Weber Grills - Worth the Money?

[wbranch]

Lowes will also put the grill together for you for free if you wish. I went ahead and put it together myself because I wanted to make sure everything was tightened nicely. It did take an hour or two, so free assembly is a nice bonus if you want it.

Oh god, would I let a bored millennial (barely) minimum-wage worker put together my grill?

hell no, I'll probably find avocado toast in the valves

I'm a boomer, not a millennial, but I was one of those minimum wage
workers ($3.65 / hour!) who put stuff together at a big box hardware
store.  Final product was inspected by my supervisor and I got really
good at assembly -- both fast and proficient as with any skill due to
daily practice.

I am a millennial that worked in a big box store warehouse assembling grills around 8-10 years ago. One of the baby boomers I worked with liked to use an cordless drill to assemble the grills and stripped many of the screws, either the head or the threads sometimes both. He said it was above his paygrade to worry about the quality of the assembly.

[jeff2017]

Here is something from left field. Someone here in town just posted a Weber Spirit (looks to be the smaller 210 Series) for sale with a cover. Says it "needs cleaning and a new starter. Still works. Propane tank included".

Any idea what a starter would cost? This might be a more Mustachian route...

[NextTime]

I'm guessing he meant igniter? $30 on Amazon. Probably cheaper on ebay.

https://www.amazon.com/Weber-7642-Igniter-Spirit-Grills/dp/B00N6XAQKM/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1523997492&sr=8-6&keywords=weber+spirit+e-210+grill+parts

[jeromedawg]

You can't go wrong with Weber-anything. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one if our current Stok gets destroyed somehow. If you can find a hot deal on a Webber 22" kettle (anything around $60 or less), I'd say just go for it. You won't be disappointed. Walmart had a crazy YMMV deal last year where they were clearing these things out for $25.

[Laserjet3051]

I've had a Weber Genesis Model ? for 11 years, most of which were without any cover. Definitely worth the price, we grill almost every day. Parts do wear out and need replacement. I do feel like its getting near the end of its useful lifespan.

[katsiki]

Accidentally learned a tip after receiving my weber grill..  If you are trying to determine 2, 3 or 4 burners, measure the weber grill against your existing grill (or need).  The weber grill is almost 10 inches wider than my previous grill!  This was a nice surprise, but I could have saved some money by going down 1 burner.

[dragoncar]

Here is something from left field. Someone here in town just posted a Weber Spirit (looks to be the smaller 210 Series) for sale with a cover. Says it "needs cleaning and a new starter. Still works. Propane tank included".

Any idea what a starter would cost? This might be a more Mustachian route...

The starter isn’t even mandatory.  You can use a long match, twig, cigar lighter etc just don’t blow up yer face

[dragoncar]

Accidentally learned a tip after receiving my weber grill..  If you are trying to determine 2, 3 or 4 burners, measure the weber grill against your existing grill (or need).  The weber grill is almost 10 inches wider than my previous grill!  This was a nice surprise, but I could have saved some money by going down 1 burner.

I do like two burners for the zones even if I don’t need more space.  I also think the marginal cost is low

[NextTime]

Two burners is plenty big enough for my family and probably 2 more families if we have people over.

Spending more money for an extra burner for the once every year or two we may need it didn't sound all that reasonable to me.

[NoraLenderbee]

My $500 barbecue looks awesome next to my $300 blender and $250 coffee grinder.

[JLee]

My $500 barbecue looks awesome next to my $300 blender and $250 coffee grinder.

You keep your grill inside (or your blender and coffee grinder outside)? *gasp*

[dragoncar]

My $500 barbecue looks awesome next to my $300 blender and $250 coffee grinder.

You keep your grill inside (or your blender and coffee grinder outside)? *gasp*

And why do you have such a cheap grill?  Are you poor?

[Barbaebigode]

My $500 barbecue looks awesome next to my $300 blender and $250 coffee grinder.

Being mustachian surely frees a lot of money to spend on high end products.

