In many ways, these two products are very similar. They each have a charcoal grill with a lid and stands for use as a grill, fire pit or tabletop stove. But they differ in size and portability: the Jumbo Joe is much larger than the Go Anywhere and weighs more; but our mobile friend can be brought to an outdoor location that isn’t near your home, such as at a campsite or gathering place for food. The Jumbo Joe still has removable legs so it can be used on any surface you find.
Weber Jumbo Joe vs Go Anywhere – Weber’s Best Portable Charcoal Grills
Weber is a company with a long history of innovation and quality products. They’ve been making charcoal grills for more than 100 years, so it should come as no surprise that they have some of the best on the market. The Weber Jumbo Joe and Go Anywhere are two great portable charcoal grills on the market today, but which one is right for you? Let’s take a look at some features to help you decide!
Weber Jumbo Joe features a large cooking area for all your outdoor cooking needs, including searing meat or warming up side dishes for a big family gathering. It also comes with convenient carrying handles that make it easy to transport from place to place as well as adjustable vents that allow you to control how fast your food cooks on both sides of the grill grate. In comparison, one other popular option from Weber is their Go Anywhere Charcoal Grill which features an aluminum construction that makes it lightweight and easy-to-carry while providing ample space.
Table of Contents
Weber Grills Overview
A Weber grill is a common term for propane gas grills, which are named after the company that manufactures them. The Weber Company has been around since 1949 and was started by George Stephen as a metal fabrication business in Chicago, Illinois. In 1952, he began making steel barrels for bulk ice cream, then made his first grill two years later.
In 1984 The Weber-Stephen Products Co. became the largest manufacturer of charcoal grills in the world selling its products to 50 countries worldwide. By 1989 they were selling more than 1 million units annually until being acquired by Zippo Manufacturing Company in 1991 to become a subsidiary of Zippo under the name “Weber-Stephen”. Shortly thereafter, they moved their manufacturing plant from Palatine, Illinois to a larger facility in Elk Grove Village, where they remain today.
In 1998 the Weber-Stephen Corporation was acquired by Weber Group Ltd., then restructured and became Weber-Stephen A.G. (an international holding company) based in Switzerland with its principal offices in Austria. In 2008 “Zippo Manufacturing Company” spun off to form its own independent company called Zippo; thus ending the ownership affiliation between the two brands which lasted over 15 years and remains under their current umbrella corporation to date.
Today, Zippo/Weber manufactures gas grills, smokers and accessories worldwide and distributes all products from their main facilities in Illinois, Pennsylvania and Nebraska while having other plants that manufacture or assemble certain parts for their units.
Weber Jumbo Joe?
Weber’s Jumbo Joe is a propane-fueled portable kettle barbecue that you can use just about anywhere. It comes with legs, side tables, cooking grate, aluminum warming rack and regulator hose with an on/off switch.
– What Makes It Unique?
Well, the first thing that makes it unique has to be its name. You don’t see many products called “Jumbo Joe.” But the main thing that sets this little barbecue apart from others is its size—it’s more than twice as large as most other kettles on the market. This lets you cook two pork butts or four racks of ribs simultaneously without cutting down between them. Or you can smoke or grill enough food for eight people.
– What Else?
The Jumbo Joe also has an adjustable charcoal basket inside the fire bowl, so you can grill using direct or indirect heat, depending on what you’re cooking. It comes with an aluminum ash catcher that cleanly drains into a sliding drawer. The heavy-duty steel grate keeps small pieces of food from falling through the grate onto the coals below (and it’s reversible for longer life). And like most other kettles, it has hinged cooking grates for easy access to your food while it’s cooking.
– How Heavy Is It?
It weighs about 35 pounds—a little less than the Weber Smokey Joe Gold (which is 30 pounds), though this one holds twice as much food.
– What’s the Cost?
The Jumbo Joe costs about $150 at home centers, camping stores and barbecue retailers. It comes with a 10-year warranty against rust, defects and breakage.
– What Else Should I Know?
It also costs nearly three times as much as many other similar grills on the market, including Weber’s Smokey Joe Gold (about $50 for this model). But if you’ll be cooking large amounts of food often, this is definitely your best bet. Or if you just want to impress your friends by serving up lots of tasty meats without having to grill them one or two at a time.
You may like this: 10 Best Weber Grill Reviews Consumer Reports
Pros and conf of Weber Jumbo Joe
Pros
– The pros of the Weber Jumbo Joe are that it is made out of carbon steel, which makes it able to be used on various kinds of grills, including charcoal ones.
– A second pro of this grill is that it is lightweight and foldable so it is easy to transport and store.
– Thirdly, there are no tools or assembly required to set up the grill.
– Fourthly, the small size allows for flexibility in cooking space since many grills can easily accommodate two racks but most cannot fit three at once.
