Best Reviewed
Charcoal Grills
- Budget charcoal grill Weber One-Touch Silver *Est. $70
- Best charcoal grill overall Weber Performer *Est. $330
- Barrel-style charcoal grill Char-Griller Outlaw *Est. $150
- Portable charcoal grill Weber Smokey Joe *Est. $30
- Luxury charcoal grill The Big Green Egg (Large) *Est. $750
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Portable charcoal grill
- Inexpensive
- Light and portable
- Reputation for quality
- 24/7 customer support
- Can only cook for a small group
- Locking lid only available on Smokey Joe Gold
The Weber Smokey Joe Silver charcoal grill beats all other small grills in comparative reviews. This inexpensive, no-frills grill has a 14.5-inch-diameter cooking surface and short legs, which requires the chef to do a lot of bending or squatting if the grill is not placed on a table. Owners warn that there's not much distance between the grill and the coals, so you have to watch the food carefully to keep from burning it. Other owners say the Smokey Joe Silver would be more portable if there were a way to lock the lid in place for travel, and some urge spending the extra $5 on the Weber Smokey Joe Gold for that reason. The Smokey Joes are basically scaled-down versions of the Weber One-Touch Silver (*Est. $70 to $90), which reviewers say is the best budget charcoal grill.
We found the best review of the Weber Smokey Joe charcoal grill at Slate.com, where reviewer Jude Stewart puts seven portable charcoal, gas, electric and hibachi grills through their paces. The Smokey Joe also gets a nod from Derrick Riches, the barbeque expert at About.com. We found helpful user reviews at Amazon.com and Buzzillions.com.
| Weber 40020 Smokey Joe Gold Charcoal Grill | |
(122 reviews) In Stock. Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping |
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Our Sources
1. Slate.com
An unspecified group of testers rates seven portable gas, charcoal and electric grills. The Weber Smokey Joe Gold, a smaller and sturdier version of the Silver, wins the competition with a score of 9 on taste and perfect 10s on convenience and performance.
Review: Fired Up: Which Portable Grill Cranks Up the Heat?, Jude Stewart, June 5, 2007
2. About.com
Derrick Riches is the guide to barbeques and grilling for About.com. The Weber Smokey Joe places eighth on his list and is described as a "great little grill." (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
Review: Top 10 Small Grills, Derrick Riches
3. Amazon.com
Over 170 owners post reviews of either the Smokey Joe Silver or the Smokey Joe Gold here. They give the Weber Smokey Joe grills a very high average overall rating -- 4.5 out of 5 stars for each model -- showing their general satisfaction. A few mention that it's easy to burn food with so little distance between the grill and the coals.
Review: Weber 10020 Smokey Joe Silver Charcoal Grill, Black, Contributors to Amazon.com, As of May 2011
About 40 people rate and review either the Smokey Joe Silver or the Smokey Joe Gold in these reviews that are gathered from retail websites like HomeDepot.com and CSGrills.com. They give both models high ratings and provide lists of pros and cons; the only cons we saw are the small grilling surface and limited features. Comments are overwhelmingly positive.
5. ExpoTV.com
Two owners provide video reviews of the Weber Smokey Joe here; the specific model is not identified but both reviews appear to be of the Smokey Joe Silver. One reviewer gives the grill a 5-star rating, the other 4 stars out of 5. Both note that the Smokey Joe grill is small, but otherwise have nothing negative to say about it.
Review: Weber Smokey Joe Charcoal Grill Reviews, Chris G., Chad H.
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