Weber 14401001 Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill, 22-Inch, Black Review

Editor Rating: 4.9/5

Longevity and Convenience - When it comes to these two qualities, nothing beats Weber.

3 legged kettle grills are getting more and more popular these days, aren't they? The overall design is simple and yet it's fully packed with necessary features that are fully functional and convenient to use.

The two most important features, in my opinion, are the hinged cooking grates and one-touch cleaning system.

The cooking grates as a whole are perfect. It has a wide cooking area with handles on both sides so you can easily lift it. Plus it has hinged grates on both sides that provide an opening for adding coals. That way, you don't need to lift the entire cooking grates to add coals.

The one-touch cleaning system is unique in that it functions like a sweeper at the bottom of the grill sweeping off the ashes into the holes down to the ash pan. Then, you can detach the ash pan to throw out the ashes.

The clearance between the top of the lid and cooking grate surface is quite high so you can grill a large meat inside. The lid itself is also packed with features such as a vent, heat shield, and thermometer. Although you'll have to make sure that you won't miss the hook when you hang the lid on the rim of the grill - this one will take some getting used to. Other than that, I love the fact that the lid is hinged because I don't need to worry about rusty hinges and lids falling off the grill.

Advantages and disadvantages

Features

You have a high-domed lid allowing you to cook larger meat. The clearance from its apex to the cooking grates is 9 inches. Because of its circular shape, it can easily be stored in any corner and it does not look bulky.

On the surface of the lid is the lid handle with heat shield so you don't get your hands exposed to heat when you lift the lid, handle bars with tool hooks, built-in thermometer and top vent for monitoring and control of temperature.

What most people worry about hinged lid is that they may suddenly fall off when the hinge gets rusty. The lid for this grill has no hinge so there is no hinge to rust or worry about. The lid is similar to the lids that you have for your pots in your kitchen. Just lift the lid and use the built-in hook to hang it on the rim of the grill so you're hands are free to add coal, sauce or flip meat and vegetables.

The spherical, kettle shape of this grill allows the coal and its ashes to settle perfectly at the bottom and letting the heat move around inside the sphere when the lid is closed.

The cooking grates sit in the middle of the sphere. It is wide enough for a family cookout. It has hinges on its left and right so you have quick openings for adding coal. You can also use its two handles if you want to lift the entire cooking grates off the grill.

The bottom section includes the coal grates where the coals sit and the One-touch cleaning system sort off propeller that turns and sweeps ashes into the holes. Outside the sphere is a high-capacity ash pan that catches the ashes that go through the holes. The ash pan is rust resistant and detachable so you can easily throw the ashes.

Overall, the design is pretty, simple, compact, well-built with well-thought out features that are cleverly integrated into the grill. This makes it ideal for backyard, small decks or camping, travels and other outdoor activities.

Frequently Asked Questions