The Genesis lineup has been upgraded in Spring of 2022 with what Weber claim is their “biggest gas grilling innovation in 15 years”. If you’re looking to invest in a new gas grill, chances are you’re trying to decide between the Weber Spirit or Weber Genesis lines. As beautiful as these new grills are from the outside, it’s what’s in the inside that’s even better. All Genesis II grills feature the new GS4 High Performance Grilling System.
Weber offers a rotisserie kit for purchase that is compatible with the Genesis II E-310. When you use this kit, you do not have to ignite the center burner; rather, you use the left and right burners for indirect heat. This keeps your chicken juicy while cooking it to the appropriate temperature. This stainless steel gas grill is sturdily built, with thick-gauge steel used in the firebox.
Burner holes (also known as “ports”) have been made larger and more extruded. As a result, the new Genesis II burners are more resistant to corrosion and clogging issues that can sometimes plague other grill models and series. If you have a large party the extra space and cooking power will be handy.
For the Genesis II units, Weber has shortened the shroud and widened the footprint, giving the units has a more graceful appearance. There are also two large wheels affixed to the legs on the right-hand side, which makes the grills easier to maneuver. You can spend a few hundred dollars less and get a two-burner propane grill that does the job, but it won’t last as long as a Weber. In the end, it makes sense to pay a bit more upfront and avoid having to pay more later for replacement parts or a whole new grill. For sheer reliability, ease of use, and built-to-last longevity, Weber comes out on top. A metal rack inside the grill acts as a warming rack, which we found perfect for warming buns for our burgers or to keep sausages warm while we grilled peppers and onions.
She is perfectly happy to leave all that behind to be a full-time kitchen-gear nerd. If a burner seems to be running cool or creates patchy flames, use a thin piece of wire to clean out the gas ports, the little holes. There’s nothing inside the burners to break, so don’t feel like you have to be delicate. The entire Spirit II line interfaces with Weber’s iGrill 3 “smart” thermometer ; however, as with a lot of “smart” gear, we’re not sold on it.
In our Weber Genesis vs Genesis II review, we’ll walk you through the answers. The grill is also equipped with a spot to hold Weber’s iGrill3 Bluetooth digital thermometer in place when you remove the plastic faceplate. Press the big round knob, turn it to the left to the lightning bolt symbol, and press the ignite button. And if our three-year-old, three-burner Weber Genesis E-310 is any indication, it’ll keep starting up like a champ for many years to come. You don’t have to sacrifice quality when shopping for a compact grill.
So after weeks of research, reporting, and discussion, we settled on four gas grills to test in our main $400 to $700 category, and two grills around the $200 mark to test as budget options. The sturdy construction and the 10-year limited Weber warranty can mean long years of fun backyard cooking. The external fuel tank and the considerable storage offered by the open cart design make this grill a practical choice for beginner grillers and seasoned BBQ veterans alike. The main benefit from purchasing a natural gas grill is the convenience of having a direct connect to your home’s natural gas line.
There’s been a lot of commentary about how the new lids look shorter than the 2016 models. They do look squat in person…a member of TVWBB says the grate to lid height is 1″ shorter than 2016 models.On 2- and 3-burner models, the work surface on the left side folds down……and folds up. It felt a bit cheesy to me.Tool hooks are hidden on the end of the left work surface. It took two hands to get both ends of the rack aligned with the brackets in order to lock in place.
Our goal is to give you ALL the information so you know what’s right for you. You will have to pay a lot more for those features, usually over $ ,000. For professionals or more seasoned chefs or grill aficionados, Lynx, DCS, and Hestan offer a much better grill with weber q higher BTU, infrared sears, and overall better construction. The Summit grill allows you to smoke your meat or roast it using its rotisserie. The Aspire by Hestan has a rotisserie that can fit up to 50 pounds of food with a much hotter 14,000 BTU infrared burner.
Plus, with three burners, you can set up multi zone cooking for roasts, whole poultry, and other large cuts. For $200 more, you get an extra burner and enhanced performance. In fact, the midsized Weber Genesis II LX S-340 grill is the best of the Weber Genesis II grills we tested, scoring high enough to make our list of top picks. Heating evenness was excellent, and preheating and indirect cooking were just a notch below that.