Goodbye gas, hello flame-grilled flavour – how an old-school charcoal BBQ made me fall back in love with outdoor dining

I'm 49 years old, and I've never owned a barbecue. Which is precisely why, somewhat ironically, I was the obvious choice to try out the Weber Master-Touch GBS C-5750 Charcoal Barbecue for this review. But I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting to be impressed.

It's not that I don't enjoy barbecues. I love going to them. I even know how to barbecue. It's just that I've always been put off by the mess, the hassle, and the whole question of how to clean a barbecue. Perhaps growing up in the '70s and '80s is partly to blame. Back then, quick-lighting charcoal wasn't a thing, so barbecues were slow, hunger-inducing events. Then, when my dad proudly brought home a new-fangled thing called a gas barbecue, I really couldn't see the point - wasn't that just the same thing as our oven, only outdoors?

Later, after my husband and I moved from North London to a small coastal town in Northern Ireland with our three kids, my only experience of barbecues were those disposable trays we grabbed last-minute at the corner shop en route to the beach for paddling and an al fresco tea. So I never really saw the point in owning one. Until now.

Weber Master-Touch GBS C-5750 Charcoal Barbecue Specifications

Unboxing the Weber Master-Touch GBS C-5750 Charcoal Barbecue

There is a lot about the Weber Master-Touch GBS C-5750 Charcoal Barbecue that surprised me, but the first thing was how heavy it is. The barbecue arrived in a larger-than-expected box emblazoned with the warning that it requires two people to lift it. They're not joking. Once it was deposited in my hallway, where it had to be clambered over by anyone entering or leaving the house, I started wondering if I had bitten off more than I could chew by agreeing to write this review.

I needn’t have worried. Yes, there's a fair amount of work to do to assemble it, but the instructions are refreshingly clear, with easy-to-understand illustrations. All the parts are thoughtfully packaged, although I'd prefer less plastic. I started by laying out all the pieces on our kitchen table - which seats six, and the whole surface was covered - but we had the BBQ fully assembled and ready to go within 45 minutes. My husband, who was tasked with assembling it, was delighted to discover that all the necessary tools were included, sparing him a trip to the garage to hunt for a spanner.

Once assembled, it looked fantastic - especially the distinctive porcelain-enamelled steel lid, which is designed to be easy to clean while resisting rust and retaining heat. Weber sent me the Deep Ocean Blue colourway, and it looks perfectly at home in my seaside garden. I’ve always thought barbecues are a bit of an eyesore, but this isn't something you want to tuck out of sight when it's not in use. It has the classic look of a traditional kettle-style barbecue but with a sleek and modern, design-led vibe. I think it adds a touch of class to the garden, and I feel proud to have it on display.

Who would the Weber Master-Touch GBS C-5750 Charcoal Barbecue suit?

Weber is a premium brand, and this is a top-of-the-range model, so it may not be the first choice for those looking for an affordable barbecue. That said, everything about it exudes high quality. From the sturdy handle and smooth-rolling wheels to the heavy-duty lid and robust utensils, this is a seriously well-engineered piece of cooking kit. I can't imagine needing to replace it for many years (and Weber products are guaranteed for up to 15 years), so it's worth the spend, if you're able to invest. I'm also thinking of buying a Weber Barbecue Cover to help protect it from the elements and prolong its life.

With a diameter of 57cm, this Weber barbecue is bigger than I expected, so check that it'll fit your available space before you buy. I found the perfect spot on my patio beside my French doors, with plenty of room to mingle around it. Smaller outdoor spaces might struggle to accommodate it, though.

What is the Weber Master-Touch GBS C-5750 Charcoal Barbecue like to use?

When they sent me this BBQ to review, Weber generously included a full set of accessories: three bags of grill briquettes, a bag of beechwood chips for use when smoking food, some lighter cubes, several heavy-duty utensils, and most importantly, a Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter, which turned out to be an absolute game changer.

A quick note on the chimney starter, in case, like me, you're new to this concept. It's a cylinder that draws air through the bottom, speeding up the process of lighting the barbecue. Simply fill it with charcoal briquettes, light a fire starter underneath it, and your charcoal will be ready to cook on within 15 minutes - just tip it into the barbecue and you're ready to go.

The instructions recommend letting the barbecue burn for 30 minutes before first use to remove any manufacturing residue. After that, it was ready for action. My husband took great pleasure in monitoring the rapidly rising temperature via the lid's built-in gauge and reported back (repeatedly...) with the enthusiasm of a weather presenter on a sunny weekend.

Top tip: do all your food prep before lighting the barbecue, because it heats up so fast that you don’t have much time once it's lit. Earlier that day, I'd fried some onions and made homemade burgers (good-quality beef mince, an egg, a chopped garlic clove, and plenty of seasoning), and a lime and sriracha potato salad. I was glad I'd got organised ahead of time because the burgers were cooked in about 20 minutes, which only left time to set the table, toast the burger buns, and pour some drinks.

We cooked our burgers with the lid of the barbecue down, as Weber recommends, to lock in all the flavour. But I was delighted to discover that the garden was still filled with that unmistakable, smoky barbecue smell that sums up a summer's evening - there's nothing quite like it to get the appetite going.

Test 1: Burgers

You couldn't possibly write a Weber Master-Touch GBS C-5750 charcoal barbecue review without mentioning the removable circular grate. This transforms your barbecue into a full outdoor kitchen, capable of baking, smoking, searing, stewing, and more. Simply take out the insert and replace it with one of many available Weber Gourmet BBG System inserts (sold separately), such as the Dutch oven, poultry roaster, or pizza stone.

