Newbie from Las Vegas looking for some help.

[nebulight]

First off I am totally new at this, so please forgive me if I refer to something incorrectly. My wife and I just moved to Las Vegas to have better weather year round and we are looking to buy our first grill. I've used a propane grill in the past, but had a very limited amount of time with it. I liked the results I got, but I always preferred the taste of pretty much EVERYTHING with charcoal. Also I found the Kettle Pizza which looks like a really neat add on to the kettle (even if it's more expensive that the grill itself). I've determined that I want a Kettle but finding it difficult to decide which model. I'm looking at the following:

Original Kettle Premium Red Limited Edition
Master Touch
Performer (either the the basic or the Premium)

First off, I love red, so the premium limited edition was visually appealing right away. However after doing some google searching on it, I found there have been a lot of issues with the coating. I do like the lid holder like the on the master touch and Performer, but am concerned about the lack of table space right at the grill for holding plates or accessories. This looks to be a Master Touch without the gourmet BBQ grate???

The Master Touch seem very similar to the Red LE, but it also has the gourmet BBQ grate. Not sure if I'd use that or not, but I like having the option straight out of the box. However with the price of $149 for the Red LE and $40 for the new grate, is there anything about the master touch that that's different? Honest question, I don't know.

The Performer gets me a little uneasy. I have no interest in the Propane assist so it's between the $249 Performer and the $349 Performer Premium. The Performer to me looks to be a Master Touch with a cart plus $15 worth of Char baskets so it puts the price of the cart at $35. This price is a little bit easier to swallow. The basic cart looks decent but I've yet to find one in a store to take a look at. The Performer Premium looks nice, but seems like it's A LOT of money for basically a cart and flimsy plastic container. For $135 more than the Master Touch (factoring in the car baskets), it's seems pretty expensive for the cart, however I do like a stationary side table.

I've considered just the plane Kettle option with no table, but I've found very few after market carts. Is the Performer Premium worth the price? Are there other after market carts that are available? Is the red enamel as bad as people are saying?

Thanks in advance!

[Grillagin]

Welcome from Wisconsin.  I can speak to the LE red question.  Many of us pre-ordered them.  As they were unboxed across the country, some were finding porcelain flaws and a few other issues.  I got a good one.  I believe that most of those that didn't had the issues resolved by Weber. It is just a MT without the GG.  I like mine, after a few mods.  Others here will have other opinions on it.  A lot of us payed full bore at $200, but I see them going for as cheap as $100 now.  A good add-on side table is the Dragon Wing.

https://www.amazon.com/BBQ-Dragon-Clip-Charcoal-Grills/dp/B06X9G3V63/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1529989804&sr=8-1&keywords=dragon+wing+grill+table

[Lemans]

So here is the story.. you can’t have one Weber!!! They are so awesome you find “”I need another “
 That being my said. Buy the pro former you will not be sorry. The table is a needed addition and the gas assist is awesome. Buy it once but it right as my father told me..


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[HoosierKettle]

Welcome from Indiana. Any of those choices will work well.


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[JEBIV]

Welcome from Doraville,Ga your in Vegas put it all on red and let it ride !!

[CharliefromLI]

If you are just starting out, you have come to the right place. This site and its members are a legitimate weber Bible. They have overcome every problem and shared their wisdom.

If cost is a concern consider used:
The majority of my weber purchases were pre owned that I bought and  cleaned up. after two cooks you can’t tell new from used anyway.

I would not discount the gas assist Performer. To me it’s the most versatile daily use kettle there is. The gas assist plus a chimney is a great quick start option for coals and the work table is invaluable.



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[RRRanger99]

Welcome from Virginia Beach, VA.

[FuzzyMan88]

Hello and welcome from Northern Kentucky!

[foshizzle]

You will find what kettle system works best for you and looks like you have a good idea based on your list. For someone just starting out with charcoal I think the biggest thing is being able to easily get the cook started. To do that I highly recommend a regular size Weber chimney and starter cubes and a good pair of leather gloves. I have the Performer (and a few others) but never use the gas assist starter on the Performer but it’s still my favorite cooker because the table, charcoal storage and storage rack below keeps everything handy to quickly get a cook started. Just my 2 cents.


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[Brain_STL]

Welsome from St. Louis, glad you stopped by!

[nebulight]

Thanks for the info everyone. I am no closer to making a decision.

Do you know if these ever going on sale? The Fourth of July is coming up, so maybe I’ll pick up a newspaper and check the ads this weekend.

[Kneab]

Welcome to the Wkc.
I suggest watching your local Craigslist and by a performer used. Usually they sell for less than an original kettle premium. Gas start is nice but not a necessity, starter cubes work well also.

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[Schaefd2]

Welcome from Delaware, OH!!

And just buy this nice Copper Performer deluxe, BNIB off Facebook Marketplace for $280! (Its $450 in store!) Then, don’t use the gas assist if you don’t want to, but it is there if you change your mind.

Check out what I found on Facebook Marketplace. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1234792213317973


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[kettlebb]

IMO performers are a tad overrated but the gen 1 and gen 2 are the best looking ones. My first grill was a performer. Then I caught weberitis and started collecting. I realized I don’t have space for multiple performers so I started cooking on an old master touch.

Think of your patio setup, do you have patio furniture you can use to stage food and condiments? If yes, then you can absolutely get by without a performer. If not, I still think it’s doable but a little more work. You can also use a second grill for staging if it’s not part of the cook.

Buy used and clean it up. You don’t have to go full RRR on it but get to know your kettle. Bond with it.

Get a charcoal chimney and lighter cubes, give Royal Oak Briquettes a try over Kingsford and start cooking simple meals to get used to temp control and multi-zone cooking. If you get an older red kettle, please don’t bank the coals directly against the bowl. Use charcoal baskets. Be patient and you can save quite a bit of money. If you need to get a grill right away just grab a black kettle off of Craigslist. You’ll catch the bug and likely end up with at least a few more.

Welcome from Ohio!


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[Firemunkee]

Welcome! Whichever grill you decide on definitely get it used. You could even get them all used for less than the price of one new performer, try them all out to figure which one you like, then sell the ones you don't want to keep for the same price you bought them, that is assuming you don't mind used and cleaning it up. I got a performer first (for $125 then I found a late model one for $80 so I got that and sold my first one, for a profit too, both were gas assist models) then I got a few 22s. I don't have much outdoor space so I like the performer with the table and rack and bin. I also like that it stands higher than a 22.

These grills are easy to clean up, just browse through this forum to see examples of how clean people get these kettles.

Looking forward to seeing what you get!

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