It’s no coincidence that Weber is almost synonymous with classic, high-quality grills. The brand has been around since the 1950s, when its founder invented the kettle grill. Since then, the company has retained its iconic bowl-shaped charcoal grill, but has also introduced gas grills, electric grills, wood pellet grills, and more—not to mention a range of grilling accessories, from grill thermometers to briquettes.
To help you find the right Weber grill for you, we spent months testing popular models and evaluating each one for its construction, heat retention, heat control, size, versatility, and value. We grilled plenty of steaks, burgers, vegetables, and more to ensure these Weber grills are truly the best.
Weber has improved its legendary kettle grill over the decades, and the latest version is nearly perfect. The Weber Performance Deluxe 22-inch features updated key features that make your grilling even easier. The grill is integrated into an easy-to-move cart that features an extra-large side table and a closed charcoal container.
As you may know, lighting a charcoal grill usually begins by heating the coals in a chimney starter. Not so with this Weber! It features an automatic gas ignition that consistently lit the coals for us. Maintaining the temperature was also effortless. You can adjust the lid to various positions to optimally position the upper throttle. The lower throttle is easy to adjust if the flame gets too hot. During our smoking test, we were able to maintain the grill temperature at 10 degrees for several hours, making it an excellent option for indirect grilling.
Another great feature is the round insert of the folding grate, which allows you to quickly add charcoal while grilling. However, you have to remove the entire grate to adjust the fuel quantity—one of the few drawbacks. After grilling, this insert offers another advantage over older kettle grills: After cooling, the ash is swept into the bottom collection container and easily disposed of, while everything else only needs a quick wipe.
Dimensions: 48 x 30 x 43.5 inches | Grilling Area: 363 square inches | Type: Charcoal | Warranty: 5 years (cleaning system, plastic components), 10 years (bowl, lid); 2 years (all other parts)
Are you looking for an electric grill that delivers outstanding performance anywhere there’s an outlet? Then the Weber Q 1400 is the right choice. This compact yet powerful electric grill delivers great flavor and requires no propane or charcoal. Simply plug it into an outlet, set the temperature, and you’re ready to go.
The key to success with the Q 1400 is waiting long enough for the grill to reach the right temperature. Once it does, the 189 square inches of cooking surface can easily accommodate one to four or more people, depending on what you’re cooking. We were truly impressed with the dishes prepared with this grill, particularly the high-quality grill marks on veggie shish kebabs, kidney cones, zucchini slices, and marinated chicken breast. However, we missed the authentic smoky flavor that only wood and charcoal can produce.
With porcelain-enameled cast iron grates, you’ll benefit from excellent heat retention and easy cleaning, as our tests have shown. The Weber Q 1400 is an excellent choice if you live in a condominium or other small space where gas and charcoal grills may be limited, or if you want a user-friendly unit that only needs to be plugged in. This is the smaller of Weber’s two electric grill models. If you need a bit more space, consider the larger Q 2400.
Dimensions: 14.5 x 27 x 16.5 inches | Grilling Area: 189 square inches | Type: Electric | Warranty: 5 years (grill box, lid assembly, burner tubes, grill grates, and plastic components); 2 years (everything else)
Weber’s Genesis line offers high-quality grills at affordable prices. The EX-325S is designed for easy grilling so you can enjoy every party. We tested the smart and simpler models. Both delivered impressive performance, but the app provided a more modern experience.
The impressive performance begins as soon as the grill arrives. After a straightforward setup, simply press the ignition button and connect it to the Weber Connect app on your smartphone. There, you can see the ambient temperature measured by the high-precision built-in thermometer and monitor the temperature of your food with the two included probe thermometers. The app doesn’t allow flame adjustment—one of the few drawbacks of the EX-325S.
During our two-week test, we found hardly any faults. The 480 m² cooking surface was evenly heated throughout, with slightly higher temperatures directly above the burners. The sear zone produced delicious steaks, although you might, like us, wish you had an extra burner. The grill is even ideal for beginners, as the app includes everything you need to know about grilling and maintaining a gas grill. It is truly one of the best gas grills on the market.
Dimensions: 61.5 x 27 x 48.5 inches | Cooking area: 787 square inches | Fuel: Gas | Power: 39,000 BTU/hour | Warranty: 3 years (Weber Connect); 10 years (cooking grates, burner tubes, flavorizer bars); 12 years (lid, cookbox); 5 years (all other parts)
The Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill is a classic for anyone who enjoys charcoal grilling. The fair price for such a high-quality product is unbeatable. The 56 cm diameter offers 363 square inches of cooking space in the porcelain-enameled lid and base. In both tests, assembly was quick and easy, and setting it up was a breeze. This allows you to cook pork, burgers, steaks, chicken, vegetables, and even grilled pineapple – with fantastic results.