My favourite thing about the Weber Master-Touch GBS C-5750 Charcoal Barbecue is how gloriously simple it is to use. The circular design - plus the fact that it's not attached to a gas canister - makes it the perfect party BBQ to gather around. It's easy to wheel around the garden too, whether you want to position it away from drying laundry or in a sunnier spot.

I usually use my Always Pan to cook homemade smash burgers, but it's a messy affair, and I can only fit two in the pan at a time, which is a pain. In comparison, grilling them on the barbecue was a joy. We easily managed to fit eight patties on the central part of the grill with plenty more space, should we have guests.

I was amazed at how little mess the burgers made on the barbecue - something I still can't fathom. There was none of the greasy residue on the grill or cough-inducing smoke that I usually associate with charcoal barbecues. My husband thinks that's something to do with how hot it gets. (I told you he loved monitoring the temperature gauge.) The burgers didn't stick to the grill or blacken on the outside, as can so often happen with a charcoal barbecue, but were cooked to perfection - juicy and flavoursome, packing a delicious flame-grilled punch. Honestly, I'm not sure I'll ever cook burgers indoors again.

Test 2: Sausages

A few nights after our first test run, we couldn't resist lighting the barbecue again. Bangers and mash had been on the menu, but I whipped up more potato salad and threw the sausages on the grill, along with another round of homemade burgers, which had been such a crowd-pleaser.

Again, the whole experience felt effortless. The barbecue was hot and ready in under 20 minutes, and the sausages came out just the right side of charred, with those satisfying grill marks to prove it. I'd only ever cooked them (Tesco Finest Pork & Sweet Chilli Sausages, in case you're wondering) in the oven before, but barbecuing them really drew out the flavours, enriching the sweetness and adding a delicious smoky depth to the chilli kick.

Test 3: S'mores

Finally, we tried the ultimate test of any barbecue - making S'mores on the BBQ after dinner, as the charcoal smoulders and the heat dies down. I sandwiched a handful of mini marshmallows and three squares of Cadbury's Dairy Milk between two McVitie's Digestives, wrapped it up in foil, and popped it on the barbecue with the lid open. The first batch burned - I think I left it there too long - but the next batch was scrumptiously warm and gooey after a couple of minutes. I think the image above speaks for itself, but for the avoidance of doubt, my daughter declared these the best S'mores she's ever eaten, and I'd have to agree.

Cleaning the Weber Master-Touch GBS C-5750 Charcoal Barbecue

Growing up, I remember my parents arguing about whether a barbecue was worth the cleanup, and there was always a sink full of innumerable greasy utensils afterwards. Not this time. Cleanup was super quick and painless, making the whole experience feel effortless. Rather than arguing over the post-barbecue detritus, we were marvelling at each other about how little mess there was.

The Weber Three-Sided Grill Brush helped - it's one of the heavy-duty utensils we received along with the barbecue, and I wouldn't be without it. Forget scrubbing blackened grill parts or leaving them to soak for hours - a quick once-over with this brush while the barbecue was still hot, and the whole thing looked as good as new. But the best feature of all must be the ingenious ash catcher, which sits neatly beneath the grill and makes easy work of disposing of the used charcoal.

How does the Weber Master-Touch GBS C-5750 Charcoal Barbecue compare?

Quite honestly, this is like no other barbecue I've ever used. It takes all the mess and faff out of barbecuing. If you're keen on a charcoal barbecue but don't want to spend this much, consider the Weber Compact Kettle Charcoal Grill (£114.99, Amazon) instead. It lacks the standout features of the Weber Master-Touch GBS C-5750 Charcoal Barbecue, like the tuck-away lid holder, in-built thermometer and removable grate, but it'll deliver some of the joys of a Weber charcoal barbecue without the expense.

Should you buy it?

Yes, if you're in the market for a new barbecue and can afford to spend this much, I can practically promise that it won't disappoint.

If, like me, you long for the simplicity of sharing simple, home-cooked food in the garden with friends on a summer's day - but don't want high tech gadgetry or the complex cleanup of a gas or electric barbecue - then this is definitely the one for you.

If you're wondering whether the price is justified, or if a much cheaper kettle-style barbecue will deliver the same results for half the price, I'm here to tell you that it won't. I've never had such a stress-free barbecue experience with literally zero mess to clean up.

Hours after the coals have cooled, my husband and I are still remarking on what an impressive piece of cooking kit the Weber Master-Touch GBS C-5750 Charcoal Barbecue is - we're a bit like proud new parents who can't stop talking about their baby long after it has gone to bed. You know when you find a new piece of kitchen gear like an air fryer or coffee machine that enhances your life so much that you wonder how you ever coped without it? That's exactly how I feel about Webster. (And yes, of course, we've given it a name. It's one of the family now.)

How we test

At woman&home we test products in real-life to truly assess their capabilities and provide honest, informative, and impartial reviews. Weber kindly provided this barbecue free of charge for review, but we are under no obligation to give a favourable opinion. We never recommend a product without testing it thoroughly and we only recommend products we’d happily pay for.

For this review, our E-commerce Editor, Heidi Scrimgeour, took delivery of the Weber Master-Touch GBS C-5750 Charcoal Barbecue, assembled it, and cooked three different kinds of food on it on three separate occasions.