Weber Master-Touch Charcoal Grill Review

Weber Master-Touch Charcoal Grill Review: Worth The Hype?

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I tailgate every chance I get. I mean what’s better than enjoying some pre-game festivities with some friends and family? But the good times will easily fade away if you don’t have an adequate grill by your side to feed the masses. Chances are you landed here while checking out some Weber Master-Touch Charcoal Grill reviews to determine whether this grill can keep the good times rolling.

Well, be glad you’re at Simply Tailgating because we have everything you need to know about this grill in our detailed Weber Master-Touch Charcoal Grill review. You definitely don’t want to spend money on this grill without reading some shocking complaints about it. So let’s fire things up, shall we?

About Weber Grills:

Company Highlights

  • Company Name: Weber-Stephen Products LLC
  • URL: Weber.com
  • Address: Palatine, Illinois
  • Founder: George A. Stephen

The Weber-Stephen Products LLC, is an American manufacturer of charcoal, electric and gas grills, including the Weber Master-Touch Charcoal Grill. The company was founded by George A. Stephen back in 1983, as a metal works shop in Palatine, Illinois, on the way to becoming one of America’s most popular outdoor and kitchen appliances companies.

Weber Master-Touch Charcoal Grill Features:

Feature Highlights

  • Fuel Source: Charcoal
  • Cooking Capacity: 363 sq. in primary; 80 sq. in warming rack
  • Construction: porcelain enameled lid, grates & cookbox, metal frame
  • Elevation: Stand-up
  • Size & Weight: 42″H X 24″W X 29.5″D; 37.2lbs
  • Assembly: Required

Weber claims you should expect endless grilling possibilities with the Gourmet BBQ System of the Master-Touch Charcoal Grill. But let’s see how far they went to back up that claim:

Porcelain-Enameled Lid and Bowl – Porcelain enamel is fairly easy to clean, making the grill ideal for outdoor use. The material doesn’t dent, rust or flake easy.

Porcelain Enameled Cooking Grate – Underneath the domed lid is a system dubbed Gourmet BBQ System that includes the enameled cooking grate, a rust resistant aluminum damper, ash catcher and a thermometer.

Tuck-N-Carry Lid Lock Carrying Handle – The Tuck-N-Carry lid lock also doubles up as a lid holder to avoid placing the lid on the ground.

363 Square Inches Cooking Area, 80 square inch warming rack – The cooking area under the lid can hold up to 13 burgers. That’s a pretty decent cooking area for a grill that weighs a little over 37 lbs.

Other Notable Features:

  • Glass reinforced nylon handles
  • Lid handle with heat shield
  • All weather wheels

Weber Master-Touch Charcoal Grill Cleaning & Maintenance:

Weber goes out of its way to make easy-to-clean grills. They recently introduced the aluminized steel one-touch cleaning system that cleans the firebox with the press of a button. So cleaning the Master-Touch Charcoal Grill should be fairly easy even while tailgating.

Exterior Cleaning

You can use a glass cleaner for the porcelain-enameled lid. You can also use soapy water and a scrub to clean the porcelain-enameled cooking grates and warming rack. .

Interior Cleaning

Use a grill brush to clean the cookbox. Once the grill cools off completely, remove the cooking grates and brush off grease and food residue from inside the cookbox through the damper into the ash catcher. The 22” grates are dishwasher safe so feel free to throw them in there. You can also use a grill brush to scrub off food residue and wash away the grease with warm, soapy water.

Storage

Since this grill is mostly porcelain-enameled, it’s not necessary to season the grill before storing it away, unlike the Blackstone 36” Griddle. Just make sure you wipe off any water residue or let it dry before storing it away. But be sure to tuck it inside a grill cover. You can get one on Amazon if you don’t own one.

Weber Master-Touch Charcoal Grill Portability:

Tailgating calls for freedom of movement, as you don’t want to carry around a bulky, bothersome grill. In this case, the Weber Master-Touch Charcoal Grill is made for the road. When closed, the grill measures 42″H X 24″W X 29.5″D and weighs just 37.2 lbs. Again, that’s an impressive weight for a 22” grill. They went on to add wheels, meaning you don’t have to do any sort of heavy lifting.

Weber Master-Touch Charcoal Grill Warranty:

With the Weber Master-Touch Charcoal Grill, the bowl and lid have a 10-year, no rust through/burn through warranty. But the one-touch cleaning system carries with it a 5-year, no rust through/burn through warranty, same case with the plastic components. All that excludes fading or discoloration. All other parts have a 2-year warranty.

That’s why it’s always good to shop where you’re confident you will get easy returns and effective customer service. So I would recommend you buy this grill on Amazon.com where you’re guaranteed quality products and hassle free returns if something goes wrong. You can also check out Walmart for reliable customer service.

Weber Master-Touch Charcoal Grill Accessories

Weber goes all in to make accessories for most of their grills, especially the charcoal-based ones. So if you want to get into gourmet-style cooking with Weber Master-Touch Charcoal Grill, here are a few accessories you can buy:

If you want the best prices on these accessories, they’re available on Amazon.com with all sorts of discounts and offers to take advantage of, like the 1-3 Day Free Delivery if you’re a Prime member. Walmart also has great deals and savings!

