The Weber Summit Kamado E6 is worth buying if you want kamado-style heat control without committing to a 100kg ceramic egg. It costs about £1,429 direct from Weber UK, with some UK barbecue retailers listing it closer to £1,275, so the real question is not the headline price alone. It is the practical value this big insulated steel Weber offers over a classic kettle, a ceramic Kamado Joe or the wider premium BBQ shortlist in our Weber vs Kamado Joe vs Big Green Egg comparison.
In This Article
- Weber Summit Kamado E6 Review UK: Quick Verdict
- Price, Size and What You Get
- Cooking Performance: Searing, Smoking and Everyday Grilling
- Build Quality, Moving It and UK Weather Use
- Accessories, Fuel Costs and Real Ownership Costs
- Weber Summit Kamado E6 vs Ceramic Kamados
- Who Should Buy the Weber Summit Kamado E6?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Weber Summit Kamado E6 Review UK: Quick Verdict
The Weber Summit Kamado E6 is the one I would buy if I wanted a premium charcoal barbecue that still feels familiar on a wet Tuesday evening. It is not as romantic as a ceramic kamado, and it does not have the red showroom drama of a Kamado Joe Classic III, but it is lighter, easier to move and more forgiving for people coming from a Weber kettle.
The short answer
Buy it if you want one barbecue for:
- Fast weeknight grilling: burgers, skewers, chicken thighs and steaks without a long warm-up ritual.
- Low-and-slow smoking: pork shoulder, ribs, brisket flats and whole chickens held around 110-130°C.
- Big family cooks: the 61cm grate gives more usable space than most 47cm or 57cm charcoal grills.
- UK garden storage: steel construction is less fragile than ceramic if it needs wheeling around a patio.
Skip it if you mainly want the deepest ceramic heat retention, a built-in cart table, or a showpiece barbecue that looks expensive from across the garden. For that, the Kamado Joe Classic III at about £1,950-£2,200 or Big Green Egg Large at about £1,495 still has the emotional pull. No judgement. Barbecues are half appliance, half garden theatre.
Best overall buyer fit
The best overall buyer for the Weber Summit Kamado E6 is a Weber kettle owner who has outgrown a 57cm Master-Touch but does not want to learn a completely new grill. The E6 keeps the kettle logic: charcoal below, lid on, vents doing the work. The difference is the insulated steel body, adjustable fuel grate and bigger 61cm cooking area.
Weber’s own UK specification lists the Summit Kamado E6 at 114cm high, 88.3cm wide and 90.9cm deep with the lid closed, and a weight of 66.23kg. That is heavy enough to feel planted, but not in the same awkward category as a ceramic kamado that often needs two adults and a careful route through the side gate.
Price, Size and What You Get
At the time of writing, the official Weber UK Summit Kamado E6 page lists it at £1,429 including VAT. John Lewis has shown it at the same £1,429 price, while BBQ World has recently listed it at about £1,275. I would treat £1,250-£1,430 as the normal UK buying range rather than waiting for a miracle half-price sale.
That puts it above the Weber Master-Touch, which is often around £300-£380, and below or around many ceramic kamados once you include carts and accessories. It is also in the same mental basket as high-end gas grills and outdoor pizza ovens, so the E6 needs to do more than cook sausages.
What comes in the box
The core package includes the insulated steel barbecue, integrated mobile stand, stainless steel Gourmet BBQ System hinged cooking grate, two-position fuel grate, ash catcher, lid thermometer and charcoal baskets. The Gourmet BBQ System centre section matters because it accepts Weber inserts such as griddles, sear grates, Dutch ovens and pizza stones, but most of those are extra purchases at roughly £45-£150 each.
The bits I would budget for straight away are:
- Premium cover: about £115 from Weber, useful if it will live outdoors.
- Chimney starter: about £25-£35 from Weber, B&Q or Amazon UK.
- Lumpwood charcoal: around £15-£25 for a decent 8-10kg bag.
- Heatproof gloves: about £20-£35, because the vents and grate changes get hot.
- Digital probe thermometer: about £30-£90 depending on brand and number of probes.
