What If You Dont Want To Spend This Much On A Gas Grill
Our least expensive pick is just south of $500. If you want a quality grill that costs less but that you wont have to throw out after a few yearsand youre willing to make some concessionswe have a couple of suggestions: Consider a portable gas grill or a good charcoal kettle grill.
The Weber Q 2200 portable gas grill has a lot going for it: Its compact yet roomy, and you can use it anywhere. Of all our portable grill picks, the Q 2200 has the most grilling area and thus makes a better substitute for a full-size model. Its cooking area measures 280 square inches , and it can fit nine burgers without crowding. Like all of our gas grill picks, it has a cast-aluminum firebox, an enameled steel lid, and two built-in side tables. Unlike our other gas grill picks, the Q series grills require the small propane canisters used for camping stoves . By choosing the 2200 over our budget pick, the Spirit II E-210, youd save around $130 . And if youre willing to go even smaller, the Weber Q 1200with a cooking area thats 189 square inches costs more than $200 less than the Spirit II E-210.
Top Ten Reviews Verdict
The Weber Genesis II E-310 is one of the best gas grills we’ve very reviewed, with reliable temperatures, easy cleanup, and a deep grate that gives you plenty of room to cook your favorite foods.
Pros
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Consistent heat across the grill
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No side burner
Weber makes some of the best gas grills on the market and the Weber Genesis II E-310 is one of our favorite in the range. Its grills are both reliable and well-made and the Weber Genesis II E-310 is no exception.
This stainless steel grill combines the exceptional build-quality Weber is known for with a wide grilling area, top-rate heat retention and even heating and cooking to give you a superb grilling experience.
Key Features Of The Weber Genesis Ii S 310
Lets go ahead and get the numbers out of the way so we can look at some of the more interesting details.
- Primary Cooking Grate Area: 513 sq in
- Warming Rack Area: 156 sq in
- Burners: Three burners each rated at 13,000 BTU/hr
- Grate Material: Stainless Steel Rods
- Warranty: 10 years on everything
- Grill Cover Included
- Weber Connect Hub Included
The stainless steel construction looks sharp and the Weber badging is on point.
On the left side of the front panel you will see a badge indicating the grill comes with the GS4 High Performance system. The GS4 system refers to the following four components that were upgraded when the Genesis II series was introduced a few years ago:
- New burner tube design
- Upgraded Flavorizer bars
- Bottom mounted grease management system
The Infinity ignition system is designed to be more robust than the standard ignition system. The upgraded ignition was implemented when Weber started offering a full 10 year warranty on every single component as the older style ignition system often failed after 3-5 years.
The new grease management system works fine but I dont consider it much of an upgrade as the old style grease management system worked fine as well.
The burner tubes were completely redesigned for this grill and feature top mounted ports on tapered rectangular burners. The new design was intended to make the flame pattern more even as the gas flowed from the front to the back of the burner tube.
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Budget Pick: Weber Spirit Ii E
*At the time of publishing, the price was $459.
If you have limited outdoor space or dont want to commit to a larger grill, the Weber Spirit II E-210 is a smaller, two-burner version of our pick, and its a great choice. The Spirit II E-210s smaller grate might make grilling for a crowd a challenging endeavor. However, this grill can still accommodate a whole cut-up chicken or six to eight burger patties at a time. And it performs on a par with the three-burner version, the Spirit II E-310. Like our top pick, the two-burner Spirit comes with a cast-aluminum firebox, an enameled steel lid and open cart, two side tables, and a 10-year warranty.
The upper warming rack adds 90 square inches of cooking surface to the E-210, making the total grate area 450 square inches. Overall, the two-burner Spirit II is the same depth and height as the three-burner model, but the E-210 is 4 inches smaller width-wise. That may not seem like much, but if youre working with a small patio area, every inch counts. Like the E-310, the E-210 has an open-cart design and an easy-access side-mounted hook and gauge for the propane tank.
Even though we didnt officially test the Spirit II E-210, we did test its predecessor, the Weber Spirit E-210 . And one of our guide writers, Lesley, owned the Spirit II E-210 for years before passing it off to a friend . She recounts that the Spirit II E-210 held consistent temperature across the cooking grate, and flare-ups were never an issue.
Flaws But Not Dealbreakers
We wish the bars of the Spirit II E-310s warming racks ran front to back, parallel to the main grates, like they do on our upgrade pick, the Genesis E-325s. That way, you could easily slide a spatula under stuff thats warming. As it is, the warming-rack bars run edge to edge, and you have to awkwardly jimmy a spatula in there sideways.
The Spirit II E-310 should come with a grill cover. This one doesnt, nor did any grill in our test group, so youll need to buy one separately. Webers dedicated Spirit II cover costs about $80, and a well-regarded generic cover costs about $30 .
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Year 100% Weber Guarantee
From casters to lid, its the warranty that wont let you down. At Weber, we have your backs, not just your backyards in mind when we develop our products.With the 10 YEAR, 100% WEBER GUARANTEE, should your product have any manufacturing defects within the 10-year timeframe, the part will be replaced at no charge to youno hassles, just happiness.*
* Valid for Weber® Genesis® II and Genesis® II LX gas grills.
Choose Your Weber Genesis Ii Model
In our selection of the Genesis II lineup, find a wide range of gas grill cooking powers and available features, with highlights including:
- e-310: A compact but powerful liquid propane grill with three burners and a large cooking area, ideal for families and small groups.
- e-315: A propane grill featuring three powerful burners and porcelain-enameled cast iron cooking grates that retain heat superbly while staying easy to clean.
- e-335: Take your grilling to the next level with high-performance main burners, a searing station, a side burner and a locker for storing your grilling tools.
- s-435: One of Weber’s most advanced grill designs, with options for grilling, baking and stir frying all in one convenient unit. When you need to create restaurant-quality food in your yard, the Weber Genesis II s-435 is the model to turn to.
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The Best Grill Tools And Accessories
After testing more than 90 tools from spatulas to tongs to grill gloves and more, we have recommendations for everything you need to have an amazing barbecue.
We assembled the six grills alone and in teams of two. We did this to see if the former scenario was even possible and whether the latter made much of a difference . We noted poor instructions, needlessly complicated screw or bolt sizes, or safety hazards like sharp edges.
Finally, after all the tests were done, we performed routine maintenance by removing and replacing the propane tanks, emptying the grease traps, washing the grates, and scrubbing out the fireboxes. If you own a grill, youll have to perform these tasks at least a few times a year, so a grill that makes them a little easier is a welcome thing.
For our 2022 update, we relied mainly on market research and meta-analysis. Most new grills worth considering are still produced by the same companies whose products weve tested in previous years. And with each new version of the models were familiar with, the most important characteristicssuch as quality of materials and constructionare the same. We spoke again with Joe Salvaggio of Big Apple BBQ about the newest models, and we examined our main contenders in person at Home Depot, Lowes, and Berings in Houston.
How The Spirit Ii E
First, a fiery tale that demonstrates the reliability of Webers customer service. Wirecutter senior editor Mark Smirniotis scored the Weber Spirit II E-310 at an end-of-season sale in 2019. He found it reliable, easy to clean, and more stable than cheaper grills hes owned. In the summer of 2021, he left his grill on high for about 10 minutes and walked away, intending to heat it up for a clean before a family cookout the next day. However, he didnt empty the grease tray , and it ignited a small grease fire at the bottom of the grill. After the fire died down, he tried to remove the grease tray, but it was stuck. I realized the metal of the grill actually bowed a little. It even looked melty. Like an idiot, I poked it with the end of my grill brush, which went right through.
I got a gentle lecture on cleaning and safety, but then he said theyd be sending me a whole-new cookbox no charge, no shipping fees.
Wirecutter editor Signe Brewster bought the Weber Spirit II E-310 in 2019. Its her first grill, and shes loved using it in the summertime. I mostly use it for pizza and brats, plus veggies in our grill basket pick. Zero complaints except for cleaning it at the end of the summer, but Im sure thats an issue with all grills. Signe also reports some difficulty igniting the burners, potentially due to buildup in the tubes or ports. Shes planning to clean it soon and will report back.
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What Is The Weber Connect Hub
When you buy this grill at Costco you get a grill cover along with a Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub.
The Hub consists of two meat probe thermometers that connect to a base which is WiFi enabled and utilizes the Weber app. When the Hub is connected to the Weber app the app will provide:
Flip and serve notifications Select doneness and receive alerts when ready Food readiness countdown and estimated cook time Step-by-step assistance from setup to when its time to eat
How We Tested Gas Grills
In spring 2017, we kicked off this grill guide by putting six gas grills through a battery of tests. We cooked a full grate of burgers on high heat and chicken pieces at a low temperature. We also roasted whole chickens indirectly on both low and high heat to see whether the grills could create browned skin and perfectly cooked meat without charring. In 2018 we repeated these tests, with the then-new Weber Spirit II E-310 and our upgrade pick at the time, the Weber Genesis II E-310 .
For the high-heat, whole-grate burger testan indicator of the grills ability to pump out uniform, high heat without creating an infernowe heated the grills on high with their lids down for 15 minutes, and we distributed 12 to 15 6-ounce patties across the whole cooking surface. While the burgers cooked, we kept an eye out for flare-upswhich can char the meat and create acrid smokeand looked at the evenness of cooking across the grates. After about 10 minutes of cooking, we compared how well each grill had seared the burgers, and we looked for excessive charring or patties that were still unacceptably raw.
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Should You Buy The Weber Genesis Ii E
While the Weber Genesis II E-310 only has three burners, the experience grilling on it is on par with top-rated gas grills that are much larger and more expensive. The cast-iron grates give your food beautiful sear marks, retain heat and are easy to clean, while the firebox construction gives the E-310 an edge over the other grills we reviewed in temperature consistency and even heating.
The Weber Genesis II E-310 is your best bet for the superior grilling experience that only the best outdoor grills offer.
Our Pick: Weber Spirit Ii E
*At the time of publishing, the price was $639.
The Weber Spirit II E-310 provides the unrivaled combination of top-notch grilling performance, a versatile three-burner design, durability, and a relatively affordable price. It excelled at every test, producing the best sear on our burgers of any grill, and equaling or outdoing the others in our tests involving barbecue chicken and whole roasted chickens. The Spirit II E-310s overall compact size suits almost any patio or deck. And yet its grilling surface is big enough to cook a complete meal for a family or a dozen burgers for a party. With a thick cast-aluminum firebox, this model will last for years. For decades, the company has refined the Spirits design, too. This version includes an easily accessible externally mounted propane tank and an under-grill shelf. On top of all that, this grill is particularly easy to assemble, maintain, and use, and its finish comes in four colors .
With 424 square inches of primary grilling space, the three-burner Spirit II E-310 can easily accommodate 12 large hamburgers, two whole or cut-up chickens, or a large cut for smoking, like brisket. Or it can cook a complete meal for five or six people. For instance, you can sear steak or fish on one side of the grill and cook vegetables on lower heat on the other. And you can cook them really well.
The Spirit II E-310 exhibited the most consistent heat across the entire cooking surface.
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Another Good Gas Grill
Weber is no longer producing our former upgrade pick, the Weber Genesis II E-310. But this model is still available for purchase at big-box stores like Home Depot and Lowes. We still think its a great grill with clever design features. For one thing, this grill has an externally mounted propane tank, which is easier to install and replace than traditional, under-grill tanks . And this type of tank also frees up the area under the grill for storage of tools and other items. With the Genesis II E-310, we didnt notice a significant upgrade in performance over that of the Spirit II E-310. In fact, the Genesis II E-310 didnt sear our burgers as darkly as the Spirit II E-310 did. Thats okay, thoughthis grill is an exceptional performer, period.
Upgrade Pick: Weber Genesis E
If youre looking for a big grill that has a larger cooking area and more fire power, consider the Weber Genesis E-325s. Even though its billed as a three-burner grill, it actually has a fourth burner located between the middle and right-hand burners, creating what Weber calls the Sear Zone. The grill also comes with two big, asymmetrical side tables , a closed cabinet with double doors, and four lockable swiveling casters. Compared with our pick, the Spirit II E-310, the entire Genesis E-325s is almost a foot longer, and its cooking area is about 20% larger, easily accommodating 15 burger patties at a time. Instead of having porcelainized cast-iron grates , the grates on the Genesis E-325s are made from thick, stainless steel rods. The stainless steel grates could create slightly lighter sear marks on your food than cast iron would deliver, but the difference should hardly be noticeable. The Genesis E-325s also has a foldable upper rack that extends the length of the main cooking grate and expands to be 11 inches deep. The E-325s looks sturdy and well built, and it has some new practical features that further justify the higher price tag.
Webers warranty covers the firebox and lid assembly for 12 years it covers stainless steel burner tubes, cooking grates, and Flavorizer bars for 10 years.
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What About Napoleon And Broil King
Both of these companies make well-designed grills with cast-aluminum fireboxes and enameled steel frames. Theyre not picks, however, because we found that Weber grills struck the best balance of searing power and usability of the three brands. Here are our observations on both the Napoleon and Broil King models we tested in 2017:
The Napoleon Rogue 425 is the Canadian companys flagship in the $400 to $900 range. Like the other models we tested in that category, this one has a cast-aluminum firebox, porcelain-coated cast-iron grates, and three burners. On paper, the Rogue 425 has a lot going for it, but we were disappointed in its performance. Despite showing 650 °F heat on our burger test, it failed to achieve a good sear. We suspect this is due to a combination of a couple things: the pyramidal grate bars making minimal contact with the meat, and the grills thermometer overstating the actual temperature by about 50 degrees . The grill also struggled to hold a steady temperature on the barbecue-chicken test. Napoleons signature is its wavy grates, and they do look cool, but theyre harder to clean than straight grates. They also leave odd, distorted sear marks if you try to make the classic crosshatch pattern. Assembly was straightforward, and the instruction manual was well-thought-out. But given the Weber Spirit II E-310s higher performance and lower cost, the choice was clear.
Why You Should Trust Us
When we first started working on this guide, back in 2017, we spoke with more than a dozen experts before opening the valve on a single propane tank.
Among those experts, Joe Salvaggio of Big Apple BBQ spent two hours explaining the fundamentals of gas grill design, function, materials, and maintenance. Joe and his brother Tony have run Big Apple BBQ, one of the New York regions leading grill shops, for over 30 years. Because Salvaggio is an independent retailer who carries grills from many manufacturers, he was able to speak freely about what he saw as the relative strengths and weaknesses of various designs.
At the 2017 Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Expo, we interviewed senior product managers from almost every major grill-maker in attendance, including several brands that wound up being featured in our test: Weber, Broil King, and Napoleon. We also spoke with multiple makers of high-end grills. Though we wouldnt be testing their grills, we found that understanding what goes into making a $4,000 grill helped us evaluate the less expensive grills in our test.
We backed this reporting with comprehensive researchthe in-depth, professional reviews at AmazingRibs.com being a standout sourceand with hands-on time with grills at the big hardware chains.
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