My old Weber kettle grill having given up the ghost, the vent on the bottom had rusted through, I looked to get a new grill. 

It had to be a charcoal grill, because while I may be a jerk, I’m not a complete git.  Gas grills are for posers.  (They are OK for camp stoves though)

I liked the Weber, and would recommend it, it’s a solid basic grill, but I was thinking.

I actually spent some time debating between just getting a new Weber, and this grill, a “Nexgrill 29 in. Barrel Charcoal Grill with Smoker,” which was about 30 bucks more, but included a thermometer, a side smoker box,and a side table.

The clincher was that I could get this assembled from Home Depot. (It just fit in Sharon’s^* station wagon with the back seats folded.)

So, I fired it up empty to cook off any manufacturing residue, and then yesterday afternoon, I grilled some chicken.

I’m not sure if it is as sturdy as the Weber, but it has a thermometer, more grill space, a top grill, its 2-piece grills actually fit in our dish washer, and with careful use of the side box, I can do some relatively low temperature smoking.  

I could hold it steady about 225°F [107°C] on the kettle grill, and I’m figuring that I could reliably go as low as 150°F [66°C] on this.

Made lamb for Sharon^* and me, and chicken for the kids last evening.

^*Love of my life, light of the cosmos, she who must be obeyed, my wife.