues","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/current-2024-issues","\/forum\/free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-downloads\/1165909-trial-members-download-your-free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-here"]
                    /forum/free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-downloads/1165909-trial-members-download-your-free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-here