I have this grill which was a gift from my wife. I asked for a Weber but in my haste didn't tell her which model. I appreciate this is the most budget friendly ( cheapest ) model and although it does everything I suspect the master touch or premium model does, should I upgrade? And how do I justify the upgrade without hurting her feelings and making her think she bought me the wrong grill. To be fair, this grill has cooked everything brilliantly ( except a brisket, but that was my error) so do I actually need the more expensive model?
by Various-Baker7047
27 Comments
The only thing you could do is to add the ash catcher from the master touch. Just get ash blown in your face once and then order it
It really depends on how much you need to cook. I never cook for more than four people, so it’s perfect for me. I’ve added a rotisserie, a vortex, and a Spider Venom.
I have a pro performer. It’s nice, but all you are getting is the table and a lighter. Not sure itvwas really worth the extra money. The kettle is the important part.
Two words. [Spider Venom](https://www.spidergrills.com/products/venom)
If it were me, I’d use this bad boy for a few years and make the upgrade in the future. This one works, your wife bought it for you, it is worth putting it through it’s paces.
If you really feel it’s lacking and you need more, that’s an easy conversation once this one has had time to show you what it is missing.
My wife didn’t want to spend the money on the Weber, we got some terrible Walmart option. It worked fine, not well. We ended up with a Weber kettle as a wedding gift (I had put it on the list) and we have never looked back. The original Walmart option is now our grill to take camping.
Our Weber is the base model 22″ and it does everything I need, I have very little interest in upgrading to anything but a bigger size in the future.
Don’t
I would rather have your grill than my Master Touch, to be honest. It’s not available in the U.S., to my knowledge. I love the airflow control with bottom dials and I’m not a huge fan of ash sweeps in general.
Biggest justification for a Master Touch would be to go with the 67cm if it’s available to you. If not, the 57cm Master Touch is quite a bit taller than the other 57cm kettles, so you could say the extra height and lid holder make it easier on your back. But, functionally, it’s not going to do anything better than the Bar-B-Kettle you already have.
I’d sell this one on Facebook and upgrade to the master touch. I love the extra detail of the master touch.
Just stick with this one for now. As others have said, this is a great one to have, you can add accessories and it will last forever. If you find you need something fancier, then wait until there’s a sale and go for it. Remember, happy wife, happy life!
I was gifted the same grill and it’s been fantastic. I did purchase a third party table that connects to the side and works great! Amazon has tons of accessories to customize it to your liking. I wouldn’t upgrade
Just buy an ash catcher and a hinge to keep your lid open
Ditch the ash saucer and place a cheap galvanized bucket (largest one that will fit) on the bottom support triangle…
I have had this grill about 25 years, and there is nothing it can’t handle. It is a work horse.
honestly I don’t think you would need to upgrade, just add the Spider Venom to it
My first gifted/used Webber didn’t have a heat shield under the top handle. Eventually the plastic handle melted off.
My second gifted/used Webber is the one you have and I have been using it for 7 years. Both were from neighbors who moved and didn’t want to move the grills with them.
The only reason I would say to upgrade is if you want to go up in size to the 26”.
The grill you have now can be upgraded to do everything the master touch does and more if you want. I would stick with your current set up for a while, find out what works and doesn’t and master your technique.
That being said when you are ready to make a move the 26” is awesome and a bigger step up than it may seem at first.
I can’t remember the actual numbers off the top of my head but the 26 has almost double the cooking surface area. If you ever have found yourself cramming stuff together or having to cook in batches the 26 will eliminate a lot of that.
I have had the 26 for a few years now and don’t think I could ever go back.
I e owned Webers for over 30 years. Out of all the upgrades, the lid holder is the only one you’ll want right away. Sitting a hot lid on an outside coffee table sucks. Sitting a grill lid cooking your food on the ground is disgusting. Upgrade for a lid holder. The rest of the “upgrades” can be done just as well aftermarket. Spend the money on an aftermarket second tier grill resting rack to increase your space. Add the fireboard attachment that automates a fan and a temp reader to keep your temps steady through a vent hole if you have power nearby. Buy a more versatile and convenient stainless steel stand alone table for beside it. The lighters never work, so keep your own chimney and lighting system on hand. Invest in a nice storage container for your extra charcoal. Amazon sells a small bench for about $30 that works great. All of these upgrades will serve you as well if not better.
No dude just get an sns, the upgraded ash catcher, and a tip top temp. Make a few years of meat on it and from there you can decide what upgrade you need if you need one at all.
I use the base 22 model. At some point I will add a second one and or upgrade. In the meantime I’m not afraid to add any accessories as I know they can generally work on any of the models.
I bought mine several years ago before I had any idea how much you can do with one. It sat outside and I had to replace a couple parts including upgrading the grill. I would like to add a lid thermometer or even two.
Seriously, the only upgrade to the next level is the ash pan. Rock this grill out then upgrade in a few years for the convenience of the ash pan using this bad boy alongside it
I’d roll smoke on that bad boy and enjoy many years of great bbq etc
They all cook the same. If moneys not an issue, upgrade. If budget is tight, you will literally gain nothing from the upgrade.
I’ve only smoked one brisket so far. It might’ve been beginner’s luck, but it turned out great. This is the grill is I used.
Thanks all for the comments. I’m pretty much happy with the grill and understand that it’s not the tools it’s the guy who’s using them. I just wondered if the cooking experience was better on the more expensive models. I do love my Weber grill and have made some fantastic food on it. Guess I’m sticking with her for now……
You can’t kill the kettle
You’d be better off buying upgrades for it. Like a rotisserie, vortex, slow n sear, premium grates, etc.
The ash catcher is really the only upgrade you “need,” and you can buy that separately and add it yourself, no need to upgrade to a whole different grill.
After that, the fun begins with all the accessories you can get to go along with it. But the standard Weber kettle that you have is the best (except for the upgraded ash catcher), and the accessories will fit it, so no need for the next model up.