Weber is one of the most established names in the grilling industry, thanks to its long running line of smokers and charcoal cookers. It recently introduced the Summit Series, a high-end group of products for chefs looking to go beyond a basic setup. With brands like Treager introducing new tech-laden grills, it’s no surprise that Webber is making its own push into the upper echelon of this category.
The Summit Charcoal Grill features a 24-inch cook top and can be customized to smoke, grill or char your food to exact specifications. Dubbed a “gourmet BBQ system”, Weber isn’t holding back on this backyard beauty.
At its core, Weber’s Summit Charcoal Grill is an amped up version of its more budget-friendly cookers. Its interchangeable five-in-one system doesn’t come cheap, however. The grill itself has an introductory price of $1,699 and that’s before any of the Gourmet BBQ System (GBS) accessories are accounted for. We’ll get to those add-ons shortly.
The grill has the same iconic shape that you’d come to expect from Weber. But it differs from the classic charcoal cookers in a few key ways. While this model still uses the old-school fuel that many BBQ’ers swear by, it does pack a gas ignition system that cuts down on the mess and potentially troubling start up.
Highlights on the base model start with a 24-inch cooktop and a heavy forged steel grate system. At nearly $1,700, you’d hope that Weber is opting for tough, high-end materials, and that seems to be the case.
It ships with the standard grate cooktop like most grills, but it’s the additional GBS add-ons that have really caught our eye. Swapping out these tops is hardly a new phenomenon as other brands have already adapted this type of accessory. There is a wide selection of GBS cook systems that can be used, depending on your meal, such as pizza, wok, griddle and more. Each of these retail for around $39.
Weber’s unique Summit Grill is capable of handling just about any outdoor meal you can throw at it. Whether it’s low and slow, or a line of burgers and hotdogs, you’re covered here. The main question is, are buyers ready to pony up $1,699 when there are plenty of other more cost-effective options on the market. Only time will tell but we’re certain that the Weber-faithful will be longing after this release.
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