So I was checking out the Weber section at Home Depot the other day...

[dbhost]

And something struck me as I was looking at an Original Kettle, and replacement grates. You see I have a Jumbo Joe Premium, which is the Walmart only version fo the 22" with the shallow lower bowl lacking the one touch system... Anyway, the stock grate on my JJP just seemed inexcusably flimsy. Well when compared to the hinged grate anyway. I have upgraded mine to the hinged grate.

So while I was at Home Depot. I say replacement non hinged grates for the 22 kettles, and the Original 22 kettle, and their non hinged grates the the same, flimsy junkers that my JJP came with!

I find this odd, especially since my Smokey Joe 14 has a cooking grate made with the same quality as my hinged grate....

I know, an odd thing to notice, but there it is...

I know I know, I just got the JJP, but part of me wants to go and grab a Original Kettle (and a hinged grate). I don't really like the ash bucket on the premiums, it's probably a good thing, just not what I am used to you know? The big question is... How do I justify it to my wife?

[JEBIV]

Ask for forgiveness, it's easier than permission

[Schaefd2]

Sell the JJP for $20 and our it towards a used, but quality 22" kettle that you purchase from FBM for $50. Net spending = $30. Wife can't be upset bout that


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[YardBurner]

^^This^^

[Filibuster]

^^^^^^^ This. You've fallen head over heels in love with that bastard weber. Sell it and get a real weber.

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[dbhost]

That solution doesn't get me 2 22" kettles!

[BBQ Jack]

Interesting on the grates. I recently bought an original silver with the flimsy grate. Since I had a stainless steel grate from another kettle it was not an issue to me and I did not intend to use the flimsy grate. Then I saw the ABC Barbeque easy spin grate and video and realized it was an excellent technique, and that Dave is a smart guy. But I also realized that the flimsy grate that came with my new kettle spins just as good as the ABC grate. My guess is the 22 Jumbo will make a really good searing grill if you use the easy spin technique with the grate that came with it. For my new kettle I do not have to pay $80 to get an easy spin grate as I have one courtesy of Weber. The flimsy grates are $16 or less if on sale. The 22 Jumbo is sold all over the UK and is very popular. It gets trashed here because it is exclusive to Walmart but it is a good grill.  I have been spinning the grate on my Smokey Joe for as long as I can remember.

[dbhost]

BBQ Jack. Yeah I know. The Jumbo Joe Premium, being a Walmart Exclusive does seem to lack the Weber Love of its more expensive cousins, but it's a Weber Kettle top to bottom... And I would MUCH rather go with this than say the $40.00 Weber knock offs that rust out in 6 months and no repair parts fit...

The only drawback I find to the Jumbo Joe vs an Original 22" kettle is the lack of the one touch cleaning, and that really is a non issue...

[BBQ Jack]

db, How does the bottom vent work in the jumbo 22, is it similar to a daisy vent?

[dbhost]

The bottom vent is identical to the lid vent, or the vent in the Smokey Joe, except the holes are elongated.  No sweeper, but rotate all the way open, bump the bowl with your fist, and the ash dumps fine. Rotate closed, bump again, open, bump, 3 or 4 times and the excess ash buildup is in the catch tray.

The best way I can describe the Jumbo Joe Premium is that it really does seem to me to be an overgrown Smokey Joe Silver. It's not super pretty, or super fancy, but I have found the following with this grill..

#1. I can grill everything I want on it.
#2. Offset cooking, using the drip pan method works perfectly.
#3. The OEM cooking grate is garbage, but so is the one for the Original Kettle. Even if you don't need the hinged sections, if you get one of these grills, pony up the bucks and buy the hinged grate. MUCH better built grate!
#4. My initial concers about ash buildup in the lower bowl were misplaced. Managing ash for long cooks is really easy with this grill.

Is it worth saving the $30.00 compared to the regular street price on a Weber Original 22. kettle? Not really sure. The one touch sweeper is really nice, and long run probably a better idea, but if you bump & dump regularly, it is a non issue.  Contrary to advice I have gotten here, I am keeping my JJP, I like it well enough, and I do want a second grill. I am seeing Original Kettles, 22" models on Craigslist estate sale listings for about $25.00. I am thinking about picking one of those up as I want a second kettle for larger cooks for things like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and big family gatherings. I figure if I can grab a used one for cheap, and swap in a hinged grate, as long as the used one is clean and in good shape, I will be money ahead, with the equipment to make it work perfectly!

I love my Smoke Joe, and oddly enough, have been considering adding a second. I have a friend that found one NIB on Craistlist he snagged for me for $10.00. I figure 2 of them at the beach would be more than enough for our famly beach gatherings on Galveston where I get together with a bunch of friends from college nd their families...

[BBQ Jack]

Thanks, no reason to get rid of it now that you have it. I think with the bottom vent I could close it enough to do really good low and slow. That is what I liked best on my old grill with daisy vents.

[dbhost]

Oh yeah, it can close up, or open up exactly how I want it to! Aside from the lack of love for it being a Walmart exclusive, it really is a nice grill. Beats the Weber knock offs by a mile...

[Filibuster]

   The lack of love for the JJP is not because it is a Wal-Mart exclusive. The JJP represents the possible future of how weber kettles will be made with the bolt on bowl handles and how ever the legs are attached, and are voicing our opinions on this. If this ever becomes the standard of Weber grills I will turn my back on those grills and maybe Weber. The only thing that will work is terrible sales.

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[BBQ Jack]

The bolt on handles will not break off like the welded ones, and there will be no leg sockets to rust out and break off which is what happens to the kettles eventually. I remember my old kettle with legs dropping off each time I tried to move it, it was POS design.

[Filibuster]

   These grills are utilitarian and will always be treated as such. The majority of the people who have grills don't know how to clean or handle them and what you have described is the end result of that abuse. It wasn't until I got on this site did I understand how to   take care of and prevent mishaps of these grills.    With bolt ons you're getting rid of the welders human or robot. It may be a better product safety wise but it is an ugly looking product aesthetically.

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