[Barbaebigode]

I see that quite a few people mentioned rusted grills and storing it outside. Wouldn't cleaning it, drying it and storing it in a sheltered place increase the lifespan of a grill? Am I missing something? Asking because I don't live in the US and a grill that last only a few years is kind of weird to me.

[YttriumNitrate]

Last year I was in the market for a natural gas grill and the options were either a Craigslist Weber Spirit E-310 or new Char-Broil on sale. Both options were roughly the same price, and I ended up going with the used Weber. So far it has been working great...although if you buy a used grill be sure to lay down a tarp in you car to catch any char-bits that fall out. I learned that lesson.

[Schaefer Light]

I see that quite a few people mentioned rusted grills and storing it outside. Wouldn't cleaning it, drying it and storing it in a sheltered place increase the lifespan of a grill? Am I missing something? Asking because I don't live in the US and a grill that last only a few years is kind of weird to me.

I'm sure that storing it in a sheltered place would increase the lifespan, but there are a few things preventing most people from doing that.  First, it's a pain to move something that can be quite large and heavy from the back of the house (where most grills are actually used) to the garage (which is nearly always on the front of the house) and then back out the next time you want to grill.  Also, some people don't have garages.  And even if they do, they may not have room in the garage for a big grill.  So, most people either leave them completely exposed to the elements or use a grill cover. 

[dragoncar]

I see that quite a few people mentioned rusted grills and storing it outside. Wouldn't cleaning it, drying it and storing it in a sheltered place increase the lifespan of a grill? Am I missing something? Asking because I don't live in the US and a grill that last only a few years is kind of weird to me.

I'm sure that storing it in a sheltered place would increase the lifespan, but there are a few things preventing most people from doing that.  First, it's a pain to move something that can be quite large and heavy from the back of the house (where most grills are actually used) to the garage (which is nearly always on the front of the house) and then back out the next time you want to grill.  Also, some people don't have garages.  And even if they do, they may not have room in the garage for a big grill.  So, most people either leave them completely exposed to the elements or use a grill cover.

There are also varying levels of cleaning it.  I’m pretty sure drippings are acidic since they seem to eat through my aluminum drip trays over time.  That plus the high heat seems to accelerate oxidation, and atmospheric humidity will still condense inside on a cold morning.

 I scrape off my grates before and after cooking but I don’t clean under the grates, or the flavorizers, or the inner body very regularly as it’s a pain in the butt.  But I’m sure it would extend the life of those elements. 

[Case]

Leaning heavily towards replacing my cheap crappy grill and after a lot of reading online, landed on the Weber Spirit E-310, $449 at Lowes.

I've yet to meet anyone not totally satisfied with their Weber. There are cheaper brands/options, but from what I read some of the cheaper ones have parts that go bad quicker and are more a throw away item every few years it seems. I cook meat several times a week, so definitely would get the use out of it. The parts replacement from Weber seems to be a great perk as well from what I've read.

Let's hear from the MMM grillers out there.

Make no mistake about it, an expensive grill is an unmustachian extravagancy in almost all scenarios.

But, if you can afford a splurge and get a lot of pleasure from it, then go for it.  But dont try to kid yourself that it is in any way frugal, even if it lasts a long time.

[dragoncar]

Leaning heavily towards replacing my cheap crappy grill and after a lot of reading online, landed on the Weber Spirit E-310, $449 at Lowes.

I've yet to meet anyone not totally satisfied with their Weber. There are cheaper brands/options, but from what I read some of the cheaper ones have parts that go bad quicker and are more a throw away item every few years it seems. I cook meat several times a week, so definitely would get the use out of it. The parts replacement from Weber seems to be a great perk as well from what I've read.

Let's hear from the MMM grillers out there.

Make no mistake about it, an expensive grill is an unmustachian extravagancy in almost all scenarios.

But, if you can afford a splurge and get a lot of pleasure from it, then go for it.  But dont try to kid yourself that it is in any way frugal, even if it lasts a long time.

So if it lasts twice as long at under twice the price it’s still not frugal?  Or are you just saying that any grill is an unnecessary expense when most people already have working stoves?

