Review of the Weber Summit Charcoal Grill after a year

KevinJ said:
Justin I would like to see you review a Goldens Cast Iron Cooker one day, for some reason Kamado cookers or the WSCG for that matter have never really interested me, but the Golden does.
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Thanks Kevin. No promises but I'll put it on the list. That's a really interesting cooker.
 
Baby Back Maniac said:
Thanks Kevin. No promises but I'll put it on the list. That's a really interesting cooker.
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I figured you have covered most of the Kamado cookers, would be interesting to get your thoughts/review on the Goldens after putting it through it's paces. Maybe reach out to Goldens and see if they'll send you one out for a demo, if it's a good cooker they might just sell a few off your reviews.
 
When they fix the problems you listed, maybe I'd consider a Summit. But it's a year later and the problems you have listed were commented on from the beginning. I could go out and lay down the cash for a Summit, but it still has that half-assed look and construction. For example, the leg sockets in place of a bracket for the ash catcher and that gas igniter that looks like someone added it as an after market item. For the price they want for it, improvements should have been made by now. So it remains on the "Maybe in the future when they fix the problems" list. Which means that they will probably never sell me one because something better will come along from someone who listens to what people are saying.
 
Just watched and I've got proof!



I don't disagree with anything you said about the Summit. It is an amazing kamado cooker and will do anything you ask of it, but I think their biggest problem with trying to break into that market is they made it look like a kettle, and a kettle it ain't... If they had made it resemble a traditional kamado cooker they could have REALLY taken market share in that category but no.

That being said, I'm glad I have a Summit over any ceramic cooker.
 
How does it do on searing steaks? I really like the adjustable grate on the akorn that allows me to raise the charcoal up really close to the steaks for a good sear after the sous vide. I didn't like how the akorn grilled until I got the adjustable grate.
 
4ever3 said:
Just watched and I've got proof!



I don't disagree with anything you said about the Summit. It is an amazing kamado cooker and will do anything you ask of it, but I think their biggest problem with trying to break into that market is they made it look like a kettle, and a kettle it ain't... If they had made it resemble a traditional kamado cooker they could have REALLY taken market share in that category but no.

That being said, I'm glad I have a Summit over any ceramic cooker.
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Be careful with stuff like that...could break your TV having my face up there like that. lol

Totally agree. I think they should have made it look awesome. It's the whole form over function thing. They were way more interested in function...didn't have to be an either/or situation.
 
Kaptain Kadian said:
How does it do on searing steaks? I really like the adjustable grate on the akorn that allows me to raise the charcoal up really close to the steaks for a good sear after the sous vide. I didn't like how the akorn grilled until I got the adjustable grate.
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This is hard to answer because everyone's definition of "hot enough to sear a steak" is different. Mine is pretty high and I'm happy with it. It will get over 800 degrees. However, once I added the Slow N Sear it took it to a completely different level. Sometimes I can get a sear in 45 seconds per side. It's crazy.

Most people are perfectly happy with the sear they get off a cheap gas grill. (I'm not judging them for that at all. I'm just saying they are happy with it.) For them, the Summit would be a night and day difference. It's basically like any other kamado.
 
Another great video Jason.

dadsr4 said:
When they fix the problems you listed, maybe I'd consider a Summit. But it's a year later and the problems you have listed were commented on from the beginning. I could go out and lay down the cash for a Summit, but it still has that half-assed look and construction. For example, the leg sockets in place of a bracket for the ash catcher and that gas igniter that looks like someone added it as an after market item. For the price they want for it, improvements should have been made by now. So it remains on the "Maybe in the future when they fix the problems" list. Which means that they will probably never sell me one because something better will come along from someone who listens to what people are saying.
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Dads, I hear you, but besides the cheap, ugly left side wheels, the rest I don't even notice any more. One day I plan to do some research and replace those plastic wheels with something that looks a little more rugged. The leg sockets don't bother me, and I am not sure they ever did. I don't spend a lot of time looking around down there, so maybe it's an out of sight thing. I am not sure what you mean by the gas igniter.

But, I agree, Weber needs to listen more. I didn't like hearing about Jason's CS issue. And I want a damn rotisserie for this thing. Then it will be able to do it all...
 
BlueandGoldBBQ said:
Don't know if i missed it, but did the replacement gasket solve the problem?
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No, honestly, the customer service person got in a huff about it and wouldn't give me the go ahead to change it out...much less instructions on how to do it exactly and I didn't want to get into it and have some sort of problem and not be able to put it back together. She was literally more frustrated that somebody went around her with a potential solution than she was interested in figuring out if it might work.

Also, I have a contact who works for a company Weber hires to do marketing who (they say) is going to send somebody by to fix it so I decided to let them take a look at it. I'm wondering if since they do the marketing for this they feel more motivated to take care of it than Weber customer service itself does.
 
Best sear I've done on it is so a reverse sear and the. Get it going super hot and the. I put my Grillgrates from my Rectec on it upside down and seared on the flat part. Awesome crust all over the steak.

Justin, do you have any tips on how to get a cleaner burn while doing lower temps? That's what I struggle with.
 
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