Where are all the Summit owners?

[mcgolden]

Love my Summit. It was awesome over the winter. Did overnight 13 hour brisket cook with rock solid temps. So incredibly efficient. Also, if you like the BBQ Guru temp controllers, Weber was as smart enough to create a port for the adapter. So no need to drill.  Also no issues with Smoke leaks but Weber will sen out an updated hinge if needed.


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[GoAnywhereJeep]

I really like mine and have been using it several times a week, rain or shine. My Performer is in perfect/new condition and is not getting used.

When using the charcoal grate in the upper position, sometimes I prefer to use the charcoal chimney instead of the built in gas-assist because they seem to get started a bit faster, even if I make a pile above the flame.  I don't really like using the chimney inside the summit because it focuses the heat onto the gasket and the Weber lights clamped to the handle.

So far only a coupe of minor warranty issues. I swapped out a propane bottle and for some reason the regulator stopped working.

The gauge is interesting. It tracks fairly true to the CyberQ readings. It also seems to trap more moisture than the gauge on my old WSM or my Performer. The original gauge trapped moisture and even after several cooks sans water pan, the moisture stayed in. Weber replaced it and now it works better but it will still trap moisture but the replacement gauge will dry back out after a few cooks/heat cycles.

I had to learn to keep the ash trap clean and to close the lid slowly (or hold the flap open). Otherwise, I get charcoal dust puffing out the bottom and it gets all over the cart.

No issues with leaks for me at this time.

I do find that the BBQ Guru will tend to over run the temps. You still need to keep the lid closed way down and I also have to throttle down the CyberQ's fan opening about half way.

[michaelmilitello]

Smoke leaks seam rather trivial to kettle users who know they will leak and know they are not designed to be leak free.  Simple expectations for a $150 grill

$1500 grills with smoke leaks are another story. 

Just wish the price point was lower.  I have five kettles (some vintage, others newer) I use routinely plus a WSM, and I still don't have the equivalent in $ to a Summit in cost.

It's obvious Weber got their marketing message a bit confused.  The Summit is not a kettle plus a performer plus a wsm.  It is meant to compete with Kamados at a Kamado price point. 


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[grhafer30]

I'm a Summit owner and very happy. Yes, it was an investment, but I've been very pleased. I brought it from a great Alliance dealer who traveled 40 miles to deliver it to me without a surcharge or a delivery fee.

Now I've been asked, just 2 years later, to do Weber grilling demonstrations at six locations, and that dealer is one. How funny is that?

I'm helping a new dealership get started in our little town, which hasn't had a Weber dealer beforehand. They are tremendous people, and I stopped in yesterday to see their initial setup. They had some 2018 catalogs and, when I looked through it, the Summit charcoal models were missing. I know the accessories section isn't complete, but why not the grill section? Every other model was listed.

Gary

[cumminfourya]

I love mine!!! As already stated, excellent on fuel and can do SO many things. My support ring had a busted stud where the hinge mounts (was like that right out of box). But Weber replaced that along with a new hinge (they said they would send the hinge Incase it was bent as well just to be on the safe side) I didn't question it, I just said "sounds good". They took care of it and was here in a few days. Couldn't be happier with the summit or there customer service.

Mine has no leaks whatsoever. I think some minor adjustments can be made with the lid and hinge to fix minor leaks.


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[au4stree]

I've got the Summit Grill Center, it's a terrific metal kamado. Temperature control is the best I've seen, fuel consumption is minimal and love the other little things (gas assist, storage, SS table, light weight, portable).  It's able to grill, bbq and smoke all in one with minimal adjustments.  I'm anxious to get the bbq guru hooked up to it and do my long cooks over night.
I haven't noticed any issues yet, but haven't really run it through it's paces yet either. 


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[DynaGlide]

Well it sounds like everyone is happy with theirs. Now to find the money tree to get one. I haven't gone the temp controller route yet. .something about it just seems wrong to me with a charcoal grill. Half the fun is mastering the temperature. I used to get all bent out of shape if it wasn't exactly 225, 250, 275, etc now I just let it ride and food turns out just as good. Although I guess when you have gas assist you've already gone too far anyway might as well go all in. If I ever did all night I see the benefit.

[DynaGlide]

One more question. .how big is the box? What kind of vehicle would you need if you were to pick it up?

[JordanW]

@DynaGlide

It's pretty big. I would recommend a pickup truck.

[Josh G]

How accurate are the temp gauges?

[JordanW]

@Josh G

very accurate, mine has gotten some condensation in it, but a nice sunny warm day always clears it up. I've ran a Thermoworks Smoke, iGrill and a Flame Boss probe all at the same time to test and they all were within 5-10 degrees, including the Weber thermo on the lid.