– Fifthly, the price point allows people on a budget an option to purchase their own high quality gas grill without breaking the bank.
– Finally, its light weight makes it easy for consumers who do not constantly use their grill (i.e. households with children) to efficiently move the grill from place to place inside or outside without help from a second person.
Cons
– The cons of this grill are that it does not have a built in thermometer, meaning the user will have to purchase one separately and is most likely going to affect how they cook their food because the temperature cannot be personalized for each individual rack.
– Additionally, since there is only one burner under two racks, this grill does not provide a variety of grilling options such as direct vs indirect grilling since it can only be used on one side at once.
– Finally, another downside is that due to its size, the heat output may not always be consistent throughout both racks which could lead to differences in cooking time
Weber Go Anywhere
The Weber Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill is a compact and lightweight charcoal grill which is designed to be taken on picnics or camping. This product has received good reviews from experts at several online sites such as Amazon.com, Target, HomeDepot.com, etc
The design of this product hasn’t changed much over the years – the only major changes have been to materials used in its construction and accessories that come with it. From an aesthetic point of view, I must say that the black matte finish with gold-colored trim looks great and complements most outdoor furniture very well. The legs fold up for easy carrying and there is a handle attached near one end for easy portability.
As far as grilling ability goes – the Weber Go-Anywhere performs very well – much better than expected. The primary cooking area is quite large and can easily accommodate several hamburgers or hot dogs for a barbecue party at the park. There is also enough space to fry a fish filet, and you can even place a small whole chicken if you want your meal to be really ‘authentic’ (although I would advise against this as it might be difficult to adequately control heat).
Weber’s Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill is perfect for tailgating and picnics. It’s easy to assemble and transport, and it cooks like a champ. And with its compact size of 14.5 by 22.5 inches (W x D), you can take it anywhere! With the two nickel-plated cooking grates, you get 363 square inches of cooking space on legs that fold up flat under the grill so you can store it in your car trunk or even hang it from a tree branch while camping.
Your Go-Anywhere charcoal grill comes equipped with three adjustable air vents that provide precise control over the airflow inside for even heat distribution, plus cool touch handles and a removable ash catcher for easy cleaning. The durable steel body is protected by a porcelain enamel finish to prevent rusting, and the hinged cooking grate doubles as a lid holder so you don’t have to fumble around looking for something to prop it open with.
– Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill Features
- 363 square inches of total cooking space .
- Includes two nickel-plated cooking grates.
- Sturdy folding legs fold flat under the grill for easy storage in your car trunk or hang it from a tree branch while camping.
- Adjustable airflow vents provide precise control over heat distribution • Removable ash catcher for easy cleanup.
- Porcelain enamel coating prevents rusting.
Pros and cons of Weber Go-Anywhere
The Weber Go-Anywhere is a portable, self contained grill that can be used in an elevated or even horizontal position to cook roughly 300 hamburgers. It has a porcelain enameled cast iron grate, and its lid is vented which allows for better heat control by allowing the exchange of hot air within the grill. The Weber Go-Anywhere costs about $129 dollars at most retail stores around the nation.
Pros
According to some online reviews this grill offers great cooking ability. Some users of this product claim it works just as well as their larger more expensive grills such as the Weber One Touch Gold charcoal grill, but that it’s much easier to carry around and clean than those larger models. It weighs less than 14 pounds, which is extremely light.
Cons
The Go-Anywhere doesn’t offer the same cooking space as the larger Weber grills, so if you plan on cooking for big crowds be prepared to do it in stages. It also doesn’t offer the same level of durability as the larger models due to its smaller size and weight, plus it’s more expensive than most other portable grills. Some reviewers claim that they have experienced problems with uneven heating due to slight warping of the grill’s base where it attaches to the stand.
Conclusion: This product is great for those who are limited on space but still need a way to enjoy their favorite grilled foods. Due to its portability some users may find themselves limited as to where they can actually grill, but it’s a great item to have for those times when you just don’t feel like going through the trouble of lighting up a big Weber. The Go-Anywhere is also much easier to clean than other types of grills because it comes with a snap-in catch pan that keeps food from falling into the bottom of the grill or between cracks and crevices.
In my opinion this product falls short compared to other Weber products, yet still serves its purpose very well. I would rather carry around one of their larger models myself because it offers increased cooking space and increased durability over time, not to mention a lower price tag. However due to its portability and ease of use I could definitely see how some users would prefer it over the larger, more expensive models.
Comparison: Weber Jumbo Joe vs Go Anywhere
– Company:
Both the Weber Jumbo Joe and Go Anywhere are made by Weber-Stephens LLC.
If you don’t trust me on this, look at the end of the companies’ names; “Weber-Stephens.” If that still doesn’t confirm it for you (what kind of proof do you need?!) look at the other parts of each company’s name; “Jumbo Joe” and “Go Anywhere.”
