Customer Reviews

Weber 761001 22 1/2-Inch One-Touch Platinum Charcoal Grill, Black

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

After helping prepare a meal with my parents' Weber Performer grill (the one with the gas ignition), I was sold on the idea of getting another Weber grill. I had a smaller 18.5" Smokey Joe that was good for an apartment and two people, but wasn't big enough for entertaining properly, and I wanted to get something larger.

The features of the Platinum combine the time-honored design of the bulbous Weber grill with the convenience of a cart to handle the bevy of items that you need handy when you're grilling.

The large cooking grate can fit much more than the 18-incher that I had before, and the flip-up sides make it easy to add more charcoal (natural wood charcoal, of course), if necessary. The side table is indispensable to anyone who has had to to balance the lid, tongs, and a plate full of brats and not end up with some or all of it on the ground.

I looked at a lot of charcoal grills, and this unit is the best balance of price and features. I would like to have the handle-based thermometer like the Performer has, but that's a small criticism for a great grill.

This was first written in 2002 Here is my update WE STILL HAVE THIS GRILL IN 2006 and it is still going strong. It has made many a happy steak on it and I can say 4 YEARS later WE LOVE OUR WEBER! We would have been through 4 gass grills by now the way their burners rust out. So celebrate your food while having one of the last built to last products in the world. Long Live WEBER! they rock!!!

(((from 2002)))---->This is a great grill. The price is comparable to a cheap gas grill but the quality of this grill far surpasses competitors. It is amazing how we forget how much better BBQing over charcoal is so much tastier!! We will NEVER go back to gas again.

This Grill has many features that make it convenient. The side table is very roomy, the grills dome lid circulates the heat perfectly for even cooking, it comes with hooks to hang utensils and was very easy to assemble! The feature that makes it an awesome grill is the charcoal ash catcher pot that is directly underneath the grill. You just push a lever side to side and all the ashes fall into the pot making cleanup a breeze. There is definitely no charcoal mess with this grill. We love it!

Weber grills have stood the test of time as the best outdoor grills ever made. These grills can cook ANYTHING, but more imprortantly, cooks everything to delicious perfection. However, the One-touch platinum series ups the ante even further! Not only does it have the same craftsmanship and attention to quality that has been a Weber trademark for years, the ammenities of this grill are simply amazing! First of all, its an incredibly sturdy and durable grill, it has a really nice heavy plastic table for setting anything on (I mean this little table thing is really nice and most of all durable). It also has a lid holder located on the side (no more having to find a place to set a red hot grill lid!), it has a utensil holder for hanging grill utensils, a metal grate underneath for storing grilling stuff, metal charcoal baskets for indirect cooking (comes with the grill as a package deal) and the nicest feature is the ash catcher underneath, making removing ash totally painless and best of all clean (so no more ashes all over the deck ;) Having used (and LOVED) a One touch silver series grill since I was old enough to peer over the top of the kettle, the platinum series is really an incredible grill, I cant say enough about it. If you want the BEST in charcoal grills get the one touch platinum!

Gas grills just don't cut it. Sure, they're easier to clean and easier to start, but they're strictly second rate when it comes to, you know, actually grilling food.

You want to, you need to, you have to grill over charcoal.

And this Weber One-Touch is the way to do it.

First you start with the classic apple-shaped Weber pit. The deep bottom allows for a real volcano of charcoal, so you can really sear the outsides of those thick steaks you just bought. Second, the tapered sides help move the heat around like in a convection oven, so your chicken comes out evenly cooked, without drying out the thin parts. Third, the big ash can underneath helps make the clean up almost as easy as a gas grill.

Some nice little modern touches include a large work area, a big storage shelf at the bottom, and a good rack for all your tools. There are even a couple of wheels to keep you mobile.

We bought this grill early this summer, and I think I've cooked indoors all of once since then.

As an avid cook and fanatic outdoor cook, I grill, BBQ(yes there is a difference), and smoke nearly every weekend as well as 3-4 nights a week all year long.

I purchased the Weber Platinum as my new grill replacement and i only have minor modifications I would do. I love the clean up, it is really easy. However, the sliding "rakes" don't overal lap their coverage. For example, when you slide the rakes back and forth to push the ash into the basket, you are left with a little ash in the kettle as the rakes miss a small part between each other. Making the track that the slider travels in a little longer would solve this. (A tin snips will also fix this if you are interested)

The only other thing I would improve is the height and clearance of the lid. I know weber says there lid design is intended to reflect heat and improve cooking, but the lid is too shallow to allow for large times like a Turkey and most importantly, Beer Can Chicken (Chicken standing upright placed on a can). THere just isn't enough clearance for a chicken to stand upright. Also, because the lid it too shallow and therefore closer to the fire, the handle gets hot. I wear kevlar mitts when I grill so it isn't a big factor, but the handle gets hot, period.

