22 in. is full

My 22" is full more times than not. Tonight I cooked 6 legs and 6 thighs. Started indirect for about 30 min then cooked direct for crisping up. The 22" Performer was full. Cooking steaks for 4 peeps is the same.

So I am the owner of a curbside 18" free kettle and a $35 Performer. May have to ante up for a 26.5" kettle. The 18 is great for camping trips. The Performer will provide a work surface...perhaps by the end of the year, I can talk myself into a new 26.5.

Steve, Same here. Tonight I cooked up a standard package of drum sticks for 2 adults and 2 teenagers. I too use both the direct and indirect method to do chicken. Frankly, there really wasn't enough room to get them all over the coals, then move them all off the coals. Forget about room for sides........ The 22.5 is just barely adequate for a family of 4 normal eaters. I can always adjust my grilling to go in phases or some other work-around, but feel the 26 inch is more than welcome at my place.

BTW, all those drum sticks were eaten, It's really not alot of chicken.

Ok, cooking for four is tight on the 22.5 grill. With the 26.5 they say we'll get 40% more area. I will assume that means we could cook for six. One wonders if cooking for eight may work. This exercise brings up images of the Weber Ranch! Now that is a man's grill! 1100 square inches. So the 22.5 has @ 400 inches, the 26.5 @560 inches and the Ranch has 1100 inches. Hmmmm.