Weber Lumin review: An electrifying new way to cook outdoors

Who doesn’t love a good BBQ? When the sun starts to shine we all start our yearly rush to the garden centre to top up on charcoal or refill the gas canisters. However, there is now a new way to get grilling and it’s as simple as popping in a plug. The Lumin from famous BBQ firm Weber is fully powered by electricity making it totally hassle-free.

The question is… can sizzling the sausages and roasting chicken really taste that good from an electric barbecue? Express.co.uk has been putting it to the test and here is our full Weber Lumin review.

Hit the order button and a huge parcel will arrive on your doorstep. Luckily, the Lumin comes fully assembled so there’s no need to start screwing on legs or tightening bolts. Just lift it out of the box then unpack the grille plates, power pack and other accessories and you are good to start grilling.

The only thing you probably should check before ripping open the seal is that you have somewhere to plug it in.

The 1.8-metre cord that comes with the Lumin clearly isn’t all that long and, unless you want the hassle of extension leads, it’s worth seeing where you’ll place it on the patio before deciding it’s right for you.

If you have outdoor power then you’re really not going to find a more simplistic way to cook outside.

Once you’re unboxed and plugged into the mains it’s time to get cooking and things really couldn’t be easier. There’s a thermometer gauge on the outside lid which shows exactly how hot things are under the hood and a controller on the side lets you pump up the power or reduce things down to a simmer. You can even set it to a warming mode to keep food hot after it’s been cooked.

Going from cold to roasting hot takes under 10 minutes and it’s pretty easy to keep things at the perfect temperature. The only thing you can’t do is set a specific degree which is a tad annoying and means you have to continuously make fine adjustments on the controller.

If you want to push things to the max the Lumin can get up to well over 300 degrees at full pelt which is pretty impressive and perfect for foods that need a short sharp sear or burst of heat.

During our time with the Lumin, we flash grilled steaks, slow-cooked chicken and sizzled sausages for the summer hot dogs.

Of course, because there’s no fire under the food you don’t get that full BBQ flavour but Weber includes a smoke accessory which adds some charcoal-style taste to the things you cook. Just fill it with flavoured wood chips, set the dial to smoke and you’ll get the BBQ smell infused into the food.

This metal box can also be quickly switched into a steamer for cooking veg. This makes the Lumin super versatile. In fact, if you can face the winter weather you could definitely use it throughout the year to make everything from the Sunday roast to morning fry up.

Does it taste as good as an old-fashioned BBQ powered by charcoal? Probably not but it’s not far behind and it’s so much easier and faster than lighting up lumps of wood.

It’s also perfect for homes that only have small gardens or balconies with a compact size that’s super easy to store.

So, you’ve cooked friends and family endless burgers, steaks and sausages now what about the mess. All of the fat from food falls down onto the plate beneath the grilled with a hole then allowing this excess to drip into a removable foil tray.

Of course, not all of the grease disappears with some of it getting burned onto the inside of the Lumin.

Luckily, Weber allows you to take the whole thing apart via two small screws which releases the heating element and lets you get at the metal tray. This can then be removed and left to soak.

The grilles can also be placed in the sink and everything can be scrubbed pretty clean. We’ve been cooking on our Lumin for about a month and whilst it no longer looks box fresh we have managed to keep it free from too much grime.

Is really easy to clean? The simple answer to that is no, and you will need to put in some work and elbow grease after each session if you don’t want a BBQ that’s thick in filth.

We opted for the Lumin Compact model for this review which costs £399. Get the standard model which is slightly bigger and you’ll pay £579. It’s a lot of money especially as you have to pay extra if you want the stand (£91 more) or a cover (£41) to keep it from getting ruined by the elements.

Weber kit is never cheap but it does come with a 5-year warranty and should last a long time if you look after it.

We love a good BBQ and the Lumin has made cooking in the great outdoors so much easier. Of course, lighting up charcoal and grilling over fire offers a certain satisfaction but if you’ve got back late from the pub your guests can end up waiting hours for food.

That’s not the case when you go electric with the Lumin ready to get cooking in under 10 minutes. This BBQ is also incredibly versatile and we’ve used it to make breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The fact it comes with a smoker also helps add that charcoal taste and you can also use it to steam vegetables for the Sunday roast.

Admittedly, it is expensive, cleaning it could be a tiny bit easier and it’s a shame you have to pay extra for a cover and stand.

We never thought we’d turn our backs on cooking over flames and hot briquettes but the Lumin has impressed and has had far more use than our traditional BBQ this summer.

It’s fast, easy to use and takes all of the hassle out of grilling in the garden.