I am looking to go back to only having a performer kettle or kamando grill like the joe classic II or weber e6 or bge, to do everything including smoking...Ive already sold some smokers and not interested in getting another as I am not going to smoke as often anymore. Do you feel the E6 does something better than say just a plain performer and maybe a slow-n-sear? I cook everything from pizza- breakfast- normal grilling and smoking chicken and whatever else on the kettle in the past. I think my concern is will one smoke better than the other?
any buyers remorse of e6 summit purchase when compared to other weber kettles?
- Thread starter David-B
- Start date
Brett-EDH
TVWBB Hall of Fame
I endorse my E6 Kamado as the best grill I’ve ever owned. Better than any charcoal and better than my Summit S670 which hasn’t been lit since June, when the E6 arrived.
Ask away and you’ll get many happy owner’s replies.
Its efficient on coal burn and can sear at over 1000°F. And it smokes well too.
Chad-Burnt to a T
TVWBB Super Fan
Is a 26 an option or just a performer? For the price difference it would take a long long long time to pay for a e6 to pay for itself. I don't see the benefits myself. Not saying one unit can't do everything well but no way is a do all ok better then dedicated units that do great. It really depends on the capacity you need or may need as well.
Shane - glitchy
TVWBB Super Fan
Efficiency, capacity, and temp stability are it‘s biggest advantages over a Performer for smoking. A Performer w/SnS will work just fine, the WSCG will just do a little better. I love my WSCG, but honestly it’s the least used grill out of my main 3 because most days I choose super easy. However, if I was told I could only have one grill for some reason, the Summit charcoal would be the one I keep since it can do everything better than my others can do everything in comparison.
For grilling, I feel like it can get hotter too. That probably doesn’t matter for most proteins, but I think that gives more pizza potential than a standard kettle if that interests you.
For grilling, I feel like it can get hotter too. That probably doesn’t matter for most proteins, but I think that gives more pizza potential than a standard kettle if that interests you.
Bradley Mack
TVWBB Super Fan
I have an E6 and love it. I don’t have a kettle and don‘t see the need for it since I have the Kamado.
Brett-EDH
TVWBB Hall of Fame
But you lose 1/2 the surface of a 26 when you smoke. So that’s fewer rib racks. And the double walls helps to reduce coal needed for burn. And it’s super easy to manage temps.
I looked at the 26 with a SnS and decided the E6 was a better cooker for my needs. To each their own. I grill around 150+ days a year and year-round here in CA. So insulated cooks hold a high value to me.
Chad-Burnt to a T
TVWBB Super Fan
How many racks of ribs can you do flat and how much charcoal do you need for a rib cook. I don't use much on my 22 or 26 or wsm. I can guarantee my wsm can cook way more and my 26 can do 3 racks flat. Why would you need insulated cooks in CA I live in IA and do just fine without. If I wanted capacity and insulated I would spring for a insulated vertical cabinet but $3800 doesn't get me better taste. If I cooked for more then 10 people all the time maybe.
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No. Great grill and smoker with increased capacit.
Brett-EDH
TVWBB Hall of Fame
I really don’t want to argue. I was communicating to the OP of my experiences with my E6 and the OPs desire to get down to a single footprint do-many-things type of grill. Please don’t make this between me and you. It doesn’t make any sense. Thank you.
DanHoo
TVWBB Olympian
@DavidMichael I'm going to share my thoughts. Not sure if they will apply to your decision or not.
I think I would be happy with an E6, and if I were in the market it would be hard for me to spend $700 more for the XL BGE.
I have a large BGE, and while I don't plan on replacing it as it was a gift from my parents, if I had to replace it I would get an XL (24 inch gate) vs the large with only the 18 inch grate. Yes, I've seen pictures of people cooking massive amounts of food on a large BGE with stacked grates but I haven't gone there, (yet?)
a few weeks ago I was at a local dealer and checked out all the webers and BGEs, and if price wasn't a concern I would get the XL BGE, but as I said above it is hard to spend $700 more for similar cooking capability as the E6.
I think if I had to only have one grill, an E6 or an XL BGE would be that one grill.
I think I would be happy with an E6, and if I were in the market it would be hard for me to spend $700 more for the XL BGE.
I have a large BGE, and while I don't plan on replacing it as it was a gift from my parents, if I had to replace it I would get an XL (24 inch gate) vs the large with only the 18 inch grate. Yes, I've seen pictures of people cooking massive amounts of food on a large BGE with stacked grates but I haven't gone there, (yet?)
a few weeks ago I was at a local dealer and checked out all the webers and BGEs, and if price wasn't a concern I would get the XL BGE, but as I said above it is hard to spend $700 more for similar cooking capability as the E6.
I think if I had to only have one grill, an E6 or an XL BGE would be that one grill.
Chad-Burnt to a T
TVWBB Super Fan
Oh OK. So you can comeback at me yet I should just ignore. I'm giving feedback of why not to spend a grand to 2 grand vs 300 to 500 bucks for something that does just as much if not more.
