An honest review of the Weber 26 inch kettle.
I’ve been using Weber 22 inch kettles for over 40 years. They are the best charcoal grill for the money and can even out perform some pricier grills. I also had an 18 inch WSM back in the mid 90s, which I liked a lot but ultimately decided not to keep due to moving to another location where it wasn’t practical. My most recent 22 inch was an early performer, purchased in 1997 and lasted 28 years until the bowl disintegrated two years ago.
This week I finally got my hands on a 26 inch kettle. Researching the dimensions and thinking it over during those two years, told me that the 26 would likely be better for temperature control. While I always liked the 22, there were some drawbacks - not the least of which was the charcoal grate was only 18 inches. That doesn’t offer a lot of room for separation of fire from food for smoking purposes. There were a number of times when I smoked larger cuts of meat and the edges would get more than burnt. Not terrible, but annoying.
For my first cook on the 26, I got a two-pack of whole chickens from Costco (under ten bucks right now) and put them both on. On the 22 I could do the two chickens but I had to put them lengthwise in the center of the grill. The only drip pan I could fit wasn’t big enough for both and so a lot of grease would get into the bowl and ash catcher. Again, not terrible, just annoying.
But with the 26, I was able to put them side by side with a foil 9x13 pan under each chicken. I think I could have put one more in if I had used a full sized steam table foil pan, which would easily fit.
I bought the Weber charcoal baskets and they worked great. (Not even going to try the included charcoal rails.) I dumped 12 pieces of hot charcoal into each basket and added a couple of wood chunks. Got the temperature to 300 degrees on the lid thermometer and checked it every 30 minutes. Smoked the chickens for 2-1/2 hours. They turned out perfectly. I’m certain that I could have gotten another hour out of the fire if I’d needed.
The only complaint is the GBS grill. The inserts fall out too easily if you’re not careful. However I discovered that cleanup is better. I have a twin compartment kitchen sink so getting a 22 inch grill in there never happened, let alone the 26. But the two inserts fit just fine and since that’s where the chickens were sitting, it was the only part of the grill that needed cleaning. So not too bad. I really wish Weber would offer a choice of either the GBS grate or a hinged grate, for all their Master Touch grills, but they have their way of doing things. Eventually I’m going to get a hinged cooking grate replacement for it, but I want to get a Wooly Bully cover first. Also thinking of a vortex, which would be the only reason I’d keep the GBS grill. I have no interest in either the wok or a griddle. Not a criticism, just a personal preference.
Overall I think the 26 inch kettle is Weber’s best charcoal grill. It’s pricey but worth it. You get much better temperature control and enough room for a full sized packer brisket, or five slabs of St. Louis ribs, or even three bone-in pork shoulders without the edges being too close to the fire. 508 sq inches of cooking space is a lot of room, and the 22 inch charcoal grate is big enough that you could use a couple of 10 inch wood logs instead of charcoal, if you’d want to try it (I’m planning on this at some point).
The lid of the grill is not as heavy as some people have complained about here, and when doing the chickens, I used less charcoal than I would have with my old 22s. Of course that’s because I didn’t use the charcoal baskets on that. Wish I had. I’m convinced that the reason my last 22 disintegrated was due to piling the hot coals against the bowl walls. The baskets offer some protection from the heat. At some point I might consider a Slow’n’Sear insert, but 22 bucks for the Weber baskets and a couple of bucks for foil drip pans versus 120 something for the 26” SnS insert is not worth it right now. I have a sneaking suspicion that the SnS for the 22 inch would work just fine, but my budget’s not there yet, either.
Hands down, this is the best Weber kettle I’ve owned in over 40 years, and I intend to have a lot of fun using it in the years ahead.