Weber Kettle competitors

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Weber Kettle competitors

Postby InfantHercules » 29 May 2017, 12:12

Hi All,

I'm going to purchase a kettle at some point in the next few weeks and intend on it being my go to appliance for basic smoking and grilling. I currently use a basic open top charcoal BBQ for grilling and a homemade UDS for smoking. I'm a happy novice at all types of cooking.

I was thinking about going for the Weber 57cm Bar B Kettle. It looks like it will fulfil my needs and I'm not completely sure what the upgraded models (e.g. The performer) would give me to justify the extra cost.

Two questions I have where it'd be great to get other opinions;

1) are the more expensive Weber kettle models generally considered worth the increased cost and if so, why?

2) should I be considering alternative kettle brands? There are kettle barbecues at half of the price that look identical to a novice like me. Instinct tells me there's a good reason for the price difference but at the same time I want to make sure I'm not paying more just for a name.

Cost is moderately important to me though I'm not stuck to a specific budget. Value supersedes cost.

Thanks for any help :-)
Matt
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Re: Weber Kettle competitors

Postby Tiny » 29 May 2017, 15:08

Afternoon chum,
I was always vehemently anti Weber as I believed there products over priced for what they were, until I got one. Admittedly mine cost just £49 in an end of season flash sale from B and Q but below are my answers to your questions.

Question 2.
Simple difference is thickness of steel, the Weber is bomb proof and there are folks out there still grilling on 70s and 80s models. Your cheap kettle will be made of thinner steel making it more difficult to control temps and they will be prone to rust. If you keep a cheap one spotless and store it indoors then you can make it last but the Weber will last forever whatever.

Are the flashier ones worth the money.
If my memory serves me right the upgrades are -
Hinged grate
Ash catcher
Thermo in the lid
and the top model has some fancy cast iron inserts into the grill.

For me personally, I don't intend to eat the lid so don't care what temperature it is.
The ash plate on the basic model catches the ash and then the slightest breeze blows it away so I have no ash pan to empty. Never has my Wife complained about ash being about so this again seems superfluous.
The hinged grate could come in handy on long cooks, but as its hinged in the middle you will have to fiddle with your meat, as it were , so don't see this as any more hassle than lifting out the whole shebang, putting it on a table and then topping the coals up

As for the cast iron doo dads I would invest in a cast iron grill and the basic model and get the best of all worlds.

I think there may also be a lid holder, I either use the hook on the basic model, or the lovely heatproof flat surface "the ground"

So for me I would invest in a genuine basic weber kettle and spend the extra money on a cast iron grate, and meat,

Go well
Cheers
Tiny
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Re: Weber Kettle competitors

Postby BraaiMeesterWannabe » 10 Jun 2017, 05:52

.....what he said!
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