That means a realistic first-year spend is closer to £1,550-£1,700 if you are starting from scratch. If you already own Weber tools, a chimney and a decent thermometer, the extra spend is much lower.
Size in a UK garden
The E6 is a big barbecue, but not a ridiculous one. On a small patio, it needs the same kind of clearance as a large kettle plus room to stand safely with the lid open. Pair it with our patio dining set size guide if your garden layout is tight, because the barbecue itself is not the only space problem. You need prep space, a safe hot zone, somewhere to put food down and a route back to the kitchen.
The 61cm cooking grate is the headline advantage. For a family, that means you can cook chicken thighs on one side and vegetables on the other without turning the whole meal into a relay race. For entertaining, it gives enough space for two-zone cooking: charcoal banked to one side, food finishing gently on the cooler side.
Cooking Performance: Searing, Smoking and Everyday Grilling
The best thing about the Weber Summit Kamado E6 is that it behaves like a grown-up kettle rather than a fussy ceramic shrine. Open the vents, use a chimney starter and it gets hot quickly. Close it down and the insulated body holds a steady low temperature far better than a thin steel kettle.
High-heat grilling
For searing steaks, burgers and chicken, the E6 is excellent. The adjustable fuel grate lets you raise the charcoal closer to the cooking grate, so you can get proper direct heat without using a mountain of fuel. That is the bit I like most. On many large grills, you end up burning too much charcoal just to make a modest cooking zone hot enough.
In practical terms, expect a chimney of good lumpwood charcoal to handle a family grill session. If you are cooking for eight or doing repeated batches, you will use more, but the E6 is not wasteful. Owners often praise it because it can run hot without the leaky, frantic feel of cheaper steel barbecues.
Low-and-slow smoking
For ribs, pork shoulder and whole chicken, the Weber Summit Kamado E6 is much closer to a ceramic kamado than to a normal kettle. The dual-walled steel body insulates the fire, and the lid/vent arrangement gives fine enough airflow control for long cooks once you learn its rhythm.
The trick is patience. Do not overshoot the target temperature and then spend 40 minutes fighting it back down. Start with a smaller charcoal load, bring it up gently and make small vent changes. From using kettle-style charcoal grills, the biggest beginner mistake is treating the vents like an on/off switch. They are more like a tap. Tiny changes matter.
Everyday grilling
This is where the Weber makes its best argument against ceramic kamados. A ceramic grill can be superb, but it often feels like a weekend object: heavy lid, slow heat soak, careful cool-down, expensive accessories. The E6 feels more casual. You can light it for two steaks and not feel silly.
If you mostly cook pizza, a dedicated outdoor oven from our outdoor pizza oven guide will still be easier. If you mostly want burgers, a cheaper Weber kettle is enough. But if you want one charcoal cooker that can grill on Friday and smoke on Sunday, the E6 starts to make sense.
Build Quality, Moving It and UK Weather Use
Weber has built the E6 around porcelain-enamelled steel rather than ceramic. That choice changes the whole ownership experience. It is not as heat-mass heavy as a ceramic egg, but it is tougher when moved, less scary around patio steps and easier to reposition when the UK weather changes its mind at 4pm.
Steel versus ceramic
Ceramic kamados hold heat beautifully, but they are unforgiving if knocked, dropped or moved badly. The Weber’s steel body is still premium, but it feels more practical for a family garden where bikes, footballs and garden furniture covers all compete for space.
The trade-off is that steel does not have the same thick, oven-like feel as ceramic. If your dream barbecue is mostly about overnight brisket and bread baking, ceramic still has a charm the Weber cannot fully copy. If your use is more mixed, the steel body is a strength.
Moving and storage
At 66.23kg, the E6 is not light, but it is manageable on a level patio. The integrated stand and casters are a big part of the appeal. You can move it for cleaning, shelter it near a wall after use and turn it away from gusty wind. Try that with a big ceramic kamado and you soon start making excuses.
I would still buy the cover. UK rain, pollen and winter grime make uncovered outdoor cooking kit look tired quickly. If the grill lives near trees, also check the vents and ash catcher before each cook. Damp leaf debris and old ash are a miserable combination.
