Which Is the Best at-Home Charcoal Grill? - The Kitchen Gadget Test Show
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- Опубліковано 12 вер 2024
- On today’s episode of the Kitchen Gadget Test Show, chef Esther Choi is joined by Ben and Brent from Prime Time, to test at home charcoal grills.
Check out the gadgets:
Weber 22-Inch Charcoal Grill ►► amzn.to/2Z2mGHa
Kudu Grill ►► amzn.to/31SEMIy
BioLite FirePit Grill ►► amzn.to/2zc13F0
See all the kitchen gadgets reviewed by Eater ►► bit.ly/kitcheng.... (We may earn a commission if you purchase.)
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*Love it!! I used to use a propane grill and after using my Weber, the food just tastes so much better and the temp **MyBest.Kitchen** control is so easy! Will never use a propane grill again!*
I got a brand new Webber for $20 at a yard sale and I'll never stop talking about it
I got a free one off the curb. Drilled out the frozen ash scraper thingy, put in a new one for like $20, and bam. $20 Weber also. You can find them out there on the cheap used. They last a very long time if you take care of them and they're easy to fix if someone doesn't.
I got one used for $20, just needed a good scrub down and it works great. I even use it as a small smoker. can never go back to baked or grilled ribs now...
OMG!
These idiots totally missed the point of the biolite grill the fire charges and makes electricity that you can charge your phone or any device and power a lite as well it is use the heat and fire to charge a lithion ion battery on the grill as well as there are fans that blow oxygen into the fire.
I got a big green egg smoker/grill for 30 bucks at a yard sale. I offered the old lady more but she was just like no it's fine my hubby was the one who grilled and he passed already.. felt so bad I bought a bunch of other stuff I didn't need or want just to help her out
Kudu looks so floppy, unstable and never get the cooking surface horizontal, always leaning. Hard to beat a Weber, and there is a reason for that.
I agree, for 500 bucks, you'd think it would have been a little more stout.
TheBucklessYooper yeah for $500 you can get a custom welded kudu for that price
I was surprised they didn’t mention how everything was sagging. Maybe they where afraid we’d criticize their assembly?
David Gillespie kudu to you for point it out this issue
I also noticed that lean and kept thinking that one side will always be closer to the heat and the drippings will go to that side. not the best for the money, however, the quality of materials was apples and oranges. I'm sure I've seen the Weber for nearly half the cost they stated
$500 ??? That's a rip off of a classic South African braai available in pretty much every campsite in the country. The original is made from an old plough disk with 3 legs welded under and a pole that holds the grid(s) or a hook for a cast iron pot.
They sell for about $40 here...
Whats that on top ? A cast iron pan?
The company's goal is to sell 3 a year.
At most campsites in my state they have those “type” of grills build in to the fire pit, always remind me of summer
Yeah, it might not be unstable, but it LOOKS unstable. I'm not paying 500 dollars for that
@@pchen52 4 if they want to pay the employee
Let's just say this now... We all knew the Weber was going to win from the beginning.. They've perfected the design and had since 1952 to do so. It'll always be top dog ❤️😀❤️
The kudu is designed to be used with wood. So pretty bad attempt here
Paid 125$ for my Weber kettle. It's 12 years old now and still good as new. As for the results, some people think I'm a God.
Only 12 years old. It's not even a teenager. My first Weber Kettle is now 24 years old. I bought it new in 1995.
@YES You win sir. Take my upvote.
Weber. Just buy one. Why you may ask? Can you smoke a rack of ribs, or a fatty brisket on a kudu? No. How about Biolite? No.
Problem solved. Buy a Weber.
I would also like to note that my glorious weber looks new after five horrible NYC winters. GG Weber, you win in my heart.
@Classic Overland Hm, can you explain how that works? I found a "smoker lid" on their website for $70. Looks like it's just a solid stainless steel dome lid. Doesn't appear to have any vents for temperature control. How does temperature control work when smoking on a Kudu, exactly? EDIT: Found one of their official videos demonstrating its function. Looks like it wastes a LOT of uncaptured smoke... Given the price points l think I'd rather skip the "Jack of all trades" product and just purchase a Weber and a dedicated smoker, but that's just me I guess.
