Slow N Sear 22" Kettle Charcoal Grill Review

There used to be a time when everyone had one barbecue grill, and didn’t think much about it. The fuel of choice was charcoal briquettes because nothing else was available. Today, with the invention of the internet, most barbecue enthusiasts own several types of grills and smokers, and they don’t even know why.

Is it boredom? An obsession or hobby? A lifestyle? Who knows?

I have owned literally thousands of dollars in barbecue grills thanks to YouTube influencers. The mega video platform is the second-largest search engine in the world and where most men spend their time online. Manufacturers have realized that YouTube is a great way to market their products.

History of the Kettle Grill

The Weber Kettle Grill was invented in 1952 by George Stephen, who was working for the Weber Brothers Metal Works in Chicago. Demonstrations were performed across the United States showing how the kettle grill was superior to other charcoal grills.

The protein of choice for the demo was a turkey, so they could show how their humble kettle grill can handle a cook that is challenging for most in a kitchen oven. What most people don’t know is that Weber has the patent for a three-legged kettle grill. This is why when you buy a different brand, they usually have four legs.

To say the kettle grill has transformed the way people grill food outside would be an understatement. The kettle is as popular today as it was seventy years ago. The versatility of a round kettle grill can't be beat, and it has proven itself to be a mainstay in our society for years to come.

The Slow N Sear Kettle Grill Was Born

With all great inventions come improvements over time, either by the original inventor or someone on the outside looking in. SnS Grills (previously Adrenaline Barbecue Company) was founded by David Parrish in 2014 with the invention of the Slow N Sear. The Slow N Sear is an accessory that was created for the Weber kettle grill to offset the charcoal fire to one side for more versatility and control when cooking.

Because the Weber Kettle has its shortcomings when it comes to low and slow cooking, David decided to create his own kettle grill that would address some of these shortfalls. These features include the smoke hole, probe port, side table, and vent on the same side as the temperature gauge.

Whether you're grilling steaks on high heat or low smoking baby back ribs, the Slow N Sear Kettle Grill has got you covered. The sheer simplicity of a kettle grill will put your mind at ease, and they can withstand anything you can throw at them, including bad weather.

What Makes the Slow N Sear Kettle Different?

By the time you read this article, other kettle manufacturers may have started including some of these innovative features. When these were first introduced, many of them took the market by storm because they made so much sense. They are much needed improvements that took the kettle to the next level.

Slow N Sear Deluxe with Water Reservoir

The Slow N Sear Deluxe is a heavy-duty stainless charcoal basket with a water reservoir. It is designed to offset the charcoal fire in a kettle grill for two zone cooking whether that be for grilling or low and slow smoking. The water reservoir holds one quart of water, which is expected to last around five hours while cooking at 225F.

Easy Spin Grate with Charcoal Access

If you love cooking steak, having the ability to spin the grate over two zones is a game changer. On Guga’s YouTube Channel, he demonstrates how to cook a steak perfectly by using the cold grate method by rotating the 22” Easy Spin grate which comes standard with the Slow N Sear Kettle Grill.

Adding charcoal is easy with the hinged grate that allows you to access the charcoal basket without completely removing the grate. You can move the charcoal around or stir to remove ash mid-cook, which is something you can’t do if the charcoal is directly below your proteins.

Vent on Same Side as Temp Gauge

By having the top vent on the same side as the temperature gauge, this allows you to set the pit up for low and slow cooking and accurately measure the temp of the grill where your proteins are cooking. If you look at a standard Weber Kettle, the temperature gauge is on the opposite side of the lid as the vent.

This puts the temperature gauge over the charcoal side when you have it set up for low and slow. There is no way to get an accurate reading on the side of the grill where the meat is sitting if your temp gauge is directly over the fire.

Side Shelf

A side shelf is a must for any grill. You feel lost without one. The Slow N Sear kettle grill comes with one side shelf that is rated to hold 20 lbs. It is the perfect size, and it folds down when you’re ready to store and cover the grill. This reduces its footprint, therefore taking up less room on your porch or in your garage.

Smoke Hole

If you love to cook low and slow at 225F, you’re going to enjoy the Smoke Hole feature. This is a hole that is at the bottom of the cook chamber on the front of the grill to allow for air intake when smoking. It is designed to be used with the bottom vent closed, and it has a slide cover to adjust or fully close the hole.

Temperature Probe Port

Located on the upper-right side of the grill near the side shelf is a probe port with slide cover. This port is designed for all you barbecue enthusiasts who love to keep a leave in thermometer in your proteins. This port is near the side shelf, so you can attach your magnetic thermometer or place it on top.

Lid Cradle

In the early days of kettle grills, there were no lid cradles. Many models just had a small hook on the inside that was awkward to use. The lid cradle can be used with your eyes closed and almost becomes automatic when you need to check your food on the grill. It also does a great job not scratching the lid when opening and closing.

Easy Bottom Clean Out with Handle

If you are a seasoned outdoor cook, you know one of the worst things about most grills is the cleanup. Kettle grills with the no touch ash removal system make this a breeze. By moving the vent adjustment back and forth, the blade on the inside of the grill will push the ashes through the vents down into the bowl, which can be removed with a twist for easy disposal.

