Do you love how the neighbor’s meat tasted like when he invited you on a grill?
Cooking on charcoal gives that smoky flavor and juicy meat that everybody loves. If you are buying a new grill I recommend you opt for a charcoal one.
Smoky flavor was the main reason why I recently purchased a Weber Performer Deluxe charcoal grill online, and I wanted to tell about how it performed for me, and how can you benefit from it too.
My experience with the Weber grill
- Electronic Touch-N-Go with Propane Gas powered ignition system (propane tank not included)
- Dimensions - Lid Closed: 43.5H x 48W x 30D | Weight: 91 lbs
- 22-inch diameter porcelain-enameled bowl and lid with a cooking area of 363 square inch
- Aluminized steel One-Touch cleaning system with removable, high-capacity, aluminum ash catcher
- Removable LCD cook timer and built-in lid thermometer
- 3D interactive assembly instructions for this product are available through the free BILT app.
My unit arrived in its box looking pretty good with only a few minor transportation dings. When I opened the box, I found that it was packed pretty well with styrofoam, and nothing had any dents or scratches on it.
But it did look like a few of the parts had quality control issues. I called up the company and they sent me replacements promptly, without any problems.
Assembly
Whenever the box is smaller than the assembled grill, that’s a sure sign that instructions will be included in the box.
Everything went well and I didn’t have any issues with assembling it. I’m not sure exactly how much time it took me because I had the television on and was distracted, but it couldn’t have taken more than 30 minutes.
Starting up the grill
I rushed to put it outside, load it up with charcoal briquettes, and attach a portable camping propane tank, but I couldn’t get a fire started that would last.
At first, I thought that there was an issue with the ignition system, but I quickly realized that in my haste I had forgotten to adjust the vent properly.
Once I had that fixed, the fire began consuming the briquettes normally. In about 20 minutes, the fire had gotten hot and steady enough to cook on.
Cooking
I put some utensils on the side hooks for my aesthetic pleasure but used only my meat fork when I cooked.
My steaks, corn, and portobello mushrooms were prepared as well as my cooking skills were, and everything turned out just as tasty and fine as I expected. No complaints in the cooking department.
How much can you fit on the grill?
I was able to fit about 8 chicken leg quarters, 14 bone-in chicken thighs, 6 porterhouse steaks, 8 ears of corn, or 4 whole chickens, or 13 burgers.
It can easily fit as big of a thanksgiving turkey as you can find. This grill is made to feed a family of 5 to 7 people without a problem.
Weber performance and features
Let’s take a look at the specs of this Weber charcoal grill.
The cooking area is a circular 22 inches in diameter, almost 2 feet, giving a total of 363 square inches of cooking space.
Its measurements are 43.5″ x 48″ x 30″ and it weighs 91 lbs.
Vent
The porcelain-enameled charcoal grill has the classic Weber circular no-rust aluminum vent, where turning it to increase or decrease oxygen flow increases the temperature.
The glass-reinforced nylon handle is heat shielded and won’t burn your hand when you need to touch it.
Tuck-away lid holder
One of my favorite features on the device is this super metal rod on the side of the grill so that you can take the lid off and have it rest inside this catch rack, giving you full access to your food without having to hold the super hot lid the whole time that you are flipping, moving, measuring, and placing your food.
Electronic Touch-N-Go ignition system
It has a unique gas ignition system that is activated on the front control panel. This gas ignition system takes camping-size propane cylinders or a larger tank.
With a push of a button, the charcoal briquettes will ignite instantly. No more lighting the briquettes with the lighter or in the charcoal chimney.
The system also has a self-cleaning feature, like an oven, that you can activate on the control panel. If you want to know what is the best way to clean your charcoal grill click this link.
Removable LCD timer
The electronic panel also has functionality for setting an LCD timer with a large readout, so that you can time your meats to perfect doneness.
You can actually remove it and carry it in your pocket, so you can go inside and enjoy some tv and a beer while you wait.
Two-part grate system
The unit has heavy-duty Gourmet BBQ System cooking grates. The company did a great job by offering an option to lift a part of the grate to add charcoal if needed.
This will level up your cooking experience as you won’t need to grab the hot grate, lift it, and add fuel. You can open and close the part of the grate with utensils easily.
This is a great feature to have. You are also able to use the grate in tandem with Weber’s Gourmet BBQ System cookware collection.
Ash catcher, a CharBin storage container and hooks
There is an aluminum ash catcher at the bottom of the grill for easy cleaning. The unit also comes with a trash bin at the far end that can tip for easy access, where you can store extra coals or wood.
It’s located beneath the workbench, farthest to the grill. In front of the unit, there are 3 little hooks for your tools to be ready when you need them. This model has a wire bottom shelf to put your things on.
Weber warranty
It comes with a Weber warranty already, so you won’t need to purchase one separately. The grill parts are covered for 10 years, the cleaning system for 5 years, the plastic components for 5 years, and everything else for 2 years.
If you want to look at the whole warranty document, here it is. Their customer service is very good.
Who should grill on it?
This device would do best for a person who enjoys charcoal or wood grills or would be willing to give one a try.
It isn’t the grade of the grill for someone who’s running a restaurant, but it’s a great step up to a middle-tier unit with convenience features and thought built-in, especially if they’re coming from a standard, no-frills grill.
It is a high-performance unit that is easy to use with all those nice and useful features so it is appropriate for avid grillers and beginner cooks.
Is the Weber Performer worth the money?
A Weber Performer grill is a high-performance unit that has everything that a griller needs to cook with ease and satisfaction.
The company thought of the user and made a device with useful features to ease the cooking process and to prepare tasteful food.
It also has a convenient side table, bottom shelf, handles, and charcoal bin to help you cook, so yes, it is worth every penny.
How do you light a Weber Performer?
It is easy to light it as it has an electronic ignition system. First, you should have a small propane tank to put it under the ignition system for start.
Then open the gas by turning the knob in an open direction. Press the ignition button and you are ready to go. Be careful so the gas won’t leak at the valve, always check it first.
Review summary
There are two drawbacks to this grill. One is that mine suffered from some quality control issues on their assembly line. If you get a bad part, just call them up, and they’ll send you a replacement right away. No big deal.
The other issue is that I feel very leery of an electronics panel being so close to a source of heat.
But the company got that one covered too with their 5-year warranty. So both of these are pretty superficial and easily solved issues.
It packs some great features and all of the excellence in cooking you would expect from the Weber brand name.
Its electronic panel and timer are handy and a neat feature. Having your charcoals beneath the cart in a self-contained bin is great since they are close to use.
Go ahead and get Weber Performer Deluxe Grill as it’s a great mid-sized unit and perfect for any small cooking party. It’ll look great in your backyard and you’ll look fancy cooking with it.
