good substitute for Weber 22"?

I am getting tired of lugging the kettle around when camping. It's just not made easy to move. I tried the smokey joe in the past, but it's just too small and I don't like how it cooks. I see they have a jumbo joe now. I have carried my 18" on occasion but felt it was small and not much different than just carrying the 22".

I like charcoal but willing to do gas while camping for the convenience. Lot of times we pull into the camp site late and the kids are hungry and the 20-30 minute to heat the coals forces everyone to eat way late.

My requirements are a grill large enough to grill for 6 people. Sometimes it's just 2 of us, other times 4, other times 6 or more. The 22" seems perfect for when we make potatoes and burgers for everyone as there's enough room for all of it.

We will also make pizzas sometimes and I can fit 2 x boboli pizzas on the 22"

According to my highschool math, the 22" kettle has a surface cooking area of 380 square inches. The 14" models are 153" which is fine for 2 people, but that's it. The 18" is 254 square inches which I feel is small, but can make due. We will likely have to give up the pizzas or just make one at a time. The other issue with the smaller grills is they are tabletop which I hate. Some CG don't have picnic tables and I hate cooking on tables in general because they get all nasty.

Looking at the gas grills, it appears everyone here loves the weber version. I am a bit skeptical because of the cost and weight of these suckers. Sounds like the Colemans are junk. I saw a Zippo brand one on Amazon that looks like a nice setup, but I can't see zippo making a good grill, despite the raving reviews on Amazon.

Looking for some input. Whats everyone lug around easily for a family of up to 6 people? Convert to gas for ease of packing? Stick with charcoal and make due with the 18" version? One benefit the gas versions is leaving the charcoal bin at home and not having to deal with a hot grill. One less thing to worry about and throw in the truck is always good. The negative is they are way expensive. Thoughts?

GordonThree
Explorer
Aug 04, 2016
Stick with the 22! Is the 18 really going to be that much lighter?

I use a one touch gold 22.5 for summer camping, and the q1200 for winter camping. the q1200 although smaller, weighs more, but being propane, it's very fast to cook on, which is good when it's freezing cold outside.

I leave my q1200 on the Weber cart all the time, the cart is mostly cheap plastic, and doesn't add much weight to the already heavy grill.

Have you considered going minimalist, and getting a camp fire cooking tripod? Then you just need the main grate from 22, and the tripod.
Mandalay_Parr
Explorer
Aug 04, 2016
I've used the Weber baby Q for 12 years. Really like it.
RoyBell
Explorer
Aug 04, 2016
GordonThree wrote:
Stick with the 22! Is the 18 really going to be that much lighter?

I use a one touch gold 22.5 for summer camping, and the q1200 for winter camping. the q1200 although smaller, weighs more, but being propane, it's very fast to cook on, which is good when it's freezing cold outside.

I leave my q1200 on the Weber cart all the time, the cart is mostly cheap plastic, and doesn't add much weight to the already heavy grill.

Have you considered going minimalist, and getting a camp fire cooking tripod? Then you just need the main grate from 22, and the tripod.

The 18" would be the jumbo joe model, which should fit in a rubbermaid bin with the chimney. Right now the 22" barely fits and I have to put it sideways. Then I have to take the legs off when traveling and they dont store anywhere. I have an 18" that someone was throwing out that was in good shape. I got a new grate for it and it's fine, but same issue with the legs and trying to move transport it.

I have too many grills already. 2x22s, 1x18, 1x 14"smokey joe. I may give the 18" another run next time and see if I can make due with the small cooking area. Only issue is you can't cook indirect on the smaller grills. I will have to figure out how to grill with coals under the meat.

What model Q is large enough for 6 people? Is the single burner going to be an issue coming from charcoal where I can make hot spots and cool spots for different food?
LynnandCarol
Explorer
Aug 04, 2016
Weber Q-220! We love ours!
GordonThree
Explorer
Aug 04, 2016
I don't really get the grill size to # of people comparison. I think I read the q1200 claims to feed 8 people? Do they make that claim because you can fit eight small hamburger patties on the grill, or eight small bratwurst?

