Weber Jumbo Joe 18" Review
A proper kettle shrunk to 18 inches with a lid lock that turns the lid into a carry handle. It cooks like a kettle because it is one, which is not true of most portables.
- Real kettle geometry, real lid, real damper
- Lid lock becomes a carry handle
- Enough area for a genuine cook
- Very cheap
- Single bottom vent, coarser control
- No ash catcher
- Short legs, needs a heatproof surface
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Why this over a folding portable
Most travel grills are open trays with no lid, so they can only do direct high heat. The Jumbo Joe has a domed lid and a working damper, so you can cook indirect, roast a chicken and control the fire. At 240 square inches it will do roughly six burgers, which is a real cook rather than a novelty.
Sizing note
The smaller Smokey Joe is 14 inches and genuinely tight. If you are carrying it any real distance the Smokey Joe wins on weight; for a car boot, a campsite or a small balcony, the Jumbo Joe is the better cooker for very little extra money.