Weber Original Kettle 18 vs Performer 22
240 sq in on a 36 in kettle for $129.00, or 363 sq in in a 40.25 in wide cart with a table, Char-Rails and hinged grate for $449.00. Who each one suits.
No single winner. Here is how to choose.
This turns on how many you feed and how much floor you have. For two people on a balcony, the 18 does the job for $129.00. For a family, its 240 sq in splits thin once the coals are banked, and the Performer's rails hold a real cool side on 363 sq in. If the table is not the draw, both reviews point to the $149.00 Original Kettle 22 in between.
What actually differs
-
$320 buys 123 sq in and a cart
The Performer's grate is 363 sq in against 240. The rest of the gap is a painted steel table, a wide shelf and a frame, none of which cooks anything.
-
Two zones on 240 sq in is cramped
Bank the coals in the 18 and each half holds a couple of steaks. On the Performer, Char-Rails pin the bank in place on a bigger grate, so indirect chicken has room.
-
A dial and flip-up sections, or feel
The 18 lists no thermometer, so its dampers are set by feel. The Performer adds a lid dial, and its hinged grate lets coals go in without moving the food.
-
Beside a door, or across a patio
The 18 is 36 in tall and tucks under a balcony rail. The Performer's cart runs 40.25 in side to side, which on a small balcony becomes an obstacle.
How they score, category by category
The Weber Original Kettle 18 scores higher in 2 categories, the Performer 22 in 3 categories. One is level.
-
Heat Performance
Counts for 25% of the scoreWeber Original Kettle 18 8.1Performer 22 8.9 Better by 0.8Why the Performer 22 scores 8.9The Original Kettle 22's bowl and 363 sq in, plus Char-Rails and a hinged grate that hold two zones and feed a long fire.
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.
-
Long-term Reliability
Counts for 20% of the scoreWeber Original Kettle 18 8.6 Better by 0.7Performer 22 7.9Why 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 Performer 22 scores 7.9
Bowl and lid carry 10 years like every 22 in kettle, but the painted-steel cart, table and wheels sit in a 2-year bucket.
-
Build Quality
Counts for 18% of the scoreWeber Original Kettle 18 8.3 Better by 0.1Performer 22 8.2Why 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 Performer 22 scores 8.2
Hand-applied porcelain enamel on bowl and lid is excellent; the grate is plated steel and the side table is painted steel.
-
Ease of Use
Counts for 15% of the scoreWeber Original Kettle 18 7.4Performer 22 9.1 Better by 1.7Why the Performer 22 scores 9.1Beats the Master-Touch's kit of hinged grate, Char-Rails, Tuck-Away holder and lid dial by adding a side table and a shelf.
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.
-
Value
Counts for 12% of the scoreWeber Original Kettle 18 6.9Performer 22 6.9Level: within a tenth of each other.
Why the Weber Original Kettle 18 scores 6.9At $129.00 against $149.00 for 363 sq in, the bigger Weber kettle buys far more grate for each extra dollar.
Why the Performer 22 scores 6.9$449.00 buys the $149.00 Original Kettle 22 cooking hardware plus $300 of cart, which is steep for a table and a shelf.
-
Maintenance
Counts for 10% of the scoreWeber Original Kettle 18 8.4Performer 22 8.9 Better by 0.5Why the Performer 22 scores 8.9The One-Touch sweep drops ash into an enclosed, wind-proof catcher, and Weber warrants that system separately for 5 years.
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 | Performer 22 |
|---|---|---|
| Heat Performance (25%) | 8.1 | 8.9 Better |
| Long-term Reliability (20%) | 8.6 Better | 7.9 |
| Build Quality (18%) | 8.3 Better | 8.2 |
| Ease of Use (15%) | 7.4 | 9.1 Better |
| Value (12%) | 6.9 | 6.9 |
| 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
There are two of you, the space is a balcony or side yard, and dinner is weeknight burgers rather than long indirect cooks.
Check price →You feed a family, want rails to hold a two-zone fire, and have no table near where the grill stands.
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.