Jumbo Joe vs 22.5 inch kettles

The comparison between the Weber Jumbo Joe and a 22.5 inch Weber kettle is pretty easy for me; the 22.5 inch kettle wins.  There is no way the Jumbo Joe can compete against a full size kettle grill unless what you really need is something portable.  You can do a lot of things with a Weber Jumbo Joe but at some point you are going to want more space than an 18.5 inch grill can offer.

The 22.5 inch kettles not only have more grilling surface they also have more grilling volume.  That is, in addition to having a larger grate the dome is also taller by about three inches.  It is pretty easy to cook a whole turkey on a 22.5 inch kettle; on the Jumbo Joe you wouldn’t even be able to close the lid.

Size matters.

I use my Weber Jumbo Joe as a great addition to my grilling and smoking arsenal.  I have slow cooked a slab of ribs on the Jumbo Joe and it worked great.  However, when I want to cook two slabs of ribs I go straight to my 22.5 inch kettle and don’t even think about firing up the Jumbo.

If you are just starting out and want to spend as little money as possible then go ahead and get the Jumbo.  You will have a great time and can upgrade to a full size kettle later. Many great Weber collections have started in a similar manner.  If you really want a portable grill then by all means get the Jumbo; I think it is the best portable charcoal grill around.

If you have the money to spend and want to get a great grill then the 22.5 inch kettle is the way to go.

If you are interested in how I rate the larger kettles and my buying recommendations click here.

 

Check out the Jumbo reviews on Amazon.