Weber! Weber! Where is the one touch come from?

I had a Fiesta BBQ previously and it had everything one wanted for a BBQ. Extra element to cook small stuff even. It used gas.

This time around I wanted something small and transportable. I like to be able to BBQ stuff at anywhere.

I had read several reviews on the Weber's portable gold BBQ on eopinions.com and I like what they said about the Weber's portable Gold BBQ: The longevity and the attractive appearance. Besides, it was only $59.99.

When I went to BBQ Galore in Calgary, I had discovered that particular BBQ model was too small, so I got this one touch gold 18.5 grill. I had realized there might not be a picnic table or something that could hold the grill. Having a stand with wheels will make moving the BBQ easy. Secretly, I was hoping that this one-touch gold grill could be put into my SUV easily. The box that contained the grill was quite easy to carry. So at least the BBQ will be light.

I was expecting great things, but after using the BBQ, I was a little disappointed. Though it BBQs food wonderfully, I had a hard time in getting the fire started.

Here are the things that you get:
- a dome cover (pretty sizable) - The top has an
adjustable vent
- dome-shape grill – the bottom of this grill has an
adjustable vent where it connects to lever where you use
to adjust the ventilation
- lower grill that you put charcoals on. This is placed
at the bottom of the dome-shape grill
- upper grill that your food to be BBQ’ed on
- a detachable catch all holder that catches the ashes
from the bottom vent
- a stand that you assemble

Furthermore, it has the right height, as I am only 5'7.

Please read the technical spec which has the precise dimension and height information. And read carefully.

Here's what I found:
- The instruction book focuses on indirect cooking
quite a lot and how good the food would taste, yet the
BBQ does not include the dividers to keep the charcoal
to one side on opposite sides). I would have to pay
extra $$$ to get the dividers

- The lower grill does not keep the charcoal in place
and therefore the charcoal tends to filter through and
blocks the bottom vent --- and thereby blocking the air
flow.

This Weber BBQ provides you with a lower and upper
grill. The lower grill is where you place the charcoals.
What I don't like about the lower grill is that the
space between the two grill lines are too wide and
smaller charcoals tend to fall through.

I would have to find a mesh or something similar to
prevent smaller charcoals from falling through.

- Since this was my first time in using charcoals as
a burning fuel, I was expecting explicit instruction
on how to get the charcoal burning, but there was
only a small paragraph of explanation. Not very helpful, but it does provide a hint.

I had actually gotten the flame started by placing the
beef patties on the upper grill. The fat from the beef
patties kept the flame going.

Because the burnt charcoals keep falling through
the grill gaps (?), I had to keep the BBQ uncovered. Otherise, the fire would die down. Well, at least I learned how to kill the fire.

- I don't mind buying the additional accessories for
the BBQ, but the things I had mentioned previously
are pretty basic. E.G. the lower grill that doesn't
have wide gaps.

Here's what I like about this Weber grill:
- the cooking surface and the height between the top
of the dome cover and the grilling surface is high.
Lots of room to BBQ a 20lb turkey

- the upper grill has a foldable wing on each side, so
that you don't have to lift the entire upper grill to
replenish with a fresh supply of charcoals. This
allows one to feed the charcoals through, if you
are using the indirect cooking method and if you have
grill dividers

- it's light (even with lots of charcoals still in the
grill)

- it's transportable. It's short enough for me to have
the whole BBQ placed in the back of my SUV. If you
get this and you have an SUV, make sure that something
heavy is placed on the bottom shelf of the grill stand.
Otherwise, the whole BBQ might fall over --- things
then spread all over or the top of your BBQ hits your
SUV's window. Believe me, SUV's rear and back windows are expensive to replace.

None of these has happened to me yet, but I am mindful.

- The grilling surface is large enough for at least
three people's meals!

- The wheels are sturdy --- I was moving the BBQ over
a rocky area and I had no trouble in maneuvering the BBQ
around

- there is a detachable catch all pail (?) underneath the
BBQ. I like this feature because I hate the idea of
cleaning the bottom of the grill everytime.

I could easily take the catch all holder out and dump
the ash content.

- There is a lever that allows me to unblock the bottom
vent --- somewhat. This level controls the amount
of air that goes through the bottom. I had used this
lever in an attempt to unblock the vent. I could
hear ashes and smaller charcoals falling through, but
when charcoals finally burn to smaller version, they
will fall through and block the bottom vent again

I do have a wish list if Weber decides to improve this model:
- include a thermometer that could be attached on side of
the cover, so you'll know the cooking temperature
inside. The temperature might not be precise, but it
does give you an idea of what the heat temperature
is like
- allows the legs to fold --- somehow
- the lower gril having smaller gaps

Overall, I do like this BBQ...it's expensive in my opinion, but it seems to do what I want. LOL. I have no choice but to like it, since I already bought it.

I had just discovered that Coleman just had come out with a BBQ, the Coleman Road Trip Grill LXE. Foldable legs. However, it doesn't have the same large grill surface as this Weber One-Touch Gold 18.5 grill. It's only cost 2300 air miles if you use airmiles...www.airmiles.ca.

And incidentally, where does Weber get the idea of one touch? Igniting the charcoals is an art and keeping them aflame is not easy...especially with a blocked bottom vent.

LOL. The instruction book doesn't even explain what that one touch is referring to.

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Friday, May 12, 2006

I had bought a BBQ basket at $5.99Can at a supermarket (Real Canadian Superstore). It was meant to hold small items that could not be cooked easily on a regular grill.

I am using that as a coal holder in my BBQ. It's small enough 8" by 10". It turned out to be the best thing I did. Now I don't have to put as much coal into Weber's BBQ and the coal won't fall through when they become small..This basket's gaps are 1/4 of an inch, allowing only real small chunks to go through.

Now, Weber's grill has a good ventilation system --- no more plugging!