R Dib yea, because it’s not like the Weber has vents in it to vent out black smoke until you get clean blue smoke lol
You could have 5 Webber’s for the price of the kudu and a Weber has a lid and vent controls which allow fine tuning of slow roasts and help with flares.. the others don’t.
One thing they didn't mention is that the Weber grill can double as a smoker and do a dang good job on a brisket or a pork shoulder as well.
I agree,... and just the fact that it has a lid to control flareups and to control the heat... I like having a lid on my grill... JS
Throw in a cast iron skillet, and it does most of what the Kudu could. And it's less fiddly and can be managed by one person. I didn't like that both men had to adjust down the grill for Ester to get better heating. That looks like a potential safety issue.
Absolutely! I bought a Slow N Sear as a gift for my dad, and ended up using it more than him, also great to learn how to smoke on. I have upgraded to a Weber Smokey Mountain for smoking, but if I am smoking different cuts, I still use the kettle with different woods/temps. It is hard to beat a Weber Kettle.
Michael DePew I think the reason they didn't point that it was 'cos the comparison video was strictly 'bout grilling
These idiots totally missed the point of the biolite grill the fire charges and makes electricity that you can charge your phone or any device and power a lite as well it is use the heat and fire to charge a lithion ion battery on the grill as well as there are fans that blow oxygen into the fire.
You just can’t go wrong with a Weber Kettle Premium. $165 and you got a clean way of disposing of the ashes.
I definitely didnt think of cremation ashes there, definitely
Throw in some of the aftermarket grates and well you can do just about anything you want. I roasted my thanksgiving turkey in mine last year.
$110 for a Weber. It'll grill, smoke and also do paella just fine.
Weber is the best of the group BY FAR! Value for the money + lots of grilling space + something that was unbelievably not mentioned in the video…the ability to smoke your food because it’s the only one with a lid. And for any BBQ aficionado…smoking is where it’s at! The Weber can do everything the other two can do and more…this one is a no-brainer.
Weber all the way. You can easily find replacement parts. Even upgrade the any parts and easily find specific recipes for Weber. Glad all three judges agree because a grill is just a grill. Its the grillers technique that makes the difference. That and learning the snake method for low long grill method.
Weber by far! One of the main reasons is that you can put the lid on and incorporate the smoke flavor in the meat more so than the others.
Thanks for letting me know! I didn’t know that
Just watched some videos! Whoa, I’m actually impressed! Thanks again!
50mph winds. Let’s grill!
Very different designs, so hard to compare other than on price... but cooking area and price definitely favor the Weber. I know people will complain it's too big to be portable, but if you pack all the other stuff inside the Weber, it works out as not too big... plus you can cut down the legs to just a few inches so its not sitting on the asphalt/ground and fit everything inside, charcoal, newspaper, chimney, tools, and food. The Biolite seems like a sheet metal Hibachi, but why is it so expensive vs Weber ?
Weber won before the contest even started!
One thing I noticed that I don’t think a lot of people did, I watched a video on how the first ever Weber kettle was made. “George’s BBQ kettle” in the video they mentioned that he was frustrated because bbqs back then were open grill and the food wouldn’t get properly cooked and would flare up a lot because the flame wasn’t covered. He worked at a place that made marine buoys and he used the bottom of a buoy and made a lid with legs and drilled holes for vents. The mentioned on how great of an idea it was because open grills weren’t appropriate all the time ie windy, rainy, etc. With the kettle doesn’t matter what it is doing. We have gone almost 70 years since then to reintroduce a over priced failed attempt at the technology they classified as “not as efficient” back in 1952 and that the Weber kettle was the answer. Boy, does the human race excite me for what the future holds.
happy 70th anniversary hunny
Isnt the biolite 1 meant to take on camping trips etc? not really for home use.
For home i would take the weber kettle over any of these, you can grill, smoke, do 36 hour bakes on that thing without a sweat.
I can do basically anything on my Weber kettle. Just did a whole brisket the other week, and it was incredible.
L33TInTheBoat Mind giving details on how you did the brisket? And what type of charcoal did you use
eric ch I used normal Kingsford briquettes with a Slow N Sear and added a few chunks of pecan wood. It held 225-240 consistently, and had to add a little bit more charcoal for the last hour or two.
