Weber Performer Deluxe vs Summit Charcoal


 
BKHahn

BKHahn

New member
Hi,

I'm looking for some guidance from the folks here on my next grill. I currently have an older 22" kettle that I upgraded with the ash catcher myself, and a WSM 18" that I use for smoking. I'm debating replacing my 22" kettle with either the Performer Deluxe or the Summit Charcoal. The features I'm looking forward to are the gas ignition, better lid holder, and the side table. There have only been a few times I've wished I had more space on the grill which only the Summit would help with. However I'm curious if folks feel the Summit has too much overlap with the WSM. I wouldn't plan on smoking on the Summit so most of the cooking would be standard grilling although I would consider trying pizza. Tell me your thoughts comparing the two (or if there's something else I should consider)!

Thanks
 
Huge price difference between the two. Performer will cook just like your current kettle. I have two, a newer Deluxe and an older one with a stainless steel table. Love being able to light the charcoal with one and setup my charcoal baskets on the other. You could still do this by keeping you old kettle around.
I’ve heard great things about the Summit, and if I ever come across a deal on a used one I’ll get it, but that’s out of my price range buying at $1,000+

If you go the Performer route, check out the Slate Blue one sold by Crate and Barrel
 
Either are great cookers. I have a Performer myself and the side table and stability is great. Gas start is nice, but isn't all that necessary. The main advantage to the 22 performer is the lower cost and ability to use about any accessory out there.

If you live in very cold climate you might get more use with a Summit given its insulation that not only provides for better efficiency of charcoal, but also allows you to keep temps even when its freezing outside. I have not cooked on one myself, but I would no doubt love to have one. The big downside is the cost. If you want a side table you are talking at least $1,000 used to $2,000 new. The other disadvantage is the size of the kettle being an odd ball size of 24 inches (and the spacing between grates being different) making compatibility with accessories mostly a no go. The larger size is an advantage though.

If you are kind of handy you could try something a little different and pick up a Performer and a 26er and do a 26 performer mod. This would get you the larger size, the side table, and you could add the gas start. Or just do what a lot of us do and buy all three. :p
 
I just gifted to my good neighbor and friend my excellent three(3) year old Weber 22" Mastertouch Grill. My BBQ Arsenal now consists of a WSM 18" "Classic", Weber Smoky Joe and a fairly new Weber Performer Deluxe(WPD) Grill. Due to limited storage space the wife and I decided to gift the excellent Mastertouch Grill to make room for the new WPD which has the propane charcoal ignitor and metal table which makes it easier to move around on the patio and still can use the many, many accessories collected over these past years for the Weber 22" grill(s).

I have never used the Weber Summit but have seen many YouTube Videos showing that it appears to be one-great grilling unit. As stated in the comments above the cost of this unit is out-of-reach for many of us average grilling folks.
 
Last edited:
I have a Performer Deluxe and I'll say that once you use the gas ignition, you'll never go back to using newspaper, etc.

As others have pointed out, the price difference between the Performer and the Summit is significant. I will say that since I also have the 18" WSM, between that and the Performer, there is absolutely nothing you can't cook....
 
Thanks for all the comments so far - I really appreciate them. I guess I'm looking for feedback on how well the Summit Charcoal handles grilling as compared to a 22" kettle. That's something I don't want to sacrifice, but I certainly could use the extra grate space of the 24 on the Summit. The 26" is out because there's not a model with the table and ignition with it. To be honest, the only reason I'm even considering the SCGC is because I found a store that's willing to sell me the SCGC model for a couple bucks more than MSRP on the standalone Summit Charcoal.
 
BKHahn said:
Thanks for all the comments so far - I really appreciate them. I guess I'm looking for feedback on how well the Summit Charcoal handles grilling as compared to a 22" kettle. That's something I don't want to sacrifice, but I certainly could use the extra grate space of the 24 on the Summit. The 26" is out because there's not a model with the table and ignition with it. To be honest, the only reason I'm even considering the SCGC is because I found a store that's willing to sell me the SCGC model for a couple bucks more than MSRP on the standalone Summit Charcoal.
Click to expand...

Amongst the sea of kettles in my collection, a 2014 Copper Performer Platinum and a Summit Charcoal Grilling Center sit side by side on my deck. I love them both, but truth be told, the Summit is superior in almost every way. By design, the Summit is a superior Kamado for low and slow and a superior kettle for grilling. They designed it that way and it delivers. It's construction is substantial and high end. It is something a picture doesn't convey at all. It truly is a product that you need to use to appreciate. Once you cook on it, a kettle seems like a basic, yet functional tool. The Summit is a piece of high end cooking equipment.

Since you are worried about grilling, I'll try to be short. Don't worry. It's a better performing grill than a Performer. Why? Grilling space and searing power. The 2 extra inches makes a difference. Not as much a the 26er obviously, but there is a difference. The action of the lid also makes a big difference. Access to the cooking surface is much more natural and convenient. Next, this grill flows air like I've never seen. It's very easy to get 600°-700° temps on it; with or without a vortex insert. Combine that with the fact that when the coal grate is in the upper position, the coal baskets are directly under the cook grate, almost touching it. That makes this a searing monster. That also allows you to take advantage of the bigger space by putting your coals to the side, creating a huge space for offset grilling. I love to reverse sear on this thing. It does it very well.

About the only advantage the Performer has over the Summit is in coal lighting time. Where the Performer can be ready to cook in 10-15 minutes, the Summit can take 20+ minutes when it's fuel grate is in the grilling position because it's so far away from the burner due to its deep Kamado like belly. 98% of the time I use the burner with the Summit, but, if I'm in a rush, I use a chimney with a cube to light it.

Hope this helps a bit.
 

