Smokey Joe 14 (self enabled)

[fxsales1959]

As Fred Sanford use to say..... Big Dummy..
So I had a hankerin' for small charcoal grill to burn steaks. Learned more than probably necessary buying a 14" grill.
Most importantly , there are two versions of the Weber Smokey Joe 14. I had read complaints about lack of airflow on the 14. never quite understood with vents on top and bottom. WELL... if you google Smokey Joe 14 most returns default to the smokey joe Premium (or silver). At first glance its kinda cool that there's a flip up handle to lock the top for travel. What they don't immediately tell you, without research, is that on the Premium model they have eliminated to bottom air vent, and ash catcher. The air vent on the premium is at the top of the bowl where the handle pivots, making it well above the charcoals grate ( not premium for charcoal air circulation). The Premium is $57. I got the the standard model at Wally World for $45 plus Florida extortion tax. I tried to buy a used one on Marketplace, but down here Market place is a Charley Foxtrot. Going to Walmart is a charley Foxtrot too, but on Amazon ( same price) I don't have someone's ass to stick it up if it comes lacking parts.
So there you go.....You just wasted 15 minutes reading about a $50 grill.

 

[Steve H]

The little ash catcher is a joke. IMHO. I have two premiums. One in the garage. The other in the RV. They work just fine. You just need to give them a few more minutes to get the charcoal going.
Once they are nice and white. They do a fantastic job. And I think the coals last longer this way.
I also prefer not have the bottom vent/clean out. Makes it easier to dump the ashes the next day with no mess.

 

[Steve H]

Oh, the locking top is a god send for storage.

 

[Steve H]

Oh. Once again. Thanks for not blaming me!!!!!

 

[Fueling Around]

SJ is great but was a bit tight for me.
That's why I upped to the 18" Jumbo Joe.
Lid lock bail, good venting and a good size ash tray.

 

[chopsaw]

I think you'll like it .
I walked into a Goodwill a few years back and found one brand new in the box for 12 bucks . I couldn't not buy it . It's sat here all that time until last week . I used it for some steaks , then I used it again for some brats . I love that thing . It will be great for doing whole potatoes too .

 

[SmokingUPnorth]

I have the same one. It’s still a little beast after 3 years of salty Hawaii beaches, probably 500 hotdogs, 500 left over wings reheated on it. Went to the beach with me everytime we went. I had a trick to stick a beer bottle upside in the sand so I could set the lid on and not get sandy when I was flipping food. Sure do miss that, but now about 7 years its still as good as the day I got it.

 

[jcam222]

I grabbed one of these at our local Goodwillr for $5. I was very happy with the score.

 

[6GRILLZNTN]

Yep. I went that same road and bought a Premium for the portabilty for car camping. The premium arrangement is freaking terrible with the side vent setup. I wound up ordering a bottom vent for a standard 14" and used a regular drill bit, and a step bit to install it. I keep those god awful side vents closed, and now have a good old 14 incher, with a lid lock/holder, and I had a spare Trangia camping plate that I use as an ash catcher. Best of both worlds.