Weber Barbeque – Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill 22″

Weber Performer Deluxe Review

If you are a lover of steaks and the barbecue culture, then you understand that the grill is an integral part of this culture. Along with your steak or veggies preparation steps, the grill you chose can impact the taste of your food. This means that on your next shopping trip in pursuit of a grill, there are various pointers to be wary of.

Understandably, every home has different grilling needs and preferences, hence the array of grill types that manufacturers like Weber churn out. Factors like fuel type, portability, and size are some of the most common drivers when making your decision. Additionally, that may not be enough as you need to narrow down to critical features like the heating capability, build material, grates quality, temperature control options, and warranty.

In your pursuit of the next grill, Weber is a brand that will certainly come up. This American company has been manufacturing various products in the BBQ space. Some of them include grills and complementary accessories to up your grilling experience.

Weber’s Brief History

Headquartered in Illinois in the United States, Weber is a privately-owned grill manufacturing company founded in 1893 by George A. Stephen. Over the years, they have added grill accessories to their portfolio to extend the life of their products. Such contributions have made Weber outstanding in the barbecue niche and have achieved remarkable success.

Weber is now a trendsetter and holds a significant portion of the grilling market share. Their products come in 3 classifications, namely the introductory, mid-range, and luxury lines. This breakdown has enabled Weber to specialize in different client needs based on their budget while still not compromising on the quality of their grills.

This manufacturing company has numerous cookbooks tied to their name. Most of the readers of Weber’s cookbooks acknowledge and appreciate the informational resource that they offer as they facilitate new grilling adventures.

Weber Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill 22″

Technical Specs	Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill 22"
Dimensions (Closed)	43.5Hx48Wx30D
Cooking Space	363 Square Inches
Diameter	22 inches
Warranty	Up to 10 Years
Fuel Type	Charcoal
Tool Hooks	3
Batteries	3
Battery Type	AA, and AAA
Swivel-Locking Casters	2
Wheels	2
Weight	About 100 lbs

With this Performer Deluxe charcoal grill, Weber has packed lots of extra features to make it a pleasure and a unique experience to grill your food over live fires. They understand that this experience is a thrill, especially to big-time grilled steak lovers. The smoke from the burning charcoal also gets infused into the steak and veggies to give your food a smoky flavor that the other types of grill do not.

In this mid-range model, Weber has borrowed some features from entry-level models and added the Gourmet BBQ System cooking grate, a gas-powered charcoal lighter, digital timer, and extra counter space to ease your food preparation before you roast. However, its cooking space is the same as that of Weber’s Original Kettle. This model comes with a porcelain-enameled bowl with a diameter of 22 inches.

Key Features and Benefits of the Weber Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill

Here are the features that make this model outstanding:

1. a) Design

This charcoal grill comes with a sleek and eye-catching design. This finish is reminiscent of the Original Kettle with extra visible features and storage. The extra workspace means that you do not have to prepare your food and tools elsewhere then move them around.

With this, you can have all your tools, spices, and food within your reach to prevent distractions that may impact the taste of your food. This Performer model also has 2 wheels and 2 swivel-locking casters to enable smooth movement and stability. Its weight is also tolerable for most users. Unlike the three-legged Original Kettle, this model is highly adaptable to different roasting locations.

It also comes in multiple colors for you to select your preference.

1. b) Build

Considering its price range, the Performer Deluxe’s build quality feels great as compared to other charcoal grills. However, it does not measure up to previous models, which were more heavy-duty. At nearly 100 pounds, it is compact and steady to prevent tipping during windy conditions.

The 2 swivel locking casters also play a part in increasing its stability when it is stationed. The most outstanding quality of this grill is its heavy-duty steel grates. These grates are thick to retain more heat while also allowing this heat to be evenly distributed.

In your package, you also get a porcelain-enameled bowl and lid for heat retention. While being aesthetically appealing, this bowl does not peel and is rust-resistant. Moreover, it will not alter the flavor of your grilled food.

This PDG model’s nylon lid handle comes with heat protection that makes it possible to hold it without getting burnt. This rids you of the burden of putting on gloves for this simple task. Leaving out the commercial grills used in Restaurants, the grates in this Performer model are the best.

Additionally, its frame is made of heavy-duty steel and is designed to withstand quite a bit of wear and tear, extending its lifespan.

1. c) Performance

This Deluxe model comes equipped with Weber’s Touch-N-Go gas lighting system to reduce your start-up time. Just a single push, like is the case for gas grills, is all you need to get your coal-fired up without any mess. This charcoal grill makes use of propane during lighting, which is stored in a disposable bottle located below the end of the cart under the LCD timer.

After ignition, the heat peaks after about 10 minutes to kick-start your roasting session. When roasting, monitoring the food’s temperature is always vital to avoid ruining the food’s flavor, undercooking or overcooking. This model also has a built-in thermometer to keep you informed of the heat conditions in your grill.

However, you may have to consider double-checking the temperature using a digital thermometer. If you need versatility in your grill, Weber’s Gourmet BBQ cooking system feature in this model is all you need. In essence, there lies a hinged steel-plated cooking grate in the middle that is removable.

