Wanna help a NOOB choose his combo?

[docchiro]

Hey guys, this is only my second post, so howdy! I'm trying to choose which grill combo I should go with. A little info....I'm usually only grilling for 2-3 adults. Most holidays and at least 1-2 times per month I'm grilling for 8-12 people. During summer time I'm grilling a minimum of once per week. Usually for 2-4 people. I'm really wanting to get into smoking brisket, ribs, turkey and others. So my thought is to start with a single 22.5" premium. Then either adding a second 22.5" or maybe a kamado style grill as a second. My issue is that I entertained the idea of a 26" and now I'm wondering if I shouldn't just go with that. Most comparisons of grill size to number of people cooking for just have generic terms like "cooking for a crowd" or "cooking for a small family."  So with the actual numbers I've given, would y'all recommend two 22"s, a 22" and a standard kamado, or one 26"?

[Qreps]

I have 2 performers and love them. You could easily cook for a large crowd. For smoking I have a Cajun bandit stacker it works awesome. I also have a smokenator that I've used for shorter cooks. You can also make a  second grate for added space. For the money 22.5 kettles can't be beat.

[1buckie]

A 26" will go a long ways toward what you want to do from the description......you can cook a small family amount, still save coals & relite those on subsequent cooks (thinking in terms of a larger kettle maybe needing just a little larger amount of coals to get up & running)

Then, for holidays or special occasions, you have a ton of extra area ready to go.........

A lot of us use an 18" along with a 22" for different heats & setups, but that can be replicated with just the 26".....a little practice & a little forethought & you can do up a pretty big batch of foods on one of those.....
Learning how to rotate things in & out of hot & cooler zones increases what you can accomplish also....

Here's , for instance, a five zone heat on a 26".....I did move some of the loose ones on the right over to the left before starting.....



Over the basket, hottest....over the left coals next hottest....over the right set of coals, next in line....up next to the basket, but not directly over,  & then all the way back away from the basket....

Another thing that can be done is to build up....this is Craig's 2nd tier rack from a grate cut & bent....




And another by JoCool from Australia...



a grate cut with stainless bolts attached......

Rotating the food in thru the hottest coal area helps too.....here's the whole deal on an 18".....

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/grilling-bbqing/previous-don't-really-need-all-those-kettles-just-one-18-12'-5/msg7900/#msg7900

18"'s are the unsung heroes of the kettle world, in my estimation.....they can really be a great addition to any arsenal.....I use them for sides, hot holding, extra grill space & they will do almost anything a 22" will do...





Maybe a 26" & later an 18" ?

[dazzo]

First off, Welcome.

Secondly, Dude, you asked the wrong crowd about what kettles to get.

You thought about a 26, that means you need one.

A performer will work good for the small cooks. And then they follow you home. "But, it's a redhead SS!" "The C&B was too good of a deal to pass up".

Then, you find a near perfect Brave. And the next week you find a real perfect one with small tabs - and three months later your wife still hasn't seen them.

And when she does, "Oh, those? I got them a while ago, don't you remember?"

"Dad, tell my friend how many grills you have."

Weberitis, it's more than an adventure.

[docchiro]

Very good information.  Thank you very much!  Let's get some more opinions if y'all don't mind.  I always love hearing from those with more experience before making my own decision....I do like the idea of the 26".  Especially if I want to smoke a larger brisket or more than 2 or 3 racks of ribs without using a rib rack.  I also like the idea of only having to heat up a single 22" unless I'm cooking for a group that would require heating up a second grill.  I know there really isn't a right or wrong way to go with these options and it will come down to preference, but all the opinions I can get will only help make my decision....

[docchiro]

First off, Welcome.

Secondly, Dude, you asked the wrong crowd about what kettles to get.

You thought about a 26, that means you need one.

A performer will work good for the small cooks. And then they follow you home. "But, it's a redhead SS!" "The C&B was too good of a deal to pass up".

Then, you find a near perfect Brave. And the next week you find a real perfect one with small tabs - and three months later your wife still hasn't seen them.

And when she does, "Oh, those? I got them a while ago, don't you remember?"

"Dad, tell my friend how many grills you have."

