Product · Weber
Weber Original Kettle 57 cm: One-Touch ash catcher
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If you want one charcoal barbecue that cooks for a typical family and keeps the fiddly parts to a minimum, the 57 cm Original Kettle is the shape most people picture. What sets this version apart is the One-Touch cleaning system: a single lever sweeps spent ash through the bowl into a removable catcher, so the clean-up after a Saturday cook takes a minute rather than a dustpan session.
- Type
- Kettle
- Grill size
- 57 cm, 2,342 cm²
- Weight
- 14.5 kg
- Ash handling
- One-Touch sweep into removable catcher
- Vents
- Lid and bowl dampers, lid thermometer
In its favour
- A 2,342 cm² grate cooks for six to eight people, according to Weber.
- The One-Touch system sweeps ash into a removable catcher for quick emptying.
- Lid and bowl dampers control heat without lifting the lid; a thermometer shows the result.
Good to know
- The plated steel cooking grate is not hinged, so adding coals mid-cook is fiddly.
- There is no side table, so you need somewhere nearby for plates and tongs.
Our take
What Weber says the kettle does
Weber describes a porcelain-enamelled bowl and lid that resist rust and hold heat, with the coals sitting close to the food for searing. The cooking grate is plated steel, and the listing quotes a cooking area of 2,342 cm², which Weber says feeds six to eight people at once.
Temperature is managed by two adjustable dampers, one in the lid and one in the bowl. Opening them lets in more air and the charcoal burns hotter; closing them slows it down. A thermometer is built into the lid, so you can read the effect without lifting it and losing heat.
Size, weight and footprint
Amazon lists the barbecue at 14.5 kg with a footprint of roughly 63.5 x 57 cm and a height of about a metre on its stand. That is light enough to wheel across a patio and small enough to tuck into a corner of a modest garden. A lid hook and tool hooks are integrated, which helps when you are juggling tongs and a plate.
The trade-off is surface space. There is no side table on this model, so plan for a small garden table or a shelf within reach.
Living with it: lighting, cleaning, spares
Because the grate is a single fixed piece rather than hinged, topping up coals during a long cook means lifting the whole grate, which is awkward when it is loaded with food. For quick grilling sessions that hardly matters. The ash catcher is the strong point for maintenance, and the listing also states a five-year availability period for EU spare parts, which is reassuring for a grill you may keep for a decade.
Assembly is required. The listing does not say how long it takes, but kettle stands are generally a matter of fitting legs, wheels and the catcher.
Against the Master-Touch and the Napoleon NK18
The Weber Master-Touch GBS E-5750 shares the 57 cm size but adds a folding GBS grate that makes refuelling easier and accepts insert accessories, at 18 kg rather than 14.5 kg. The Napoleon NK18 goes the other way: a smaller 44.5 cm grid with hinged stainless sections and hidden vents, better suited to two or three people. The Original Kettle sits between them as the simple, full-size option.
Verdict
Buy the Original Kettle 57 cm if you cook for up to eight, value easy ash removal and do not need a work surface attached. If you plan long smoking sessions where adding fuel matters, the Master-Touch GBS E-5750 with its folding grate is the better fit, and for a small balcony or a couple the Napoleon NK18 takes less room.
Compared with alternatives in: Best charcoal BBQs for UK gardens
Amazon listing title: Weber Original Kettle Charcoal Barbecue 57 cm with Stand & Wheels