[DynaGlide]

@JordanW I had some hands on time Saturday. Two concerns:

1) The vent control on the top spins easily, too easily. When you open the lid it loses its setting. Does this change once it gets some smoking/grease gunk?

2) The gas assist appears to work best for smoking setups (charcoal grate on lower setting). If I want to get going fast for searing/roasting (charcoal grate on upper setting) how do you get around this. I don't want to have to use a chimney, torch, etc it defeats the purpose.

[GoAnywhereJeep]

@JordanW I had some hands on time Saturday. Two concerns:

1) The vent control on the top spins easily, too easily. When you open the lid it loses its setting. Does this change once it gets some smoking/grease gunk?

2) The gas assist appears to work best for smoking setups (charcoal grate on lower setting). If I want to get going fast for searing/roasting (charcoal grate on upper setting) how do you get around this. I don't want to have to use a chimney, torch, etc it defeats the purpose.

1) No issues for me with the top damper spinning. It does flop down if you open it while in the flipped open position. BabyBackmaniac called it the flippy flippy problem in his Kamado Joe video. No spinning and loosing the actual setting for me, though. Might be worth of a support call Weber if you think it is a problem and then you will probably end up with a replacement. It does spin pretty effortlessly but does hold its position in my case. Even after extensive use and getting "gummed up" mine still spins pretty effortlessly.

2) Completely agree. The gas assist is more useful on my Performer. For my hot and fast cooks on the Summit (upper position for the charcoal grate), I light the coals using a charcoal chimney. I either set it on the charcoal grate of the Performer next to it and use its gas assist or I use a paraffin soaked block or tumble weed. I also have an old Coleman propane stove hanging out in the backyard that I occasionally use as well as a charcoal starter.

I never use a chimney on the grate of the Summit like I do with the Performer because that intense heat goes up and is pretty close to the lip of the lid hanging over it. Afraid to burn out the gasket over time or melt my Weber grill lights.

[Josh G]

The gas assist does seem a little strange to me as well.  On the lower setting it works, but it does me no good because I am smoking and put the lit charcoal on top of the unlit.  On the upper setting when I would want to use it, it does not reach.  Would have loved a cheaper model that did not include one. 

You definitely need to see one in person and play with it to truly appreciate what it is. 

[JordanW]

@JordanW I had some hands on time Saturday. Two concerns:

1) The vent control on the top spins easily, too easily. When you open the lid it loses its setting. Does this change once it gets some smoking/grease gunk?

2) The gas assist appears to work best for smoking setups (charcoal grate on lower setting). If I want to get going fast for searing/roasting (charcoal grate on upper setting) how do you get around this. I don't want to have to use a chimney, torch, etc it defeats the purpose.

1) No issues for me with the top damper spinning. It does flop down if you open it while in the flipped open position. BabyBackmaniac called it the flippy flippy problem in his Kamado Joe video. No spinning and loosing the actual setting for me, though. Might be worth of a support call Weber if you think it is a problem and then you will probably end up with a replacement. It does spin pretty effortlessly but does hold its position in my case. Even after extensive use and getting "gummed up" mine still spins pretty effortlessly.

2) Completely agree. The gas assist is more useful on my Performer. For my hot and fast cooks on the Summit (upper position for the charcoal grate), I light the coals using a charcoal chimney. I either set it on the charcoal grate of the Performer next to it and use its gas assist or I use a paraffin soaked block or tumble weed. I also have an old Coleman propane stove hanging out in the backyard that I occasionally use as well as a charcoal starter.

I never use a chimney on the grate of the Summit like I do with the Performer because that intense heat goes up and is pretty close to the lip of the lid hanging over it. Afraid to burn out the gasket over time or melt my Weber grill lights.

@DynaGlide

1) my top vent has gummed up quite nicely... just give it a few good cooks / smokes and I think yours will too. I can make the smallest of adjustments and it holds perfectly.

2) I don't really use the upper charcoal grate position. The one time i did, the gas assist really didn't work as well as Weber proclaims. My set-up for 95% of my cooks (not smokes) is the charcoal basket from ABC on the lower grate pushed to the right side directly over the tube. I can get 2-4 cooks out of a fresh load of charcoal. I have my set-up time down to 30 minutes from cold to cooking. 10 minutes gas assist on, lid open. 10 minutes gas assist off, lid open. 10 minutes lid closed but the top vent flipped up all the way open. Ready to go! And the last 10 minutes really pre-heats the grate well... always get a good sizzle. This set up creates a perfect 2 zone heat as well. Direct grilling on the right over the basket and in-direct on the left for tri-tips, thicker cuts and reverse sears....