[ramengurl]

Weber Grills are worth the money but I would never buy a new one. Get the cheapest one you can find on Craigslist and then purchase the replacement parts for it from Weber to make it "like new" inside. This was actually my dads side gig for a little while. He would scan CL for down and out Weber grills. He would scrub them clean and then replace the parts he needed to in order to make it more desirable. He made 80-100$ profit on each one.

I have similar predicament,  I have their old charcoal kettle grill that came with apt that is rusted on the actual body a little bit.  I just bought all new cooking grates and charcoal grates but misssed seeing all the bits of rust on the body of kettle grill. Is that not safe to cook in?  considering the rust part is where the charcoal will be going?

[dragoncar]

Weber Grills are worth the money but I would never buy a new one. Get the cheapest one you can find on Craigslist and then purchase the replacement parts for it from Weber to make it "like new" inside. This was actually my dads side gig for a little while. He would scan CL for down and out Weber grills. He would scrub them clean and then replace the parts he needed to in order to make it more desirable. He made 80-100$ profit on each one.

I have similar predicament,  I have their old charcoal kettle grill that came with apt that is rusted on the actual body a little bit.  I just bought all new cooking grates and charcoal grates but misssed seeing all the bits of rust on the body of kettle grill. Is that not safe to cook in?  considering the rust part is where the charcoal will be going?

Is it rusted through or just rusted?  Seems like it would still be safe, and you could even bolt a new plate of steel over the rusted spot

[Jouer]

Leaning heavily towards replacing my cheap crappy grill and after a lot of reading online, landed on the Weber Spirit E-310, $449 at Lowes.

I've yet to meet anyone not totally satisfied with their Weber. There are cheaper brands/options, but from what I read some of the cheaper ones have parts that go bad quicker and are more a throw away item every few years it seems. I cook meat several times a week, so definitely would get the use out of it. The parts replacement from Weber seems to be a great perk as well from what I've read.

Let's hear from the MMM grillers out there.

Make no mistake about it, an expensive grill is an unmustachian extravagancy in almost all scenarios.

But, if you can afford a splurge and get a lot of pleasure from it, then go for it.  But dont try to kid yourself that it is in any way frugal, even if it lasts a long time.

So if it lasts twice as long at under twice the price it’s still not frugal?  Or are you just saying that any grill is an unnecessary expense when most people already have working stoves?

I'm not the person who said that above but I agree with him. I also agree with your point about something lasting twice as long.

However, in my experience there is a middle-ground between shitty bbq that dies after two years and Weber. For instance, buying a $400-500 bbq at the end of the season for $250 that will last 10 years is a great value. I'm on year 7 of this process right now and she's still going strong. Works just as good as the day I bought it and still looks good as well, even though I use it year round in Canadian winter.

[Case]

Leaning heavily towards replacing my cheap crappy grill and after a lot of reading online, landed on the Weber Spirit E-310, $449 at Lowes.

I've yet to meet anyone not totally satisfied with their Weber. There are cheaper brands/options, but from what I read some of the cheaper ones have parts that go bad quicker and are more a throw away item every few years it seems. I cook meat several times a week, so definitely would get the use out of it. The parts replacement from Weber seems to be a great perk as well from what I've read.

Let's hear from the MMM grillers out there.

Make no mistake about it, an expensive grill is an unmustachian extravagancy in almost all scenarios.

But, if you can afford a splurge and get a lot of pleasure from it, then go for it.  But dont try to kid yourself that it is in any way frugal, even if it lasts a long time.

So if it lasts twice as long at under twice the price it’s still not frugal?  Or are you just saying that any grill is an unnecessary expense when most people already have working stoves?

The latter. Also, its not under twice the price.  The Weber in this case is the expensive option (or so this thread leads me too believe).

[Case]

Leaning heavily towards replacing my cheap crappy grill and after a lot of reading online, landed on the Weber Spirit E-310, $449 at Lowes.

