We wish the bars of the Spirit II E-310’s 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 char broil performance could easily slide a spatula under stuff that’s warming. As it is, the warming-rack bars run edge to edge, and you have to awkwardly jimmy a spatula in there sideways.
More-recent models have the same bones as their predecessors, with minor tweaks like redesigned cabinets, handles, and control panels. We gave the Spirit II high marks for effectively searing chicken, salmon and vegetables. The grill’s folding left side table and the two wheels on its right legs also make it more than capable to move around a backyard. The cook box is Blackstone Adventure made of cast aluminum and the lid is porcelain coated and mounted with a digital thermometer. Open the door to the world of grilling with crazy good food and friends coming together. Equipped with the powerful GS4 grilling system and convenient features such as iGrill 3 compatible , this two burner gas grill is your entry to the Weber family and to everyday grilling.
She recounts that the Spirit II E-210 held consistent temperature across the cooking grate, and flare-ups were never an issue. As a company, Weber constantly refines its designs, even on its classic charcoal kettle grill, which has been around for well over 60 years. And, again, Weber’s warranty covers all parts of the Spirit II E-310 for a full 10 years. So the company has a financial incentive to build it to last for years. Three is the sweet spot—not too crowded inside, not too big outside.
It’s doable, but it requires more attention from the griller to make sure the chicken is evenly cooked. Cooking with indirect heat on a three-burner grill is more hands-off because the food sits over the middle burner, which you leave turned off. The right and left burners surround the food with heat—basically creating an outdoor oven. But with a two-burner grill, cooking with indirect heat means the food gets heat from only one side, while it sits over the other, inactive burner. So you have to maneuver and rotate your chicken or roast to make sure it cooks evenly throughout. This is not impossible, but it definitely takes some attention and finesse.
More convenient is a battery-operated electronic igniter, which usually ignites the gas on the first try. Some grills also have lighting holes, on the side of or beneath the grill, that can be used with a match should the igniter fail. While burners remain the grill’s most-replaced part, most are warranted for only 3 to 5 years. An indication of the sturdiness of the gas grill, based on our rigidity test and judgments of our expert testers.
The burner hoods (metal “tents” that sit over the burners and guide grease away from the flames to prevent flare-ups) are usually the first to go. Weber’s warranty covers burner hoods on the 2022 Genesis models and all parts on the Spirit II models for 10 years. Or you could find third-party options that claim higher performance and long lifespans (though we haven’t tested these claims ourselves).
The entire Spirit II line interfaces with Weber’s iGrill 3 smart thermometer ; this can alert you, through an app downloaded to your phone, when your food has reached certain temperatures. For now, we think a simple probe thermometer, like the ThermoWorks Dot, could alert you in a similar way for less cost. 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 we’ve tested in previous years.
The compact open-cart design and the practical folding side table makes it fit even on small spaces, and you have all the basics you need to get familiar with gas grilling. Invite a couple of friends over, push the ignition and enjoy the special atmosphere that surrounds the grill. This generally means that the grill comes with a dedicated rotisserie burner; the motor and spit are usually purchased separately. A dedicated rotisserie burner is usually located on the back of the firebox, slightly above the cooking grates; some models use the grill’s main burner. This feature allows you to roast meat very evenly, yielding a flavor that some people prefer to that of grilled food. A good gas grill should last a decade or more, provided you clean it after every use and protect it from the elements.
Side tables help in holding spices and prep material, keeping everything you need ready at our fingertips. The Spirit 2 was introduced in 2018 and came to be an enhanced version of the Spirit grills. Spirit II features models that improved on the popular models of the Spirit and addressed any flaws in the earlier version. Grease management system funnels away grease that is not vaporized by the Flavorizer bars into an easy to remove drip tray that allows for faster, easier, and much more convenient cleaning. Three burner grill with spacious grilling area and side tables to place serving trays. Size category for the grill, based on CR’s measurement of the main cooking grid area.