A pizza oven?! Seriously? ABSOLUTELY! One often-overlooked style of pizza oven is the mighty (and incredibly versatile and storied) kettle grill! There are lots of options in this category, but let’s get this straight off the bat! Weber is one of the most famous brands worldwide for a reason! One of the big ones is their 7 day-a-week customer service. Another is their stellar reputation for lasting DECADES!
Yes, you read that right. Many last for decades sitting outdoors (yes, you should protect them and be nice to them!). Many cheaper brands don’t last even 5 years before corrosion or just poor workmanship cause parts to fall off or rust apart. A whole lot of kettle grillers out there are willing to pay a tiny bit more for a Weber.
Even so, the prices are not in the stratosphere anyway given the nature of the item – an egg-shaped piece of steel with charcoal at the bottom!
Contents
The Good
- Incredibly good brand
- Excellent customer service
- Reliable and sturdy
- Porcelain-enameled bowl and lid
- High capacity ash catcher for easy cleaning
The Bad
- A teensy bit higher in price than the absolute lowest end kettle grill (though not by much if you compare with Weber’s least expensive model)
Price?
This would be a great time for us to mention that we chose to review the Weber 15502001 Performer because it has a few bells and whistles we like. Please note that it does not perform a better grilling job per se, than a less expensive Weber model like the Weber 14401001 Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill which is about $200 less.
In our opinion, if you’re going to invest in a serious cooking machine like this, you may as well shoot for the top since even the most expensive Weber model is significantly less pricey than a modest barbecue. Plus, you’re getting a variety of options that just make life that much easier, like a built-in charcoal bin, tabletop and wheels just for starters.
Ultimately, we like all the Weber models and you can get a decent unit for hardly more than the price of a full tank of gas for your pickup truck! I’m totally serious about that!
Check out the latest prices and more detailed information and customer feedback HERE!
What Else?
It’s really important to note here that you can make pizza in a kettle grill using at least TWO very different methodologies. One is outlined in the video from Weber (below), and it does not involve a thin crust style of pizza on a pizza stone. It’s a thick crust style pie that involves turning the pizza over after it’s baked on one side, and then placing all the ingredients on that side. Check out the details in this video;
The other style of pizza-making in a kettle grill is our preferred method. It involves placing a pizza oven insert between the top and bottom of the kettle. These inserts are made by a few companies who specialize in exactly this type of product, like KETTLEPIZZA.
We’ll review those insert options in another post. Also, keep in mind that Weber uses the size designation of 22” on its grills, which actually measures 22.5”. That will be important once you start looking at the various inserts, which are commonly made for 22.5” kettles.
Oh, and lastly, be sure to note that this particular model does not have the gas ignition system available on the upgraded model. Just cruise the options and balance your budget with your priorities and you’ll figure it out soon enough!
What Say We?
I think you know where we’re headed with this! We like the Weber kettle grills, and of course, like other units, you can make a WHOLE lot more than pizza. The unique, thick crust, directly-on-the-grill style of pie is also an intriguing product not possible with a traditional range oven or pizza oven.
If your budget or your outdoor space won’t allow for multiple baking/grilling appliances, this one is a really good option for all-around grilling and versatility. Of course, the most important thing is that it bakes a mean pie right?