ADVICE: Need a new grill - Weber vs. Char-Griller

[agdrillman55]

I currently own a char griller and its a rusty pile of junk, plus it's made in the china. Go Weber, made in the USA. Not sure how long a Weber will last but I would bet longer than 2 years which is how long my char griller lasted before rusting out. Good luck.

 

[noboundaries]

Go Weber, made in the USA. Not sure how long a Weber will last but I would bet longer than 2 years which is how long my char griller lasted before rusting out. Good luck.

I have an 18.5" Weber that is older than I thought.  My wife said we bought it the first year I got out of the Navy, which occurred Dec 31, 1987.  26 year-old Weber!  I've replace the grates several times and the two of the "tabs" that hold the charcoal grate just rusted off in the last month.  It is still used though, both for smoking and grilling (two bone-in ribeye steaks Friday night).  I'd say that's a little longer than 2 years.  I'm going to make it a project and turn it into a WSM.   

 

[ramcharger1979]

Weber please! I would not buy char griller.

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk

 

[magslam]

I currently own a char griller and its a rusty pile of junk, plus it's made in the china. Go Weber, made in the USA. Not sure how long a Weber will last but I would bet longer than 2 years which is how long my char griller lasted before rusting out. Good luck.

I agree with everything you posted but one thing; at this time and age, I think Weber are no longer 100% made in the USA. Still, it is the best middle of the road charcoal cooking machine out there. Fairly affordable, and excellent performance.

 

[dagresta]

I have a coal Weber kettle pushing 25+years.Also gas grill 20 years old. Both look good and work just fine. I have over the years replaced some parts (which with most MFG grills Parts good luck). If you talk care of it I guess it will last a long time. Oh yes last summer I upgraded my trays and replace one wheel.I still can get parts!

 

[raastros2]

weber is easily the most versatile of any grill....if the 22.5 is too small they have a 27.75 that will compete with any of the more square grates that look  bigger...also there is a monster weber that is 44" and can be used in a place of a thin metal char grill any day for smking or grilling 

 

[ratboy5000]

I have both the CG duo pro w/ fire box and the Weber 22.5 I like em both. The 22.5 for personal bbq's and the CG for parties and show + the smoke from the pit invites neighbors to come by with more beer and conversation.

 

[steve k]

I've had a number of similar good experiences with Weber's warranty service.  They bend over backwards to honor their warranties.  They have covered things several times when things were technically out of the terms of their warranties.  If they ship out a part, it's there within a day or two.  I buy a Weber unless they don't make what I'm looking for. (e.g. a cabinet smoker that holds 100 lbs of kielbasa, for that I went to Cabela's).

 

[bigjay282]

WEBER,cant lose with a kettle. versatile as well,grilling and smoking

 

[sskyking]

Whoever said it had to be an "either/or"? 

  Why not go for both?

Seriously, my last "grill" was a Char-Griller and I did find it to be a bit of a lightweight for my needs, but I try to grill at least once a week and often twice or more.  I'm currently using a Masterbuilt barrel grill for my normal grilling but my Bandera is my pride and joy for smoking.  That puppy stays in my garage for maximum protection between cooks!  I even keep a cheap cast iron Hibachi from Amazon for small cooks when the wife and I want a burger or a couple of kebobs.

I've probably been through a dozen grills and I'll just share what I've learned:

The biggest enemies of charcoal grills are heat and rust.  The heat is inevitable but the rust can be prevented/controlled.

Nothing is worse than allowing wet ashes to sit in the ash pan.  Water soaked ash is basically lye and it eats metal quickly.

As soon as you are done cooking, close all vents to kill the fire (safety) and let everything cool completely and then remove the remaining coals and ash.  I keep a small galvanized bucket with lid for the ashes and only dispose of them after they have spent several days in the closed bucket.

Some have referred to retaining any remaining coals for future use, but I was always disappointed in the heat consistency with reused coals in the chimney and stopped doing it years ago.  I'd rather waste fuel than meat!

I prefer curved top grills like kettles or barrels over flat top grills because they shed water more quickly when it rains or snows.

I stopped using covers because they don't really keep the grill dry, but they do get wet and then keep that moisture in direct contact with the metal of the grill.  The fastest rusting grill I've ever owned was an expensive dual-zone Brinkman that had a flat top and was kept under a cover!

If you purchase anything but a Weber, consider ordering a replacement charcoal grate / ash pan immediately, as many brands seem to stop making parts after a season or two, and that is the first part to wear out.  With Char-Griller, you likely won't be able to find one when you need it so stock up to begin with and it will likely double the life of your grill or more!

If you do get rust, hit it with a wire brush or sandpaper and finish with some high-temp grill paint.  It doesn't have to be pretty, just protected.

Bottom line, anyone asking this question will quickly find it to be like asking "blonde, brunette or redhead?"  There is no single answer, it all comes down to personal taste and how you want to use it, each grill/smoker design has its advantages and disadvantages, you simply have to learn what they are and see how they align with what, and how you want to cook.  Whatever you buy, it's just going to be your first, if you are serious about outdoor cooking, you WILL keep learning and upgrading... fortunately, trading in a barrel for a kettle, or vice-versa, is a heck of a lot cheaper and easier, than trading the blonde for the redhead! 

