Charles Jacobs Large Charcoal Barrel BBQ with Mini Smoker And Accessories

Although a little tedious to assemble, the instructions are clear and all the parts are well presented and labelled. Once assembled, the unit is very sturdy and more professional than I expected for the money. Lots of room to cook a quantity for 8 people and easy to clean afterwards. The adjustable air vents and the thermometer allow the temperature and burn rate to be controlled to achieve a good result - not burnt on the outside and raw in the middle. The lid closes down which enables the unit to be used as a smoker - just add some oak or hickory chips to the fire.

Okay I read several reads for this product offered by several sellers and chose this because the description was best. Instructions are bad, let's not beat about the bush. In a couple of places they are just wrong, but with a bit of common sense you can work it out.The shelves "DO" fold down. I suspect those reviewers whose don't, have tightened too much or they are not trying hard enough. To lift, you rotate to horizontal, then push down and click them into a lock position, then click up and rotate down to fold down. "Simples".It is big in terms of surface area, for family of 6, you should be able to do everything in one go.It is sturdy when in use, but you don't want to move it around too much. Ensure it is built properly and tightly or it might start to shake apart (like most self construct BBQs). I expect to get about 4 years out of this, maybe more.The curved lid is great although quite heavy, so needs to be treated with a bit of care. Because of the angle we can actually store by the fence under the trellis/plant which hands over the top.No paint peel yet, good size and about the sort of standard you expect from things theses days. If you build it properly and don't abuse it, it should serve you well. Only one issue so far, in that the barrel leaks when cooking. Not a big issue, but just expect it. Check dimensions first, great size for us and quality is fine. Utensils a bonus!

I assembled it in two hours, instructions are very clear. Material quality seems sturdy enough. I bought a tent with it to save it from rain, I guess I will use that for years.

Used twice since i first got it.Fairly simple to assemble however certain tasks like connecting the top drum of the bbq to the bottom one is a 2 man job and the lack of at least a small wrench to hold while screwing everything tight was apparent. Grill itself is very large and there's enough room for charcoal to grill for 10+ people easily. I've grilled chicken, pork and vegetables on it and the resting rack was very useful to keep the food warm before serving or for slightly larger pieces to cook through without burning after the inital sear(if the rest of the grill is already full)One small note: the included tongs arent very good, i suggest getting a decent pair but the overall package is worth it.

Allow a couple of hours for assembly. There are quite a few bits to put together. Everything went together well, everything lined up and tightened up. Both shelves drop down for storage which wasn't clear from the conflicting reviews. The barbecue is solid and looks the part. A good temperature was easily achieved and sustained for a few hours. I cooked some marinated steak for 4 minutes a side and it was lovely. It's much bigger than my previous kettle barbecue which is perfect for me. Air flow control purists might not be happy that the lid doesn't seal to the base. In practice, the air control works well. It enabled me to cook without burning everything which is always appreciated!

Not very well packed resulting in the surface coating becoming scratched due to metal parts rubbing against each other or it was already damaged before packing. With a little more effort and thought by the manufacturer this could be a better product but it's all a bit meh. I suppose it will do the job but no idea about its durability, only time will tell, but I suspect it will quickly deteriorate.Overall I'd say that I'm underwhelmed by the Charles Jacobs Large Charcoal Barrel BBQ with Mini Smoker And Accessories.

Very difficult to assembleSmall bits missing, ans some too manyToo many small components to assembleBit wobbly

Assembly wasn't the easiest and had to undo then redo it a couple of times which was frustrating. Once it was built though it felt very sturdy and looked well. Cooked with it the first time over the weekend and it worked really well. The coals got plenty of air and burned with little encouragement so was able to cook quickly and get good even heat for all the food. The ash bucket is a good feature and makes cleaning easy.