Weber
Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker 14
The smallest of Weber's three bullet smokers: a two-rack water smoker on a 14.5-inch charcoal bowl, the same diameter as the Smokey Joe. It runs the identical design as the 18-inch already in the catalog — charcoal ring at the bottom, water pan in the middle, two cooking grates above — scaled down to 286 sq in and 23 lbs, which is the point: it is the only WSM light enough to carry to a campsite or a tailgate. The small fuel ring is also the catch, since it holds enough charcoal for roughly 6 to 8 hours rather than the overnight burns the larger bullets manage.
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Specifications
Pros
- ✓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
Cons
- ✗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
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The Weber Smokey Mountain is the legendary bullet-shaped charcoal water smoker that has been the 'first real smoker' recommendation for decades. Two stacked grates and a water pan turn out competition-quality BBQ for under $500.
The largest Weber bullet: a 22.5-inch-diameter water smoker with 726 sq in across two racks, versus 481 on the 18-inch. The extra diameter matters more than the number suggests, because a full packer brisket lies flat on the 22 and has to be bent or trimmed on the 18. The bigger charcoal ring also holds enough fuel for a genuine overnight burn, which is the reason competition teams standardised on this size.
The Weber Master-Touch 22 is the upgraded version of Weber's iconic charcoal kettle, adding a hinged Gourmet BBQ System grate, a built-in thermometer, and a Tuck-Away lid holder. It's a benchmark backyard charcoal grill.
Weber
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The tabletop Slate: 352 sq in and 16,000 BTU across two burners, with the same case-hardened, pre-seasoned carbon steel plate as the full-size Slate 30 and 36 the catalog already carries. The plate is the reason this line exists — Weber case-hardens it so it arrives ready to cook and resists the flash rust that defines ordinary griddle steel. It folds to under 10 inches tall with a hard cover.