Weber Classic Kettle charcoal barbecue review

With two wheels and a handle it’s reasonably light, easy to lift and push about the patio or in and out of storage. Although it does take up a fair amount of room in the shed (it can’t really be packed down once built), it could be kept outside if you invest in a cover to protect it from the weather.

How easy is it to use?

It takes more than half an hour to get this ready to start cooking – 25 mins to get the coals lit and up to temperature plus another 10 mins to heat the grill. At 57cm this grill is ample size for six people – we had plenty of room for a whole spatchcock chicken plus lots of veg.

The design is well thought out with vents below and on the lid, a sturdy steel grate, helpful temperature gauge on the lid and handy charcoal rails for indirect cooking. The hood is also excellent, with vents, a heatproof handle and a hook for hanging it on the side of the grill when you’re cooking.

The wheels don’t lock but there are only two plus one stabilising leg and the barbecue remained stable throughout cooking. It’s easy to clean with a built-in cleaning system below the grill that expels ash into a removable ash collector. This barbecue lacks tool hooks, although you can loop one or two over the handle. The excellent instructions in the included Weber Barbecue Bible are really useful and make cooking easy.

Cooking results

This cooked food evenly and well throughout, producing excellent griddle lines on the vegetables and lovely charring on the aubergines. The potatoes were crispy, and soft and fluffy inside.

There was even heat across the grill and nothing took long – just a few minutes. The spatchcock chicken was crisp and succulent, cooking in just over an hour with a lovely barbecue flavour.

Is it value for money?

This feels very durable and long lasting, and is made from high-quality materials. It comes with a 10-year warranty on the bowl and lid, with other parts guaranteed between two and five years. It cooks well and is a good size but it does feel a little expensive considering it comes with no tools or accessories at all.

Conclusion

This is great for anyone new to charcoal barbecuing and with a smaller garden. The handbook gives confidence and helps make it easy to use. The only drawback is the lack of tool hooks and extras.

Specifications

RRP: £204.74
Serial number: E-5710
Dimensions: 100.3 H x 57.2 W x 63.5cm D
Materials: Steel porcelain enamelled bowl and lid
Warranty: 10 years

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Words and images by Kay Maguire, BBC Gardeners' World Reviews Editor. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability, please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.