Two months ago, I brought home a new 47 cm Weber® Original Kettle Barbecue and have been using it all the time to experiment with meat, veggie, fish, shellfish and sausage recipes. This is a great terrace-size BBQ for long-time enthusiasts and new barbecuers alike. It has been many years since I have had a real BBQ – my friend and business partner (Thanks Willem) gifted me this for my recent birthday. There is nothing better than cooking on a charcoal barbecue.
The price point is very reasonable for the quality and ease-of-use of this barbecue. I splurged a little more and upgraded to have the temperature thermostat, which has proven very useful for the variety of items I have tested on it. The hardest part was which color to take home. I loved the scarlet color and the smoke grey was very handsome – I even started to walk out with the white one – but finally, I decided with the classic black. Easier to keep clean with all the city contamination and it is so sleek looking with that porcelain-enameled bowl.
Size matters…or does it
My same friend, Willem, has the 57cm Weber® Original Kettle with Master Touch cleaning system at his house, which he bought lat year after a weekend barbecuing with a group of us. He has a lifetime of cooking in gourmet kitchens but not as much experience with barbecuing – actually almost zero. But, he decided, if he was going to start barbecuing, he wanted to do it right. I agree, this Weber grill is an impressive barbecue if you have the space and budget. We have used it several times together since he bought it and I have loved using it – it just has constantly created a great fire and circulation of heat…cooking everything evenly. And so much grill space to do all your items at the same time.
I think if you are using your barbecue all the time, it is worth the extra money for the cleaning system and the more grill space, but for me, ultimately, I felt the 47cm was enough. Furthermore, if you are just starting to BBQ at home, it will make for an easier decision to spend 100+€ less on the purchase of the 47cm.
A side note: I have tried using several knock-off Weber or cheaper, generic style barbecues at friend´s houses and I would warn against those purchases. Yes, they can be cheaper and sometime a lot cheaper, but this is one thing that you definitely get what you pay for. With the cheaper barbecues, the food does not taste as good. The main reason we love to barbecue is the distinct flavor that your food has after sitting on the open fire. With the cheaper barbecues it is harder to not burn your food and/ or cook it evenly – not only does it not taste good, it is unhealthy to eat burnt food. What´s more, these barbecues start to break down after one season – especially if you leave it outdoors – and you will find yourself buying a new one the next season.
On the other hand, I have seen many homemade or brick barbecues that work great as well. We will discuss these type barbecues later on.
Both Weber models are so easy to use and lightweight, yet very durable. I think the biggest obstacles for people to barbecue more at home is (1) the time it take to start the fire, (2) the time it takes to have the the fire ready and then (3) the cleaning up after you are done.
To solve the first two issues, I purchased the the Rapidfire charcoal starter at the Weber store, it was 28€ but wow does it make the process of getting a strong fire going so much easier to do. I have seen other brands at Bauhaus for 18€ and I assume they work just as well. I have a friend who bought a metal bucket at a Chinese shop, he cut out the bottom and drilled holes in it. He says it works great for 2€.
Read how Steven Raichlen (BBQ Bible) explains the Weber BBQ.
Worth the extra money to upgrade those utensils…
The last thing I bought before leaving the store were the Weber BBQ Prongs – the real impulse splurge at the time. They were about 22€ but the weight felt strong and I was so excited about my new BBQ that I let the woman talk me into buying them. I am glad that I did! I have used several other brands and nothing come close to the quality of the Weber brand. They are so durable and really well designed – especially since I use them all day long during a BBQ. They have made my experience so much easier. They open very wide and hold everything strong, even in just one hand. I love how I can pick up almost anything with them and not fear I will drop it and I appreciate the ease of cleaning them at the end of the day. I highly recommend them.
The only thing I did not buy was a cover. I decided to try to find a cheap one somewhere around town. I will let you know.
Comparing prices:
