We also tested whether each grill could act like an oven—a nice feature in the hot summer months, when you don’t want to warm up your kitchen, or during the holidays, when oven space is at a premium. They didn’t perform well, and we knew that they wouldn’t be durable. Ultimately, if you want to spend less, we recommend that you get a smaller, two-burner grill or consider a charcoal grill or portable grill instead. The Weber Genesis E-325s is a whole foot longer than the company’s Spirit II E-310, with 20% more cooking area. It also puts out more heat per square inch than our top pick, thanks to a fourth burner—placed between the middle and right-side burners—that creates what Weber dubs the Sear Zone. The Genesis E-325s also has roomier side tables, including one big enough to fit a half sheet pan.
The Weber Spirit II E-310 provides an unrivaled combination of top-notch grilling performance, a versatile three-burner design, durability, and a relatively affordable price. For this amount, you can get a great grill without overpaying for unneeded capacity, deluxe materials, or seldom-used add-ons such as rotisseries, side burners, and infrared burners. Among them was Joe Salvaggio, who has run Big Apple BBQ, one of New York’s leading grill shops, for over 30 years. Salvaggio is an independent retailer who carries grills from many manufacturers, so he was able to speak freely about what he saw as the relative strengths and weaknesses of various models.
If you do want something a bit cheaper or smaller, we’ve also tested and recommend the Q 1200. As you might know, starting a charcoal grill usually begins with simply getting the coals warmed up in a chimney starter. It comes with an auto-start gas ignition that consistently lit the coals for us. You can place the lid in different positions for the best top damper placement, with the bottom damper easy to adjust when your flame gets too hot. During our smoking test, we were able to keep the grill within a range of 10 degrees for several hours, making this a great option for cooking with indirect heat. The Sear Zone on the Genesis E-325s has an extra burner between the middle and right-side burners, which puts out the same 13,000 Btu as the others do.
To start, the grill is embedded within an easy-to-move cart that features an extra-large side table and enclosed charcoal storage. PureBlu burners with a unique, tapered design, create a consistent flame and even heat across the grilling surface. Raised flame weber genesis grill openings keep food debris falling away, minimizing clogs and corrosion. From burgers on the grate to chicken on the rotisserie, or even adding a touch of smoke to the dish, a Weber gas grill boasts an abundance of features for whatever you have a taste for.
The portable models also come in a variety of colors, and they offer great optional accessories. The grates are made of cast iron, but they are coated in porcelain. The porcelain coating prevents food from sticking, so the grates don’t need seasoning. Only very old models of Weber grills would require seasoning, and because they are very old, that surely happened a long time ago.
Look for grills in the $400 to $900 range with a cast-aluminum firebox, which holds heat well and won’t rust. If you want your grill weber natural gas grill to last, don’t cheap out on a budget model. But also don’t overpay for extras you won’t use, such as a rotisserie or a side burner.
It’s even great for beginners since the app includes everything you need to know for grilling and maintaining a gas grill. Natural gas grills are becoming increasingly popular due to their convenience and cost-effectiveness. Unlike propane gas grills, natural gas grills are connected to a permanent gas line and do not require the use of propane tanks, making them a great option for those who love to grill often.
Not all propane gas grills can be converted to natural gas, and attempting to do so with a non-convertible grill can be dangerous. To find out if your grill is convertible, check the owner’s manual or contact Weber’s customer service department. The 4-burner, porcelain-enamel Genesis E-415 delivers legendary Weber quality, performance and durability in a grill you can rely on to make outdoor cooking for family and friends easy and enjoyable. The PureBlu burner system sets this grill apart from the pack – featuring unique, tapered burner tubes that generate consistent pressure and flames and deliver even heat across the grilling surface.
In general, we don’t think side burners are worth the $100-plus premium. If you want to splurge on a grill with exceptional temperature control and a dedicated searing zone, go for our upgrade pick, the Weber Genesis E-325s, instead. With almost no fiddling on our part, the Spirit and Genesis grills we tested both produced perfect barbecue chicken, while other contenders produced either flabby barbecue or charred chicken and burnt sauce. And in our indirect-cooking test, the Spirit II E-310 turned out a pair of flawless roasted birds that were deeply browned with skin so crisp, it puffed up like a balloon. The Weber Spirit II E-310 excelled at every test, producing the best hamburgers—deeply seared, evenly cooked—among all the grills we tested. And it outdid or equaled the competition in grilling barbecue chicken and whole roasted chickens with crispy golden skin.
We also sent popular Weber grills to our expert grillers and home product testers, who tested each out for weeks to determine which grills are truly the best. Weber’s Genesis line offers high-quality grills without super-premium prices, and its EX-325S is designed for easy grilling so you can enjoy each and every party. We tested the smart and more basic model, and while both gave us an impressive performance, the addition of the app gave us a more modern experience. Weber’s Spirit series gas grills are designed to step up your grilling game.