Coal & Char

Weber Original Kettle Premium 22" Review

The charcoal grill we recommend more than any other, looked at honestly — what it does, where it cuts no corners, and who should skip it.

By Stephen V.Last updated How we pick

If we could only recommend one charcoal grill, it would be this one. The Weber Original Kettle has been made in roughly the same shape since 1952 because the design is close to perfect: a deep porcelain-enameled bowl, a lid, and vents top and bottom. The Premium version adds the two upgrades worth having — a hinged cooking grate and a one-touch ash sweep. Here is the honest case for it, and the honest case against.

How this is funded:we earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. It never changes which grill we recommend, and we’ll tell you when we’d skip one. Full disclosure.

#1Best charcoal grill overall

Weber Original Kettle Premium 22"

If you buy one charcoal grill for life, buy this. The Premium adds a hinged cooking grate and a one-touch ash sweep to the classic 22-inch kettle, so it lights fast, holds a two-zone fire for hours, and cleans out in seconds. Nothing at this price is built as well or lasts as long.

What’s good

  • 363 sq in easily feeds a family — and does two-zone grilling and low-and-slow both
  • Hinged grate lets you add coals without lifting hot food off
  • One-touch cleaning system and a sealed ash catcher — the messy part, solved
  • Porcelain-enameled steel that genuinely lasts a decade-plus

Trade-offs

  • No side table or hooks — the bare-bones layout of a classic kettle
  • You manage a live fire; there's no thermostat (that's charcoal)
TypeCharcoal (kettle)
Cooking area363 sq in
Primary materialPorcelain-enameled steel
Ease for beginnersEasy

Specs read from the product listing, on July 21, 2026. “Not published” means the maker doesn’t state that figure there.

What it does well

The kettle is the most versatilecheap cooker you can buy. Bank the coals to one side and you have a two-zone fire — sear over the hot side, finish over the cool side — which is how you cook a thick steak or a whole chicken without burning it. Bank them into a crescent (the “snake method”) and the same grill will hold a low temperature for hours and smoke a rack of ribs. Very few grills at any price do both jobs this well.

The build is the other half of the value. Porcelain- enameled steel does not rust or burn through the way painted budget steel does, so this is genuinely a buy-once grill; used Weber kettles from the 1990s still sell. The 363 square inches of cooking space feed a family of four to six, and the Premium's hinged grate lets you top up coals during a long cook without lifting the food off.

Where it cuts cost — and where it doesn't

Weber keeps the price reasonable by keeping the kettle simple. There is no side table, no tool hooks, no fancy hardware — you get a grill, a lid, an ash catcher and a thermometer-less lid. If you want a built-in lid thermometer and a grate that accepts a sear insert, that is the step-up Master-Touch. What Weber does not cut is the part that matters: the steel and the enamel are the real thing, which is why this grill lasts.

Who should skip it

Skip the 22-inch kettle if you only ever cook for one or two people or have a tiny balcony — a smaller portable grill wastes less charcoal. Skip it if you mainly want to smoke big cuts low-and-slow; a dedicated charcoal smoker is easier for that. And if your budget genuinely cannot stretch to it, the under-$200 picks will cook the same food for less up front.

The verdict

For the widest range of people — a first grill, a family grill, a grill you keep for a decade — the Weber Original Kettle Premium is the safe default. Pair it with a chimney starter and a thermometer and you have a complete, do-everything charcoal setup for well under the price of a mid-range gas grill.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Weber Original Kettle worth it?

For most people, yes. It costs more than the cheapest grills but its porcelain-enameled build lasts well over a decade, and it does both two-zone grilling and low-and-slow smoking. Measured over its lifespan it's one of the cheapest grills you can own.

What's the difference between the Original Kettle and the Master-Touch?

The Master-Touch adds a built-in lid thermometer, a hinged Gourmet grate that accepts a sear grate or griddle, and a taller ash system. If you know you'll smoke as well as grill, the Master-Touch is the small step up worth making; otherwise the Original Kettle does the same core job for less.

Can you smoke on a Weber kettle?

Yes. Using the 'snake' or two-zone method — coals banked to one side or arranged in a crescent — a 22-inch kettle will hold a low temperature for hours and smoke ribs or chicken well. It's not as hands-off as a dedicated smoker, but for an occasional smoke it works.

What size Weber kettle should I buy?

The 22-inch is the right size for most households — it feeds four to six and is the most common size, so accessories fit it. Choose the 18-inch or a portable Jumbo Joe only if you cook for one or two or have very limited space.

Sources

  • USDA FSIS — Grilling Food Safely — USDA on safe handling at the grill, using a food thermometer, and the difference between grilling and slower cooking (accessed July 21, 2026)
  • USDA FSIS — Food Thermometers — USDA on why a food thermometer is the only reliable way to know food has reached a safe temperature, and how to place the probe (accessed July 21, 2026)

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