Lower Rack

If there is nowhere to set accessories and pans, they usually end up on the ground. The Slow N Sear Kettle Grill has a bottom wire rack that is great for keeping pans, grates, and tools off the ground.

Front Toolholder

Most people who grill have a couple of accessories they use for moving proteins or hot grates. The SnS Kettle has two hooks integrated in the front plastic handle to keep your favorite tools front and center.

Temperature Gauge

The temperature gauge is mounted in the lid of the Slow N Sear Kettle Grill, and the probe does not interfere with meat in the pit. My only gripe about the temp gauge is the numbers are small and difficult to read.

Heat Shield Underneath Top Handle

This may not sound like a big deal, but it is when you're grilling at over 400F. The heat that comes off a metal lid is intense, and having this shield protects your hands when you're not wearing gloves.

Plastic Wheels

Two plastic wheels are included to make it easy to roll your kettle grill around your deck or patio. The large wheels also work well in thick grass without any issues.

Accessories

The accessories mentioned here are just a few offered by SnS Grills. They have other great products like cooking tools and a carbon steel Plancha that would transform your kettle into a flat top grill.

Upper grate

The upper grate for the Slow N Sear Kettle Grill allows you to almost double your cooking capacity. For instance, instead of cooking only two racks of ribs, you can smoke four racks with the upper grate installed. That is a lot of cooking capacity for such a small footprint.

The upper grate can also be placed directly over the charcoal for grilling. This allows you to put some space between the intense heat of the charcoal fire to slow down the cook a bit.

Stainless-steel Drip N Griddle Deluxe Pan

The Drip N Griddle pan does not come standard with the Slow N Sear Kettle Grill. SnS Grills offers drips pans in stainless steel, cast iron, and porcelain coated. I opted for the stainless steel for easy cleanup and no rust.

One thing to keep in mind is the Drip N Griddle pans can be used to catch the drippings during a cook, or you can use them as a griddle. You can foil line the pan when cooking for easy cleanup. If you intend to use it primarily for a griddle, you might want to opt for the cast iron. The stainless-steel pan will warp if put over a full chimney of charcoal due to the extreme heat.

Kettle Grill Cover

The cover offered by SnS Grills for their kettle seems to feature a quality construction and design. It is designed to fit perfectly over your kettle with the side table folded down, and it provides coverage all the way down to the ground.

Starting Kettle for Low N Slow

One of the best ways to start the Slow N Sear Kettle Grill for smoking is to use a couple of tumbleweed fire starters placed on one side. Once you light them, it should only take around 15-20 to establish a good charcoal bed on one side that will burn across throughout the cook.

Food Cooked on Slow N Sear Kettle Grill

Baby Back Ribs

Baby back ribs can be rendered out naked (without wrapping) in about 6 hours at 225F, and about 4 hours if you run the grill closer to 250-275F. Two racks fit perfect laying flat, or you can opt for a rib rack to add a few more racks stacked on their sides. The upper rack accessory will also allow you to cook four racks of ribs at one time.

Chicken Halves and Breasts

Because you have two zones for cooking, you can cook proteins off the fire or directly over the fire. The upper rack accessory works great to cook food over the fire without too much flare up.

The upper rack is large enough to hold four chicken halves, which greatly increases your cooking capacity. You can choose to place it over the charcoal or on the low and slow side of the grill, depending on what you're cooking.

What’s nice about having two zones for cooking is after the chicken has finished smoking, and it's getting close to its target temperature, you can lay it skin down over the charcoal to render the skin. Options are endless with a Slow N Sear set up.

Easy to Adjust Temperature

One of the advantages to a metal kettle grill over a Kamado grill is the ability to lower the temperature much quicker if needed. Anyone who has owned a Kamado grill knows once you get it up over 400F, it’s challenging to get the temp back down for low and slow cooking or reverse searing.

The metal in a kettle will dissipate heat much quicker than the ceramic in a Kamado. Yes, this does mean Kamado smokers are more efficient with charcoal usage, but a 22” kettle is not going to break the bank. It’s the best balance between size, efficiency, and versatility I have seen in any barbecue grill.

How Long Does Charcoal Last?

If cooking low n slow at 225F, SnS Grills says you can expect a full basket of charcoal with the water reservoir in place to last around 8–10 hours. If you take out the water reservoir, that will free up room for more charcoal. The one quart capacity of the water reservoir will last around 5 hours before needing to be refilled when smoking at 225F.

Conclusion

Good barbecue is very subjective. Most people are looking for all around good barbecue when cooking at home, and a kettle will provide that over and over without much effort. If you're looking for a higher capacity dedicated smoker, The Pit Barrel Cooker may be a better choice for you.

Yes, spending twelve hours smoking brisket on a premium offset smoker may be superior, but a properly cooked brisket on a kettle grill will get you 90% there. Plus, that extra nap you were able to sneak in because you weren’t having to tend a fire will make sure you are well rested for your dinner guests.

The Slow N Sear Kettle is the best backyard grill and smoker for most people who are looking to cook outdoors for friends and family. It can tackle low n slow, bake at 325F or sear the perfect steak all in a 22” footprint. If you need more cooking room, you can purchase two, which is less than the price for a large 18” Kamado and affords you much more space and versatility.