Weber’s 22 inch Smokey Mountain and Napoleon’s Apollo 22 cost the same $549 on Amazon. Both are the same kind of cooker. A charcoal fire burns low, a water pan sits above it, and grids stack overhead. So the question is where Napoleon spent the money instead.
The answer is visible from across the yard. The Napoleon Apollo 22 (AS22K) rolls on three locking casters. It has two doors rather than one, and stainless grids rather than plated ones. Its sections unlatch, so the bottom bowl doubles as a kettle grill or a fire pit.
That flexibility is the pitch. Our smoker review asks what it costs at the one job a water smoker exists for.
381 sq inNapoleon's total, about one 22 in grid, with two in the box
55 inAssembled height; Weber's 22 stands 48.5 in
2 doorsOne on each latched section, plus 3 inlet vents
$549Amazon price, level with the Smokey Mountain 22
First Impressions of the Napoleon Apollo 22
The box is big. Napoleon lists the carton at 90 lbs. The assembly guide opens with a picture saying two people are required.
A #3 Phillips driver does the work. Most of it is bolting legs and casters to the bowl.
Built, the Apollo reads as a tall black capsule. The column stands 55 inches. A domed lid sits on a brushed stainless band, with two silver doors below.
Blue latch handles break up the black. It looks more like kit than a backyard bucket.
The stacking is the interesting part. Each middle section clamps to the next with toggle latches. Pop them and the smoker comes apart in your hands.
Napoleon’s exploded gallery shot lays every ring out in a line. It explains the product well.
First lighting asks for a burn-off. Napoleon wants the fire red hot for 30 minutes with every vent open. After that, a hot water pan and a 20 minute preheat get you cooking.
Keep the wood to a wisp. Ribs from the upper grid then come out rosy at the edge, without soot.
Key Features of the Napoleon Apollo 22
Most of what separates the Apollo from a plain bullet is hardware you can touch. The list below is what the box actually holds, plus the fittings bolted to the body.
- Stainless steel grids: Two cooking grids in 304 stainless. One feature heading says 305, which looks like a typo on Napoleon’s page.
- Two doors with insulated handles: One door per section. You can feed coals or check the lower meat without disturbing the upper rack.
- Multiple vents or dampers: Three inlet vents low on the bowl, and an adjustable smoke control in the lid.
- ACCU-PROBE lid gauge: Its face sits just below the lid vent’s petals. Napoleon publishes no accuracy figure for it.
- Silicone-sealed probe ports: Feed a wired thermometer through without propping a door.
- Hanging bar and 5 S-hooks: A bar under the lid takes the hooks. Remove the grids and racks of ribs hang in the column.
- Stainless rotisserie ring: Ready for a motor and spit. The rotisserie kit itself is sold separately.
- Locking caster wheels: Three legs, each on a caster that locks.
- Locking toggle latches: Each section clamps on or lifts off.
- Charcoal basket and water pan: Both included. The basket holds fuel and wood chips together.
- Cover, not included: Napoleon sells a fitted cover for $60.99.
Napoleon calls the whole thing a 5 in 1. The manual covers smoking, grilling as a kettle, the rotisserie, and a fire pit mode. That fire pit mode needs 15 feet of clearance from buildings, so read the page first.
A water smoker lives or dies on stillness, and the basic recipe here is sound. A 22 inch charcoal basket sits under a full water pan. Air enters through three inlets on the bowl, and the lid vent is usually left wide. Napoleon’s own smoking guide assumes the column runs at 230 F.
The cooking area figures need care. The spec table prints 360 sq in, while the feature list prints 381 sq in. Either number is roughly what one 22 inch grid covers. Yet two grids ship in the box.
So the working space is larger than either total suggests. Weber’s 726 sq in for its 22 counts both of its grates. Treat the two smokers as the same size, whatever the printed numbers say.
Lay a whole packer on the lower grid and it stays straight. Two racks of ribs can share the top.
The one open question is the stack itself. Each latched joint is a seam where smoke can escape. Napoleon says nothing about gaskets between sections. On a windy long cook, that could mean more vent fiddling than a one-piece middle needs.
Build, handling and durability
The materials are a step above the bullet it rivals. Stainless grids and a stainless rotisserie ring will darken, not flake. Insulation wraps the grips on the lid and on both doors. Weber’s 22 uses plated steel grates and has no wheels at all.
The finish is where Napoleon gets vague. The feature list says black powder coat. The manual says porcelain enamel, glass-like, and warns it will chip if struck. Amazon says porcelainized steel.
Those coatings age differently outdoors. Three documents, three coatings, and no way to know yours until it is unpacked. Rain and frost will settle the question for you. Napoleon does sell touch-up enamel through dealers, which hints at the manual’s version.
Height is the handling cost. At 55 inches the Apollo stands well above the Weber’s 48.5 inches. The casters make that tall column mobile, which cuts both ways.
Lock all three before the lid comes off. Never roll it hot; the manual says the same. On soft grass, a paver under each caster keeps the tower honest.
Running costs, upkeep and value
Fuel use follows the size class. For a grilling fire Napoleon suggests 1.2 kg of lump or up to 50 briquettes. Every extra hour of cooking calls for 8 more on each side. A long smoke needs a fuller basket and a refill through the lower door.
The water pan wants checking every 3 to 4 hours. Topping it up with hot water keeps the column from sagging.
Cleaning is ordinary charcoal work, with two rules that add time. The manual forbids lining the bowl with foil, because it blocks the vents. It also wants ash cleaned out after every cook.
Nothing catches the ash, so the bowl gets scooped. You scoop it from the bottom bowl once the smoker is cold. Grids go in the sink, never the dishwasher.
On value, the comparison is direct. Both smokers cost $549, and Weber puts a cover in the box. Napoleon instead spends on wheels, a second door, stainless grids, hooks and a split-apart bowl. Its own cover then costs $60.99 more.
If you would use the wheels or the kettle mode, the Apollo is the richer kit. If you only smoke, the extras are idle metal. The smaller Apollo 18 costs $439, and smaller households might find that sibling the better buy.
Possible Napoleon Apollo 22 Complaints
- More joints, more leaks: The latched stack is what makes the 5 in 1 trick work. It also puts extra seams in the smoke path. Expect wisps at the joints in wind, and keep a probe running.
- Warranty and finish you cannot pin down: The 10 Year Limited headline is clear. The US part schedule behind it was not available, and the finish is named three ways. Register the smoker and keep the receipt.
