when you clean charcoal side, is there a removable tray that contains the ash or do you have to try and brush it out, tip over etc. like some grills
1169396
Heavy duty tray with handles that can be adjusted to raise or lower the tray. Very nice feature.
1169397
There is a lift out tray in the grill section and a slide out tray if you have the side smoker. Both sections are easy to clean.
1169398
Its a removable piece that lifts right out and can be dumped easily. Still lovin' my grill!
1014877
The best way to handle this is to line the bottom with aluminum foil. Take care to not cover the vents in the side. I can usually do four to five cooks before emptying the ashes. If you are careful lifting the foil you will get 95% of the ashes and can just brush the rest out or dump.
554184
Yes there is a drip tray that is positioned between and below the two grill sides. They drain into it. It is removed by pulling it out like it was a drawer. Overall it is a good grill. It's nothing like cooking over charcoal, but who wants to do that when it's snowing and colder than a well diggers rear end? It would be even better is parts were available.
2262121
The regular Kettles I've used for 20 years have the same ash cleaner as the big kettle. Never had a problem stirring up ash.Honestly I don't think you need to deal with the ash at all if you use the charcoal holders that come standard with the big kettle.Those think make clean up much much easier. Happy Bar-B-Que ing
11869
Yes the charcoal tray slides out. Unit is solid. The only thing I didn't realize when I bought it was that the charcoal side is not lit by the gas tank so it isn't a true hybrid like a Weber Performer, where coals are out by gas. You have to get a chimney with newspaper (or use lighter fluid, which I refuse to do) to light the coals. If the gas lit the coals I would use it way more than I have. For that I continue to use my old weber mostly
1793978
I use either a pouch made of aluminum foil with dry smoke chips ( found in Amazon ) or better yet weber small aluminum trays with smoke chips ( also with Amazon ) and get a better result if I don't wet them. Good luck, love my grill, of course bought in Amazon I almost forgot I use them on top
1824744
The ash can be removed after it has cooled with a small shovel or something similar. If desired, the fire pit can be cleaned with mild soap and water between uses.
575450
Very easy to keep clean as they provide a slotted tool to scrape clean the grate. The heat turns any residual to ashes. I use a stainless steel Brillo pad type cleaner that cleans the top ridges of the grill surface. Just a couple quick back and forth scrubs and it is clean. I have cooked out on it 3 or 4 times a week for months and never have had a drop of grease in the drip tray because it all burns to ashes. 2 thumbs up!!!
1613055
I use the side fire box when I'm smoking anything. I use charcoal, charcoal and wood, or just wood. With the side firebox the food is in a different chamber then the heat source so burning is not big problem. One modification I would strongly recommend it to clamp a short piece of 3" flexible aluminum duct the smoke stack inside the the cooking chamber just long enough to come down to the cast iron grates. This forces the heat and smoke to travel all the way across the chamber at the grates level before exiting the smoker. I found that this gives a much more even temp. to the whole cooking area. You won't go wrong with the Char-Griller units. A plus for the side fire box is that it comes with it's own grill surface and can be used by it self when you just want to grill up a few hot dogs or burgers.
1013007
I waited until it cooled and then emptied it. You can remove the grill and if you have a receptacle like a fire pit you can empty it while they are hot. The handles have rubberized grips that get pretty warm but I use grilling mittens and I can empty it when it is hot if I have a place to put the coals. You can close all the vents and the fire will go out. Once it cools you can then re-use the charcoal.
1846429
I think you could do either. I cook with briquettes and oak combined so I don't use many briquettes at all. Cleaning ashes from the bottom can be done easily by lifting out the grate and using a spatula as a shovel to remove most of them.
339644
We haven't smoked with it yet. However, there are two moon-shaped metal containers that fit under the grill surface used for holding charcoal. Once these are lit, you can move them to the sides for indirect heat. If you're using the attached igniter, it lights from the center so the two containers have to sit there until the coals are hot. You can control the temperature by using fewer coals and moving the coals away from what you are grilling, which we have done successfully. I don't know of any other ways. There is a thermometer on the lid.
2262120
If you're gentle with it, it won't be noticeable. I do it when I'm smoking long cooks using the Smokenator 2600 and have no problems. Pork butts are on for about 3-4 coal additions over about 12 hours, so a lot of ash builds up. Typically when I'm just grilling, though, I clean it out while the coals are getting ready.
1193161
No, the grill grate is removable but in a fixed position. I think that is true with all Weber charcoal grills.
1905680
Below the removable grates is just an area that contains the burners. It is sloped so that any large amount of grease is dripped into a drip can (provided). This area is actually separated from the outside skin area but nothing is removable or needs to be. This baby is so easy to clean. Just let it burn on high for about 20 minutes (uses very little gas), let cool and the use the provided finger like cleaner to clean the grates into the grass. I suggest you buy a spiral (perpendicular to the handle stem) wire brush to finish the job.
1341224
No... After I use it, the residue is light, powdery, and paper-based. I just use a regular grill brush to brush it away.
60713
Empty the ashes is all thats really called for. Clean the Grill is you are using it. In the Summer Ive taken a hose to it, water wont hurt.