Weber Performer 22 vs Smokey Joe 14
147 sq in at $54.99 against 363 at $449. The Smokey Joe 14 travels and feeds two to four; the Performer adds 216 sq in, a side table, Char-Rails and an ash sweep.
No single winner. Here is how to choose.
Count the plates. Weber frames the Smokey Joe for two to four, at six burgers with its press, and it costs $54.99. Past four, its 147 sq in runs out and its cool side is small. The Performer's 363 sq in and Char-Rails fix both, for $449. Our scores put the Performer ahead overall, on heat, ease and ash handling. The Joe's lead is value, and for a small household that is the one that counts.
What actually differs
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Two to four, or a family in one round
The Joe holds six burgers with Weber's press. The Performer's 363 sq in feeds a family at once, with space left to bank coals away from the food.
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Ash in a hanging pan, or swept into a box
The Joe's catcher hangs beneath and lifts away. The Performer's One-Touch handle sweeps ash into an enclosed catcher wind cannot scatter, and Weber covers that system for 5 years.
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A lid lock for the car, or 69 pounds of cart
The Joe stands 17 inches tall and Tuck-N-Carry locks it shut for the drive. The Performer weighs 69 lb on two wheels and needs a 40.25-inch spot.
How they score, category by category
The Weber Performer 22 scores higher in 4 categories, the Smokey Joe 14 in 2 categories.
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Heat Performance
Counts for 25% of the scoreWeber Performer 22 8.9 Better by 1.2Smokey Joe 14 7.7Why the Weber 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 Smokey Joe 14 scores 7.7
Lid and bowl dampers give the full kettle control system, over a fire only 14 inches across.
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Long-term Reliability
Counts for 20% of the scoreWeber Performer 22 7.9Smokey Joe 14 8.3 Better by 0.4Why the Smokey Joe 14 scores 8.3Ten years against rust through on bowl and lid, five on plastics, two on the rest, over porcelain enamel.
Why the Weber 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.
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Build Quality
Counts for 18% of the scoreWeber Performer 22 8.2 Better by 0.4Smokey Joe 14 7.8Why the Weber Performer 22 scores 8.2Hand-applied porcelain enamel on bowl and lid is excellent; the grate is plated steel and the side table is painted steel.
Why the Smokey Joe 14 scores 7.8
Porcelain enamel matches the big kettles, but it stands on a short wire tripod, and Weber names the grate two different materials.
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Ease of Use
Counts for 15% of the scoreWeber Performer 22 9.1 Better by 1.0Smokey Joe 14 8.1Why the Weber 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 Smokey Joe 14 scores 8.1
The Tuck-N-Carry lock holds the lid for travel and while cooking, but at 17 in tall it wants a table to cook at.
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Value
Counts for 12% of the scoreWeber Performer 22 6.9Smokey Joe 14 9.5 Better by 2.6Why the Smokey Joe 14 scores 9.5At $54.99 the bowl and lid carry the same ten years Weber puts on kettles costing several times more.
Why the Weber 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.
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Maintenance
Counts for 10% of the scoreWeber Performer 22 8.9 Better by 1.6Smokey Joe 14 7.3Why the Weber 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 Smokey Joe 14 scores 7.3
Porcelain wipes down and the catcher lifts away, but the feature list names no One-Touch sweep to push ash into it.
See all six scores in one table
| Category | Weber Performer 22 | Smokey Joe 14 |
|---|---|---|
| Heat Performance (25%) | 8.9 Better | 7.7 |
| Long-term Reliability (20%) | 7.9 | 8.3 Better |
| Build Quality (18%) | 8.2 Better | 7.8 |
| Ease of Use (15%) | 9.1 Better | 8.1 |
| Value (12%) | 6.9 | 9.5 Better |
| Maintenance (10%) | 8.9 Better | 7.3 |
| Avid Griller Score | 8.4 | 8.1 |
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
You cook for a family at home and want a table beside the fire every night.
Check price →You cook for two to four, or take the grill to the park, and want to spend $54.99.
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.