Weber 18.5 One-Touch Silver Charcoal Grill Review

by SuzyQ
(Glen Allen, VA)

18.5 Weber One-Touch

My fiancé and I just bought a house together, so we had to combine our respective furniture and belongings into one new location. I had a much older Weber grill that my dad had given me and which had provided years of flavorful service. But because I hadn't cared for it as well as I should have, it had gotten rusty and dinged up and I decided to donate it to Goodwill and buy a new one. I was originally thinking about getting a gas grill (I had never used one before and thought it was time to try) but some friends bought us a new Weber One-Touch as a housewarming gift. They knew that I loved to grill and experiment with ingredients, flavors and seasonings. So this new grill was an exciting addition to the household.

We only had the opportunity to use this Weber grill a few times before the cold weather hit, but I can tell you that I'm anxiously waiting spring so I can fire it up and test some old (and new) recipes. So far, I can tell you that the Weber 18.5 One-Touch Charcoal Grill is perfect for a couple or small family. It utilizes plain charcoal, although you can supplement this with seasoned woods like hickory or mesquite. This unit is what folks would normally refer to as a “barbecue,” since it looks very much like a typical barbecue grill, with its tripod-type legs, round grilling surface, easy access handles and domed cover.

Although it’s not fancy, this One-Touch provides solid grilling performance that Weber owners have come to expect. (I’m so glad this gift was a Weber and not some other brand.) I like the way I can cook meats and/or vegetables as quickly or as slowly as wish. It’s very easy to control the “doneness” factor of your food. The grill is also fairly lightweight, so it’s easily transportable (another plus, since we like to take the grill on our trips to the mountains). Clean up is average – you do need to empty the spent coals and wipe off the grill surface!

From my experience, Weber stands by its products and there is a 10-year warranty. However, I’m not sure if my grill will last 10 years because I intend to give it a good work-out. On the negative side, it appears a bit flimsy, but then again, this is a basic barbecue grill. Which is all I wanted in the first place.