Weber Smokey Joe Premium 37cm Charcoal Grill Review

Reviewed by Louise Totton

We have been making a real effort to spend more time outdoors, enjoy the fresh air and put our tablets, phones and gaming devices away. One of the real pleasures of the summer is being able to eat outdoors and it is something that we look forward to every year. We moved home last year, from a suburban house with a large garden to a more rural property near a village centre, but with one major compromise: a very small garden. We have done our best with the little garden and for the most part, because we are so close to open countryside, the lack of our own space isn’t a big issue but with one exception. We have had to leave our large, gas powered BBQ behind and up to now have been making do with disposable foil BBQs, which to be frank are less than ideal but have at least satisfied the kids’ desire to eat outdoors and my other half’s need to cook with fire!

Now we are a bit more settled in the house and are pretty much organised indoors, we have turned our attention to getting the garden sorted and one of the first things on the list was a new BBQ. Because the space we have is pretty limited, we knew we would have to choose a smaller one than we were used to, but it was important to get a good quality, solid and attractive BBQ, and ideally one with vents and a lid so we could vary cooking temperatures and heat intensity.

So it was perfect timing when we were asked to try out the Smokey Joe Premium Charcoal Grill by Weber. The Smokey Joe is a kettle type BBQ with a stand, a lid and a carry handle and is available in either Smoke, Slate Grey, Black or Spring Green – we were sent the Slate Grey one to try out.

The BBQ arrived securely packaged in a cardboard box and it was obvious from the outset that this is a high-quality bit of kit. The box was a good weight and the 10-year guarantee was splashed all over the front of the box which I found very reassuring. The BBQ does require some assembly before you can use it, but this is minimal, and the only tool required is a flat-head screwdriver. Assembly really is very quick and took us less than ten minutes. We really loved the look of the Smokey Joe once it was assembled – it looks absolutely fabulous in the shiny Slate Grey colour looks very high-end and classy. Once assembled, the BBQ consists of the bowl (made from steel with porcelain-enamel inside and out), which has upper and lower grill grates, a lid with handle and damper, and a carry handle.

It didn’t take long for the kids to clock it, and then they were desperate to get it outside and start a bit of al-fresco cooking, so I was pleased that for once in my life I was organised and had already bought the food in! Lighting BBQs is always a bit of a nightmare and is one of the reasons that our previous model was a gas one!  Weber do make a Chimney Starter which makes BBQ lighting easier but we didn’t have one of those, so we used the BBQ charcoal bags as these really do take the stress away from getting them lit! The lower (charcoal) grate is sited in the pan and the charcoal is then set on top of this. The upper (cooking) grate is then put on top of this, and this is the cooking surface.

We got the BBQ lit in record time and left it with the lid secured in place for the thirty minutes, as directed by the instruction guide for the first use. I thought the design for this was really great and the carry handle also doubles up as a lid holder, meaning we were able to have the lid properly secured in place whilst we were waiting for it to heat up.

The instructions that come with the BBQ are very good as not only do they provide details for lighting the BBQ, they also discuss cooking times, venting and damping the charcoal, how to cook the meat and the difference between direct and indirect heat. We found this to be massively helpful as I am really only used to using a gas BBQ where the temperature can be easily adjusted with a dial. Charcoal ones are a different beast entirely so it was great having the instructions.

This BBQ is absolutely perfect for a small garden. It takes up very little space but still manages to cook enough food for a family (2 adults and 2 kids). Because the instructions were so good, I found we were able to cook our sausages, burgers and chicken perfectly and the head distribution is very even. I also loved how as well as securing the lid closed, the handle can also hold the lid upright, to give you a free hand when you are turning the food. The carry handle also makes this a perfect portable BBQ, especially as it is lightweight, should you live somewhere that allows BBQing in public spaces.

We absolutely loved this little BBQ – it looks great, is fantastic quality, cooks the food perfectly and means that even in a small outdoor space, you can spend more time enjoying the outdoors this summer.

Rating: 5/5

RRP: £67.49

For more information or to buy visit www.hayesgardenworld.co.uk.