Weber Master-Touch Charcoal Grill Replacement Parts:

While considering replacement parts for Weber grills in general, you may want to note the diameter of your charcoal grill and the unit’s product code. This Master-Touch’s product code is 14501001, with the cooking grate, charcoal grate and one-touch cleaning system making up the unit’s replaceable components. They’re available on Amazon.com if you’re keen on getting the best deals on them.

Weber Master-Touch Charcoal Grill Cost:

There’s no guarantee that you’ll get the best price whenever you’re out shopping for a grill. But knowing where to find offers and discounts can bring you closer to scoring a good deal. That said, the Master-Touch 22” costs around $200. But if you want to get the latest best price, Amazon.com would be a clear winner since they provide great discounts. You can even get free 1-3 Day Shipping if you’re a Prime member. Shopping on Walmart.com also ensures you great deals too.

Check the latest price on Amazon

Check the latest price on Walmart

What Do We Like?

It’s not that hard to spot a grill that promises portability, easy handling and durability for the perfect tailgating grill. With that in mind, here’s what we like about this grill:

It’s easy to clean – The Weber Master-Touch Charcoal Grill is porcelain-enameled where it matters most. So unless you don’t want to clean it, you shouldn’t be struggling to maintain its shine and glory.

Portable and durable – The unit is decently small, lightweight and easy to carry while out and about. You have legs to drag it around and its 22” frame can easily fit in your trunk once you dismantle the legs.

Impressive heat retention – The porcelain-enameled lid and bowl retain heat for consistent temperatures and even heat distribution. The finish also prevents rust, cracks, and flaking while grilling over high temperatures.

Weber Master-Touch Charcoal Grill Complaints:

You simply can’t afford to ignore a grill’s drawbacks despite all the good you’ve just read about. With that in mind, take a look at where this 22” Master-Touch falls short and decide for yourself whether it’s worth the money.

Vulnerable under extreme heat – Some customers say the cooking handles all melted and the lid’s edges dented due to high temperatures meaning it couldn’t close properly. It does cook well but cooking over high heat is a sure way of melting some of its crucial parts.

Using it is not simple – Granted, there are easier grills to cook with, if what customers are saying about this one is anything to go by. Some couldn’t figure out how to go about maintaining heat while adding more charcoal, while others say the chimney gets extremely hot making it impossible to manage the temperature.

Other Tailgating Grills to Consider:

If you’re not okay with either the grill’s operation or heat management problems, you can consider checking out below other Weber Master-Touch alternatives we’ve reviewed before:

Should you buy the Weber Master-Touch Charcoal Grill?

This Weber Master-Touch Charcoal grill lives up to what we’ve come to expect from Weber. It’s decently lightweight, durable and also portable. It’s also really functional. You can remove the circular grate insert and replace it with a griddle, poultry roaster, pizza stone or any of the many Gourmet BBQ System inserts.

But they’re sold separately sadly, so you may need to spend a little more to get the most out of it. Despite some opinions we came by, the hinged grates make it easy to add charcoal while grilling. Overall it’s a great grill that’s well worth the money.

So if you like the Weber Master-Touch Charcoal Grill, you can buy it on Amazon.com for a great price and even get 1-3 day Free shipping if you’re a Prime member. Also, don’t forget to check out the deals offered on Walmart.com.

What’s Hot

  • Easy to clean
  • Compact and durable
  • Functional and lightweight

What’s Not

  • Fairly difficult to use
  • Vulnerable under extreme heat heat

So that’s my thoughts on the Weber Master-Touch Charcoal Grill. Do you think we missed something? Feel free to share your thoughts about this or any other tailgating grill you have used before in the comments section below. If you have more questions about the product, you can find answers on the product’s page on Amazon.com and Walmart.com

Chris

4 thoughts on “Weber Master-Touch Charcoal Grill Review: Worth The Hype?

  1. Hey Chris, thanks for the detailed review!

    I can’t say I’ve ever tried this Weber Master Touch Charcoal Grill, but I have had a few charcoal grills in the past and even learned to cook my first pork chop on one when I was younger. Granted, it wasn’t nearly as feature-packed as this baby but regardless it was a good start. I always prefer charcoal over propane if I have the choice.

    13 burger capacity you say? That would be perfect for the tailgate parties that I have. Now is that 13 sliders, or honest to goodness 1/4 pounders? 

    1. Hi Tyson: I love charcoal grills too, there is something special about the smell and taste of grilling with charcoal. With respect to the 13 burger capacity, I wouldn’t say 13 1/4 pounders, but something a little bigger than a slider. Glad you liked this review, happy grilling!!

  2. Hello Chris, thank you for sharing your well detailed review of the Weber Master Touch. Initially, I thought it would not live up to my expectations but after reading through your review, I think I’ve had a change of heart. It definitely seems to be a quality grill because it appears to be easy to maintain, easy to move around and extremely durable. Quite a lot of positive reasons why we should consider this grill. Thanks again.

    1. MrBiizy: 

      I’m glad you thought the review was helpful. Yes, based on our research, this is definitely a quality grill. Thanks for chiming in with your thoughts. Happy grilling!

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