My First Kettle - Almost a Weber (Ugh)

[cookingjnj]

Hi all,

Just found this forum after doing research on a kettle that fell in my lap today.  I hope by the end of my story, I will still be welcomed on the site. I have been a Weber gasser for 30+ years and have loved all of my Weber gassers.  I do not think I have owned anything but a Weber, and currently had a Weber Genesis.  I also have a pellet cooker which I use for long slow cooks.  The past few month I have been itching to get a charcoal kettle grill and see what all that fun is about.  I have had my eye on the Master Touch as a way in.  Last week a dealer about an hour from my house had a deal on the Master Touch, which was well worth the drive two times over.  By the time I got there, he had just sold the last two to a guy who drove in from NY.  Ugh!

On my way home there was a garage sale in my neighborhood, and the guy had a kettle grill out for $5.  Just from the glance as I drove by, it looked like an old Weber to me (been reading up on lots of sites).  I could not stop then, and by the time I drove back the sale was closed up.  Drove by again today and the grill was outside again with a price of $1.  Once again I could not stop on my way out, but on my way back I did.  The grill was gone and the owner was cleaning up.  He had moved the grill, and asked if I wanted to see it.  When I got closer, it did look more and more like an old Weber.  Definite had some wear, but very little rust (only around the handles), the wooden handles are in bad shape, the cooking grate was pretty rusty, and a scratch in the porcelain on the lid.  Upon close inspection, I was really disappointed to see it was not a Weber.  Looking close at the handles and at the vent on the lid, you could see it was a Happy Cooker.  There was also a box of charcoal next to the grill (box contained about a chimney worth of charcoal).  The seller told me I could take the grill for $5 and he would throw the charcoal in.  I know the grill had been priced now at $1 but felt bad and figured at least I would also get a chimney worth of coals.  I went to pull my car around, and low and behold not only the grill and the box of charcoal, but in addition three un-opened bags of Kingsford charcoal were waiting for me.

Even though it is not a Weber (I have read on this site, there is history between Happy Cooker and Weber....not so good for HC though), I got a great deal of 75# of charcoal and a pretty decent shape kettle grill for $5.   Went to Home Depot and bought a Weber 22in hinged cooking grate, a chimney, and cooked my first charcoal kettle skirt steak for dinner. 
Sorry for the long first post, but had to share the full story.  Since I am still not an "official" Weber kettle guy yet, and as of today, cooking with a HC right now, I hope I can still participate on the forum.  If not, I fully understand.  I still do see a MT in my hopefully near future.

Pic of my find today.... minus the charcoal score!  I can take more pics if anyone cares to see them.

[Lowbrass]

I love the story!  Welcome to WKC!  Happy Cookers are great Cookers too!  Does yours have the internal ash pan?  That alone is worth some money so if it does, you got a steal of a deal!  If not...you still got a steal of a deal!


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[Mike in Roseville]

Welcome to the forum. That's a smoking deal!!! An old Happy Cooker and 3 bags of charcoal for $5 ??!!!


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[jimz]

Nice find!

[DrewZ]

Congrats.  Good to see more Jersey on the board.  As others have said, if the grill has the internal ash pan, you got a super steal.  Even if it doesn't, $5 is a great deal for a cooker and lots of fuel to play around with.

[einrej]

Welcome, You got a great deal.  i would have done it in a second. The HC will indeed make you happy until you find the fulfillment of a Weber Kettle.  Did the HC come with the coveted internal ash pan? This is a $20 dollar trade value item.

[cookingjnj]

Hi guys.  Thanks for the info, and even as a novice, thought this was a good deal.  After reading about the HC on this site, I do believe this pit has an internal ash pan.  When I was checking it out, we tried to remove what seemed like a pan at the bottom of the bowl, but gave up.  Actually did not try very hard though, and was too excited to get a cook in when I got home.  I will be out of pocket for the next few days with work, but will definite take a close look when I get back home.  Either way, I really enjoyed cooking on the kettle last night, and see many more cooks with it in my future.  I hope to also learn and share with the group as I move along. 

[wgjones3]

That's a sweet grill! Money very well spent.

How did you enjoy cooking on charcoal?

[Walchit]

I joined this site when I got my new char-griller premium kettle, lol

I like your happy cooker and like others said I would have bought it in a heartbeat.

I got my first weber today, about to make a thread.

[KevinP]

Congrats on the find. Grate story. Hope you have many awesome cooks on that Happy Cooker.


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[1spacemanspiff]

He shoots he scores!!!! Welcome!

[cookingjnj]

"After Further Review...."  I did determine the HC does indeed have an IAP.   Cooker, Charcoal and IAP not only did I score it appears, but had the hat trick.  I have been on the road working so still only have had the opportunity to cook just once on the HC.  Grilled up some chimichurri marinated skirt steak the day I added to the arsenal, and loved the cook and the steak.  Most important, my wife loved it as well.

Tried to add a picture of the IAP, hope it does not come out rotated again.  Once I was able to get it unstuck (it was actually wedged under the brackets that are designed to hold it and the coal grate up, I gave it a little cleaning.  Could use a better cleaning but it looks to be in good shape.  Also just did a quick clean of the very bottom of the bowl, looks pretty good too.

[Darko]

You did great on that.

[ClubChapin]

My first Weber was a new HC in '86.

With the ash pan, it is better than a Weber.