Weber Original Kettle vs. Weber Kettle Premium: What's Actually Different?
If you're comparing the Weber Original Kettle to the Weber Kettle Premium, here's the short answer: the cooking is identical. The differences are all about convenience — and whether those conveniences are worth an extra $50 depends entirely on how you cook.
Here's exactly what changes between the two models, and what you're actually paying for.
Weber Original Kettle vs. Weber Kettle Premium: The Real Differences
Both grills share the same 22-inch cooking grate, the same porcelain-enameled bowl and lid, and the same one-touch cleaning system. The core design is unchanged. What the Premium adds:
1. Hinged cooking grate This is the most useful upgrade. The Original has a solid, one-piece grate — to add charcoal mid-cook, you have to lift the food off. The Premium's grate has two hinged sections on the sides that fold up, giving you direct access to the charcoal below without disturbing anything on the grill. If you do longer cooks — ribs, chicken, anything over 45 minutes — this matters.
2. Built-in lid thermometer The Original has no thermometer. The Premium adds one to the lid. It's not a precision instrument, but it tells you whether you're in the right range for low-and-slow, medium, or high-heat cooking without lifting the lid.
3. Tuck-away lid holder A small hook on the side of the bowl where you hang the lid while you're tending the food. On the Original, the lid goes on the ground. Minor thing — until you've done it three hundred times.
That's it. Those are the three differences. For around $50 more, that's what you get.
Going Further: The Weber Master-Touch
If the Premium isn't enough, the next step in Weber's lineup is the Master-Touch (~$260–$330). The Master-Touch adds the Gourmet BBQ System (GBS) grate — a removable center section that accepts Weber accessories like a griddle, wok, or Dutch oven insert. It also has a more durable handle and comes in more colors.
Whether the Master-Touch is worth the jump from the Premium depends on whether you'll actually use those accessories. If you're just grilling and smoking, the Premium does everything the Master-Touch does at a lower price.
What About Kamado Grills?
If you're considering stepping outside the Weber kettle family into ceramic kamado grills (Kamado Joe, Big Green Egg), you're making a different kind of decision. Kamado grills use thick ceramic walls that hold temperature far more efficiently than steel — which matters a lot for 6–12 hour low-and-slow cooks. They're heavier, harder to move, and typically start at $500 and go well past $1,000.
For most backyard grillers, the kettle — Original or Premium — is plenty. But if you're doing serious smoking on a regular basis, kamados are worth knowing about.
Build Quality
Both the Original and Premium use porcelain-enameled steel bowls and lids. Genuinely durable — many owners report 15+ years of regular use. The porcelain won't rust or peel with normal care, and Weber sells replacement parts for virtually every component on both models.
Temperature Control
The Original and Premium control temperature exactly the same way: a one-touch bottom vent and a vent on the lid. Both are capable of everything from searing at 600°F to holding 225°F for a slow cook. The hinged grate on the Premium makes longer cooks more manageable by letting you add charcoal without disrupting the setup.
Which One Should You Buy?
Buy the Weber Original Kettle if: You mostly grill burgers, steaks, and vegetables for 30–40 minutes at a time. The extra features on the Premium won't change your experience much.
Buy the Weber Kettle Premium if: You do longer cooks — ribs, pork shoulder, spatchcock chicken — or want to experiment with two-zone cooking and smoking. The hinged grate and thermometer will get used every session.
Buy the Master-Touch if: You want the accessory system and plan to actually use it.
For most people: the Premium is the better value. It's not dramatically more expensive, and the convenience improvements are real. But the Original is not a lesser grill — it's one of the best grills ever made at any price point, and plenty of serious BBQ cooks use it for life.
Cooking for a crowd? Read our guide on the best BBQ grills for hosting friends. Shopping for the holidays? We cover the best grills for Christmas — with gift ideas at every budget.
About the Author
Derek Hollis has spent the last 12 years testing grills, smokers, and outdoor cooking gear for a living — first as a backyard hobbyist who couldn't stop buying grills, then as a full-time product reviewer. He's fired up and broken down more than 150 grills across every price range. When he's not testing gear, he's hosting backyard cookouts for friends and family in Austin, Texas.