The space created can hold a pizza stone, trivet, or even a waffle pan for additional uses. You can also flip up the cooking grates on both sides to enable you to feed it with more coal briquettes or wood pellets. This move guarantees you more flavor in your food while allowing you to cook at varying temperatures.

There are also air vents in this model, which are supported by stainless steel on the lid to allow the coal to burn adequately. When in use, keep the vents open and close them once done.

1. d) Storage

This Performer model features a Char-Bin storage container that stores your charcoal. It is also weather-protected to safeguard your charcoal against outdoor elements. Its ability to tilt sideways makes it possible to retrieve your charcoal.

This Deluxe model has the capacity to hold up to 13 burgers. Utilizing this feature allows you to save lots of time if you prepare everything in advance. If you like more storage in your charcoal grill, then this Performer model has 3 hooks to facilitate that.


With this, you can achieve more within a short span if you have your tools as close as possible.

1. e) Ease of Use

Weber has conveniently made the assembly of this Performer Deluxe model simpler to do. In its package, there is a well-detailed instruction manual to aid you in the first-time setup, which may take you about an hour.

This might certainly seem a lot to some but bear in mind that it is just a one-time task. Afterward, setting the PDG will be an easy ride. From the first roasting session, you can tell that Weber thought through most of your needs, such as ease in igniting and ash removal, to make this model easy to use.

The extra preparation surfaces, the simplicity of the tuck-away lid holder, and the Char-bin make this model outstanding amongst most of its peers at its price range. This Deluxe model provides for smooth movement of the charcoal baskets to provide it with direct and indirect heating zones, which allow for simultaneous cooking and temperature moderation. It makes it easy to roast vegetables in the indirect heating zone while searing your steaks in the direct heat zone.

Besides saving you time, this mechanism allows you to serve both meals at the same time while hot and straight from the grill, without the need to warm it.

1. f) Ease of Cleaning

This Deluxe model features Weber’s One-Touch cleaning system, which immensely reduces stress when cleaning it. First, it employs a simple slide mechanism that moves the 3-point diffuser sideways to let the ash through the central hole into the removable high-capacity Aluminum ash catcher. This design protects you from dust clouds that were previously created when one scooped the dead coals.

This easy-to-use mechanism keeps your area cleaner. The extra workspace added is also easy to clean, and one can easily sport dirt or stains. There is also a 5-year warranty on the One Touch Cleaning system.

1. g) Extended Warranty

Any great product can be deemed incomplete without an impressive warranty. Just like in all its products, Weber delivers an extended warranty on this Deluxe charcoal grill. First, the bowl and lids have a 10-year warranty of no rust and burn.

The One Touch System comes with 5 years of warranty, while the plastic components similarly have five years but does not cover fading or discoloration. The rest of the grill gets 2 years of warranty which means you are guaranteed to keep making the most out of your grill for many years.

Drawbacks of the Weber Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill

Generally, this model has plenty of useful features, but here are the most noticeable cons of this model:

1. Limitations of the Removable Timer

While it works for the most part, if you need more than 99 minutes of cook time, it may not be ideal for such a case. This makes it challenging for users who like their food to grill low and slow for extended hours. If so, you need to pay extra to get a different timer than the included one.

More so. This drawback makes it feel like it was an afterthought rather than a functionality feature.

1. The Lid Thermometer is not Trustworthy.

The included lid thermometer may not give you accurate readings and thus may inconvenience your food’s cooking time and ultimately its taste if the fault is not noticed in time. Therefore, it is better to incur extra costs to get a digital thermometer that will get you accurate readings.

Weber Performer GBS vs. Weber Performer Premium vs. Weber Performer Deluxe

• All these 3 Performer models share certain features and also a 10-year warranty.
• The Performer GBS model lacks the removable LCD timer.
• The Char-Basket, and the electronic gas ignition feature. Of the three, its size is the smallest.
• The Performer Premium is slightly larger than the GBS with its cart design rather than the fold-down work counter.
• Like the GBS, this model also lacks Weber’s Touch-N-Go ignition system feature.
• The Performer Deluxe packs all the features of the GBS and Premium and adds Weber’s unique Gourmet System sear grate accessory.

Conclusion on the Weber Performer Deluxe 22″ Review

For the features packed, convenience, and functionality, this model is a steal for its price. It is eye-catching and of high quality and can meet the grilling needs of most homes. Some of its features are unique to this model and are highly impressive in terms of its performance and user-friendliness.

With this Deluxe model, you can take your roasting experience to the next level by making it simpler, quicker, and more fun. You also get to appreciate its versatility through various applications such as smoking, roasting, countertop baking, and pizza making. Besides the few challenges, this charcoal model is a game-changer; hence it increased popularity.

Whether you are new to the grilling game or are an expert, this is most likely the charcoal grill you need. Charcoal grills are great but if you are in the market for propane or natural gas grills then take a look at Broil King vs Weber grills.

Is the Weber kettle premium worth it?

The Weber Original Premium 22” Kettle is the perfect grill for a backyard barbecue! With ample cooking space and easy cleanup, this little kettle packs some big-time grilling power.