For the price of that flimsy kudu you could get a 22" weber kettle, a rotisserie attachment, and a santa Maria attachment. Not to mention the grill itself is easier to clean, has a lid so you don't lose all your heat and burn through coals like crazy, and you can smoke meat on one. Plus if you wanted to down the line there are dozens of other attachments and mods available. Weber is King by a very large margin
I can smoke 14hr brisket, 5 hour ribs, and pulled pork with a hundred dollar weber kettle. best starter grill to have
Doesn't the biolite make energy from the heat to charge your USB devices while camping? Isn't that a key selling point that wasn't mentioned?
The Weber has basically been the same design since it was introduced just after WWII. There's a reason for that. It's perfect.
I've had the Weber for going on 12 years. Aside from being a little crusty (read, flavored) it's still a champ. I've made some amazing burgers/steaks/chops/wings on that thing. I've been curious about getting a new grill, but I think I might not bother now.
You can get a portable Weber for like 30 - 40 bucks, and have it with you at a campsite or park.
Smokey Joe, my go-to travel grill.
came to make this same point
@@TheAxlin the weber go anywhere is #1 with legs that collapse and hold lid closed.
Out of these three? The Weber for sure, but I use an offset smoker grill at home and I have a first gen Biolite camp stove for hiking/camping.
Kudu: I'd like to see the Kudu with hard wood as opposed to charcoal, I think it would do a little better. On such a windy day I was a little worried that lump charcoal would go flying from that shallow base. I also think the Kudu could benefit from a tripod base similar to the Weber as it looked a little wobbly.
Weber: It's really hard to beat a Weber for the price. My Weber has sat in the elements for almost 10 years and still works great. I need to replace the one touch cleaning system (bottom vents) but that's about it. My mother's Weber has sat outside, uncovered for 19 years and I could go over there right now and grill a steak.
BioLite: I love the airflow and the portability, but for my money I would just go buy a little Weber if I wanted portability.
Love the video, Love the straight assessments. But the BioLite is marketed as a smokeless firepit first and being able to grill on it is a secondary function so yeah it's not designed to have a huge cooking surface or really controllable burn other than fan speed. Comparing it to two dedicated outdoor grills is like comparing a butter knife as a weapon against a dagger.
Well said
Esther is all about food. No messing around.
I still use a charcoal grill I bought in 2005, it's a unknown brand and paid roughly $50 for it at local hardware store, it looks like the weber grill that is shown but bigger in circumference and taller. It's always stored outdoors, the only thing I make sure is that the grills are full of grease and it's covered during winter. Still has no rust and use it often.
Any time someone asks me what their first grill should be, it’s always the Weber Kettle. It’s really easy to use, you can control your temp, and you can do different things on it.
The Weber will always be hands-down winner for me: it's not limited to grills, but can do bread, roasts and pizza too. In South Africa you can get an equivalent of the Kudu for around R1000 (less than $70) at most gas stations. The 57cm Weber retails for about R1500 by comparison.
Folks have turned out world championship steaks and barbeque on Weber grills year after year as far back as I can remember. Also, the price point is a bit deceiving. You can spend a LOT of money accessorizing those things. For the cost of the Kudu, you can add a rotisserie, smoker, pizza oven, wok and cast iron grates to your Weber kettle, and now you have a $500 Weber that does 20 different things. There's a reason it's considered the standard by competition cooks everywhere, and it's not just because of the price.
Weber is a classic but no height adjustment. Kudu adds height adjustment but it’s awkward to do and I didn’t see a lid; I didn’t like that the grill wasn’t flat - I’d say a waste of time and money - especially with 4 legs!!! The Biolite - no lid, no height adjustment which, given the high heat, renders the grill pretty useless - unless used for Yakitori. For camping, Weber Go Anywhere all day long. For home, the Weber kettle with a Santa Maria grill attachment (eg sunshinebbqs).
Kudu on sale right now $299 and it’s normally $399 not $499… I just bought one - grilling on it today for the first time - over mesquite wood. The beauty is the adjustability and all of the different things you can do
Thanks, still $299. Going to buy one now. How do you like it?