On the q1200, cooking for myself, I can fit one cowboy / tomahawk steak on the grill, along with an ear of corn and a big piece of broccoli. The outer few inches of grill surface aren't usable, since the lid will contact any food near the edge, and that's gross.

On the 22.5, I can fit six half racks of ribs, standing on edge, with about half the grill surface "off" the coals. I once direct grilled six chicken breast and it was crowded, there was certainly no room left over for cooking some veggies, or garlic bread.

So, I'm not a good judge of using grill space efficiently I guess!
NYCgrrl
Explorer
Aug 04, 2016
I sold my patio sized charcoal 22" Weber kettle at the beginning of the summer season as I found it took up more space than I wanted to dedicate to storage. DID come in useful for large weekend parties.

Used my charcoal Weber "Go AnyWhere" to great effect for a 3 week trip feeding 2 adults and 3 children( 16, 11 and 8 y/o) daily; Stores easily and makes a nice rectangular pizza that serves 5-6 using a griddle.
I started "Weberizing" with a Joe but sold it early on due to ember disposal issues.
johnhicks
Explorer
Aug 05, 2016
I just plop the Jumbo Joe on a pizza pan (so ashes don't set things on fire) on a folding WallyWorld aluminum table and I have a grill on legs. If there's a picnic table or an iron CG grill it goes on those, on the pan.

There's a folding add-on grill grate that's a Big Green Egg product that may fit on the Jumbo Joe. You'd have to test the fit

For a portable grill I've had a barrell-style that mounted on the hitch that I burned the bottom out of, a Weber Go-Anywhere that was just too small, a Jumbo Joe, then I got a wild hair, sold the Joe and got a portable Traeger, now sold that and I have a Joe again. It feels right. When stationary for a length of time I've always used 22" Weber Kettles.
MPI_Mallard
Explorer
Aug 05, 2016
I tried a few "portable" grills over time then realised I needed something bigger yet not a P.I.T.A. to take with me so I built a tray that plugged into my receiver on the back of my fiver that holds my bikes, genny and gas grill
The grill I have is the Char-Broil Commercial TRU-Infrared Stainless 2-Burner (18,000-BTU) Liquid Propane Gas Grill that has 445 sq. inches of grill area which has worked out perfectly for just Frau Blücher and me but has plenty of room for guests also the TRU-Infrared is a joy to grill on and this is a well built lil' unit and Char-Broil does a good job with their customer service to boot! We pull into our site and undue two ratchet straps, Frau Blücher and I easily lift the grill off the rack and "bob's yer' uncle" we're grillin', for us it's worked out perfectly!

Red Green: There's only two things that excite a man, expensive toys and real expensive toys.
NYCgrrl
Explorer
Aug 06, 2016
Seems to me you like the options a larger grill gives but don't care for the shape of the Weber as far as storage and/or mobility is concerned. I know the shape of the kettle is a pain to store which also figured into my giving it up.

Have you considered a marine grill?

Boaters are really good at maximizing space and they come in both charcoal and propane versions and a variety of sizes. 2 often spoken of manufacturers are Cabo and Magma.

HTH!
Vintage465
Nomad
Aug 07, 2016
Well, if I had to use only one BBQ and one alone, it would be a 22" Weber. Not to offend the Gas Grill Alliance, but I think everything else is a substitute. The only thing a 22" Weber doesn't do real easy is large pieces like a brisket @ 250 degrees. It can, and has been done but it gets kind of tight in there with an 18 pound brisket. In our rig now we have the little rectangle Weber for charcoal and the Q1000 for gas grilling. I am really not a gas grill fan at all, but when you are on the move and there is no place to dump your coals the gas grill is real handy. It will be even nicer when I get the high pressure line run to the grill location so I can stop using the little bottles. When we do family camping trips, everyone brings a 22" Weber. I put the grills in the bed of the truck then turn the Weber upside down over the grills and then just try and find a place for the lid. Not the tidy-est but it works.