I've yet to meet anyone not totally satisfied with their Weber. There are cheaper brands/options, but from what I read some of the cheaper ones have parts that go bad quicker and are more a throw away item every few years it seems. I cook meat several times a week, so definitely would get the use out of it. The parts replacement from Weber seems to be a great perk as well from what I've read.

Let's hear from the MMM grillers out there.

Make no mistake about it, an expensive grill is an unmustachian extravagancy in almost all scenarios.

But, if you can afford a splurge and get a lot of pleasure from it, then go for it.  But dont try to kid yourself that it is in any way frugal, even if it lasts a long time.

So if it lasts twice as long at under twice the price it’s still not frugal?  Or are you just saying that any grill is an unnecessary expense when most people already have working stoves?

I'm not the person who said that above but I agree with him. I also agree with your point about something lasting twice as long.

However, in my experience there is a middle-ground between shitty bbq that dies after two years and Weber. For instance, buying a $400-500 bbq at the end of the season for $250 that will last 10 years is a great value. I'm on year 7 of this process right now and she's still going strong. Works just as good as the day I bought it and still looks good as well, even though I use it year round in Canadian winter.

Yea, but dont forget the sunk cost of not investing money that you instead on shit you don’t need.

Anyways, there are worse things to spend $$$ than grills, just making a point.  At least grills help to make food, which is an alternative to cooking out... though they tend to be used for meat, which is less frugal generally and less environmentally friendly when consumed in excess.

[dragoncar]

Leaning heavily towards replacing my cheap crappy grill and after a lot of reading online, landed on the Weber Spirit E-310, $449 at Lowes.

I've yet to meet anyone not totally satisfied with their Weber. There are cheaper brands/options, but from what I read some of the cheaper ones have parts that go bad quicker and are more a throw away item every few years it seems. I cook meat several times a week, so definitely would get the use out of it. The parts replacement from Weber seems to be a great perk as well from what I've read.

Let's hear from the MMM grillers out there.

Make no mistake about it, an expensive grill is an unmustachian extravagancy in almost all scenarios.

But, if you can afford a splurge and get a lot of pleasure from it, then go for it.  But dont try to kid yourself that it is in any way frugal, even if it lasts a long time.

So if it lasts twice as long at under twice the price it’s still not frugal?  Or are you just saying that any grill is an unnecessary expense when most people already have working stoves?

The latter. Also, its not under twice the price.  The Weber in this case is the expensive option (or so this thread leads me too believe).

Lets be honest, Weber is mid-range.  But yeah, we don't really need grill.  We also don't really need toilet paper

[Case]

Leaning heavily towards replacing my cheap crappy grill and after a lot of reading online, landed on the Weber Spirit E-310, $449 at Lowes.

I've yet to meet anyone not totally satisfied with their Weber. There are cheaper brands/options, but from what I read some of the cheaper ones have parts that go bad quicker and are more a throw away item every few years it seems. I cook meat several times a week, so definitely would get the use out of it. The parts replacement from Weber seems to be a great perk as well from what I've read.

Let's hear from the MMM grillers out there.

Make no mistake about it, an expensive grill is an unmustachian extravagancy in almost all scenarios.

But, if you can afford a splurge and get a lot of pleasure from it, then go for it.  But dont try to kid yourself that it is in any way frugal, even if it lasts a long time.

So if it lasts twice as long at under twice the price it’s still not frugal?  Or are you just saying that any grill is an unnecessary expense when most people already have working stoves?

The latter. Also, its not under twice the price.  The Weber in this case is the expensive option (or so this thread leads me too believe).

Lets be honest, Weber is mid-range.  But yeah, we don't really need grill.  We also don't really need toilet paper

Whoa whoa whoa.  Let’s not equate grills with toilet paper.

[ramengurl]

Weber Grills are worth the money but I would never buy a new one. Get the cheapest one you can find on Craigslist and then purchase the replacement parts for it from Weber to make it "like new" inside. This was actually my dads side gig for a little while. He would scan CL for down and out Weber grills. He would scrub them clean and then replace the parts he needed to in order to make it more desirable. He made 80-100$ profit on each one.

