Weber Original Kettle 18 vs Original Kettle Premium 22
240 sq in under a 5 in lid for $129.00, or 363 sq in under 7.5 in with a lid dial, hinged grate and enclosed catcher for $229.00. Which Weber kettle to buy.
We pick the Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill 22
The Premium, unless you cook for two in a tight space. It adds 123 sq in of grate and 2.5 in more room under the lid. That covers the pork shoulder that would crowd the 18's dome, and its hinged grate keeps that shoulder fed into the afternoon. The 18 is still honest enamel and real dampers, sized right for a small household.
What actually differs
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Headroom: 5 inches against 7.5
Weber prints the lid height for both. Steaks and chops never notice. A deep pork shoulder is tight in the 18 and cooks comfortably in the Premium. An upright bird needs measuring in either.
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Half as much grate again for guests
Weber rates the 18 for 4 to 6, but bank the coals and each half holds a couple of steaks. The Premium's 363 sq in leaves a cool side that still holds a meal.
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A smaller fire costs less to light
A half chimney goes further in the 18. For a two-person weeknight, that is a running saving the bigger bowl cannot match.
How they score, category by category
The Weber Original Kettle 18 scores higher in 1 category, the Original Kettle Premium 22 in 4 categories. One is level.
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Heat Performance
Counts for 25% of the scoreWeber Original Kettle 18 8.1Original Kettle Premium 22 8.8 Better by 0.7Why the Original Kettle Premium 22 scores 8.8The plain kettle's 22 in bowl and dampers, so the same fire, but the hinged grate lets you feed it mid-cook.
Why the Weber Original Kettle 18 scores 8.1
Lid and bowl dampers give the usual kettle control, but a 240 sq in grate leaves a cramped cool side once coals are banked.
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Long-term Reliability
Counts for 20% of the scoreWeber Original Kettle 18 8.6 Better by 0.2Original Kettle Premium 22 8.4Why the Weber Original Kettle 18 scores 8.6Enamelled bowl and lid carry ten years, the aluminium legs shrug off rust, and only the grate and small parts sit on two.
Why the Original Kettle Premium 22 scores 8.4
Bowl and lid carry 10 years against rust-through, but the hinged grate, the dial and the wheels sit under the 2-year term.
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Build Quality
Counts for 18% of the scoreWeber Original Kettle 18 8.3Original Kettle Premium 22 8.3Level: within a tenth of each other.
Why the Weber Original Kettle 18 scores 8.3Porcelain enamel and glass-reinforced nylon handles are the real thing; the plated grate and wire leg brace are where the money was saved.
Why the Original Kettle Premium 22 scores 8.3Fused enamel, aluminium legs and dampers, and nylon handles are sound; Weber states no steel gauge and contradicts itself on area and damper count.
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Ease of Use
Counts for 15% of the scoreWeber Original Kettle 18 7.4Original Kettle Premium 22 8.6 Better by 1.2Why the Original Kettle Premium 22 scores 8.6A lid dial, a lid hook and flip-up grate sections remove the three chores that slow a plain kettle on a long cook.
Why the Weber Original Kettle 18 scores 7.4
No thermometer is listed, so dampers are set by feel, and a 5 in lid height turns away tall roasts.
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Value
Counts for 12% of the scoreWeber Original Kettle 18 6.9Original Kettle Premium 22 7.2 Better by 0.3Why the Original Kettle Premium 22 scores 7.2$229.00 at Weber buys the $149.00 Original's cooking plus three convenience parts; a burgers-only cook pays $80 for little.
Why the Weber Original Kettle 18 scores 6.9
At $129.00 against $149.00 for 363 sq in, the bigger Weber kettle buys far more grate for each extra dollar.
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Maintenance
Counts for 10% of the scoreWeber Original Kettle 18 8.4Original Kettle Premium 22 8.9 Better by 0.5Why the Original Kettle Premium 22 scores 8.9One-Touch blades push ash into an enclosed catcher, warranted five years, so emptying it is one lift and no grey drift on the patio.
Why the Weber Original Kettle 18 scores 8.4
One-Touch sweeps ash into a shallow open catcher in a few strokes, and the enamel wipes down; nothing encloses the ash.
See all six scores in one table
| Category | Weber Original Kettle 18 | Original Kettle Premium 22 |
|---|---|---|
| Heat Performance (25%) | 8.1 | 8.8 Better |
| Long-term Reliability (20%) | 8.6 Better | 8.4 |
| Build Quality (18%) | 8.3 | 8.3 |
| Ease of Use (15%) | 7.4 | 8.6 Better |
| Value (12%) | 6.9 | 7.2 Better |
| Maintenance (10%) | 8.4 | 8.9 Better |
| Avid Griller Score | 8.0 | 8.4 |
Both reviews are scored on the same six weighted categories, on the same 0 to 10 scale, and each reason is the one that review gave. A category is marked better only where the two differ by a tenth or more. How we score →
Where the spec sheets differ
Quoted from each maker's own specifications, as each review records them. Figures the two products publish identically are left out, so only the differences are listed.
Which one is for you
Two people, a small balcony, burgers and chops on weeknights, and a firm $129.00 budget.
Check price →You cook for guests or run a pork shoulder through the afternoon, and want the room under the lid for it.
Check price →More head-to-heads
Every score and figure on this page comes from our own reviews of these two products, linked above. We have not tested them side by side in one place; the comparison is between two full reviews, each built from the maker's published specifications and documentation. Prices move, and the ones quoted are the ones each review checked on its own date.