Char-Griller Classic Cart Style Charcoal Grill vs Napoleon Professional 22 Charcoal Kettle
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Quick take: The Napoleon Professional 22 Charcoal Kettle costs $11 less; the Char-Griller Classic Cart Style Charcoal Grill offers more cooking space (550 vs 360 sq in).
| Spec | Char-Griller Classic Cart Style Charcoal Grill | Napoleon Professional 22 Charcoal Kettle |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$400 | ~$389 |
| Rating | — | 4★ (45) |
| Type | Charcoal Grill | Charcoal Grill |
| Cooking Area | 550 sq in | 360 sq in |
| Max Temp | 700°F | — |
| Fuel Type | Charcoal | Charcoal |
| Build Material | Powder-Coated Steel with Porcelain-Coated Cast Iron Grates | Porcelain-Coated Steel with Cast Iron Grids |
| Hopper Capacity | — | — |
| Burners | — | — |
| WiFi / App | No | No |
| App control | No | No |
| Meat probe | No | No |
| PID controller | No | No |
| Side burner | No | No |
| Rotisserie | No | No |
| Searing | No | Yes |
| Dimensions | 57.3 x 28.1 x 51.8 in | 23 x 28.5 x 42 in |
| Weight | 86.4 lbs | 49 lbs (packaged) |
| Warranty | 5 years | 10 years |
Pros & cons
Char-Griller Classic Cart Style Charcoal Grill
- ✓810 sq in of total cooking surface for $400 — roughly three times a 22-inch kettle's grate for under twice the price
- ✓The charcoal pan raises and lowers on an external crank, so you change sear distance without opening the lid or moving coals
- ✓Cast iron grates are porcelain-coated rather than bare, which is the version that survives a season outdoors
- ✓Side firebox port is pre-cut, so the Char-Griller side fire box bolts on later and turns it into an offset smoker
- ✓Runs to 700°F, high enough to actually sear, which most thin-steel barrel grills do not reach
- ✓EasyDump ash pan pulls out from the front rather than needing the grill tipped
- ✗2 lb maximum charcoal capacity is small for the grate size — long cooks need refueling
- ✗Steel barrel, not insulated ceramic, so it leaks heat badly below freezing and burns through charcoal fast
- ✗86 lbs on two wheels with a fixed front leg; it rolls on a flat patio and fights you anywhere else
- ✗Lid seal is metal-on-metal with no gasket, so smoke escapes and temperature control is coarser than a kamado
- ✗No thermometer worth trusting at grate level — the lid dial reads dome temperature
Napoleon Professional 22 Charcoal Kettle
- ✓Three grate heights — no Weber kettle at any price lets you move the food closer to the coals
- ✓Cast iron grids as standard, hinged for adding fuel, where Weber's Master-Touch 22 ships plated steel
- ✓The Vortex cone genuinely improves fuel efficiency and ash handling; it is the one design idea here that is not cosmetic
- ✓Smoke-stack chimney holds a steadier draw in wind than a flat lid damper
- ✓Integrated probe doors, so thermometer wires do not get pinched under the lid
- ✓10-year warranty, versus Weber's 10 years on the bowl and lid only
- ✗$389 puts it $160 above a Weber Original Kettle Premium 22 and $100 above a Master-Touch 22
- ✗4.0 across 45 reviews on Napoleon's own store is a middling score for a premium kettle
- ✗Rotisserie ring is 'rotisserie ready' but the kit is another $89.99
- ✗Napoleon's kettle accessory range is a fraction of Weber's, which is the practical cost of leaving the Weber ecosystem
- ✗Napoleon publishes no temperature range and no assembled weight, only a 49 lb packaged figure