Weberitis, it's more than an adventure.

Now that's funny! Especially since I've used those excuses before with things like firearms, truck and 4wheeler parts and other things.  I think she's on to my scheme....Haha!

[1buckie]

Welp....laugh all ya want, but Dazzo may be right....the yard might look like this in a year....



Your 26" will fit a goodly square area of ribs (this is a 22)



....and a 17# brisket will sit in nicely (again, 22")



Just trying to give you some idea of scope & relative size......

[blackdog043]

I say get a couple 22's you can never have to many. And maybe build a UDS for smoking.

[mike.stavlund]

I would never try to talk you out of a 26 (if you find an old flat-top with spin marks, please send photos), but I'll go ahead and commend multiple 22s... they are easy to pick up used on the cheap, and several kettles mean you can cook several different courses in different ways.  So smoke some fish while you grill some veggies, at the same time as you roast whole chickens two at a time.  Plus every cook for 2-4 is also a practice session for the bigger cooks. 

[GregS]

a 26 and 22 gives you a lot of space to work with. 

[MrHoss]

If you are hell bent on spending real money go get a 26er. Finding a good one used is harder than a 22. If you want to save money then shop CL for inexpensive 22's in good condition. You can be picky I would think. Should you see a 18 OTG for cheap grab it and thank me later.

[jcnaz]

Just sayin'...

[Troy]

Welcome docchiro!

I was in your boat many years ago, 3 adults and 2 kids. I started with a 22, which usually worked out OK if I planned the cook and didn't go crazy with the sides and apps. Some cooks were pretty much impossible due to timing issues. I solved the problem with the addition of another 22. This worked out great, as I could have different heating configurations for each. I typically used one grill for the main course, and the 2nd grill for apps and sides.
There were a few times where a 3rd grill would have been very helpful, especially while entertaining.

I eventually upgraded to a 26, and it has been a game changer for me. The additional space is significant! I can do large cooks for 10 people without issues. If things get complicated or I want to show off, I can fire up my 2nd 26 or one of my 22s.

My advice, start with the 26. It will solve most of your problems. They're difficult to find used, so I would just buy new. It's a pricey grill, but worth EVERY penny. The grates are heavy duty, $90 new. Many stores don't carry the 26. Amazon has free shipping on it HERE (even if you don't have amazon prime. Although with prime you get free 2 day shipping. free amazon prime trial here.

For your 2nd grill, and to really set you up for smoking and bbq, I would pick up a Performer. No need to go new, watch your local craigslist for used. In many cities, you can pick up performers for 50 - 150. The ones under 100 usually go fast though. PRO TIP: Search for weber|webber|'charcoal grill'
I recommend the performer because its really fast to fire up and the work surface is incredibly beneficial (especially while cooking with multiple grills)
Once you have your performer, hit up cajunbandit.com and get yourself the BBQ Stacker. You'll be able to smoke ribs, briskets, butts, chickens, you name it. It kicks the ass off any other product or method out there. (other methods for smoking on your kettle are covered HERE

[docchiro]

Guys, thank you for the info.  I'm also pretty sure that this question has been asked more than once (even though I couldn't find it through a search), so I definitely appreciate not getting the typical forum responses regarding the search feature and it's lack of use.  It sounds like my best case scenario would be to throw together a 26"/22" combo.  I tend to prefer building my own stuff to suit my needs, so I will probably build a table to hold both grills instead of getting the performer series.  I'm still on the fence as far as which one I should get first.  I'm leaning towards the 26", which I guess means that's probably the one I should start with.  It is a bigger investment even though my original plan was to start with a kamado style grill that would have cost 3 times the cost of the 26".  At the same time, it might be smarter for me to start with the 22" and just bide my time waiting for a good deal on a Craigslist 26"......Decisions, decisions.......

[Troy]

Kamado's are overrated

If you start with a 22, you will probably find yourself frustrated with the lack of space (unless you're one of those guys that only grills meats and lets the wife handle apps, sides, desserts, etc)
If you start with a 26, you may realize that a 2nd grill isn't an urgent issue.

I'm excited to see what you build! @zavod44 has built a couple custom units as well