I have similar predicament,  I have their old charcoal kettle grill that came with apt that is rusted on the actual body a little bit.  I just bought all new cooking grates and charcoal grates but misssed seeing all the bits of rust on the body of kettle grill. Is that not safe to cook in?  considering the rust part is where the charcoal will be going?

Is it rusted through or just rusted?  Seems like it would still be safe, and you could even bolt a new plate of steel over the rusted spot

lol just a little reddish brown at the bottom base, where all the charcoal goes anyways..thanks for responding really appreciate the knowledge!  I asked around at work today too before seeing this respone and consensus was totally fine because its where charcoal goes, someone even suggested something I didn't hundred precent get but makes me think I'm safe to cook with.  Even looked at craigslist and people were selling more rusted webers than mine :)

[dragoncar]

Weber Grills are worth the money but I would never buy a new one. Get the cheapest one you can find on Craigslist and then purchase the replacement parts for it from Weber to make it "like new" inside. This was actually my dads side gig for a little while. He would scan CL for down and out Weber grills. He would scrub them clean and then replace the parts he needed to in order to make it more desirable. He made 80-100$ profit on each one.

I have similar predicament,  I have their old charcoal kettle grill that came with apt that is rusted on the actual body a little bit.  I just bought all new cooking grates and charcoal grates but misssed seeing all the bits of rust on the body of kettle grill. Is that not safe to cook in?  considering the rust part is where the charcoal will be going?

Is it rusted through or just rusted?  Seems like it would still be safe, and you could even bolt a new plate of steel over the rusted spot

lol just a little reddish brown at the bottom base, where all the charcoal goes anyways..thanks for responding really appreciate the knowledge!  I asked around at work today too before seeing this respone and consensus was totally fine because its where charcoal goes, someone even suggested something I didn't hundred precent get but makes me think I'm safe to cook with.  Even looked at craigslist and people were selling more rusted webers than mine :)

Yeah the rust won't affect your food.  Unless you are cooking on a flammable surface (wooden deck, or dry grass) and there's a chance hot coals are gonna shoot out the bottom, I wouldn't worry about it.  Even when it rusts through it will probably drop bits of ash long before catastrophic failure

[Lisa744]

Whoa appreciate all the feedback from the forum. Planning to go ahead and take the plunge and buy soon.

Here's a new question. When discussing with a few friends over the weekend, both suggested I NOT buy from Lowes or the other big box stores. One of these guys used to work at an ACE and said he thought the grills sold at Lowe's were of a lower quality.

I Googled it and found conflicting statements.

What is also a bit odd is I went to the Gadgetspicker to "Locate a Dealer" in my area and Lowe's, Target, Home Depot, and several ACE stores all show up as "Dealers". Lowe's is selling the grill for $449 and ACE has it for $499 (with free delivery and set up).

Sorry for replying on this old thread. But I'm going to buy a Weber LP grill this month. Can someone suggest should I buy it on amazon or look for a offline dealer?

[wotan]

would look on craigslist for used ones. really cheap. my Weber propane grill is 22 years old and only replaced the flavor bars.

[COEE]

I'm not huge on propane -

I've had an AKORN kamado that I very much like.  I've had it about 3 years now.  It's cheaper than the ceramics - somewhere around $300.  I bought it because I wasn't sure I really liked smoking meat.  Turns out I do.  I think next time I'll spend $$$ on a ceramic.  I think the smoker will last another couple years if not more.  I'm thinking about selling it sooner than later - and upgrading while it still has some life in it.

[dragoncar]

I'm not huge on propane -

I've had an AKORN kamado that I very much like.  I've had it about 3 years now.  It's cheaper than the ceramics - somewhere around $300.  I bought it because I wasn't sure I really liked smoking meat.  Turns out I do.  I think next time I'll spend $$$ on a ceramic.  I think the smoker will last another couple years if not more.  I'm thinking about selling it sooner than later - and upgrading while it still has some life in it.

