Weber Master-Touch 22 vs Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker 14
vs
Quick take: The Weber Master-Touch 22 offers more cooking space (363 vs 286 sq in).
| Spec | Weber Master-Touch 22 | Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker 14 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$289 | ~$289 |
| Rating | 4.7★ (4,432) | — |
| Type | Charcoal Grill | Charcoal Smoker |
| Cooking Area | 363 sq in | 286 sq in |
| Max Temp | 700°F | — |
| Fuel Type | Charcoal | Charcoal |
| Build Material | Porcelain-Enameled Steel | Porcelain-Enameled Steel |
| 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 | Yes | No |
| Dimensions | 30 x 25 x 42 in | 14.7 x 14.7 x 31.4 in |
| Weight | 32 lbs | 23 lbs |
| Warranty | 10 years | 10 years on bowl, lid and center ring; 2 years on remaining parts |
Pros & cons
Weber Master-Touch 22
- ✓It's incredibly versatile - direct high-heat searing, two-zone grilling, and even low-and-slow smoking with the Snake method all work great in one inexpensive grill
- ✓The hinged Gourmet BBQ System grate lets you add charcoal mid-cook and drop in accessories like a sear grate, pizza stone, or wok
- ✓The One-Touch cleaning system sweeps ash into a sealed catcher, making cleanup faster and tidier than basic kettles
- ✓Porcelain-enameled steel bowl and lid resist rust and hold heat well, and routinely last 10-15+ years
- ✓At ~$235 with a built-in thermometer and Tuck-Away lid holder it's an outstanding value in charcoal
- ✓It reaches blazing searing temps that no pellet grill can touch, giving real charcoal flavor and crust
- ✓It's light and portable at 32 lbs, easy to move around the yard or take to a campsite
- ✓Weber's 10-year warranty and universal parts availability mean you can keep it running indefinitely
- ✗Charcoal cooking has a learning curve - managing vents and fuel for steady temps takes practice versus push-button gas or pellets
- ✗There's no app, probe, or automation, so long smokes require hands-on vent adjustments and refueling
- ✗363 sq in is modest, so cooking for a big crowd means batching or stepping up to the 26-inch model
- ✗Holding low temps for a long brisket is doable but fiddly compared to a dedicated smoker, with temps prone to drifting
- ✗Ash and charcoal handling is messier than gas or pellets, and you deal with lighting and disposal every cook
- ✗The lid thermometer is approximate, so serious cooks add a separate probe
- ✗Wind can swing temperatures noticeably, requiring vent babysitting on gusty days
- ✗It needs a chimney starter and charcoal on hand, adding small ongoing fuel costs and prep steps
Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker 14
- ✓At 23 lbs and under 15 inches wide it travels — no other true water smoker in the line is trunk-portable
- ✓Porcelain-enameled bowl, lid and center section carry Weber's 10-year no-rust-through warranty, the same coverage as the bigger bullets
- ✓Two stacked racks give 286 sq in in a 14.7-inch footprint, which is more usable meat area than a kettle of the same diameter
- ✓The water pan does the same temperature-buffering job as on the 18 and 22, so 225–250°F is easy to hold without a controller
- ✓Cheapest entry into the WSM design, and Weber parts availability means grates, doors and gaskets are stocked for years
- ✗The small charcoal ring limits unattended burns to roughly 6–8 hours — a packer brisket will need a refuel
- ✗286 sq in fits about two pork butts or two slabs of ribs; a full rack of spares has to be cut to fit
- ✗No built-in thermometer worth trusting and no probe ports — budget for a separate dual-probe thermometer
- ✗The access door is small enough that adding fuel mid-cook is fiddlier than on the 18 or 22
- ✗$289 is close to the 18-inch's $419 street price, so the per-square-inch value is poor if portability is not the reason you are buying