Weber Smokey Joe

Review Of The Weber Smokey Joe Gold Grill # 40020

The Weber Smokey Joe is a classic portable grill. You can easily fit three steaks or six burgers on the grill at once.

The porcelain enameling on the bowl and lid help it resist rust and keep the heat even for the best cooking results.

The lid locks in place while you move the grill. The lock doubles as a lid holder during cooking. Weber includes its owner's manual with several recipes to try on this old classic.

What We Like

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The Weber Smokey Joe is easy to assemble. This Weber charcoal grill is well made and durable. It can last for years of use. The Smokey Joe is the perfect size for an apartment. The price is extremely reasonable for just about anyone.

The ashes are held inside the kettle instead of blowing all over with the wind. It is perfect for indirect cooking for small roasts or thick cuts of meat. Just put the coals on one side with a vent and the meat on the opposite side. It cooks evenly without a lot of hotspots. Burgers, hot dogs, chicken and more all turn out nicely with this grill.

While you may think it is small, you can feed quite a few people with this grill, depending on what you cook. The lid lock is a great innovation so it doesn't spill all over when you are traveling.

The grill is easy to clean, too. Perfect for RVs, tailgating and camping, the Smokey Joe is both affordable and durable.

What We Don't Like

The Weber Smokey Joe has a major flaw in its design. The bottom vents are too high so the charcoal is not getting the air flow it needs to stay lit if you want to cook with the lid on. To maintain a proper fire, the air needs to come in from the bottom, not the sides. The air then feeds the fire, is heated and leaves through the top vent, which in turn pulls more air in from the bottom.

According to many customers, this grill can't do it because the vents are in the wrong place. Other customers have not had this problem and say that the side vents are perfectly fine. The grill does not get hot enough to produce a good sear. The legs could be sturdier.

Since the grill sits so close to the ground, you must be careful. Use a heat proof pad when possible for safety.

Features

• Porcelain enameled lid and bowl
• Nylon handle is reinforced with glass
• Triple nickel plated 14-1/2 inch cooking area
• Lid locks for security while moving the grill about
• Ten year limited warranty

Summary

The Weber Smokey Joe is perfect for traveling or for anyone on a budget. The low price and Weber quality will make this a very popular little grill. The locking lid makes it even better than it was before.

Now you don't need to worry about the grill spilling in the back of your pickup after a trip to the beach.

Even though there are some complaints about this grill, most people seem to be able to make it work just fine. This is a wonderful little grill for the money. It fits in almost anyone's budget.