Weber Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill, 22-Inch, Touch-N-Go Gas Ignition System, Copper Patio, Lawn & Garden

I’ve always heard great things about the benefits of charcoal grilling, but hated the process of lighting the grill and managing the ashes, so I have always owned a gas grill…that is until now. The Weber Performer Deluxe grill give me all the benefits of the flavor that charcoal gives (being able to used hardwood briquettes, etc), and easy to manage. The Weber performer grill gives even cooking, and the charcoal holders give you great control over managing where the coals are for both direct and indirect cooking. Plus, it comes with the better higher guage grill grates with the center opening, and the side openings to manage coals mid-cooking. Finally, the ash management is amazing. There two versions and I opted for the Deluxe for $40.00 more ($439 vs $399), and it is worth it as it makes lighting a breeze. You have to attache a small propane bottle (about $6) to it, and then position your coals over the gas nozzle (I layer fast lighting coals at the bottom of the coal pans, then fill the rest with either Applewood or Mesquite Hardwood coal briquettes for flavor), the turn on the gas, push the lighter and poof, my fire has started. Leave for about 5 mins and turn off the gas, and then give the briquettes another 10 mins and you are ready to start grilling. You can leave the goals in the center or move them to the side. So far I have been impressed with it’s even cooking for burgers, chicken parts (bone-in), steak, ribs, beer can chicken, and brisket. What I also like is the temperature management using the air-damper at the bottom and the vent on the top.

I finally replaced my 20 year old Weber grill with an updated Performer. My old grill was the same model, but had a 1 gallon gas lighter which was a pain to get refilled with changing regulations. Also, I had left it outside uncovered a few times and it had finally begun to get some rusted areas. The new igniter system uses a battery, which I think will hold up better than the old click/spark system. We love the new copper color and look forward to many more years with this grill. It is great for regular grilling and I’ve learned how to do slower cooking and smoking with hit. There are lots of online videos to guide you on how to do this and Weber is a solid name in the industry.

This is my second performer charcoal with gas lighting grill. The first one lasted 21 years. I like the setup of this one better. The charcoal storage and gas lighting is more convenient. It isnt built as heavy and has more plastic. It cooks great, just like the old one. One thing I have noticed, is that when I am done cooking and I close all the vents, the coals extinguish and do not burn completely out. The next time I use it, I still have coals left to use. I guess my old one had so many leaks it just kept on burning. I run the gas for about 3 minutes to start coals. I am not crazy about the little bottles, as my old one had a 1 gal LP jug that lasted forever. I kept it as a backup. Curious to see how the small bottles last. We love charcoal flavor.Update…..I have been using the grill a couple of times a week, and it really performs well. The small bottles are growing on me as I can keep an extra one on hand. I only run gas for about 3 minutes to light the coals still on my first bottle.One small potential issue: The other night we had a lot of coals on it and had the top open for an extended period of time. It got pretty hot. I could feel the plastic coal bin was about to melt and it reminded me that my old bin melted years ago. I opened the bin to reduce the heat, and nothing melted. But it was really, really hot. I decided to place some self adhesive heat reflective material I had leftover from a car project on the side of the bin facing the grill. I also wrapped some around the rubber gas line to protect it from heat.

I’ve had a gas grill for the last 25 years but have always been a bit jealous of the taste of the food my son makes on his Weber charcoal grill. When my 25 year old Australian made gas grill finally gave up, I decided to get this one. I couldn’t be happier! Just assembling the grill was a pleasure – every piece of it spoke “quality”. And in use it’s amazing. Great heat control via the two vents and a really heavy duty stainless grill. Using the zone method of putting the charcoal on one side and using that side for searing and the other (cooler) side for slower cooking works great. I’ve tried this before on my gas grill but never got good results. Now I’m making really good tasting food and have even smoked a pork roast which was delicious. I could probably retire my dedicated smoker and use this instead. The charcoal tilt-out storage bin works very well and is quite handy as is the “one touch” cleaning system. I almost got the model without the gas igniter because I didn’t think it was worth the extra $50, but it turns out it’s one of my favorite features. I use a Weber chimney to light my charcoal – I fill the chimney and put it over the gas igniter and in ten minutes the charcoal is well on the way to being ready.

Just received and assembled so I haven’t cooked on it yet, but I don’t need to before writing the review because a Weber Kettle was my first grill more than 30 years ago and I can tell from assembling it that the heart and soul are still the same. Product arrived with box in nearly pristine condition, but it probably wouldn’t have mattered because it was packed SO WELL. Now, for assembly, I prepared myself for the usual grind of poor instructions and ill-fitting parts that I’ve grown used to in other grills since I got too “sophisticated” for a kettle. Boy, was I surprised! Assembly was simple, straight forward and I could’ve almost done it without the instructions. Only criticism I have to offer is two open-end wrenches are called for, but no sizes are given in the instructions. How hard would it have been to include the size? I still don’t know because I just chose to go with a pair of pliers instead, which worked fine.I look at this grill and I see all of the simplicity and reliability of the original, with almost all of the improvements I could ask for:Great ash collection systemImproved holder for the lidGreat work surfaceGas start optionBuilt in timerHandy tilt-out bin which I will find a use for, even if I don’t agree with putting charcoal in an open-air container on a grill that will likely be stored outside. I’ll stick with my Kingsford storage bin that is airtight. Additional storage space is always welcome!Improved grate with both hinged doors for adding coals and I LOVE the idea of the new gourmet system. One reviewer called it “stupid” but hey… just because he lacks the skill or imagination to make good use of it, doesn’t make it “stupid”! The same guy talked about “over paying” but again, that’s unrealistic. If you consider how many grills I’ve WORN OUT in the past 30 years and had to replace because they were only offered for a few years and replacement parts were no longer available, while the Kettle is basically still the same and many owners are still using one 20-30 years later, there is NO SUCH THING as “over paying” for this kind of quality.