I have had a number of inquiries from readers within the past few months on the difference between the Weber Smokey Joe and the Weber One Touch. Well, in the past I have written about both of these awesome Weber grills. I detailed the Smokey Joe here and the One Touch Silver in this post but I really haven’t written about both in one article comparing them. So, I hope this satisfies the inquiring minds since I own them both and use them both religiously!
I think a picture is worth a thousand words so I made it a point to take some pictures of both of these grills out on my back deck. I also added some dimensions with my snagging tool, Snag-It, so that you have a good idea of the differences between the two.
Weber Smokey Joe and Weber One Touch Grills
(Click on any of the images below for a larger view)
Weber Smokey Joe Pros and Cons
Pros
- Easy to assemble. Within 10 minutes you can have it fully assembled and ready for grilling!
- Portability is one of the greatest features for tailgating, cooking at the beach, and camping.
- 13.5” nickel-plated cooking grate is plenty big for your everyday grilling needs.
- Nylon glass-reinforced handle is long-lasting and allows you to safely remove lid when hot.
Cons
- Cannot easily dispose of ashes in the ash pan.
- Need to place it on a table to get it up to height for easy grilling.
- When hot, you cannot move it around easily.
- Grill grate dimensions not large enough for a big crowd.
Weber One Touch Silver Pros and Cons
Pros
- Perfect height for ease of grilling.
- Wheels allow you to easily move it around your deck, even when hot.
- Larger 17.5″ grate dimension is great for when you have to cook for a crowd.
- Can easily dispose of ashes.
Cons
- Assembly takes longer than the Smokey Joe.
- More expensive than the Smokey Joe.
As you can see above, it was really hard to find any cons when it came to the Weber One Touch grill. In comparison to the One Touch, I could find a few cons associated with the Weber Smokey Joe but, to be honest, it is my favorite small grill. I use it a lot more than the Weber One Touch because when I grill it usually is for my family. Oftentimes, with a crowd, I fire both of them up simultaneously.
Needless to say, I love them both and you have to make up your own mind when it comes to which one makes more sense for you. I made it easy on myself and bought them both! If you have any other questions, please feel free to leave them in the comments or use my Contact Me page.
Bob started this passion site, Life with Grilling, in 2012. Life with Grilling has been a trusted source for grilling and barbecue tips, techniques, and accessories for over 10 years. Bob has been charcoal grilling for most of his adult life and smoking meats using a personally-configured stick-burner Brinkmann smoker since 2012.
His passion for charcoal grilling was instilled into him by his father who used charcoal on a basic grill to cook for his family on warm summer nights. Charcoal grilling and tending to his smoker has been a happy pastime of Bob’s, especially as he enters his retirement years. His love of all things grilling and smoking has allowed him to review the best charcoal grills and grilling accessories available in the martketplace and to develop many recipes, grilling tips, and techniques over the years. He is eager to share his lifelong grilling experiences and expertise through Life with Grilling!
4 Comments
This article was really well written. Which one do you recommend for having bbq parties of about 10 to 15 people?
Hi,
You might want to use both of them but the bigger one is better for that group of people.
Bob
Aw, c’mon… Ya gotta go with the full size kettle for a “BBQ party.”
Hi,
Are you talking about the 37″ Ranch Kettle grill? I don’t have one but I may be creating a whole grilling and barbeque area in my yard and would have room for it there. I only grill on my deck now and have all 3 Weber grills, the Smokey Joe, 18″ Kettle, and 22″ Kettle.
Thanks!
Bob