Safety in real gardens
Use it outdoors only, on a stable non-combustible surface, away from fences, sheds and overhanging branches. That sounds dull until you see someone park a charcoal barbecue under a pergola because it started raining. Bad idea. London Fire Brigade’s barbecue safety advice is clear on keeping barbecues away from sheds, fences and trees, and it is worth reading before building any permanent BBQ corner: barbecue safety guidance.
If your patio is small, do not wedge the E6 next to the dining table. Give it a clear cooking zone. For permanent layouts, our small patio ideas guide is useful because the safe answer is often moving furniture, not squeezing the barbecue harder into the corner.
Accessories, Fuel Costs and Real Ownership Costs
The Weber Summit Kamado E6 is not just a £1,429 purchase. It is a small outdoor cooking system, and the accessories decide how enjoyable it becomes. The good news is that Weber’s UK ecosystem is strong. The annoying news is that every useful extra seems to cost £25-£150.
Accessories I would buy
Start with the boring kit:
- Weber chimney starter, about £25-£35: faster and cleaner than lighter fluid.
- Premium cover, about £115: not exciting, but it protects a very expensive garden appliance.
- Probe thermometer, about £30-£90: the lid thermometer is useful, but meat temperature decides doneness.
- Charcoal rake or long tongs, about £15-£25: useful when setting up two-zone fires.
- Drip pans, about £8-£15: essential for low-and-slow cooks and easier cleaning.
Then consider cooking inserts. A Weber sear grate is useful if you cook steaks often and usually sits around £55-£75. A pizza stone is fun at roughly £45-£70, but if pizza is your main event, I would rather put that money towards a specialist oven. Weber’s Dutch Oven Duo is about £149.99, and it is brilliant for stews, chilli and braised meat, especially if you like the idea of cooking outside without standing at the grill every five minutes.
Fuel costs
Good lumpwood charcoal is usually £15-£25 per bag in the UK, with restaurant-grade fuel costing more. Briquettes can be cheaper and steadier, often around £10-£18 per bag, but lumpwood suits fast high-heat cooking better. For smoking, you may add wood chunks at about £8-£15 a bag.
The E6’s insulated body helps here. You are not paying ceramic-kamado money for magic, but you are paying for a cooker that wastes less heat than a thin steel barrel. Over a full summer, that can save several bags of charcoal if you cook often.
Cleaning and maintenance
The One-Touch cleaning system is a very Weber feature, and it matters. Ash management on cheap charcoal grills is often the chore that kills enthusiasm. On the E6, you still need to empty ash fully and keep the vents clear, but the process is tidier than scraping out a basic bowl grill.
After greasy cooks, brush the grate while warm, empty the ash once cool and leave the vents slightly open under the cover so trapped moisture does not sit inside. If you already maintain timber or metal furniture outside, the same mindset applies. Small regular jobs beat one horrible spring rescue. Our garden furniture winter protection guide has the same basic lesson: cover it, clean it, and do not store it wet and filthy.
Weber Summit Kamado E6 vs Ceramic Kamados
The Weber Summit Kamado E6 is not trying to be a red ceramic Kamado Joe or a green Big Green Egg. It borrows the heat-control idea but keeps Weber’s steel-kettle DNA. That makes it better for some buyers and less special for others.
Where the Weber wins
The Weber wins on mobility, familiar controls, grate size for the money and lower fragility. If you have used a Master-Touch, the E6 feels like an upgrade rather than a reinvention. It also has a huge 61cm cooking area, which is more generous than many classic-size ceramic kamados.
For mixed UK use, that matters. You might do halloumi and chicken skewers one weekend, ribs the next, then a tray of vegetables for a family lunch. The E6 handles that range without demanding a new accessory for every idea.
Where ceramic still wins
Ceramic wins on heat mass, theatre and that sealed-oven feel. A Kamado Joe Classic III, usually around £1,950-£2,200 in the UK depending on retailer and bundle, gives you the Divide & Conquer rack system, SlōRoller smoking insert and a heavier ceramic body. A Big Green Egg Large is usually about £1,495 before you start adding stands and accessories, and that brand still has the strongest heritage pull.
