Reviewing the Weber Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill

Weber’s exceptional reputation for producing brilliant grills is epitomised by the Weber Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill. This grill has a number of great features including a gourmet barbecue system cooking grate, digital timer and gas-powered charcoal lighter.

This review will tell you everything that you need to know about this grill and whether it is the right one for you.

Overview

The cooking space on this grill is the same as on Weber’s Original Kettle however it comes with a built-in workbench that really sets it apart.

With a total cooking area of 363 square inches, you will be able to cook 13 burgers at once. It also has a porcelain-enamelled bowl that spans 22 inches in diameter.

You can start up this bad boy with just the touch of a button using a Touch-N-Go system that is fuelled with a disposable propane bottle. The Gourmet BBQ System unique to Weber is a two-part grate system that allows you to remove the centre section and replace it with a wok, pizza stone or griddle.

Even better still the grate is hinged making it very easy to refill charcoal, the charcoal is placed into two rather than one basket, these baskets can be moved to create hotter and cooler zones. Finally, the LCD removable timer is the cherry on top and comes in very useful. 

Pros:

• Easy Setup - The grill can be set up in less than an hour and the Touch-N-Go system means you can start cooking quickly.

• Storage - There is a CharBin container to store charcoal. It means that charcoal is easily accessible and protected from the elements.

• Design - This grill is both aesthetically pleasing and very practical. It has a large amount of workspace that is ideal for prepping your food.

• Practical for Cleaning - It has a One-Touch cleaning system that enables you to clean the porcelain-enamel coating with one wipe. You don’t have to worry about ash either because it has an ash-catcher that can be easily removed.

Cons:

• Limited Timer - The provided timer is not ideal for people that like to do longer, slower grills. This is because it only goes up to 99 minutes. This is not a major problem but may mean that you have to purchase a different timer.

• Lid Thermometer - The thermometer that is built into the grill is not to be trusted as it will not give you a very accurate reading. Therefore, again, you may have to purchase a more accurate digital thermometer separately.

So there are only a few minor issues that really don’t affect the overall performance of the grill. What’s more this grill allows you to cook such a variety of different foods with the Gourmet BBQ System.

Quality of Build

It does have to be said that compared to older models the Performer Deluxe is not as heavy-duty. However, that’s not to say that it isn’t the stand out grill in its price range.

The overall dimensions are 43.5” by 48” by 30” and it comes in at approximately 100 lbs. The wheels make it easy to move around your garden. The grates are similar to that of the Original Kettle in that they are heavy-duty and retain a perfect amount of heat. You won’t find this kind of grate quality on some of Weber’s other products.

How Easy is it to Use?

If you follow the instructions it is incredibly easy to set up the Weber Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill. It really is as simple as pressing a button and in ten minutes time, you’ll be ready to cook thanks to the Touch-N-Go ignition.

It is also impressive how easy it is to move the charcoal baskets. This means that you can carefully create zones of direct and indirect heat under the grill. You can use this feature to plan your time so that everything is finished at the same time. You can have meat over direct heat and vegetables over indirect heat.

An important point to remember is to keep your grill covered as it is not weather protected and leaving it in the rain will result in the performance dropping over time. The ash-catcher does make it easy to clean however can sometimes be hard to remove.

How does it Compare to Other Models?

Firstly it is worth noting that all of the models of the Weber Performer line come with a very generous ten-year warranty. The Weber Performer, Performer Premium and Performer Deluxe also all share the Weber Gourmet BBQ System so none of them has an advantage there.

Looking at the basic Performer it does not come with many of the features that make the Deluxe so great. It comes without the CharBin, Touch-N-Go ignition system and the removable timer (however, as we mentioned the timer is limited). Unfortunately, its workspace is also noticeably smaller.

The Performer Premium does have a much more generous workspace as is in a cart style rather than the fold-out table that is used for the standard performer. What it lacks, however, is the Touch-N-Go ignition that is reserved for the Performer Deluxe.

Therefore the Performer Deluxe is the only product to include all of the aforementioned features and it also has a Gourmet System Sear Grate Accessory.

Should You Buy this Grill?

On the balance of things, we believe that this grill is most definitely worth what you are going to pay for it. It has some very impressive unique features that really do set it apart from its competition. It does have its flaws, just like any product, however, these are not deal-breaking and can be avoided by purchasing a thermometer and timer separately. Therefore we would recommend this grill to everyone, from amateur to expert.

Check it out here.