Portable grills are grouped together regardless of cooking area, though typically these are small grills. Located on the propane tank or the grill itself, this reveals at a glance how much propane remains in the tank. 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. Of all the fuels mentioned here, charcoal emits the most carbon into the atmosphere.
Well, you get a bit more fire power per burner, but apart from that there isn’t too much difference here. It is up to you to decide whether this is worth the higher price tag. Speaking of thermometers, this grill can be hooked up to the Weber’s app connected thermometer. This accessory isn’t available with the grill and is sold separately. Not necessarily, I would argue that you can get a similar advantage with a good digital thermometer. This is one of the main elements that you need to look at when choosing any grill, and the Weber Spirit II E 310 is no different.
But the difference is minimal, especially if you’re not doing a side-by-side comparison of the two. Some folks think cast-iron grates distribute heat better across the grilling surface than stainless steel. But in our research we found that the design and the materials that make up the grilling system are what determine heat distribution.
We chose grills with fireboxes made of cast aluminum because the firebox is a major part of the grill, it’s difficult to replace, and aluminum is resistant to rust and corrosion. Cheaper grills have thin enameled steel fireboxes that are prone to damage and holes from rust. Once your grill has a rusty hole in the firebox, it’s destined for the scrap heap. Since the Spirit II E-210 has only two burners, indirect cooking may present a bit of a challenge.
The Spirit II E-310’s overall compact size (helped by a fold-down side table) 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. (Weber’s warranty covers all parts for a full decade—among the best coverage in the industry.) For decades, the company has refined the Spirit’s design, too.
While it may not be on the same level as high end or newer models, the Weber Spirit II E 310 has plenty to offer in terms of both power as well as grilling opportunities. This gives you a lot of different options when cooking and grilling. The other element that I like is the high performance burners. These reach higher temperatures more quickly and maintain even heating quite well. Well, this amounts to about 15 burgers, a couple of racks of ribs, and about three whole chickens, depending on the size of the birds. The first is that it allows me to easily transfer food from platters onto the grill with minimal hassle.
There’s no easy answer, but we discuss some of the considerations in the sustainability section below. Experts and our testing confirm this range is where you’ll find the best value, with grills that perform great and can last a decade or more. Now, I do want to quickly compare the Spirit II E 10 and Genesis II – the former is a higher end option. However, apart from the fact there is slightly more cooking area and the BTUs are higher, I wouldn’t waste my money but stick with the Spirit II E 310 instead.
Factors include grate material, wheels or casters for moving the grill, and useful features such as electronic ignitor. Evenness of heating over the grill’s surface at the highest and lowest setting using all main burners plus the evenness char broil performance after a 10 minute preheat, using thermocouples. After years of testing grills, we can’t think of a better deal for a great grill than the Original Weber Kettle, which has been our favorite charcoal grill for almost 10 years.
Let’s start of this gas grill review with the things that I like about the design. It boasts a compact, lightweight design that works well for a small family or even a mid-sized one. weber spirit 2 It is pretty easy to assemble and although you may require an assistant, the job should be done in under an hour. The Spirit II is an improvement to the Spirit on any levels.
But thermometers in the lid are several inches above the cooking grate and don’t accurately report the temperature on the surface where you’re actually cooking your food. Consider getting an inexpensive infrared thermometer to gauge the temperature of the cooking grates. This grill’s overall compact size suits almost any patio or deck. Yet its three-burner grilling surface is big enough to cook a complete meal for a family or a dozen burgers for a party. With its thick, rust-proof cast-aluminum firebox, this grill will last for years.