Char-Broil taking another run at the Weber Kettle...😏

[Breadhead]

They are trying desperately to pry into Weber's dominance.👍

http://www.charbroil.com/products/charcoal-grills/kettleman/kettleman-charcoal-grill?redirect_mongo_id=56cc6f30353662641fa70100&utm_source=batch&utm_medium=email&utm_content=cta-kettleman&utm_campaign=02_25_16_Kettleman_Promo

[CurlingDog]

innovate or die. i wouldn't be surprised to learn that someone from Char-Broil is a pit member. I think the best way to spend marketing dollars is to take the temperature of the market and buy a membership in forums such as this. You will get unadulterated reviews and comments as to what the buying public wants. If that means we see an increase in variety, innovative advances in technology and a wider selection of product to make our favorite past time more appealing, I, for one, welcome our new BBQ product overlords.

[Breadhead]

I'm with you. I love to see the underdog take a run at the King of grills. We consumers have nothing to lose and everything to gain.👌 Let the battle begin!!!

[LA Pork Butt]

I would like to see it in person, but it does appear to offer good versatility for the price. It looks like a charcoal grill with a gas grill cooking surface. Quality would be my concern.

[Breadhead]

Agreed... Maybe Max Good ought to take a look at this unique entry level cooker.

[oldsteve]

Max reviewed this model several months ago. I believe he gave it a Silver rating.

[Max Good]

You are correct @oldsteve

http://amazingribs.com/bbq_equipment_reviews_ratings/grill-smoker-combination-grill-smoker/char-broil-kettleman-tru-infrared-225-charcoal-grill

[Max Good]

@breadhead
Like I said, Weber is still king. But Kettleman is different from Weber and, as I point out in the review, some of the differences are attractive.

[Breadhead]

Max Good ...

You are very diplomatic...👍

[Max Good]

@breadhead
It's not diplomacy, I just recognize that different people want different things and Kettleman is a good charcoal grill that is different from Weber.

[SteveFromLafayette]

This grill looks pretty decent. Not worth $149 imho. You can buy two 22" Weber Kettles for that here at our local Lowes.

[Jerod Broussard]

You sure that isn't 18" kettles.

[Breadhead]

Guest ...

If you can buy 22" Weber Kettles for $75 per grill... I take 3 45' truckloads ASAP.😆👍👌

Amazon has the totally striped down 22" Weber for $99.00. This things all of the horns and whistles.

[LA Pork Butt]

Typically I see the 22" inch Silver for $89.

[oldthor]

Just saw a ton of them in a brand new display at my local BJ's warehouse store. They were selling for 89 dollars and change. Was more excited about the whole isle of grills and charcoal which means spring is right around the corner!!

[Max Good]

@stevefromlayfayette
You are likely referring to the basic Weber Original, formerly called Silver. Kettleman is more in line with the higher priced Weber Premium with the One-Touch ash removal system. I just checked for pricing and saw several sources offering Kettleman for about $100.

[SteveFromLafayette]

Could've been a sale price I mistook for regular retail price. I bought my 2nd 22" kettle for $62 and some change in Port Arthur, TX.

[Hondo]

That's interesting... but without the ability to control the air flow on the lower vents... it's a non starter for me... too bad, because I'm still irritated with Weber over the last Kettle I bought and would like to try something else...

[Huskee]

I'm still irritated with Weber over the last Kettle I bought and would like to try something else...

What's wrong with your kettle Hondo?

[JeffJ]

I won't go so far to say that Weber has perfected the kettle - always room for incremental improvements. It's just that kettle competitors face a lot of near-insurmountable challenges. For starters, the Weber name. To build on that the name isn't well regarded for no reason. Weber is an excellent company that churns out strong products with good price value. Then we get to the accessories. Weber has all sorts of optional accessories that make their ubiquitous kettles amazingly versatile. If that isn't difficult enough for a competitor, a number of non-Weber entrepreneurs have engineered accessories exclusive to the specs of the Weber kettle - Slow n Sear (a site favorite), Smokenator, Kettle Pizza, Smoke E-Z, etc.

It's just a really difficult product to best in competition when it comes to total package.

[Breadhead]

JeffJ ...

Being #2 is sometimes an advantage... We try harder, reminds me of someone trying to overtake a market leader.

Some dominant companies get too comfortable and/or lazy. They lose top level creators or marketing people that ramped them up.

Stuff happens... You grow or you die.

Holding a dominant position in an industry is not a cake walk.😎

[Hondo]

What's wrong with your kettle Hondo?

Just not what I've come to expect from Weber... it's the new model 22" with the bolt on handle for the cover. It came with cheap sheet metal nuts which don't work well. Then the fit of the lid itself is poor... doesn't fit as snug as earlier models...

[JeffJ]

When I got my 14.5" WSM for Christmas in '14 the center ring had a ding at the top that prevented the lid from fitting. Weber sent me a replacement free of charge.

[oldthor]

Just not what I've come to expect from Weber... it's the new model 22" with the bolt on handle for the cover. It came with cheap sheet metal nuts which don't work well. Then the fit of the lid itself is poor... doesn't fit as snug as earlier models...

That's disappointing to hear. I have always bought Weber in the past because of the build quality. I have a copper 22" Weber Grill still in the box I bought two weeks ago. Going to be disappointed myself if the build quality has been reduced.

[Hondo]

Hoping that I just got a bad one... I can fix the handle, but I shouldn't have to. I may be able to improve the fit of the lid with a bit of rubber mallet work on the lip. I haven't noticed any other complaints so I hope yours is fine...