WeberSmokey Joe 14 Inch Portable Grill, Black

This does exactly what it's intended to do. It's very small so that it's also portable (i.e. tailgating), but it has enough space to gill around 5-6 burgers at a time. There isn't anything fancy or advanced about this, and therefore there aren't any convenient gadgets like a thermometer, either. If you want something with bells and whistles, you'll obviously have to pay more and get a different version. But for the price, this grill is of good quality, very easy to assemble, simple to use, and a breeze to clean.This was my first time using a charcoal grill, as I no longer live near my parents - who always did the grilling! :) I am an accident-prone person, so I googled and youtube video'd many "how to" articles and videos. I'll summarize for you below. I recommend this grill to anyone who is a beginner, if you grill for yourself and a few others, and for tailgating. Basic grill for basic needs.If you're looking for some pointers, I hope that this can help! Making sure that the damper (vent) below is open, just add around 15 briquettes in a pyramid-like structure to the lower grate. Pour some lighter fluid over it (and go light-handed... you don't need to douse them...I swirled for around 3 seconds), and light with a match on two to three sides. There are varying instructions on how long to wait after adding lighter fluid before lighting it - but many professionals have claimed to light it immediately so that the briquettes don't absorb the fluid and subsequently take longer to burn off (and can possibly affect the taste of your food). It doesn't flame up quickly or anything. It slowly catches fire. Once the flames build up a bit, it'll then begin to slowly die down. It took me around 30 minutes for the briquettes to turn gray (that's when you know it's ready to go ahead and put the top grate on and start grilling). It's essential that you wait until all briquettes are gray. Using tongs, spread the briquettes around to one layer. If you want to have two areas of heat, put more briquettes on one side and leave the other side with none or less. The area with more briquettes will have higher heat. Once you're done grilling, using tongs and heat resistant gloves, close the bottom damper. Put the lid on and close that damper as well. Mine was completely cool the next morning, and then I opened the dampers and poured the ashes and leftover charcoal to a bag to discard. A great trick I read for cleaning the grate real quick, is to ball up some aluminum foil and rub over the grate. I then washed the grate to remove the grease. Done! Next time, I'll use the chimney starter instead of the lighter fluid method - since I now know what to expect in how charcoal reacts.

I purchased this grill for my home as my first-ever grill. I looked at many charcoal grills but settled on the Smokey Joe due to the positive reviews and affordable price point. It is incredibly easy to use and grills nicely & evenly, I love it :) I had many successful small cookouts this summer using this grill. I may even purchase a 2nd to host larger cookouts next summer. It's super lightweight, easy to take with you anywhere. Assembly consists of simply attaching the legs and drip pan, was easy squeezy. We are a household size of 2, so the 14" is the perfect size for us!

I bought this to take on camping trips and for quick charcoal-grilled goodness at home. It's a pretty straightforward grill, there's nothing much to it. Didn't even think to review something like a table top charcoal grill. However, after being abused and neglected yet still being ready than ever for the next camping season, I just had to write a short commendation on this little guy.You see, I didn't take the time to clean it and worse yet, it was left behind OUT IN THE ELEMENTS on the back 40 of a friend's property for over eight months...rain, mud, snow, freezing temperatures. I thought, no big deal, I had lost it out there and was going to buy another one, yet my buddy said he found it laying on its side not far from the cabin. Not expecting good results, I took it home, cleaned it up and it was gleaming! Not a speck of rust on the porcelain kettle at all. Not a single imperfection on the finish. No oxidation, nothing. All the oxidized guck came right off. Looked like new. The grate, coated in guck from all the summer and fall grilling, shined right up. Not a speck of rust on that either. Being that I didn't treat this poor guy too well, I didn't expect it to clean up so well after being left up in the woods for several months and never cleaned before that point. Obviously Weber uses higher quality materials and finishes. That is why you can find their older grills everywhere loooong after the cheap department store specials have rusted away or fallen apart, not unlike the way my $700 gas grill did in less than three seasons (which was not a Weber). That grill, on the other hand, was babied and stowed away in my garage, yet that couldn't last a full two years without a rusted firebox. Way before the rust appeared, I noticed that the finish on the firebox was like a thin glaze. It would literally make audible cracking sounds when flexed and when fasteners were tightened during assembly. Black flecks confirmed this. Hmmm...wonder why it was so quick to rust?The Weber kettle is an icon, sort of like how a KitchenAid stand mixer is an icon. Both are stout, sturdy and straightforward pieces that last and last. Since I am left with no choice but to kick my expensive yet crappy gas grill to the curb (no longer under warranty), I just bought the bigger version of this, the original full size kettle. Didn't want to drop hundreds of dollars on another gas grill since most of them have rusting problems. Sure, charcoal isn't convenient as turning a knob and it sure is smoky but the taste is better and a Weber will last forever with its heavy duty finish and better quality materials and workmanship.