For flavor, I far prefer wood or even charcoal.

But for convenience and economy*, nothing beats gas.

*Firing up a kamado for a single burger or steak is wasteful

[MrSal]

Leaning heavily towards replacing my cheap crappy grill and after a lot of reading online, landed on the Weber Spirit E-310, $449 at Lowes.

I've yet to meet anyone not totally satisfied with their Weber. There are cheaper brands/options, but from what I read some of the cheaper ones have parts that go bad quicker and are more a throw away item every few years it seems. I cook meat several times a week, so definitely would get the use out of it. The parts replacement from Weber seems to be a great perk as well from what I've read.

Let's hear from the MMM grillers out there.

They changed manufacturing to China last year on the e spirit line. They feel like crap... Nothing like the same model one year before.

I recommend you to wait ou5 for liquidations on the Genesis models that happen around now to end of summer.

I got my Genesis LX S-440 for $300 ... It's a grill with a MSRP of $1700

It was a deal of a decade. While you may not get such big discount, I would definitely wait a bit and look for clearance sales.

[MandalayPA]

For those who live in places where charcoal and gas grills aren't allowed, Weber also makes a top-notch electric grill, the Q1400.  We've had ours for a year and it beats the crap out of a George Foreman.  We paid about $270 for it.

[Kaplin261]

My local craigslist frequently has great deals on 5 year old Weber Grills. Most of the grills I see at bargain prices are ones that just need a good cleaning but parts are easy to get as well.

My Weber is 13 years old and stays out side year round. I've only ever replaced the burners,burner plates and grill grates. The new parts are all premium stainless steel unlike the original parts so they should last 15-20 years.  All this was just a little over $100.

The covers do take a beating if in direct sunlight expect to get a new cover every 4-5 years that is about $40

[MrSal]

At full price? No I dont think so. You can find same quality for much cheaper.

However, there are BIG sales on grills going every year. Even other brands.

2 years ago I nailed a Broilking, their top of the line one that goes for $800, I got it for $125 on a price mistake from Amazon.

Last year, I got a Webber Genesis Luxury LX-S440 (the whole body is stainless steel) for $299 at Lowes (Usual price is $1899). It comes with 10 year warranty so I called it a day.

I agree that cast iron grill plates are better. This one came with Stainless steel and I put it aside and just put my old cast iron on. I put the stainless steel by the firepit, and sometimes I cook there just putting the SS on top of the fire.

I think if you need one right now and can't wait, especially for how well it cooks, a Charbroil TRU Infrared is really nice! They are cheap and last for a while if protected. That thing got into the 700F+ in minutes! Best searing ever. Bought it for $220 and sold it 4 years later for $160 on Craigslist.

[familyandfarming]

We have a $500 Char-Broil that's 10 years old. Going like a champ! The key to longevity? Keep it in the garage! We roll it out only when we use it. Otherwise, it's covered and in the back of the garage, out of the elements.

[Reddleman]

We've had a Genesis Silver for about 15 years now. 

The metal cart is rusting through, but could be fixed.  I blame myself for not putting the cover back on consistently.  I've replaced the burners once, a few years ago. 

I can still get parts for it- pretty amazing considering. 

One of the best quality/price ratios of anything I own. 

[smoghat]

I’ve had a couple of Webers. They are lovely but they can’t hold a candle to a Big Green Egg. Yes the Egg is about 2 to 3 times as much, but when coupled with a thermostat-controlled fan like the CyberQ you can do overnight low and slow, 180 degrees for 20 hours. That’s where it gets moustachean. I hold parties for 15-20 people and i serve a pork shoulder that cost me $15. The BGE won’t ever rust and just works a heck of a lot better. I love the way the Webers look but I am so happy with my BGE (7 years outside every day and no rust at all).

[roomtempmayo]

Bringing this topic back up for a question.

I'm currently on the hunt for a used Weber to replace my umpteenth cheap that's rusted out.

There are three models that I'm seeing, the Genesis, the Spirit, and the Summit.

