It's amazing how often this question gets asked "what grill should I buy?", and the number of people who get upset when you don't go with their preferred model. I wish you many years of enjoying your grill.
Thanks Patrick! But hey, I love them all! I’ve recently been a bit jealous of the bigger table on the deluxe/premium models after doing a larger brisket.
I've had a performer delux for a few years but it didn't come with the propane lighter, baskets or the gormet grill top. But the thing I really like is the storage bin on the side that holds a full 17 lb. bag of charcoal and my oven mit. And a small piece of a used bag is all you need to start the chimney fire. There is also room to store chimney starter and baskets under the kettle. I store it out doors in the elements during the winter with the cover on and the charcoal and grill are good to go the following spring. The only thing it is missing is a hook to hang the grill on while you are setting up your coals. A delux hook would include a dog guard to keep my dog from licking it!
@@BbqMikeG haha thank you sir! Yep spotted it on the side of the road one day heading to the store, never made a faster u turn in my life 😂 came with a chimney too!
Nice video! My local big box store had Weber performers on clearance for 190 so I grabbed one. I have two RecTeq pellet smokers and a Blackstone griddle. I’ve really been wanting to add a Kettle, I’m very excited to try it out today on some chicken and steak!
Love my performer deluxe but still love my original premium kettle. 100% agreed they can literally do anything with proper fire management. I have the sns and vortex and they are totally worth it. Just picked up a used 18" wsm and that's been fun especially with the pit barrel cooker hanging system. Congrats on the grill! Keep on grilling!
Thanks for explaining the different grills and why the price difference. I have the $139 model, and have been using it for more than 10 years. I'll consider the performer model if this one ever needs replacing.
Im afraid the electric element might stop working collocated with the high heat of the charcoal, the charcoal grate gets white hot so I’m pretty sure the element wouldn’t survive. So I only use the electric element for smoking, it comes out when I use charcoal.
You made the right choice. You dont need the propane assist lighting. And the bigger table (like you said isnt worth the extra $130) i would however recommend the slow and sear insert. Im sure you have heard about it 😂 really turns your kettle into a smoker. Also an underated item to own is an elevated cooking area, or warmer is what they call it. If your burning a hot enough fire you can still sear and cook on it without burning your meat. Kettles are a versatile grill with so many mods but are a great stepping stone into the world of smoking meat 👍 great video!
The slow n sear is on my list! I’ve just been putting it off but I definitely need to get one. The water trough insert alone is awesome. I haven’t heard of the warmer. I’ll need to look into it. Thanks for sharing!
All the kettles cook the same but that table is really nice! I got an old performer for free and the lid bale is not as straight up as yours which is a bother. You do scare me with starting the chimney on the table though. It's too nice for that mess. Great video!
Hey mate, I just bought the performer premium, I love it. Good video mate, if you ever make it to Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, I'll let _you_ buy _me_ a beer!
Thank you been debating between a Master touch or Performer Standard.. and yes you are right.. the whole point of grilling is starting the fire.. this brings us back to being cavemen... creating fires to cool.. nothing manlier than a man cooking raw meat over flame...
FYI - I would not suggest doing what he mentions at 7:34 about putting your chimney on the side table. I watched this video before purchasing my Performer model and after doing this during my second cook, it left a very bad burn ring on the table of my brand new grill. I reached out to Weber, and they were unwilling to cover under their warranty, but gave me the option to pay $150 w/o shipping for a side table replacement - yeah right! In other words...I wouldn't put anything too hot on the surface. Otherwise - a good grill and very good review / analysis!
Hey Jeremy! I’m so sorry about your table. In all honesty, my table still looks brand new after using it for this purpose but most of the time I’m placing my chimney on the charcoal grate. I was only mentioning based on my experience so thank you for warning others.
@@garthgrills No problem, not your fault! I wouldn't be surprised if they lowered the grade of the steel or coating through the years of production. I am more upset that a replacement costs half the price of the entire grill! Thanks for responding.
Agreed on all points. For me the only reason I prefer the 3-legged models is because I like the look of them, and I don’t mind using the ground as my table. :)
I've bought 4 Weber grills over the past couple years and have had problems with all but one of them. In order of purchase I bought a Genesis II, the Traveler, Performer, and the Jumbo Joe. I had quality issues with them all but the Traveler. The one you show there, the Performer, I had 2 quality issues. Number one was the castor wheels not locking into place. Picking it up to move it and the wheels fall out. Weber replaced them, but only one worked sufficiently to lock into the plastic insert. Issue number 2 is now that I'm on my second season with it the table is showing notable spots of rusting. One rust spot is about as large as my hand, the other is about the size of my palm, and the final spot is about the size of a quarter.
@@garthgrills The Genesis 2 is the only real workhorse I have. The Traveler only gets used a couple times a year for camping. The Jumbo Joe has not been used yet, and the Performer has only been used 4 or 5 times. I noticed with it yesterday that there is a 6 or 8 inch strip of paint peeling off the table right along the edge of the table. Right now you need to look closely to the see the rust but I expect it to be very visible by next year
I’ve had my Performer for about 12 years now and the table/cart/charcoal bin/and propane lighting system is worth it. My ignition stopped working so I use a flame stick to light off the propane now. 5 minutes of gas will get the chimney going with ease so it saves using fire starter cubes or paper.
I fully admit that there are times when I wish I had a slightly larger table. I just did another brisket and the smaller table I had was lacking a bit. There’s nothing wrong with spending a bit more money and getting the deluxe!
In all honesty I don’t know what the angle is for the lid holder. I know the master touch has the same mechanism but I’m not sure if my performer allows for access to the grilling area.
I have the same grill and love it. However I question a man that lights a chimney upside down. This grill does excellent cooks(don’t light your chimney upside down & don’t light on the shelf)
Ha well you’re allowed to question! I find it useful when lighting a small amount of coals since the “proper side” separates them when there’s only a small handful.
I live Weber too. I have 2 performers, and 3 Kettle Premium 22’s. I just bought the 3rd this morning for $25 and it was like new. It also has the P vents which is my first of those. I’d have to say I’m a Weber fanboy!
I'm leaning towards the performer too. The side table is actually a decent size, probably I won't be needed any additional working space. Is it easy to move it around? I know it was wheels but from the looks it seems quite east to grab and move around. Is that so?
I’ve always felt the side table is enough working space. I actually have a cutting board larger than the table and it provides a little extra space when you need it. The wheels help it move around just fine but I tend to keep mine in the same spot. It does move with ease though!
I’m sure it’s amazing! I’m not sure if there’s as many accessories for the 26” though. A lot of other companies make things specifically for the 22”. But you’d be able to cook a lot more at the same time.
I should add that my performers are premium with gas assist. You still use the chimney, but the gas assist runs a couple of minutes to start the charcoal. Is is super convenient, and you don’t realize how easy it makes the process. Good Luck!
I’ve mentioned to others who have the gas assist… I’m sure it’s amazing. I’m probably a little jealous. But it’s not a game changer. It’s a nice to have for sure.