The Weber Go-Anywhere has been around for a while.

Read this excellent post detailing the history of the Go-Anywhere on the Weber Kettle Club Website-

If you look at the timeline, the rectangular portable Go-Anywhere was introduced in 1979 and not a whole lot has changed since then.

What I think is genius about it and how it advanced portable charcoal cooking was how it differentiated from the popularity of the open cast iron hibachi.

Cast iron hibachis were popular in the 60s.  They are heavy, they require maintenance to avoid rusting and they are open topped which limits the type of cooking to direct grilling.

My guess is that the engineers that designed the Weber Charcoal Go-Anywhere took on all of these issues by making it out of their porcelain coated steel to avoid rust issues and be a whole lot lighter to transport.

The Lodge Sportsman Cast Iron Grill has roots dating back to 1941.  It’s heavy, it requires maintenance to keep from rusting and again, it does not have a lid.

I’m not saying they are not interesting or fun to cook on.  I’m just saying the Weber Go-Anywhere is a whole lot more versatile.

When you light up a bunch of coals on an open hibachi you need to be cognizant of factors such as wind and how much time you have. The coals don’t get snuffed out quickly as there is not lid or vents to regulate air needed to sustain the coals being lit.

Here’s my Lodge Sportsman grill/hibachi on action at the dock-

On the Go-Anywhere the legs flip up and lock the vented lid to the base making it easy to transport.  It can also be used to smoke on a small scale and regulate air flow with the vents on the bottom and in the lid.  With a traditional hibachi you’re pretty much limited to open grilling.

Here are a couple of the other cast iron hibachis that I’ve collected-

Queen Hibachi Japan

Queen Hibachi

Queen Hibachi

Queen Hibachi

Cast Iron Bull Hibachi

Cast Iron Bull Hibachi

Cast Iron Bull Hibachi

Cast Iron Bull Hibachi

Cast Iron Bull Hibachi

Cast Iron Bull Hibachi