The burners are lit by a reliable push button infinity ignition and produce around 13,000 BTUs per burner on the 3 burner models, and are lit by a reliable electronic infinity ignition. The Spirit II E-310 also exhibited the most consistent heat across the entire cooking surface in the 2018 test, just as the original Spirit did in 2017. Among the competition in our 2017 test, the Napoleon model in particular had noticeable cool spots toward the front of its weber genesis 2 grates. To a degree, all grills suffer this problem, because the burners don’t extend all the way to the front of the firebox, but the Spirit offered the most consistent heating across the entire grate surface. After 10 minutes, the burgers at the rear were medium-well and those at the front were medium-rare to medium . On the Napoleon grill, on the other hand, some of the front burgers were nearly raw in the center, while the rear burgers were well-done.
If you want to easily move your grill into and out of storage, you’ll also need to buy a quick-disconnect system, which can add another $150 or so. The benefits of natural gas include no more wrestling propane tanks on and off your grill, always-available fuel , and lower fuel costs . The now-discontinued Char-Broil Advantage 3-Burner Gas Grill from Lowe’s met the low expectations we set upon seeing its sub-$200 price. It cooked burgers acceptably, but to get an even cook we had to shuffle the patties around from hot spots to cool spots. Unable to keep a steady low temperature, it burned the barbecue chicken. To this grill’s credit, it made a nice indirect-roasted chicken—but then again, every tested grill did.
Heat was fairly well-distributed across the cooking surface and the temperature range was very good, but you’ll need a bit more than 10 minutes of preheating to get it nice and hot. It’s easy to understand why weber charcoal grill when a gas barbeque will help you cook evenly, they are easy to light and they look so stylish. No longer will you have to spend your time lighting coal and waiting for it to be at the right temperature.
Enjoying cooking outside and not having to heat up my kitchen. Really great to see temperature with the guage on the outside of grill. Lesley Stockton is a senior staff writer reporting on all things cooking and entertaining for Wirecutter. Her expertise builds on a lifelong career in the culinary world—from a restaurant cook and caterer to a food editor at Martha Stewart. She is perfectly happy to leave all that behind to be a full-time kitchen-gear nerd. Finally, be aware that a few parts of a grill are consumables, so you will need to replace them occasionally.
The Weber Genesis II E-210 offers 380 sq inch primary cooking space plus the 114 sq inch added by the warming rack. The Spirit offers 360 square inches with a 90 square inch warming rack. For more than two decades, the Weber Genesis gas grills, in all their incarnations have been at the top of sales lists and best product reviews. The one thing that has remained the same is that the Genesis has always had three burners. For 2017, the Weber Genesis comes in two, three, four, and six burner configurations.
The app also has recipes and a step-by-step feature that sends alerts to your phone when it’s time to tend to your food. All of these extra gadgets require power, and the Genesis Smart grill takes 10 batteries. The Wifi module alone uses six D batteries, although there is an option to power that part with a power bank. We assume the four other batteries power the igniter, LED lights, and fuel gauge. We’re not big fans of smart cooking gear, there’s too many little things that can glitch out. It’s also nice to just put down the phone and engage in cooking time without screens.
At 513 square inches, the Genesis II E-310’s grates offer roughly 20 percent more grilling surface versus the Spirit II E-310’s 424 square inches. That bumps you up from 12 to 15 or so burgers for a big party, or it lets you cook an ambitious, complete meal for a large family. But although the Genesis II looks much larger than the Spirit, in reality the differences are not huge. The Genesis II is 3 inches wider overall, and its grates are 25 by 19 inches versus the Spirit’s 23 by 18 inches. Both models have a fold-down side table that reduces their width to under 45 inches, for easier storage.
The Weber Genesis II E-310 gas grill stands nearly 4 feet tall with the lid closed. We would recommend comparing the used prices of both grills before deciding on what model to go with that way you’ll always be sure you’re getting the best value for your money. The weber genesis weighs about 70 pounds, which makes it easy to move around and store during bad weather. There’s a stand that gives a stable base for storage, a nice tray table that extends from either side of the grill , an easy access propane tank holder, and even a convenient drip pan.
The store carries grills from multiple manufacturers, ranging from $400 backyard portables to five-figure custom built-ins. Because Salvaggio is an independent retailer, he was able to speak freely about what he saw as the relative strengths and weaknesses of various designs. With equal performance, 20 percent more grilling space, and brilliant design and construction, the Genesis II E-310 is our top choice for dedicated grillers.