I have a LBGE and a 22" kettle. I don't see a significant difference in results between the 2. First major difference is cost, but a ceramic is a lifetime investment, you'll only need to buy once. My kettle recently needed replacement parts and I could not get thing apart due to rust. Bought a whole new kettle, but both kettle costs were less than one Egg
Ceramics are rock solid, stable temp control regardless of weather. I like the kettle's ability to easily move the charcoal to the side for better indirect/smoking setup. Kettles have a way more optional items you can buy, and those are usually marginally cheaper than the Egg add on stuff. I enjoy cooking on both, would like an XL Egg for a bit more cooking area, but kettle only holds a wee bit more. In my opinion if your $ is not an issue I'd get a ceramic. If I had to get rid on one of my 2 cookers I'd probably, and this is really close, keep the Egg.
Ceramics are rock solid, stable temp control regardless of weather. I like the kettle's ability to easily move the charcoal to the side for better indirect/smoking setup. Kettles have a way more optional items you can buy, and those are usually marginally cheaper than the Egg add on stuff. I enjoy cooking on both, would like an XL Egg for a bit more cooking area, but kettle only holds a wee bit more. In my opinion if your $ is not an issue I'd get a ceramic. If I had to get rid on one of my 2 cookers I'd probably, and this is really close, keep the Egg.the ceramics intrigue me for sure, been to my local ace hardware several times as they have been demonstrating the eggs and impressed with them then I saw the E6 in person...very niceI have a LBGE and a 22" kettle. I don't see a significant difference in results between the 2. First major difference is cost, but a ceramic is a lifetime investment, you'll only need to buy once. My kettle recently needed replacement parts and I could not get thing apart due to rust. Bought a whole new kettle, but both kettle costs were less than one Egg
the kettle could do everything I want, but a rare occurrence happened yesterday while smoking half chickens...a down pour midway through the cook dropped the temp 100 degrees during about a 20 minute rain. I am willing to pay for a nice cooker as I have given up some really nice smokers lol
I guess my main concern is moving the ceramic cookers, I could see myself moving in the future and assume it takes great care to protect the cooker during that process... I still have some research to do before I decide
Darryl - swazies
TVWBB Emerald Member
There isn't a lot to worry about. They both can do the same job, the 24" gives you more options and is super efficient and gives you more room to work with.
The double wall maintains temps like a dream.
I ran within 2 degrees either way in temp for around 3 hours straight last smoke I believe.
You get the whole grill to smoke on so you do not have to indirect cook if you are just doing a smoke. Lots of room on the 24 inch.
The 22 inch works like a dream as well, less room especially since any smoke cook you have to give up about half the grill space if you want to go low and slow for anything.
I have both, they are my main 2 cookers.
E6 does all my smoking and the kettle does the rest, indirect, grilling, high heat cooks like chicken wings and rotisserie.
I wouldn't give either up unless I had to, and then I wouldn't know which one to give up.
I would like to think the E6 works as good as a ceramic kamado, but I have never used ceramic.
Ceramic is heavy heavy heavy, the E6 is movable easily.
The double wall maintains temps like a dream.
I ran within 2 degrees either way in temp for around 3 hours straight last smoke I believe.
You get the whole grill to smoke on so you do not have to indirect cook if you are just doing a smoke. Lots of room on the 24 inch.
The 22 inch works like a dream as well, less room especially since any smoke cook you have to give up about half the grill space if you want to go low and slow for anything.
I have both, they are my main 2 cookers.
E6 does all my smoking and the kettle does the rest, indirect, grilling, high heat cooks like chicken wings and rotisserie.
I wouldn't give either up unless I had to, and then I wouldn't know which one to give up.
I would like to think the E6 works as good as a ceramic kamado, but I have never used ceramic.
Ceramic is heavy heavy heavy, the E6 is movable easily.
TimA
TVWBB All-Star
That one unit will arguably out-smoke anything on the market, and it will out-grill any kettle, just on searing alone. I’ve got four 22”, one 26”, and the 24” Summit. The Summit will whip the tail out of all of them on a cold windy day, I guarantee you that. It will burn less fuel than any on a given cook. That’s just a fact of life.
I don’t know many that buy a new grill as an investment, so “paying back” is a fairly mute point in terms of dollars. A lot of us have older different colored kettles not because they somehow magically cook better or are an investment. We have them because we can, we want them. No one has any use for 9 charcoal grills....but there they are, outside as I type looking amazing as always.
Moving any ceramic around is not an issue if you have the required wheeled bases. One nit picky issue I have with the Weber stand is it only has 3 legs/wheels. I'm sure it is not an issue, but my Egg has 4, but if one of those 3 wheels hit a stone or something big enough to stop the wheel it may be easier to tip it over. Not to say a 4 wheel base would be more stable and prone to tip, but it was something that I wondered about. Probably nothing...........
Darryl - swazies
TVWBB Emerald Member
Tipping over is not something that could happen. The stability is top notch. I don't move mine because it is exactly where I need it....Until the snow flies then it moves.....then back to where it is again in the spring. It feels light, it's not super light but it feels light.