PK Grill vs Weber Kettle: Which to Buy and Why

I’ve used a Weber kettle for over half my life (~17 years) and I’ve used the PK Grill for ~6 months.

While I’d have no problems recommending the Weber kettle to anyone who wants to start grilling/smoking – you likely want to know if the more expensive option is seemingly better.

To put this article short: I like both grills but I think the Weber Kettle is the more value buy.

Jump to Sections of this Comparison:

• Is the Price Difference Worth It?
• Grill Real Estate Numbers are Deceiving
• Why I Like Direct Heat Better on the PK Grill
• Ash Management is Miserable on the PK Grill
• The PK Grill Uses Less Charcoal and is More Fuel Efficient

Which Versions of Both Brands am I Looking at?

For specifics, this article looks at the:

• PK grill Original
• 22″ Weber Kettle

The PK Original has limited quantity remaining is currently sold out and not on the website and some of the issues you’ll find with the original were fixed in the new PK 300.

I just liked the looks of the Original more so that’s what I bought.

Price Difference

The most obvious difference is price – with the PK Grill being ~2x the price of the Weber Kettle.

At the time of writing this, their price points are as follows:

• 22″ Weber Kettle = $219.00
• PK Grill Original = $599.99

Note: PK Grills will often have coupons for 10% off or they’ll run deals.

When I bought mine it was both on-sale and they had a 10% discount and I spent $449.99.

I also bought a Tel-tru Thermometer through them for $44.99.

The total price came to $494.98.

Meaning my Weber Kettle was 2.26x cheaper than the PK Grill.

Is a Grill that Costs 2.26x More, Worth it?

So if you’re asking if the PK Grill is seemingly “better” at the same tasks as a Weber Kettle – then I’d confidently say no.

From personal experience, I know that the Weber Kettle will last me 10+ years without a hitch.

This is the first Weber Kettle I ever owned:

• No heat deflector on the handle.
• No lid thermometer.

This grill lasted me 12 years.

I know that the first thing to break is going to be the Fins on the One-touch cleaning system – Weber also sells replacement kits for $24.99.

The PK grill Original has almost no moving parts – the only thing that moves are the Dampers for the exhaust and even those are made of the same material as the grill.

All they do is slide back and forth.

Meaning they won’t rust, break, or have any issues.

PK Grills knows this too which is why the grill has a 20 year warranty.

So we have grills that do more or less the same thing and both last long – only one is half the cost.

For all practical intents and purposes, the Weber Kettle is the better buy in this regard.

Grill Real Estate Numbers are Deceiving

No matter how you slice it, the Weber kettle has far better grill grate real estate when compared to the PK Grill.

This is simply due to the fact that the Weber kettle is round and the PK grill is square.

Regardless of if you’re grilling or setting up a 2-zone fire for smoking or just a simple 1 zone fire for grilling, you’ll be able to fit more food on the Weber Kettle.

With that said, a PK Grill can still fit a 10 lb brisket or even like 10+ burgers, no problem.

Direct Heat BBQ is Better on the PK Grill

Something that most charcoal grills suck with is direct heat BBQ – where the food is placed over the heat source (without burning it rapidly – ie. not directly over the hot coals).

The only way I’ve ever been able to get what I want with direct-heat BBQ on the Weber kettle is using a Slow N’ Sear and an elevated cooking grate.

The setup basically looks like this:

This setup is what I use when I make chicken/beef/pork on a stick or if I’m making say direct-heat, pork blade steaks.

The Slow N’ Sear cost me ~$100 and the elevated grill grate cost me ~$45.

The PK Grill has less space between the food and the heat source so you already get this setup from the get go.

The result of this setup is better “grilled” flavor due to the drippings from the meat over the coals.

In terms of other use-cases:

• If I’m grilling hamburgers and hot dogs for around 4 people – I’ll use my PK grill every time.
• If I have to grill for a lot of People, I use the Weber Kettle.
• If I want to smoke something – I use either grill – both work great.

Ash Management and Disposal is More Annoying on the PK Grill

Ash management on any of the models of the PK Grill is less than impressive – even the newer iterations aren’t any better than the Original.

You’re essentially left with a few options:

1. Scoop the ash out.
2. Disassemble the grill and then take the bottom of the shell and dump it.
3. Use a shop vac.

Right now I do option 2 or 3.

With the Weber kettle, you just use their one-touch cleaning system that sweeps everything in a detachable ash pan and then dump it.

Weber’s system is far superior in just about every way.

Another issue with falling ashes: The Original PK has an open system for the exhaust dampers – which means a hot coal could fall through onto your shelf or potentially a wood deck.

I simply put down an aluminum pan below the grill to catch any rogue embers.

The newer iterations have ash covers to prevent these types of issues from happening.

Fuel Efficiency

I’ve used both the PK Grill and the Weber Kettle for grilling and smoking – even during the Winter in New Hampshire when it’s -10F outside.

You can fit far less charcoal in the PK Grill BUT that charcoal tends to burn for around the same time as my Weber Kettle.

Meaning, the PK grill is definitely more fuel efficient.

I also find that opening the lid on the PK grill has less of an effect overall on temperature swing.

For smoking, once you dial in a temperature the PK Grill it will hold that temperature really well. Though the same could be said for the Weber Kettle.

Other Factors that Aren’t Worth Mentioning but Other Guides will Bring Up

PK Grills feature a side shelf – where-as the 22″ Weber Kettle does not.

If you need a side-shelf, Weber’s “Performer” series does have a side shelf only the grill is $549 – around the same price as a PK Grill.

Vent adjustment is easier on the Weber Kettle.

While this is true for the Original PK, the newer iteration of the PK Grill features better dampers that allow for more precise control of airflow.

PK Grills are now made in China.

Weber grills are designed and engineered in the USA but feature globally sourced components.

I have zero regrets with buying the PK Grill – it’s essentially bulletproof and I’m willing to bet it will last a lifetime.

But if you’re making a decision between the two, go with the Weber Kettle.