Buying new grill, have some ?'s...

Like the title says, I'm in the market for a new gas grill. I've read lots of reviews and it seems like Weber makes good ones. Does anyone have experience with one? Also what is more durable over time - porcelain coated-whatever, or stainless steel? Many of the online review for various grills mention rust problems with cheap SS, so that's why I ask.

 

Weber is the way to go. They set the standard when it comes to grills. They are pricey though. How many people are you cooking for? I just bought a Weber Genesis and I love it. I believe the hood is generally porcelain coated to lock the heat in, as far as workspace (on the side of the grill) i would go with SS (easy to clean and looks great).

 

I'll be cooking for my wife and kid. Perhaps once a summer we'll cook for a dozen or more people. I'm leaning towards the 200 or 300 series grills.

 

i JUST bought a stainless steel weber genesis. without the side burner.

i hated it because i am a diehard charcoal guy. but i am happy to report that i am warming up to the convience of propane.

i got the stainless grates. not as heavy as the cast iron, but i figure the ease of cleaning them outweight the loss of mass. the cast iron you can clean with the self-clean option of your house oven. a major win.

i waited until my local ACE hardware had a major sale, and got the grill CHEAP! and dont buy the weber grill cover for $65. buy the generic one from home depot for $16. it is the same thing.

 

I got the 310 and i really love the grill... i cook on it 4 nights a week (low carb diet). It seems to be VERY efficient as far as propane usage, and it can get up to 650-700 degrees of indirect heat in about 8 minutes.

IMO i don't think the side burner is worth it ($50)... i generally just sit my beer on one side, and the meat on the other side!

Definitely get a cover, it's an investment!

 

Once you get your new grill, you should look into doing the Satoshi mod. It'll make the grill look alittle more streamlined. You can also try mounting a few lights behind it. That way, it'll make your steaks look cool.

 

^LOL!

the side burner would be great for deep frying fish outdoors..or keeping a heated pot of beer and onions to keep brats warm.

i would love one, but it wasnt a deal breaker for me.

 

I got a used Weber silver B for around 100 a few years ago. It is an awesome grill and the quality is much better than any other brands. Mine had the cast iron porcelain grates and they are pretty nice.

 

I've had my Weber Spirit 310 for almost 2 years now and I love it. I have the standard grates right now but am getting the stainless steel for Fathers day. The grill is awesome and should last you a lifetime with little maintenance.

They are pricey but when you think about other grills that will need to be replaced in a few years the Weber grill is worth the cost. If you're lucky you might find last years model for lower price. This year models have knobs on front instead of up on side.

 

Make sure to get a color matched one............

 

Thanks all. The Spirit 210 or 310 are my favorites right now. Thinking I'll pick one up for a fathers day gift for myself this weekend. I shouldve expected someone to chime in about color matching/satoshi-ing!

 

when you're asking about what's more durable, do you mean the grill grate material, or the whole bbq shell?

webers are always rated very well, you woudn't go wrong with one. i think they're good at even heat distribution as well, which is very important.

 

Thanks for all of the replies. Bought and assembled a Weber Spirit 310 on Sunday and used it for the first time last night. Did some dogs and chicken breasts. They came out great! Putting it together you can tell it's a quality machine - tight tolerances and sturdy materials go a long way in my book.

 

whatever you do, AVOID the charbroil ... I have a Charbroil commercial Stainless that came with a "lifetime warranty", and this thing is the biggest POS ever. The firebox is literally rusting, and flaking to pieces. This is supposed to be the heart of the grill and its constructed of crap. The tubes that carry the gas, again, rusting and falling apart. When I tried to use the warranty they said I needed my original receipt.
I tried to explain that "if its a lifetime warranty, who cares when its made .. its under warranty forever". They didnt care. My next grill will be a Webber ... they are worth the $

 

This is the one I've been looking at. Lowes has free assembly, delivery and haul away of your old grill. Next step up would be the Genesis. Trying to convince myself the Spirit will be fine. (On a side note, I have a Traeger pellet smoker that I use for my ribs, briskets, pork butts, etc). Really just need this for steaks, burgers, etc.

 

weber

 

Weber +1

 

the new webers > the old webers.

the new ones have burners running in this orientation.."l l l"
and the old ones are ___
___
___

way more room for indirect heat cooking on the new ones..bastard weber designers waited until i bought one to change.

 

I will second this. I have probably the exact same model "Commercial Series". It was not worth the price paid, the supposed "lifetime" burners are almost gone on mine as well. The cabinet doors on the front have fallen off (with a lot of help from dog's peeing on it, so that's somewhat my fault).

The drip covers over the burners are totally gone after a couple years use.

Also someone mentioned the side burner for frying fish, but on this model I tried it and it does not put out enough BTUs to get the oil hot enough for proper frying. Fine for boiling, but not deep frying.

 

We have a Weber Silver...I think....?? It's a pretty basic grill. I don't even know how old it is....8 years? The only things I've replaced on it, are the 'Flavorizer Bars'. The bun rack is all rusted to shit...but I never used it anyway. The grill grates are heavy and has some sort of bomb proof material on it (LOL). But seriously....I don't think these things will ever deteriorate.
The gas ports, igniter, and all that stuff still works perfectly. Years ago, we used to keep it covered....but the cover cracked/deteriorated and we never bought another one. The grill has been exposed to the elements ever since. I use it all year long, including when there's 12" of snow on the ground.
Yes..our burners (3 of them) run parrallel to the lid. Flavorizer bars run the same....

Looks identical to this: