Weber Charcoal Grills. The very name of this company can instill both anger and love to different people. Many grilling fanatics swear by Weber grills, and many love other brands such as Jenn-Air or BBQTek. In this review, it is my goal to give an honest (sponsor free) consumer review complete with minute details, pros and cons about the Weber Smokey Joe Silver Charcoal Grill.
Upon first glance, one can immediately discern the simplistic attitude of Weber, and the “back to basics” grilling mindset that Weber is known for. The Smokey Joe Grill boasts a 14.5 inch diameter in cooking surface making it rather convenient for home grilling for the family, but rather inadequate for large parties and tailgating scenarios.
There is no way to “seal” this grill for easy transportation, and that’s something that’s personally important to me. Convenience is king in the modern age of grilling, and if you don’t have a way to easily transport your grill, the benefits of having a “back to basics” grill wane quite a bit. This is something that was left out in the manufacturing process of this grill and Weber quite frankly failed me on that accord. However, if you’re not going to be transporting this grill, this is of little circumstance to you so it can practically be ignored as a setback.
Upon further inspection, the Weber Smokey Joe Silver Grill lacks an ample amount of space between the coals and the food, virtually making this a completely hands on grilling experience. This is not a grill you can “set and forget” as the food will surely burn if you do. That being said, there is a positive side to this very modest gap between the coals and the food. Ever wanted to quick sear a burger? Need your steaks blackened? The Weber Smokey Joe surely succeeds in this form of cooking, and quite honestly I’ve never seen any Charcoal grill in my grilling history that compared to the breathtaking performance of the Weber Smokey Joe. Quick Searing shall henceforth remain synonymous with the Smokey Joe Grill in my mind.
Finally, one of the main selling points of this grill is how economically sound it is straight out of the box. Though not adequate for large meals, this Weber Charcoal Grill does perform decently while using an extremely minimal amount of charcoal briquettes. With rising gas prices Charcoal is still a great alternative to gas grilling. Weber takes this one step further and brazenly steps in to minimize the amount of charcoal briquettes needed to cook a well prepared meal.
In summary, the Weber Smokey Joe Charcoal Grill provides an honest, bare bones if modest grilling experience. Any serious grilling fanatic would most likely be disappointed with the purchase for a weekly grilling machine, but the everyday outdoor camping fanatic is going to love this grill. It’s tight, compact and really performs quite well for it’s price. The key term there being “for it’s price”. If you’re grilling on a budget, the Smokey Joe Silver Charcoal Grill has got all your essentials covered, with none of the frills.