This guys are the reason i subscribed to EATER sending my love from the philippines😍😍😍
If you're out there getting sold on these Weber grills (and you should be) you should have a look on your local craigslist listings and see if you can't get one for a song. I bought a used model like they had there for $30 years ago and still as good as the day I bought it. That, and if you're even luckier you can find the 'performance' series grills with the attached work table and better ash catcher which normally go for $300 for closer to $100. Some of these even have propane starters and stainless work tables.
Who picked the bio lite for this challenge? It was primarily made to be a portable fire pit
Yeah, I'm with you on this one. Also, the orange thing on the end is a battery pack that can charge phones and stuff, and that's not really a feature that you need in a grill that you'd normally keep near a house.
@@benjaminhavens7266 So it is just a yakatori? I expected the battery pack to have a blower to change temperatures.
@@offshorebearThe BioLite is designed as a semi-portable, self-contained fire pit that also doubles as a charcoal grill. Grilling is not necessarily the main function of it. The battery pack can charge phones and also powers the blower. Unlike other BioLite products, this one isn't charged by the heat of the fire.
The best is the BioLite FirePit: Because it has a 4 speed fan, where you can blow up or regulate the charcoal heat. Also via an cell phone app, for free.
And it is faster, to heat up, as the other grills.
It runs with an internal powerbank (10.400 mAh) even for charging USB devices like your cell phone.
I think, the powerbank get charged, by the charcoal heat. Sounds crazy, but its possible.
Because of circulation hot air to the internal power generator.
Because of the internal fan, you have less smoke and better burn of the charcoal.
And finaly, it is portable. So you can use it, also outdoor.
It is smaller, but not too small. ie four burgers in one time.
That´s the modern technology. - But I totaly miss it, in this video.
So you see, the Weber grill is very old style. But it works also well. But I would choose, for the most modern grill BioLite Fire Pit. Even because it is so portable.
*GOTTA BE A WEBER* 10 year guarantee strong been around ror for a long time --*OH YES*---👍👍😁
I just bought the Weber Master Touch Limited Edition. I love it.
If you think a Weber is a good grill look at a PK original. Basically the one grill that will last a lifetime and pass down to your kids/grandkids.
Also that biolite? Get a weber jumbo Joe. Just as portable, much more cooking surface, again with a lid, and less than half the cost.
Introduce the guests, declare the Weber Kettle the winner, thank the guests and end the video. You just saved us 10 minutes! And the lid on the Weber provides the option of low and slow pork shoulder or brisket smoking. Use the Weber for a dozen years, replace the grates and your good for another dozen years!
I have a giant veridian green Weber kettle from 1973;Arlington hts. Ill.....which by the way,was right next to Arlington Park race track. Its out in Colorado now, and still cooks a turkey perfect in 2 1/2 hours.
The Weber kettle has owned this market (and most others) for 60+ years. K.I.S.S.
I actually use a Weber Go-Anywhere charcoal BBQ most of the time, even at home, and there are a couple of distinct advantages it has over the BioLite. Firstly and more importantly is heat control. As the BioLite is fully open the charcoal is at 100% 100% of the time. With the Weber you can close off the top & bottom vents to reduce heat and to also suffocate the charcoal (which "turns it off"). Being able to turn it off is safer and also much more economical as you can often re-use charcoal from the time before. The second thing is cleaning. The Weber has a simple disassemble where you can do a quick scrub down and even shove it into the dishwasher. Additionally the Weber is easy to foil line so you can do that, scrunch up the foil when you're done and you've got next to no cleaning. The BioLite looks a lot more of a difficult cleaning job. I guess to add one thing more the Weber is half the price.
Best grill is Esther. Hands down
Eyyyyy see what you did there!! 💪😏👍
Even in germany you should go for a Weber Grill, if you want something for your money and that means something for a US-product...
Ill take a Chargriller, 120 bucks at Lowes and twice the cooking area as the Weber. You can adjust the height of the coals to the cooking area and can even add on a side smoke box for a few extra dollars!
Weber of course. Get their smoker. You wont be disappointed. Have had mine for 13 years. The Best.
The Kudu is a copy of bbq or braai design that is found everywhere in South Africa - mostly found a public bbq places. Lasts forever
So if you have a home I would say Weber all the way but when you live in an apartment complex like myself that BioLight seems legit!
They should have explained the fan and battery pack feature of the Biolite. That’s the point of the unit.