If you love slow barbecue as a hobby, the ceramic route may feel more rewarding. If you want a premium charcoal barbecue that still behaves like a practical garden tool, the Weber is easier to live with.
The direct comparison
Think of it this way:
- Choose Weber Summit Kamado E6: if you want the most practical premium charcoal all-rounder.
- Choose Kamado Joe Classic III: if you want the strongest in-box accessory package and ceramic smoking performance.
- Choose Big Green Egg Large: if you want the iconic ceramic brand and long-term ecosystem, with the grill itself around £1,495 before accessories.
- Choose a Weber Master-Touch: if you mostly grill and want to spend under £400.
That last point is important. The E6 is not the value pick for casual burger cooking. It only earns its money if you will use the smoking, two-zone and large-capacity benefits.
Who Should Buy the Weber Summit Kamado E6?
The Weber Summit Kamado E6 is best for keen home cooks who want one serious charcoal barbecue without turning the garden into a shrine to barbecue gear. It is premium, but still practical. That is its lane.
Buy it if
Buy the E6 if you already know you enjoy charcoal cooking and want to move beyond a basic kettle. It suits people who cook outside at least two or three times a month from spring to autumn, and occasionally through winter. It also suits families who need grate space and people who want to try smoking without buying a separate smoker.
It is a strong choice if you care about:
- Large cooking area: the 61cm grate gives you proper room for two-zone cooking.
- Lower fragility: steel is less nerve-racking than ceramic in a busy garden.
- Weber support: parts, accessories and UK retailer availability are easy to understand.
- Mixed cooking: searing, roasting, smoking and normal grilling all work.
Do not buy it if
Do not buy it if you are still unsure about charcoal cooking. Start with a £100-£350 barbecue first. You will learn your habits quickly: how often you light it, how much you mind ash, how much you enjoy temperature control, and how often the family actually eats outside once April optimism meets UK weather.
Also skip it if you want side shelves and a cart workspace built in. The E6 has a stand, not a full outdoor kitchen. You can add a prep table, but that is more space and more money. For some gardens, a gas BBQ with side shelves is more convenient, even if the flavour is less interesting.
My final take
I would buy the Weber Summit Kamado E6 over a ceramic kamado for a normal UK family garden where the barbecue needs to be moved, covered, used often and not treated like a museum piece. I would choose Kamado Joe instead if smoking is the main hobby and the extra weight is not a problem.
For most buyers looking at the Weber Summit Kamado E6 review UK searches, the answer is yes, it is worth it, but only if you will use the range. If you just want Saturday burgers, save the money. If you want one charcoal barbecue that can grill fast, smoke slowly and survive real garden life, the E6 is one of Weber’s best premium buys.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Weber Summit Kamado E6 worth it in the UK? Yes, if you want a premium charcoal all-rounder for grilling and smoking. At about £1,275-£1,429, it is too expensive for casual burger-only use, but strong value if it replaces both a kettle barbecue and a smoker.
How much does the Weber Summit Kamado E6 cost? Weber UK lists it at £1,429 including VAT, while some UK barbecue retailers have recently listed it around £1,275. Budget another £120-£250 for a cover, chimney starter, gloves and thermometer if you do not already own them.
Is the Weber Summit Kamado E6 better than a ceramic kamado? It is better for mobility, lower fragility and familiar Weber-style cooking. A ceramic kamado is better for heat mass, smoking tradition and that heavy outdoor-oven feel.
Can you smoke brisket on the Weber Summit Kamado E6? Yes. The insulated steel body, adjustable fuel grate and vent control make low-and-slow cooking realistic. Use a probe thermometer and start with small vent changes rather than chasing the temperature.
What size is the Weber Summit Kamado E6? Weber lists it at 114cm high, 88.3cm wide and 90.9cm deep with the lid closed, with a 61cm diameter cooking area and a weight of 66.23kg.
Should I buy the Weber Summit Kamado E6 or a Weber Master-Touch? Buy the Master-Touch if you mostly grill and want to stay under about £400. Buy the Summit Kamado E6 if you want more space, better heat retention and regular low-and-slow cooking.