Attachments

  • 20200408_205018.jpg
    20200408_205018.jpg
    100.7 KB · Views: 63
  • 20190527_163033.jpg
    20190527_163033.jpg
    191.4 KB · Views: 64
Last edited:
Chris Z: Nice write-up! Weber products are more expensive here in Costa Rica in which last January my new Weber Performer Deluxe(WPD) cost me $550 out-the-door. As of this date I have not seen a Weber Summit on display with the few Costa Rican Weber Authorized Dealers here in the San Jose Area but I would guess that a new Weber Summit like-yours would be in the neighborhood of around $2,500 plus. Ouch!; and I gather that the Weber Performer in your posted photo is now gathering a lot-of-dust??
 
Last edited:
Richard Garcia said:
Chris Z: Nice write-up! Weber products are more expensive here in Costa Rica in which last January my new Weber Performer Deluxe(WPD) cost me $550 out-the-door. As of this date I have not seen a Weber Summit on display with the few Costa Rican Weber Authorized Dealers here in the San Jose Area but I would guess that a new Weber Summit like-yours would be in the neighborhood of around $2,500 plus. Ouch!; and I gather that the Weber Performer in your posted photo is now gathering a lot-of-dust??
Click to expand...

$2,500? Ouch is right .. Up here in the US they sell for $1,999. They should have been priced at $1000 for the standalone and $1500 with the cart. They could have parked these things next to Big Green Eggs in every Ace and Tru Value in America with a sign inside saying, "Is your Kamado all that it's cracked up to be?" along with an image of cracked BGE in the ground. Instead they marketed it to their existing Weber customers trying to say that it replaced their WSMs and their kettles all while pricing it out of reach for the average kettle and WSM buyer. Such curious marketing. It was a total fail IMO.

As far as that Copper Performer goes, nope, she isn't collecting dust. It was my 40th B-Day present a few years back and was the gateway to my obsession with collecting kettles. It has a fond place in my heart. I just used it last week to make some sweet tatsing strip steaks and some burgers and fries before that
20200414_210226.jpg. 👍🏼
 

Attachments

  • 20200421_203635.jpg
    20200421_203635.jpg
    128.3 KB · Views: 16
Someday I'll own a Summit Charcoal, based on Chris Z's post alone. Lol.

But, I have a certain personal love affair with the Performer. I got my first performer 4 or 5 years ago. Brand new crimson Performer. Loved that grill and as my Weber collection grew over the years to 10, the performer was always the workhorse of my collection and that redhead was still the star.

Now, I had stopped using the gas assist since I used the side burner on my Genesis, also crimson, to start my chimney. So, when I found a 2 table platypus on CL for $100, I had to make a decision. My wife was never going to let me just get another grill. Lol. So, I had a buddy that needed a grill and would use the Performer to its full potential, while the platypus, also crimson, would be a perfect replacement for the Performer and I was happy it was going to a home that needed her.

But, as much as I enjoyed finally owning a platypus, I had pretty instant remorse for selling the Performer. The good news is that it finally got me off my *** and I finally restored/cleaned up the 1999 SS Performer that a friend had given to me a few years ago.

tvwbb.com

My free redhead SS performer that I need to finish up

So, a little over 2 years ago a friend of mine was posting pictures of some work being done in his back yard. He posted this picture: He had a tree removed and they damaged his power pole. Of course my immediate comment was that he needed to take care of his poor performer. He immediately...
tvwbb.com tvwbb.com

I've cooked on it twice now since I got it rolling, and I can't tell you how much it feels like my world is back in order. Maybe that sounds crazy, but it really has been a great feeling to get a Performer back into its rightful place at the center of my collection. I've been cooking on Weber grills for many years, including several kettles, but there is something different about the Performer, especially a SS, if you can find one.

Just my opinion, but if you choose the Performer route, I don't think you'll be disappointed. ****, you can buy a Performer and an 18 WSM for far less than the Summit and do it all. Again, just my personal thoughts on it. When I have people ask my opinion on buying a grill, I always say that a gas assist Performer is the best single grill you can own, especially considering cost as a factor.
 
Last edited:
Kyle in Woodstock said:
Mike,
Thought of your grill when I watched this video.
Guy installed a big 26" kettle on a platypus frame, so awesome.
Fast forward to 3 min 52 seconds.

Click to expand...

Wow, I would have never thought a 26 would fit like that without any other modifications. I guess because it's taller?

I also groaned when he showed his NexGrill gasser, until he opened it and it was a pantry. LOL. That was fantastic. Thanks for sharing.
 
MikeLucky said:
Wow, I would have never thought a 26 would fit like that without any other modifications. I guess because it's taller?

I also groaned when he showed his NexGrill gasser, until he opened it and it was a pantry. LOL. That was fantastic. Thanks for sharing.
Click to expand...
I did the same thing! It that were mine I'd probably pry the NexGrill badge off and throw it in the trash, haha
 
Thanks for all the feedback folks. I've gone ahead and ordered the Summit Charcoal but due to Illinois shutting down Weber they're a bit behind on shipping products. Sounds like they're back shipping again and hopefully it should be arriving in the next week or so.
 
BKHahn said:
Thanks for all the feedback folks. I've gone ahead and ordered the Summit Charcoal but due to Illinois shutting down Weber they're a bit behind on shipping products. Sounds like they're back shipping again and hopefully it should be arriving in the next week or so.
Click to expand...
Wow, congrats on the purchase!

I ordered parts from Weber over the phone last week and it took about 4 days to get them. One was a bowl for a 26" and the other a table for a performer, so somewhat big items. I'm sure they will ship out soon.

Keep us updated on your thoughts after cooking on it. Very jealous of your new rig!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top