Bought my third yesterday. Freaking love them. Weber baby!
Hey let’s test three very different grills on a windy rooftop!!! Lol
You actually need to burn split firewood in the kudu. For the best results.
It’s super hard to be the Weber!!!
Price point versatility!!! Weber for the win.
I have a couple other products from bio lite! Really not impressed with either product that I own from them.
The big thing with the Kudu is it's price, and it's way too fiddly. I think it's great if you're a professional chef, but things like the ring for the cast iron skillet got in their way more than it provided them a cooking surface. Also, that it took two full grown men to adjust the height of the grill suggests there may be safety issues.
Yeah, My vote's also for the Webber. Throw in a cast iron skillet, and it does most of what the Kudu does.
Also the kudu besides being cool and expensive, the cleaning was a big factor. Weber has that pan to catch the ashes that the others don’t. Cleaning a grill all the time can get old
Can’t do smoking or roasting or low and slow on Kudu. Just straight up open air grilling. If I had extra cash and wanted extra grill space sure. But if I only had 1 grill to buy, it’s a Weber.
That Kudu grill is nice, as an asian who bbq pork belly a lot I need that grill.
In one word, the Weber wins for versatility. You can grill on darn near anything. You can grill over a campfire (just fire on the ground with a grate held over it). With the Weber you can do practically anything. It has excellent air control to keep the heat around 250 F to smoke ribs, brisket, or pork butt low and slow. Can't do that with those others and that's just one example. That Kudu is just some ridiculously overpriced one trick pony. The BioLite would probably be good for someone in an apartment with limited space, but again, all it seems to be good for is grilling.
I have 4 Weber grills, gave my gas Weber to a friend. I use the 13.5" Smokey Joe slot, the Smokey Mountain cooker is a great smoker, I have smoked everything in it, fish, pork, chicken, brisket, veg, what ever! I find these grills like new at yard sales for pennies on the dollar!
All of you forgot that the Weber can also be used as a smoker and indirect cooking. Also if you need a smaller grill the Weber comes in a18” and the travel size “Smokey Joe”.
Webber hands down , been using for 15 years
The Kudu looks like it should be some sort of accessory to use with a Weber. You could probably rig up something similar with gas pipe and some clamps for well under $100. How is it $500?
You can buy a santa monica grill attachment to do open fire grilling on a a weber....and it's a paella chef's dteam.
The Weber is the only one with a lid. Huge advantage.
Who's the genius who decided to film this on the rooftop? Why not backyard?
They are in NYC or Brooklyn. A lot of people there dont have a conventional yard.
You nkow.. The Kudu needs to come with a lid that works for the arm in some way.
The biolite needs a lid too..
I love my Weber! It's super versatile and easy to use!
Ben without a moustache is just like James Bond without a tuxedo.
Also in the Weber you can cover and use as a Oven to do a beer can chicken or even a turkey with indirect heat .... the other 2 can really only do direct heat. Weber was going to win just on sight of the design alone.
Why didn’t you guys talk about the built in battery powered fan and app for the biolite? I was looking forward to this review but it wasn’t very thorough
The Weber is the only one of the three that could decently smoke some fish, ribs, or sausages.
The webber is also better because it allows you to use indirect heat and somewhat smoke your meat whereas the other two grills are just for grilling and do not allow for indirect heat.
Can’t go wrong with a Weber kettle. Smoked wings on it for 5 hours One day and grill steaks the next day. Great product!
You really can't beat the Weber for an inexpensive charcoal grill. It will easily last you 20 years, uncovered.
Mine lasted two years before the ash "rakes" rusted in position.
@@robertp457 Thats strange....mine sits out in the snow/rain/sun and never had any issue with the ash removal sweeper.
Robert P that happens when you don’t sweep the ashes out and let some sort of moisture in. I’ve had the same sweeps for at least 12 years. Simple maintenance.
My sister mastered grilling with Weber. Unfortunately I can't use charcoal at my apartment😔😞I love grilling too. It's what we often do in the province(Philippines) and in Guam. Omg I miss the island life.
But wait: you can't cover the Kudu or Biolite like the weber? Life is about more than just hot hot grillin'. It's also about some lower temp Chillin'. The big dome lid of the weber (w the offset air control) makes it incredibly versatile for slower cooking (BBQ) as well as smoking.