 

[jwiley86]

Weber! Why spend extra $50 just to have an option for conversion. Who knows, by the time you want to convert, the grill might not even be working anymore so you end up buying a whole new grill plus the additional $50 bucks that you didn't make use of.

 

[aussiesmoker14]

I was born and raised in the USA and I've been barbecuing for over 25 years but am only now starting to get serious about it.  I've used both the Weber and CharGriller in the past.  I purchased my first Weber over 20 years ago and my first CharGriller about 10 years ago.  Shortly after buying my CharGriller, I ended up moving to Australia and had to leave them both behind.  I was able to find a Weber here in Australia without any problems but it is only recently that I have been able to find a CharGriller.  I purchased my CharGriller 6 months ago and have not looked back.

I admit that I'm a noob at this but would like to share my opinion.  If for no other reason than to encourage additional discussion about the pros and cons of both.

At this point, if I could only have one, I would choose the CharGriller hands down and here are my reasons:

1) I prefer the heavy duty cast iron grill that come with the CharGriller.   When grilling, I admit that much of this is cosmetic.  I can't say why I like the thicker grill, I just do.  For indirect and smoking however I feel that the extra mass acts as an additional heat sink to level out the temperatures.  Also, if I need to add additional fuel on a long cook, it's easier to lift out the grate.

2) I love the ability to raise and lower the coal bed.  This is something that I don't see many people talking about in forums.  They are always talking about regulating temperature solely via the air vents.  When I cook an Ahi steak, I'll start with the coals close to the grill for a minute and then lower the grill for five minutes.  Then when it's time to flip the steak I raise the coals to the highest level for another minute and repeat the process.  For me, an adjustable grill is the best way to make sure you only have to "flip the steak once".

3) I love the extra grill space.  My last Weber was 22.5 inches and for most things this was quite sufficient but it does not compare to the CharGriller.  I could go on and on here, but just having the warming rack allows you to crisp up 8 burger buns while finishing up the burgers.  And indirect cooking is certainly possible in the Weber but it is a little bit cramped whereas I can do a whole indirect chicken on the CharGriller and cook a full plate of veggies on the side as well.  Another thing I do on my CharGriller is pizza.  The CG is wide enough to have two pizza stones so I set up a system where I have one stone on indirect and one on direct.  I start my pizza on the indirect one and finish it off over the direct one.  And basically, this is the best pizza I have ever had in Australia.

4) As far as the Weber being more durable, I can't comment too much on that.  Other than the fact that my last Web rotted out in less than 5 years.  I should say at this point that I don't know for a fact where it was made.  As far as I know, this model could have been made in China.

Having said all of this, the best meal that I have ever cooked was on a Weber.  It was a whole chicken that I cooked for 3 hours indirectly.  It was perfectly smokey, moist, and falling off the bone tender.  The problem is, I have never been able to reproduce that perfect chicken and I have to reiterate, that if we are just talking about grilling, the CG is more versatile.

And lastly, I think that there was something mentioned about needing the firebox to smoke with the CG whereas the Weber could smoke right out of the box.  This is not accurate because you can also smoke using the basic CG model without the firebox.

In conclusion, if I had to choose just one, I'd pick the CG because I feel it is much more flexible than the Web.

I welcome your replies.

 

[daricksta]

 
I was born and raised in the USA and I've been barbecuing for over 25 years but am only now starting to get serious about it.  I've used both the Weber and CharGriller in the past.  I purchased my first Weber over 20 years ago and my first CharGriller about 10 years ago.  Shortly after buying my CharGriller, I ended up moving to Australia and had to leave them both behind.  I was able to find a Weber here in Australia without any problems but it is only recently that I have been able to find a CharGriller.  I purchased my CharGriller 6 months ago and have not looked back.

I admit that I'm a noob at this but would like to share my opinion.  If for no other reason than to encourage additional discussion about the pros and cons of both.

At this point, if I could only have one, I would choose the CharGriller hands down and here are my reasons:

1) I prefer the heavy duty cast iron grill that come with the CharGriller.   When grilling, I admit that much of this is cosmetic.  I can't say why I like the thicker grill, I just do.  For indirect and smoking however I feel that the extra mass acts as an additional heat sink to level out the temperatures.  Also, if I need to add additional fuel on a long cook, it's easier to lift out the grate.

2) I love the ability to raise and lower the coal bed.  This is something that I don't see many people talking about in forums.  They are always talking about regulating temperature solely via the air vents.  When I cook an Ahi steak, I'll start with the coals close to the grill for a minute and then lower the grill for five minutes.  Then when it's time to flip the steak I raise the coals to the highest level for another minute and repeat the process.  For me, an adjustable grill is the best way to make sure you only have to "flip the steak once".

