The Weber Summit Charcoal Grill (also known as the Weber Summit Charcoal Grilling Station) is more efficient than the Weber Kettle, the Weber Performer, and the Weber Smokey Mountain (or “WSM” as it is commonly called). I’ve used all three of those and I like them a lot, but the they burn through charcoal quickly…particularly the 22.5 inch Weber Smokey Mountain. Having said that, the 22.5 WSM may be the best smoker every built for the money.

Having said that, as I mentioned in my last video, I consider the Weber Summit Charcoal Grill to be more of a kamado style grill. I’ve owned a lot of kamados including the Komodo Kamado, several Big Green Eggs, Kamado Joe (both the Kamado Joe Big Joe and the Kamado Joe Classic) as well as metal kamados like Akorn Kamado by Chargriller and the Bubba Keg (previously known as Big Steel Keg and now known as the Broil King Keg).

One thing that I’ve found is that even though ceramic kamados like the Big Green Egg and Kamado Joe are more efficient that steel grills, the metal kamados are CONSIDERABLY more efficient than the ceramics. In fact, even though I’ve never measured it like I did in this charcoal efficiency test, I would estimate that the Akorn Kamado or Broil King Keg use about half as much charcoal as a similar sized ceramic kamado.

However, that’s not always a great thing. Sometimes cookers can be TOO efficient. Sounds crazy, right?!? Well, let me explain. If I cooker is too efficient, than it gets difficult to maintain low and slow temperatures because the fire is very small and unstable. I think the fact that the ceramics like the kamado Joe or Big green egg have a large amount of mass to hold heat as well as relatively larger charcoal fires even at low and slow temps, helps them maintain rock solid temps.

The difference between the Weber Summit Charcoal Grill (smoker) and the Kegs and Akorns is the Akorns have wool insulation between the walls (like an oven) and the Weber Summit does not. While that might have seemed like on oversite by Weber Summit engineering team, I’m thinking it was actually by design to fix this very problem.

So my hope is that this test will prove my suspicions correct about the Weber Summit Smoker and it will result in burn time that is about half way between an Akorn/Keg and a Big Green Egg XL (Or Kamado Joe Big Joe). Even though the WSCG went for a REALLY long time, I honestly think it’s right in the middle as far as efficiency…and I’m excited about that.

Links to Amazon
If you are interested in purchasing any of the products mentioned in this video (and you feel like being awesome) please use these links and Amazon will send me a small referral fee. I intend to become a millionaire off the referral fees from this video alone.

However, I did the math and the percentage is so small, I’m going to need about a million of you to purchase a temp controller for this to happen….Or just one of you to buy a million temp controllers.

That’s fine with me too. I’m flexible.

However, the important thing for you to know is if you buy ANYTHING at amazon after using this link (it doesn’t even have to be a link to the temp controller), amazon will send me a referral fee and the price is the same to you.

At least I think they will send me a referral fee. It hasn’t actually happened yet, but we are all very excited that it could happen someday.

If you’ve actually read this far, let me know in the comments because I’m pretty sure most people’s eyes glaze over after they saw the “Links to Amazon” phrase. Last time only “rswaz” actually read down to here. Be more like him…or possible her. (no offense, rswaz, it’s just with a name like “rswaz” it’s kinda hard to tell.) You probably did that by design to maintain your anonymity…which is probably a lot smarter than publishing your face on Youtube for the world to see like I did. I really admire you, “rswaz.”

Be more like “rswaz.”

OK, so here are the links

Weber chimney starter (it’s “The un-lighter fluid”):
http://amzn.to/1TLONOO

This is the BBQ Guru DigiQ (like I used in this video)
http://amzn.to/1TLOVhl

PartyQ BBQ Guru-This is a battery operated version (cheaper, but no meat probe…it’s great though if you don’t mind changing the batteries.
http://amzn.to/24vUngS

CyberQ Wifi BBQ Guru- This one has wifi so you can operate it from your phone when you are not at home (it’s one of the few bbq toys I haven’t actually owned…yet!)
http://amzn.to/1NlfDOE

The Summit Grill does not appear to be on Amazon yet. I got mine at Nebraska Furniture Mart. Hope this helps.

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