Beginners will quickly learn to find the correct damper positions for a consistent temperature, as we did. Note the inaccurate temperature display on the built-in dial. We observed inaccurate readings and ultimately relied on a second thermometer.
While grilling, the grate hinges open to allow for more charcoal. The more intrepid among us can use it as is. Those who prefer a more cautious approach can remove the entire grate. Another feature of the Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill is its one-touch cleanout system, which vents ash into a large, removable container for easy disposal. It’s intuitive to use, and any overlooked ash can be quickly swept away.
Ultimately, we’re definitely fans of the Weber brand—one of the main reasons for this is its simplicity. “It’s a step up from cooking over a campfire, as the flame is safely contained within the kettle,” says Donna Currie, one of our grill experts. “While it’s a simple, no-nonsense grill, it’s also very easy to use and just as easy to clean after cooking. Although I’ve since moved on to other, heavier, more complex grills, I highly recommend a Weber kettle to anyone looking for a simple charcoal grill. It ticks all the boxes.”
Dimensions: 39.5 x 22.5 x 27 inches | Total cooking area: 363 square inches | Type: Charcoal | Warranty: 10 years (bowl and lid); 5 years (cleaning system and plastic components); 2 years (everything else)
The SmokeFire EX4 offers 672 square inches of cooking space across two levels of cooking grates and an impressive temperature range of 200 to 600 degrees Fahrenheit, making it suitable for both grilling and smoking. It features a 20-pound pellet hopper and a DC motor to prevent jamming of the auger. The grill is also equipped with smart features, including two meat probes that let you monitor the cooking status of your food and control and monitor the grill via Wi-Fi from your smartphone. It even guides you through the cooking process and lets you know when it’s time to turn the food—a convenient option for first-time grillers.
In both tests, the grill was easy to light, had flawless temperature control, and practically operated itself. It was the fastest pellet grill to reach 500 degrees, doing so in under 10 minutes. We successfully cooked a smoked half chicken using the “Chicken on the Bone” program and created perfectly melted cheeseburgers using the Cheeseburger program (note, however, that this only cooks the burgers all the way through, so if you prefer them less well-done, you can grill them without the program). It was also one of the better pellet grills for searing steaks.
After testing, we put it aside for a while, but when we used it again, we appreciated its ease of use and the great smoky flavor without much effort, especially when preparing ribs. Thanks to the self-feeding feature, it can cook for six hours without much intervention, unless we need to handle the meat ourselves. While we use it less frequently for shorter cooking times, we like to have it on hand when it’s the right tool for the job.
Dimensions: 47 x 43 x 33 inches | Cooking Area: 672 square inches | Type: Wood Pellet | Warranty: 3 years (cooking grates, pellet chute, burn pot, heat shield, pellet grate, control panel, electrical components); 5 years (all other parts)
The 6.9 kg Go-Anywhere is Weber’s most affordable grill, but still offers solid performance and clever design. The 6,500 BTU burner could heat the stainless steel grate to 315°C, enough to sear a steak to perfection. However, it doesn’t retain heat as well as cast iron, and we noticed significant temperature fluctuations when opening the lid and adding food. (Our test fish fillet was still tender and flaky, and the steak was perfectly medium-rare.)
We love that the legs of this grill fold up to secure the lid—it’s a small feature, but it’s very useful and contributes to its easy portability. One thing that’s a bit annoying, though, is the way the propane tank is attached: It hangs at an angle on the side of the grill, and you have to place the unit on the edge of a table or other flat surface because the tank hangs below the legs.
If you’re more of a charcoal fan, Weber also offers a charcoal-powered Go-Anywhere, which is even slightly less expensive than the gas version. As long as you know how to handle charcoal, it offers virtually the same setup and performance as the gas version. We tested cooking corn, burgers, and bratwurst over charcoal and got good results with everything except the sausages: They charred on the outside before they were fully cooked and required a lower temperature than other foods.
Dimensions: 14.5 x 21 x 12.2 inches | Grilling Area: 160 square inches | Fuel: Propane, Charcoal | Output: 6,500 BTU/hour | Warranty:
You can’t go wrong with Weber’s classic black charcoal grill. The 22-inch Weber Performer Deluxe charcoal grill is just the thing. For a gas grill with great features, we recommend the Weber Genesis EX-325S Propane Smart Grill.