3) I love the extra grill space.  My last Weber was 22.5 inches and for most things this was quite sufficient but it does not compare to the CharGriller.  I could go on and on here, but just having the warming rack allows you to crisp up 8 burger buns while finishing up the burgers.  And indirect cooking is certainly possible in the Weber but it is a little bit cramped whereas I can do a whole indirect chicken on the CharGriller and cook a full plate of veggies on the side as well.  Another thing I do on my CharGriller is pizza.  The CG is wide enough to have two pizza stones so I set up a system where I have one stone on indirect and one on direct.  I start my pizza on the indirect one and finish it off over the direct one.  And basically, this is the best pizza I have ever had in Australia.

4) As far as the Weber being more durable, I can't comment too much on that.  Other than the fact that my last Web rotted out in less than 5 years.  I should say at this point that I don't know for a fact where it was made.  As far as I know, this model could have been made in China.

Having said all of this, the best meal that I have ever cooked was on a Weber.  It was a whole chicken that I cooked for 3 hours indirectly.  It was perfectly smokey, moist, and falling off the bone tender.  The problem is, I have never been able to reproduce that perfect chicken and I have to reiterate, that if we are just talking about grilling, the CG is more versatile.

And lastly, I think that there was something mentioned about needing the firebox to smoke with the CG whereas the Weber could smoke right out of the box.  This is not accurate because you can also smoke using the basic CG model without the firebox.

In conclusion, if I had to choose just one, I'd pick the CG because I feel it is much more flexible than the Web.

I welcome your replies.

The primary rap against CharGriller I've read is the thinness of the metal which means it doesn't perform up to the standards of more expensive offset smokers. I own and love my Weber 22.5 inch One Touch Silver (just modded it with an enclosed ash catcher and I screwed the legs to the kettle leg sleeves) for grilling. For smoking, I use my Masterbuilt 30-inch electric smoker.  I live in western Washington state and despite our recent three weeks of hot weather we get a fair amount of rain here. Also, my wife runs a home daycare and a big honking smoker couldn't be kept permanently in our fenced-in backyard. Because of that I keep both the Weber and the MES in my garage with covers over each. If I kept a CG or other such huge smoker/grill outside in my backyard it would rust and be rendered useless. I had a 15-year-old Weber One Touch Silver which I loved (wooden handles, hinged cooking grate) but it started to flake inside and I made the mistake of thinking it was the enamel peeling and gave it away. The newer one has the plastic handles and the unhinged cooking grate but I still love using it. For me, charcoal is the only heat source to use for grilling and the Weber is my favorite grill of all time and it can also be used as a smoker. The Masterbuilt has worked out very well and it fits nicely on a handtruck I bought for wheeling between my garage and my backyard. Having separate outdoor cooking equipment for grilling and for smoking works fine for me.

 

[smoke slinger]

I have Weber and wont buy anything else from now on.

Craig

 

[shoebe]

I have had owned 4 weber starting with a 22" kettle in 1977, later added a Smokey Joe, both lost to divorce, not to wear.  I have the performer and a WSM now and would not know what to do without them.

 

[srv1990]

The only thing I own at the moment is a Weber 22.5" and it's what I do all my BBQ'ing and smoking on.  The one and only downside for me is the amount of food that can be done at one time, but it's only occasionally that I have to do a lot, so it's something I can live with.  At some point down the line I'll get a dedicated smoker, but a Weber kettle will forever be by my side!

 

[noboundaries]

We Weber-ites are pretty fanatical about our gear. Long lasting, dependable, works as designed, and can be cheaply fueled yet still delivers great Q. Count me as a fanatic.

 

[daricksta]

 
I have Weber and wont buy anything else from now on.

Craig

We Weber-ites are pretty fanatical about our gear. Long lasting, dependable, works as designed, and can be cheaply fueled yet still delivers great Q. Count me as a fanatic.

You will think me weird but I consider my Weber as my grilling partner; it's just Webby and me putting out all this great food. Last year for Father's Day my wife loaded me up with all kinds of grilling accessories and I also bought a few more things. Last night I grilled pizza on a Weber pizza stone. The top looked great but the bottom came out burnt. I'll be readjusting and trying it again because I know I can grill a perfect pizza on my Weber. All those other guys can keep their propane gas grills. Give me my Weber with real charcoal every single time.

 

[sdnative1964]

The versatility and simplicity of the Weber is a thing of beauty. Even if you have other grills/smokers/cookers, a Weber is indispensable. 22.5" in. works for most things and IMHO they WAY overprice the 27". If you get a used 22.5" spend the extra $20 and get the hinged grate at Lowes/Home Depot. The Silver works just fine but I can see the convenience added by the Gold series. Bottom line: a 22.5" One Touch Silver will set you back $90 brand new. How can you go wrong? 

 

[taterman]

You can't go wrong with a Weber. As for a charcoal smoker, hmmmm. I'd opt for a wood burning smoker myself. I just bought a small one at Walmart for less than $150, just to try it out. I do love my Masterbuilt electric smoker. I bought a Santa Maria grill in, of course, Santa Maria, California last September. I just love it.