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162 of 163 found the following review helpful:
 Hard to beatMar 09, 2006
By Carlgo
When it came time for us to get a new charcoal grill I searched every site and checked out dozens of different grills, some costing many hundreds of dollars, all promising some advantage.
Some units were really interesting, and not too expensive, but upon close inspection many of these proved to be tinny and cheaply made. The very expensive systems were very nice, but did not offer rotisseries and other useful accessories and were just too expensive for us anyway.
So, we ended up with another Weber, the Gold Model. In the many years since our last Weber, there have been a lot of improvements that kept it attractive. The ash catcher really does make cleanup much easier and the vent system is more functional. The grill itself has the new flip-up hatches that allow you to add more coals and move them around without having to lift up the grill. I did that all the time with the old grill.
The optional little bent-wire style of charcoal retainers do help to keep the coals out to the side when you want to use a drip pan in the center.
Others have recommended the chimney style charcoal start for ecological reasons. It is also just plain faster to use as well, and it is made of heavy gauge metal that is both attractive and long-lasting.
I love the optional rotisserie (see those reviews) and it comes with an extension ring that is also useful for other cooking options.
We got the green colored kettle and it looks very nice on the patio. The general design and those odd white-wall tires give it a kind of vintage look.
This is a well-made and very functional grill with all sorts of interesting available accessories that really work well. There is a reason for the popularity of the Weber. I looked, I bought. Hard to beat.
211 of 219 found the following review helpful:
This is the one to getJul 06, 2000
By rishman
You're probalby thinking that there's no reason to update the 10-year-old Weber you've got in your back yard. Well, turns out Weber has made some smart improvements over the years-- the new "gold" model is worth the upgrade. The ash-catcher is super, the one-touch vent system is a big improvement (no more knocking each vent with a trowel), the plastic handles stay cooler... you get the idea. Nothing dramatic, but good progress. But here's the clincher: setting one of these up (takes about 20 minutes, even if you make a mistake or two) just makes you feel like you're in heaven. It's summer embodied. People rhapsodize about the new car small... well, fughettaboutit. The look of a shiny new grill that you've assembled yourself is about as good as it gets. Highly recommended accessory: the charcoal companion. Put your lighter fluid (or your MatchLight) away and use this instead-- it works flawlessly, and it's better for the environment.
105 of 106 found the following review helpful:
Solid Grill With Only One ComplaintJul 01, 2006
By Carolyn Vo
We bought this grill as our first grill based on reviews. The Weber grill is a solidly built grill. You don't feel they skimped on materials when they built this. Assembly was only difficult when installing the base ring for the ash catcher but once I got past that, it was easy. The metal grate for the charcoal is smart for allowing air to come up beneath the charcoals, helping keep them hot, which the cooking grate is smartly designed, with two sides able to be flipped up so that you can add more charcoal if you need to. The two handles on the cooking grate make it easy to move the grate. The wheels make it easy to roll the grill around, although I would have preferred rubber wheels as opposed to plastic wheels.
The only complaint I have about this grill is that the handle for the lid can get really hot when it's been sitting on the grill for a while. You can remedy this by wearing a grilling mitt when removing the lid. I'm not sure if a wood handle would make a difference. Just a minor complaint.
The big cooking grate is terrific. I can throw all kinds of stuff on the grill at once and it doesn't matter where it lies, if you spread your coals evenly, everything cooks great whether on the outskirts of the sides of the grate or on the center of the grate. I attribute this to the Weber design and the grill's ability to distribute heat evenly and well.
The ash catcher is one of the nicest features on this grill. If you are trying to decide between the silver and the gold Weber grill, make no mistake that this is the better option hands down. The ash plate on the silver model will most likely get filled up with ash quickly, not to mention it is a possible fire hazard if hot charcoal bits fall off the side of the ash plate. The ash catcher on the gold model is like a pan and can hold a lot of ash and hot charcoal bits with no problem. Spend a little bit more and get the better feature and you won't regret it.
30 of 31 found the following review helpful:
Weber is a great companyApr 06, 2007
By D. Kettering
I'll admit from the start that I'm biased. I swear by Weber products. I've been happy with my Smokey Joe, but I just needed a bigger grill. Enter the 22" One Touch Gold. A friend of mine has an 18" One Touch, but I think that the ~$20 price difference is a marginal cost for the extra size. Four inches doesn't seem like a lot of extra room, but it really is.
Installation was a snap. No tools required, except for a hammer to tap the wheels onto the base. The kettle itself is porcelain-enameled, which means it doesn't rust. All of the parts seemed to be built to last. The lid forms a nice seal with the base of the kettle, and the "one touch" vent adjustment works well.
I debated whether to get the Silver version or go for the Gold. The grills are basically identical, but the Gold version has a hinged cooking grate and an enclosed ash catcher (and costs $50 more). The Silver has a standard cooking grate and an ash pan. The hinged cooking grate is an essential feature for anyone who likes to grill indirectly. Adding charcoal or wood chips without disturbing the food on the grill is quick and easy. However, Amazon sells a hinged cooking grate for under $20. I'm not sure if the enclosed ash catcher is worth $30 because you could just set a coffee can on the ash pan. Then again, if the grill lasts about 10 years (which it should with proper care), then it's only $3 more per year.
I saved the best for last. I noticed that the assembly manual pictured two parts, a pair of charcoal rails, that were not included in the box. I called Weber customer support, and they explained that the wrong manuals were sent out with some of the grills, and I wasn't actually missing the charcoal rails. Then they offered to send me the charcoal rails for free anyway! That kind of customer service is rare in my opinion and sets Weber apart. I'm very confident that they'll stand behind their products if anything happened to go wrong.
To sum up:
THE GOOD
- quality construction
- great customer service
- good ventilation
- lots of cooking area
- hinged cooking grate
- enclosed ash catcher
THE BAD
- Silver version may be a better value
26 of 27 found the following review helpful:
 Great charcoal grillJun 17, 2004
By C. Stone
I'm a big Weber fan-- I've used a Genesis gas grill for six years and a Smoky Mountain Cooker for two. Recently purchased the Kettle Gold. Great charcoal grill! The enclosed ash catcher is particularily useful if you grill with lump charcoal versus briquettes, like I do. It catches any sparks and small pieces of lump that drop through the charcoal grate. Hinged grate is also a big plus. I like to use the Weber charcoal holders to hold my lump when grilling steaks-- push them together in the center to sear (brings charcoal about 2 inches from meat) then push them to the outer edge for indirect cooking. I also added a thermometer to the lid to check and adjust cooking temps. This baby would get five stars if Weber was still offering the cast iron grate upgrade for the kettles. It's been discontinued this year, but I hear some are still out there to be found. Even without cast iron, you can't go wrong with this as a charcoal grill, and being a Weber, it will last for years and you'll get great customer support if it is ever needed.
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