What I wish I had was a BETTER MADE weber -- the legs get all wobbly, the bottom vents get all stiff and rusted and clogged. The dome lid gets bent out of shape.
Oh, and definitely get one of those rings which lift the dome up 6 inches -- crucial for doing big roasts and turkeys etc.
just totally ignored one of the key features of the biolite, the orange box on the side?
So if the wind happens to pick up in the middle of your grilling session then the Webber is the only one with a lid, you’ll never get the others grates hot enough for a good sear.
Love it, can I co-host? Also you guys missed the perfect NYC balcony griller. the Weber Go Anywhere! Even has a sweet rotisserie attachment.
Weber stuff is well loved around the world, rich ppl have em at the backyard
My question- where do you keep your chimney when heating up the charcoal?
I have a bbq with a crank up and down holder for the charcoal and the grate is stationary, I tend to remove the grate and place it on the lift part. Just curious what others do.
The travel one seems cool but where would you do that part?
Not only is the price point really good on the Weber but out of the three grills it looks like the only one you can smoke on is the Weber so if you really wanted to take that steak and smoke it you couldn't do it on the other two grills
Kudu looks useful for cooking a whole meal, but isn't even as versatile as the Weber, which can smoke and smoke roast as well. You can buy a rotisserie and a Santa maria accessory for the Weber and end up at the same price as the Kudu, and it will be far more versatile. The Kudu is cool but just too expensive, and how useful it really? How many people will use the different levels at once, and if you don't, you can get the same results by slapping a cast iron pan on the Weber.
A Weber kettle is one of the best designed and most versatile tools in the whole cooking world. Just incredible machines, they never fail to impress and that's over decades and decades of use.
I need this chicken parm t-shirt!
Hallo. Erstmal schöne Grüße aus Deutschland. Der Kudu ist ja vielseitig. Leider Ist das Grillrost und die Aufnahme für die Pfanne schief. In der Pfanne läuft das Fett doch dann auf die Seite. Den Preis dafür finde ich viel zu hoch angesetzt.
Isn't the biolite supposed to charge devices as well?
The Biolite would make for a great yakitori grill.
I would think that the Kudu would actually have a harder time maintaining that even heat - the area containing the charcoal is shallow and way more exposed to open air, meaning no ambient. It's hot coals or nothing.
good vid (as always)...but you also had amazing meat products...not everyone gets it as good as that....btw, what was the starter chimney product you used, its info and pricing...
For $500 the Kudu already looks like its falling apart every rack is tilted, the tolerances arent built very well~ The biolite is worth it, its a camping grill and requires little to no setup. Im pretty sure it has a TEC charger built in as well to charge your phone.
Did you guys ever turn the bio lite fan on ?
Isn’t the Biolite almost like a hibachi? Shouldn’t you use less charcoal? Also, no offense, but adding that much charcoal and using the fan may have guaranteed it would be super hot.
Should have reviewed the Kamado Joe or another kamado grill
The Kudu seems amazing but it's just really not worth the price imo. Glad to see my two favorite meat boys making appearances on other channels though.
Classic Overland But is it work $400 more? That kind of skillet is probably not more than $150. The Weber can also be a smoker. The more sturdy construction of the kudu alone doesn’t sell it for me.
Sure, but, you can only smoke a tri-tip (or anything else) on the Webber. The classic’s got my vote.
I would really like a grill grate that can rotate. Especially if im cooking big ass cuts of meat.
centpushups Weber.
Wish y'all tried the (big green egg) I'd like to see it in action on this show.
Kamados have two big strikes against them.
First is the weight...a large (22-inch) BGE is pushing 200 pounds. Not a problem if you don't need to move it, but it's not coming to the tailgate with you.
Second is cost. They are expensive...to the point they are practically an investment. I put them in the same category as Vitamix blenders, commercial ranges, pizza ovens and espresso machines...the cost makes sense only if you are being paid to use it.
For most consumers, the Weber kettle is ideal. It's easy to use, a good value. Parts and accessories are everywhere. Extremely versatile: everything from high-temp grilling to low and slow smoking. And a snap to take to the park, to the beach or to the ballgame.
Yeah, Prime Time actually know what they are talking about, it's a whole world of difference