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Weber 47cm vs 57cm: which kettle diameter to buy

Updated: 23 October 2026

Compact appears on both Weber sizes, so the label is not the diameter. Weber 47cm vs 57cm is a grate-area choice: about 1,548 cm² and nine burgers at 47 cm, against about 2,342 cm² and thirteen burgers at 57 cm. Weber points couples at the smaller bowl and an average family, plus indirect grilling, at the larger one. This page uses those manufacturer figures. The [kettle barbecue 57cm comparison](/hub/grills-and-barbecues/kettle-barbecue-57cm) ranks five 57 cm amazon.co.uk listings only. No 47 cm ASIN sits in that table. We did not cook a side-by-side test. A purchase through our links may earn a commission.

Compact appears on both Weber sizes, so the label is not the diameter. Weber 47cm vs 57cm is a grate-area choice: about 1,548 cm² and nine burgers at 47 cm, against about 2,342 cm² and thirteen burgers at 57 cm.

Our top picks

Char-Griller Char-Griller 22-inch kettle

Best overall

Char-Griller Char-Griller 22-inch kettle
6.6/10about £87.99
View offer
Weber Weber Compact Kettle 57 cm

Alternative

Weber Weber Compact Kettle 57 cm
7.3/10about £99.99
View offer
Weber Weber Original Kettle Premium 57 cm

Rank 3

Weber Weber Original Kettle Premium 57 cm
7.5/10about £239.00
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.The areas Weber actually publishes
  2. 2.Compact is not the size
  3. 3.When 47 cm is the one to stop at
  4. 4.When 57 cm earns the space
  5. 5.The recommendation, with the condition

The areas Weber actually publishes

On Weber UK’s Original Kettle family page, 47 cm is about 1,548 cm² and roughly nine burgers, and 57 cm about 2,342 cm² and roughly thirteen burgers. Those counts are how many patties fit the circle, not a measured meal. The same page points couples at 47 cm, an average family and indirect grilling at 57 cm, and large gatherings at 67 cm. The 67 cm size is outside this comparison. Ideal Home’s review of the E4710, a 47 cm model, describes a two-person household that found it enough for themselves and a couple of guests, and too small for a big gathering, and points at the E5710 for a larger grid. That is one UK kitchen, not a census. Named 57 cm picks are on best 57cm kettle barbecue.

Compact is not the size

Compact on Weber’s range is a bowl shape sold at 47 cm and at 57 cm. The Compact Kettle 57 cm (model 1502061) in this folder is still a 57 cm class grill with food closer to the coals. It is not a stealth 47 cm. Riverside Garden Centre separates a Compact 47 cm aimed at about four people in their telling, a 57 cm compact for a small family, and deeper 57 cm kettles for indirect work. That is a retailer guide, not a lab. If you compare compact with original without reading the centimetre, you can buy the wrong diameter. Neither size becomes legal on a balcony because the bowl shrank.
Char-Griller Char-Griller 22-inch kettle

Testsieger

Char-Griller Char-Griller 22-inch kettle
6.6/10about £87.99
View offer

When 47 cm is the one to stop at

Stop at 47 cm when the regular cook is two people and Weber’s nine-burger packing line matches how you load the grate. Ideal Home’s E4710 household is the UK example: fine for a couple plus a guest or two, not the tool they wanted for a crowd. Compact or original depth inside 47 cm stays on Weber’s own range. This comparison starts at 57 cm. Do not invent an amazon.co.uk price for a 47 cm ASIN removed as the wrong diameter. A smaller kettle is not a balcony licence. London Fire Brigade still says no barbecues on balconies or decking, and not unattended. GOV.UK bans charcoal in enclosed spaces.

When 57 cm earns the space

Choose 57 cm when you want Weber’s larger published grate, room to bank coals for a chicken or joint, or a household that regularly feeds more than a couple. The extra circle helps you leave an empty half. The layout is on indirect heat. Riverside’s small-family note for a 57 cm compact, and the indirect note for deeper bowls, are shop guidance, not a guest-count guarantee. Unsigned blog gaps in centimetres are not repeated here. Placement follows London Fire Brigade’s away-from-fences-and-sheds line. If the only outdoor spot is a balcony, neither diameter is the answer.

The recommendation, with the condition

Buy inside this 57 cm comparison if you want the larger grate or room to bank coals on a UK patio. Stay with 47 cm if two people are the regular cook and Weber’s nine-burger line is enough. Do not pick either size for a balcony. If a 47 cm kettle already feeds your household, keep it. Step up when the grate is full every weekend or you cannot bank coals without crowding the food. Once you are committed to 57 cm, the buying guide covers compact versus original depth.

Common questions

How much more grate is 57 cm than 47 cm?
Weber publishes about 2,342 cm² at 57 cm against about 1,548 cm² at 47 cm. That is the manufacturer’s area line, not a weighing we performed on amazon parcels.
Is compact the small one?
No. Compact is a bowl shape. Weber sells compact kettles at 47 cm and at 57 cm. Always read the centimetre.
We are two people. Do we need 57 cm?
Not necessarily. Weber points couples at 47 cm. Ideal Home’s 47 cm household found that size enough for two plus occasional guests. Choose 57 cm if you want spare grate or indirect room anyway.
We are four, sometimes six. Is 47 cm enough?
Weber’s family-and-indirect line points at 57 cm. Riverside’s shop notes also push larger or deeper bowls for family cooks. One Ideal Home reviewer called 47 cm too small for a big gathering. Your load may differ. The published areas are the fixed comparison.
Does 57 cm mean I can smoke a joint?
It gives more room to bank coals for indirect heat. It does not automatically include smoker inserts, and shallow compacts are the weaker indirect tool.
Will the smaller one be safer on a balcony?
No. Balcony charcoal barbecues are out on London Fire Brigade and GOV.UK advice regardless of diameter.
What should I do if I already bought 47 cm?
Use it if it feeds your household. Step up to 57 cm when the grate is routinely full or you need space to bank coals, then shop inside the 57 cm comparison, not by re-buying a cover or a second compact label.

Related pages

57cm kettle buying guide

Kettle barbecue 57 cm

Best 57cm kettle barbecue: who each listing is for

How to use a kettle barbecue: light, cook, put out

Indirect heat charcoal kettle for chicken and joints

Sources

Public UK and maker sources used for this comparison. Listing prices, stars and review counts are the saved amazon.co.uk figures for these ASINs. Retrieved 22 October 2026.

  1. Weber UK: Original Kettle 57 cm, model 1502202 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  2. Weber UK: warranty information (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  3. Weber UK: Original Kettle size guide (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  4. Weber UK: Compact 57 cm, model 1502061 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  5. London Fire Brigade: BBQ safety (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  6. BSI: BS EN 1860-1:2024 solid-fuel barbecues (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  7. GOV.UK: nuisance smoke, how councils deal with complaints (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  8. Food Standards Agency: cooking your food (retrieved 22 October 2026)