Kettle grills are a staple in the world of outdoor cooking, especially for barbecue lovers who enjoy cooking over charcoal. They’re very versatile as they can be used for grilling, smoking, and roasting. Unlike gas grills and wood pellet grills, kettle grills use charcoal as fuel, which makes them capable of achieving a rich, smoky flavor and a crispier texture that cannot be replicated by other types of grills. They also have a compact, round design that allows for even heat distribution while also helping to retain moisture, making them ideal for searing steaks, smoking ribs, or slow-cooking burgers to juicy perfection. For a kettle grill that has a spacious cooking area and offers excellent temperature controls, the Char-Griller 22-inch Kettle Charcoal Grill is an outstanding choice.
The Char-Griller 22-inch Kettle Charcoal Grill is a portable charcoal grill and smoker, which features a durable steel construction, a cooking grate with a wide 363 sq.in. cooking area and a charcoal access door that makes it easy to reload charcoal during cooking, a porcelain-enameled lid and bowl that effectively retain heat, and a firebox that can hold up to 2 lbs. of charcoal. It also integrates adjustable top and bottom dampers that offer great heat control by adjusting airflow, a built-in temperature gauge that lets you easily view the current temperature, and comes with a grill grate lifter, plus a removable EasyDump Ash Bucket that provides an easy cleanup.
Whether you’re a weekend BBQ warrior or just getting familiar with the art of barbecuing, this kettle charcoal and smoker is sure to elevate your outdoor cooking game.
Here’s our review of the Char-Griller 22-inch Kettle Charcoal Grill, where we’ll have a closer look at this charcoal grill and smoker, see how it’s designed to work, and talk more about its standout features.
DESIGN & SPECS
Starting with the unit’s size, this charcoal grill and smoker has a compact footprint, measuring just 26 inches long by 23 inches wide by 38 inches tall, and weighs exactly 10.1 lbs. when fully assembled.
On top of its sleek form factor, the grill also comes equipped with a pair of two all-terrain rubber wheels installed on its rear legs, which make its transportation easy over any type of terrain, while its front legs come equipped with anti-slid rubber caps to help keep it stable at all times.
The Char-Griller 22-inch Kettle Charcoal Grill also sports a very cool and discreet aesthetic that will elevate your backyard space. Its body comes in a solid Black color and has a smooth glossy finish.
More importantly, the grill also packs a rugged construction, meaning its built to last. Its lower frame is built of high-quality steel.
Moving on to the grill’s different components. For its cooking area, the Char-Griller 22-inch Kettle Charcoal Grill comes equipped with a circular cooking grate made of steel that offers a wide 363 sq.in. cooking area (2341.93 cm²), giving you plenty of space to grill enough food for a few people.
The grill’s cooking grate has enough space to hold up to 25 hot dogs, 19 hamburgers, 14~15 drumsticks, 6 whole chickens, or 3 full-size ribs.
What’s more is that the grill’s lid and cooking bowl are entirely built of porcelain, which allows them to effectively retain heat inside during cooking, resulting in BBQ-style foods that are tender and juicy.
When it comes to its cooking methods, know that this charcoal grill and smoker can be used to smoke, grill, or sear your food with direct or indirect heat. By creating temperature zones and adjusting the charcoal placement, you can customize your cooking experience accordingly.
You can smoke food by cooking it with indirect heat at low temperatures between 150ºF to 250ºF (65ºC-121ªC) by preparing the charcoal in the grill’s main cooking chamber and using some split wood logs, chips, chunks, or pellets to add a smoky flavor to your food.
Alternatively, you can also grill food by cooking it with direct or indirect heat at medium-to-high temperatures of around 300ºF (149ºC), or ultimately sear your food by cooking it with direct heat at the highest possible temperature that the grill’s bowl and lid can reach, which is 400ºF (204ºC). (Note that it’s recommended that you should not exceed this cooking temperature).
The grill’s lid also comes equipped with a built-in temperature gauge, which lets you easily view the current cooking temperature inside it.
In addition, its lid and bowl also integrate adjustable top and bottom dampers (i.e. air vents) that provide great heat control by allowing you to adjust the grill’s internal airflow.
Its lid’s innovative top damper design also helps divert heat away from its handle, which helps keep it cool to touch while you’re cooking, ensuring you can grab and lift it safely whenever you need to open the grill.
As for its fuel source, the Char-Griller 22-inch Kettle Charcoal Grill comes equipped with a charcoal firebox that can hold up to 2 lbs. of charcoal.
The grill’s cooking grate also features a charcoal access door that makes it easy to easily reload its firebox with more charcoal during cooking.
Plus, the grill also comes with an included grill grate lifter for grabbing its charcoal access door safely for times when you need to remove its charcoal access door.
Lastly, the grill also comes equipped with a removable EasyDump Ash Bucket that offers you an easy way for disposing of its collected ashes, making the grill’s cleanup process a breeze after cooking.
FINAL THOUGHTS
All in all, this charcoal grill and smoker makes for a great addition for barbecuing delicious meals in your backyard, whether you’re looking grill, smoke, or sear your food. The grill is easy to set up, heats evenly and quickly thanks to its lid and bowl being built of porcelain, and its integrated air vents offer really good heat control for its cooking chamber. Its charcoal firebox also has a decent capacity to keep its cooking flames going for a reasonable amount of time.
If you’re interested in purchasing it, know that each unit is priced at $129.99, and each purchase also comes with a 5-Year Warranty. You can order it online directly from Char-Griller’s official shopping page.