All in All I would buy this grill again. I like the large cook area, the hinged cooking grate, the charcoal baskets are nice, and the clean up it easy and CLEAN. It is VERY well built and will last a long time even with the high use I put it through.

The table cracked during the first week of use on my new Weber One-Touch Platinum. I learned that the model I bought was a leftover 2003 and that many customers have complained about cracked tables. Now there is a new 2004 model available in some stores with an updated table made with stronger plastic in order to correct the problem. Therefore, I am getting mine replaced this weekend.

I rate the One-Touch Platinum four stars because the kettle grill is as fantastic as indicated by the 5 star reviews on this website. Therefore, I will not repeat all the reasons that others are already stating why this kettle grill is the best in its class.

From my review, you can learn to avoid the 2003 model and buy the later 2004 model. The difference between the two is that the 2003 has a light gray table that is nearly solid in color. The updated model has a pebbled gray and black sturdier table top.

I would also like to add that I rate Weber's customer support a 5 on a scale of 1 - 5. I had no problem getting their assistance to replace my grill. They were polite, helpful, and concerned. Visit there website to get wonderful recipes, learn how to decided which grill is best for you, how to use your grill, and so much more.

I will be back to rate the 2004 model after I have used it several times.

Have fun grilling and eating with friends/family this summer!

Michelle Rathke

Finally, Weber came out with a one touch charcoal grill with an ash catcher and an attached table. This is one of those creations I have waited for years to own. I no longer have to try and find a working area while I'm barbecueing. Also the innovative way the kettle lid fits into it's own holder is truly a work saver. I have owned 3 Webers but, until now I was disappointed the Weber didn't have a satisfactory work surface, utensil storage and enclosed ash catcher. This is the perfect charcoal grilling machine.

I've had this grill for about 3 months and hear are some thoughts I have about it.

Assembly was reasonably easy. It took me about 30 minutes and I had to backtrack one time because I put a plastic bracket on the wrong side of the tube. It quickly became apparent I screwed up and was easily fixed.

It's very nice to have that nice big work table and tool hangers. The grill itself is a standard 22.5" weber kettle, but mounted on a cart instead of the typical 3 legs. You get the charcoal baskets to make indirect grilling easier and the hinged grill grate to make adding wood chips a snap. The ash catcher is nice feature. After the ashes are cold, it is easy to detach and dump them. There is also a rack underneath for storing coals, tools, etc.

The vents handles are either insulated or long, both are easily handled while grilling.

The grill only gets 4 stars because of what I consider 2 design flaws. 1. Instead of the lid hooking to the rim of the kettle, it slides to the side into a little holder. The holder is on the side of the kettle. Since the lid does not slide in enough to completely clear the grill, this means the lid gets in your way often while grilling. The lid should have been designed to slide further down, or slide backwards out of the way. 2. No temperature guage in the grill. Selling for $200 almost anywhere, they could have added a temperature guage in the hood or the top edge of the kettle. The Weber Performer grill has this feature in the lid. You can buy a Performer grill lid as it fits the same, but I'm told it's $75 or so. I hope Weber comes out with an easy add a thermometer kit. I also would have preferred work surfaces on both sides of the grill, but that's no big deal.

I've enjoyed this grill while using it for indirect or direct grilling. It does a great job.

Four of my friends have purchased a Platinum after seeing mine.
This grill is a great improvement over the 22.5' Weber Gold. Gone are the days of trying to move my Weber Gold (and Silver) to another area of my yard and one of the three legs rattles out! The platinum is more like a cart and is no problem to tote around.
The Platinum kept the hassle-free ash catcher, but they removed the inside lid hook (Gold) and replaced it with a rolling mechanism that allows you to just tuck the lid to the side for quick, one-handed access. The "thermowhatzit" countertop is a really welcome touch. The three tool hooks on the side are rock-solid, and indicative of the quality you see throughout the entire grill.
One word to describe this grill? Sturdy. The Platinum weighs around 75lbs and is in no danger of toppling in a wind storm.
It looks as if some of the reviews to the 22.5' One-touch Platinum were written by people using other grills. The Platinum took me less than 30 minutes to assemble while watching TV.
If you are a purist and truly appreciate chemical-free grilling and smoking with real woods, there is no better grill.

The work surface, storage basket, tool hooks, and lid holder make this one worth the extra money over the standard tripod kettle. Quality of manufacture is excellent, everything fit perfectly at assembly. Cooks great, this replaced my gas grill. I went from the standard Weber kettle, to a gas grill, back to good old charcoal with this one. I'm very happy with my purchase.