Hey All of You 26.75" Kettle Owners


 
G Savrnoch

G Savrnoch

TVWBB Super Fan
So I love my Performer - goes without saying. I do lots of indirect cooks, some direct grilling from time to time and some smoking (indirect). For our family of 4 I have found by the time I have our main items on the grill e.g. chicken breasts etc.... and a side or 2 e.g. foil pack of potatoes, asparagus, etc..... I am 100% grill space.

Giving serious consideration to a 26.75" OTG as my go-to charcoal rig.

For the most part reading online - most guys/gals that have these seem to love them and the added space.

The only negative I have read about (other than price vs. the 22.5 OTG) is the legs - can be more wobbly under the added weight. Just makes me think if I eventually ungraded to the Craycort cast and had a 15 lb. brisket in there - will it hit the ground :confused:?

Open for feedback, opinion, experience, etc...

As always - thanks.
 
My friends son just bought one and I was looking at it last week. I had heard of the wobbly legs. If it was me, I would use Grill Grates instead
of the Craycorts, they are much lighter and won't rust. Weber may have made some unannounced changes to the legs, his was not wobbly at all.
So there you have , here I am trying to talk myself into a new 26. They would look great in colors too I think.
 
I love my 26.75" kettle. Very versatile. I can easily smoke 3 racks indirect. Has plenty of space for grilling. In my mind, better to have the space and not need it, than the other way around.
 
Keep the Performer AND add the 26.75 inch kettle. I have one, and I have the Craycort grates on it too. Though the grill has an ever-so-slight wobble with the CI grates in, the legs are NOT a serious safety issue. I have no concerns with the grill collapsing. At all.
 
The problem is NOT that it is wobbley when it is stationary.


The problem is that the 3 flanges that hold the legs to the bowl weaken over time, ESPECIALLY if you drag the kettle around on its wheels. When they weaken, the kettle leans backward like R2-D2.



If you ever move a 26" kettle, pick it up and carry it. Don't drag it by the wheels.
 
Darrel - aside from suggesting R2D2 falls over like a drunken sailor, thanks for the tips. Thanks to all in fact you've made me less concerned with the "wobbly leg" issue which means I'm nearly out of excuses why NOT to buy a 26er :roll eyes:
 
Hmmm. I Have a 26.75 and have been very happy with it. But, now that you mention it, mine tilts backward signifcantly. I don't recall when I first noticed it. I Kinda thought it had always been that way and that I was just noticing. I' e had mine for probably 5 yrs or longer. But, you have given me something to think about. Is there a standard fix for it?


To the original post, I still love mine. I originally planned to get rid of my 22.5. But, I find that I can usually cook faster, get hotter fires and use less charcoal than my 26.75. So, I still use it. The size difference between the two is far greater than I imagined too. Sometimes I even have them both going at the same time. I might put veggies on one and meat on the other.

You will enjoy it. Go for it.
 
if you have a problem with your 26 leaning, and it's less than 10 years old, then contact weber. they'll probably ship you a new bowl for it.

my experience lately is nothing but positive with my 26. i cook on it almost daily.

20150514_185059_zps7d3qu03t.jpg
 
I went down that path that Stu and Steve did with their 26.75" OTG's and made a Mini Ranch and could not be happier.

IMG_1657_1.jpg


I call this 26" to Nirvana! The OTG with the Cajun bandit Rotisserie ring and an 85 Gallon Big Drum Smoker clone with a Hunsakers Smokers Vortex Firebasket and OTG lid.

Go BIG or get off the deck!
 
Darren C. said:
You are correct. I actually called Weber last week. They sent me a new bottom that I received yesterday.
Click to expand...

they stand by their products. glad to hear you got it worked out.

does your new bowl have the leg sockets with the clips on it? i've heard that new style is much more stable.
 
the leg sockets have a hole in them right?

if so, that'd be the new bowl. did you get pieces that lock the legs in place?

it's supposed to be a big improvement, making it super stable.
 
My 26 gets used the most (have three performers also). It is the one grill I would pick if I had to have only one. If you want something bigger and sets on four legs get a ranch kettle.
 
Greg, the leg sockets in the new bowl do have a hole in them. I have removed the bowl from the box and put the box in my attic. I didn't notice pieces that lock the legs in place. I haven't swapped the bowls out yet. When I do, I'll check the box for the locking pieces.
 
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