The end of an era.... no more welded handles on Weber Kettles. (Photos)

[zavod44]

I thought it was the end of the world as we know it...it was almost, human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together...mass hysteria!

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[Winz]

Matt. Can you provide the center to center measurement between the handle bolts?  Thanks

Winz


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[zavod44]

I bet six inches

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[zavod44]

If it's long term concerns you have then at least if it wears out you can unbolt it and put on another we can't do that now....

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[SixZeroFour]

I thought it was the end of the world as we know it...it was almost, human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together...mass hysteria!

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Make fun all you like, it's still the end of an era for weber kettles.

Matt. Can you provide the center to center measurement between the handle bolts?  Thanks

Winz

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Hey Winz it actually appears to be 5-3/16"... i'll pull the handle off later tonight to try and double check.

If it's long term concerns you have then at least if it wears out you can unbolt it and put on another we can't do that now....

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No matter how you slice it a hole complete through the lid is creating a cavity for water. I'd be shocked if this design holds up as well as the original over the long haul. Yes you can replace the handle but do you think those connection points will be solid still in 10 years? I hope I'm proved wrong but at first glance this appears to be a design change solely to save money on production and replacement parts, not one to improve overall product quality.

[zavod44]

That is speculation, what is fact is anywhere that grill has been spot welded rusts and 90% of my grills are rusty around the handle.  So it can't be that much worse.  We can only speculate....

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[Craig]

How many people are gonna go out and hoard up on some 2014 OTG color or even black kettles to get a piece of history at the end of the 50 year road? Based on the info we have, the strap handle with insulator (wood, then plastic) began in 1964. Replacing the thicker "MBH shaped" lid handle.

[SixZeroFour]

The whole point of the thread is to discuss the details of the new handles style... speculate is all we can really do at this point.

Brian, out of curiosity how many MBH or MTH kettles do you have? Probably a lot more than wood and plastic right? The old MBH kettles were much more solidly built then they are today and I doubt you would contest that point. I don't know about you but I feel much safer shipping an older kettles than I do the new ones and that's because bending a MBH is next to impossible, the newer "bent strap" style handle is far less durable and bends/cracks with only moderate force.

This is just another step toward a cheaper product. Sadly it's not Weber's fault they are just trying to stay competitive - but that doesn't change the fact that we are getting a lesser product. "Things just aren't made like they used to"

[Craig]

Sixzerofour, I agree with you but in all fairness the MBHs can be susceptible to a bend here in there. Mind you I think it takes more force. They are harder to "bend" back into place than the straps are of course. The Wood Dales are certainly heavier duty IMO top to bottom than even the earliest wood lid handled thumbscrew kettles .

[SixZeroFour]

Your absolutely right, next to impossible was probably a slight overstatement on my part but they are significantly more durable than later versions.

[Craig]

Your absolutely right, next to impossible was probably a slight overstatement on my part but they are significantly more durable than later versions.

You betcha! The lid even "clangs" against the bowl if it grazes it at a lower pitch compared to the the later kettles. Heavier duty for sure! But even these old soldiers took a beating.

[Craig]

It goes to show that there were probably two time Weber kettle owners out there in the 1980s or 90s that thought after a couple years their "newer" kettles weren't made as well as there old 50s or 60s or 70s kettle.

[zavod44]

The whole point of the thread is to discuss the details of the new handles style... speculate is all we can really do at this point.

Brian, out of curiosity how many MBH or MTH kettles do you have? Probably a lot more than wood and plastic right? The old MBH kettles were much more solidly built then they are today and I doubt you would contest that point. I don't know about you but I feel much safer shipping an older kettles than I do the new ones and that's because bending a MBH is next to impossible, the newer "bent strap" style handle is far less durable and bends/cracks with only moderate force.

This is just another step toward a cheaper product. Sadly it's not Weber's fault they are just trying to stay competitive - but that doesn't change the fact that we are getting a lesser product. "Things just aren't made like they used to"

I have quite a few of MBH, MTH, and wood handles.  It's not because they are made better, it's because old grills are cool, and older grills are even cooler.  The reality is this, they all cook the same.  I have old grills that are thrashed and new ones beat up.  I have no evidence that because the metal is thicker that they stay nicer.  I'm not sure why we all think that it's more stout or whatever.  I have a brand new grill and a five year old performer and I don't feel like they are going to collapse or I couldn't cook a meal.  I have a grill from the 90's that is absolutely falling apart.  Does that mean they started sucking in the 90's?  I personally don't have an issue with any of these grills.  It's not like .020 thousandths more of steel will retain more heat and make your dinner better or worse.  The grills are basically the same, maybe a little cosmetically different but at the end of the day they are still fundamentally the same.  To me that's why they are so damn cool.  If they release a yellow one next year, I'm all in....

As far as shipping I hate shipping old kettles when they get wrecked you can't replace them......New ones, you can right back to store and get another

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[Hofy]

SixZeroFour, how sharp are the edges of the heat shield? 

[SixZeroFour]

Perhaps you're not as worked up as others because you have the ability to make your own magnificent handles whenever you choose!  The rest of us have to be happy with whatever comes in the box

... oh and count me in for a yellow!

SixZeroFour, how sharp are the edges of the heat shield? 

Not sharp at all, and it's a heavy enough gauge that I doubt you could hurt yourself on it.