The short answer: it makes kettle barbecue easier, not magical
Smoked BBQ Source’s read on the Weber Performer Smart is straightforward. If you want charcoal flavor, the ability to sear, and a path to low-and-slow cooking without drilling holes or bolting on aftermarket gear, this kettle makes a real case for itself. The built-in fan and app control are not framed as a gimmick here. They are presented as the feature that changes the way the grill is used, especially for cooks that would normally make a standard kettle feel more hands-on.
That matters because the video is not a theory session. It is built around actual cooks: steaks, brisket, beef back ribs, St. Louis ribs, and sausage. Across those tests, the same idea keeps coming back. The Weber Performer Smart is most convincing when it is used as a charcoal cooker with assistance, not as a pellet grill pretending to be something else.
What the built-in fan changes on a charcoal kettle
The fan is the whole point of this model, and the creator keeps returning to that fact. On a regular kettle, low-and-slow cooking often means more attention, more vent management, and more babysitting. Here, the idea is to simplify that process. Once the grill is set up correctly, the controller is supposed to help hold temperature so the cook can move closer to a true set-it-and-forget-it rhythm.
The first thing the video makes clear, though, is that this is still a charcoal grill, not a push-button appliance that eliminates all setup. The bottom vent has to be closed off, the fan tab has to be pulled, and the charcoal placement matters. The creator also points out that the charcoal started more slowly than expected when he was trying to bring the kettle up to a hot grilling temperature. That is why he says he would still reach for a chimney when he just wants to grill fast.
So the fan is useful, but it is not a universal answer. It seems to pay off most when the goal is controlled barbecue rather than quick ignition.
How the grill handled steaks, brisket, ribs, and sausage
The video gives the Weber Performer Smart a wide test range, and that is where it becomes easier to understand what kind of grill it is.
For the New York strip steaks, the kettle got hot enough to sear, and the result was described as decent. The mistake on that cook was not the grill’s fault. The creator says he forgot that the steaks were cooking on both sides with the lid on, which pushed them farther than intended. That is useful because it shows the grill can do steakhouse-style heat, but it also rewards paying attention to how the lid changes the cook.
The brisket test is the most important one. This was the run meant to see whether the fan really helped with a longer smoke. The creator used wood chunks, let the cooker settle in, and eventually cooked a trimmed brisket to probe tender in about 10 and a half hours. Along the way, he notes that the kettle ran a bit unevenly at first and that a left-to-right temperature difference showed up, though it stayed close enough to be manageable. The finished brisket came off juicy, tender, and smoky, which is exactly the kind of outcome people want from a charcoal-powered cooker.
The beef back ribs followed a similar path. Once the charcoal placement made more sense, the kettle settled into a smoother 275° range and produced bark, tenderness, and good color after a few hours. The St. Louis ribs were another proof point. They cooked in under five hours and came out with pullback, a clean bite, and the kind of texture the creator clearly wanted from a backyard rib cook.
Then there was sausage and kielbasa, which are not the headline cooks but do matter. They show the grill still functions as a practical everyday cooker after the low-and-slow work is done. In other words, this is not a machine that only makes sense for all-day brisket projects.
Where the grill feels strongest
The strongest case for the Weber Performer Smart is not that it does everything better than a pellet grill. It is that it gives a familiar charcoal kettle more control without stripping away the reasons people still like charcoal in the first place.
That shows up in three ways.
First, the charcoal flavor is a central feature, not an afterthought. The creator says that smoke and fire are part of the appeal, and that comes through most clearly on the brisket and ribs.
Second, the setup stays relatively clean for a smart cooker. Weber’s packaging and assembly get positive marks, and the fan system is built into the grill rather than added on later. No drilling is a big selling point in the video.
Third, the grill still knows how to be a grill. Hot searing, quick sausage cooks, and casual weeknight grilling all remain on the table. The creator comes away feeling like he can use it for both slow barbecue and straightforward dinner cooking.
Where the cooker asks for patience
The tradeoffs are real, and the video does not hide them.
The first is time. If you want a fast hot start, the Performer Smart is not always the quickest route. The creator says a chimney still makes more sense when the goal is fast grilling. He also points out that charcoal placement and fan setup can be confusing at first, especially when the manual’s spacing guidance is not fully intuitive.
The second is size. This is a 22-inch kettle, so it is not designed for huge volume. That is not a flaw so much as a limitation of the format.
The third is that the app and controller matter most if you actually want to use them. The creator likes the app, says the graph is helpful, and appreciates the five-degree adjustments, but he also makes clear that the smart features are there to support charcoal cooking, not replace knowing how charcoal behaves.
One small practical note comes up near the end: he mentions wanting a gasket around the lid to tighten up smoke leakage. That does not sound like a dealbreaker, but it does show the grill still has room for refinement in the details.
Why this kettle gets compared with pellet grills at all
The comparison makes sense because the Weber Performer Smart is being judged against convenience as much as against flavor. Pellet grills have built their appeal around hands-off temperature control, and this kettle is trying to bring some of that comfort to charcoal.
But the value proposition is different. The Performer Smart keeps charcoal and wood in the equation, gives you the option to grill hot, and avoids the feeling that you have committed to only one style of cooking. For this creator, that combination is why the kettle starts to look more attractive than an entry-level pellet grill in the same price neighborhood.
That does not mean every buyer will agree. If someone mainly wants pellet-style simplicity and a larger cooking footprint, the kettle is not trying to win that argument. It is trying to offer a charcoal-first alternative that is easier to manage than a typical kettle.
The app, the build, and the practical tradeoffs
The app comes off well in the video. It is described as consistent, easy to use, and helpful enough to make the temperature control feel legitimate rather than decorative. The build quality also gets a positive mention. The grill does not feel flimsy, and the hardware appears solid after assembly.
There are still a few practical quirks. The smaller version uses peg legs and wagon wheels, which the creator would rather replace with casters. The grill also ships with one probe even though it has two probe ports, which leaves a little to be desired for cooks who like more monitoring tools.
Still, the final impression is clear: the Weber Performer Smart has a specific kind of appeal. It is not the answer for every backyard. It is the answer for someone who wants charcoal flavor, wants help managing it, and does not want to give up the option to sear steaks or cook a brisket the old-fashioned way.
Watch the original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_piTx8dWXI
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