– Dimensions:
The Weber Jumbo Joe is less than 42 inches tall (original, 13 inch model), 36 inches wide, and weighs 53 pounds. It has a cooking surface of 363 square inches.
The Go Anywhere is less than 3 pounds, about 1 foot tall, and a little over 1 foot wide. It has a cooking surface of 340 square inches.
– Weber Jumbo Joe vs Go Anywhere – Frame:
The Weber Jumbo Joe’s frame is steel with porcelain-enameled coating for durability and resistance to rust. It also has heat-resistant nylon handles for safety when moving the grill around. It comes in two colors; black or orange/grey striped.
The Go Anywhere’s frame is aluminium alloy making it lightweight but durable to withstand wind exposure up to 30mph (original tests show the grill able to hold up against a number of harsh conditions including cold weather). It can fit into small spaces because of its small frame, yet is tall enough to keep your food from touching the ground. It comes in three colors; red, orange/yellow, or silver.
– Disposable drip pans:
The Weber Jumbo Joe’s disposable drip pans fit tightly into the grill and slide out easily (for quick clean up).
The Go Anywhere’s disposable drip pan can be removed for cleaning by pulling it out then rinsing it off with water (no soap necessary). It also fits tightly inside the grill and has a tight-sealing lid to hold in heat and moisture while cooking. The drip pan is made of aluminum which heats up quickly and evenly causing for quick cook times.
– Shipping:
The Weber Jumbo Joe is shipped in 1 or 2 boxes; the box containing the legs and stand weighs about 27 pounds (shipping weight is around 28 to 32 pounds) while the grill itself weighs about 26 pounds (shipping weight is around 24 to 26 pounds). It comes with assembly instructions.
The Go Anywhere is shipped in just one box weighing less than 3 ounces, but has an approximate shipping weight of 5 to 10 ounces. It also comes with assembly instructions.
– Weber Jumbo Joe vs Go Anywhere – Price:
The Weber Jumbo Joe’s price varies depending on size, color, availability etc. You can get it for $59-$109 at Lowes, $59-$120 at Wal-Mart, $69.99 at Home Depot, or $74.99 at Target.
The Go Anywhere’s price varies depending on size, color, availability etc. You can get it for $29-$40 at Lowes , $31-$42 at Wal-Mart, or $33-$45 (depending on size) at Amazon.
– Weber Jumbo Joe vs Go Anywhere – Grill maintenance:
The Weber Jumbo Joe is designed to be easy to clean with its removable aluminum ash catcher and grease management system; no special tools are required. Just open the lid and pull out the disposable drip pan then wipe down the grill grates (no soap neccessary). Replace the firebox and grease tray after every use to ensure maximum heat efficiency by removing any burnt food, leaving the grill clean and making cooking easier.
The Go Anywhere is designed to be easy to clean with its removable aluminum drip pan. Just open the lid, pull out the disposable drip pan, wipe it down with a damp cloth or sponge (no soap neccessary), reinsert the pan back into the grill, close the lid… That’s it! No need for heavy scrubbing like most other grills require.
– Weber Jumbo Joe vs Go Anywhere – Cooking:
The Weber Jumbo Joe has an approximate surface temperature of 400°F-600°F while using 10 charcoal briquettes (read about them again in my last blog post). Charcoal briquettes are recommended for best results because they “burn at a predictable rate and produce more heat faster than lump charcoal” which is what most other grills use for fuel.
The Go Anywhere has an approximate surface temperature of 400°F-500°F using 5 charcoal briquettes as fuel. Charcoal briquettes are recommended for best results because they “burn at a predictable rate and produce more heat faster than lump charcoal” which is what most other grills use for fuel.
– Cooking time:
The Weber Jumbo Joe has a cooking time of 45 to 60 minutes with 10 pieces of charcol briquettes, whereas the pit boss would take between 40-60 minutes to cook on it depending on wind exposure that day (that’s what makes outdoor grilling riskier than indoor grilling). The Go Anywhere’s cooking time is around 45 minutes, which isn’t too bad since I only cook for myself.
>>> See more: Pulled Pork on a Weber Grill (Weber Jumbo Joe vs Go Anywhere)
Conclusion
Weber is the undisputed king of charcoal grills. With a wide range of high quality products that are all designed to be durable, portable and easy to use, it’s no surprise that Weber is one of the most popular brands on the market.
Weber Jumbo Joe vs Go Anywhere – which is the best portable charcoal grill for you? If you are looking for a well-built, durable and versatile product that will stand up to any circumstance, then the Weber Jumbo Joe may be your best bet. For those who want something more lightweight or less expensive, but still reliable enough to cook just about anything in style on the go, we recommend checking out the Go Anywhere. Whichever model suits your needs better can’t wait to give it a try!
See more:
Z Grills vs Traeger Pellet Grills: Our Complete Brand Comparison