Are they all rebuildable and durable, or is it worth holding out for a Spirit or Summit?

[Finances_With_Purpose]

You all are making me really sad that I did not buy the last couple of Webers I saw at yard sales...

[GhostSaver]

Bringing this topic back up for a question.

I'm currently on the hunt for a used Weber to replace my umpteenth cheap that's rusted out.

There are three models that I'm seeing, the Genesis, the Spirit, and the Summit.

Are they all rebuildable and durable, or is it worth holding out for a Spirit or Summit?

I think the Genesis is an upgrade over the Spirit. I think that, depending on the model, it can chuck some extra BTUs compared to the Spirit. It also feels heavier with less plastic and thicker metal on the lid.

I have a Spirit, though, and I have no complaints. Even though it is the cheapie of the Weber lineup, it's an upgrade over the bargain brand gas grill that I had for years. If you can find a deal on any of these used models, you'll be in great shape.

Sent from my Pixel 6a using Tapatalk

[roomtempmayo]

Bringing this topic back up for a question.

I'm currently on the hunt for a used Weber to replace my umpteenth cheap that's rusted out.

There are three models that I'm seeing, the Genesis, the Spirit, and the Summit.

Are they all rebuildable and durable, or is it worth holding out for a Spirit or Summit?

I think the Genesis is an upgrade over the Spirit. I think that, depending on the model, it can chuck some extra BTUs compared to the Spirit. It also feels heavier with less plastic and thicker metal on the lid.

I have a Spirit, though, and I have no complaints. Even though it is the cheapie of the Weber lineup, it's an upgrade over the bargain brand gas grill that I had for years. If you can find a deal on any of these used models, you'll be in great shape.

Sent from my Pixel 6a using Tapatalk

Thanks!  What I'm really after is something that won't rust out or corrode in the lower body.  I was under the impression that the Spirits were an aluminum body rather than steel, but now that doesn't seem to be the case.  Can anyone fill me in here?

[YttriumNitrate]

There are three models that I'm seeing, the Genesis, the Spirit, and the Summit.
Are they all rebuildable and durable, or is it worth holding out for a Spirit or Summit?

The Summit is the high end version, the Genesis the mid-range, and the Spirit tends to be the low end. In terms of durability, they are all good. In my experience, one of the first things to wear out on a Weber gas grill are the burner tubes, and all three grill lines use similar burner tubes. The igniters also sometimes wear out, but the grills have access ports so you can just use a match or a cheap lighter to get the grill going.

[Paper Chaser]

The difference between Spirit and Genesis mostly comes down to size and features rather than quality of design or materials as far as I can tell.

This article compares the current lineup if you're considering buying new:

https://www.angrybbq.com/weber-spirit-vs-genesis/

The flavorizer bars on my 5 year old Spirit 310 are pretty much at the end of their life now. I'll likely buy some stainless steel replacements rather than re-upping with the enameled steel originals. Other than that it's been a great, no frills grill.

[farmecologist]

Anyone ever heard of Holland grills?  We have had one for 20 years now and it is still going strong.   It is stainless steel....it sits out all year without a cover and has survived our Minnesota winters, hot simmers, etc...  The thing is pretty amazing.

Unfortunately, they went out of business a few years ago...probably partly because they are too durable...lol.  They still have a cult following.

If you can find one in good condition, snap it up!

BTW - Someone is supposedly "resurrecting the company"...but it has been a long resurrection so far.  The site has been in limbo for quite some time.

https://hollandgrill.com/

[dragoncar]

My 8 year old spirit is rusting on the base.  Not rusting “out” but cosmetically pretty bad.

I’ve replaced the diffusers and and grates with SS because the others did rust out.  Needs new diffusers again but not sure if it’s worth the money to go up In quality that will outlive the rest of the grill

The lid portion is beginning to rust out— not the SS portion but the part inside. Maybe not rust exactly but from the heat

I cover the grill in the winter so it doesn’t receive a lot of direct moisture (dry summers)

I expect when I do replace this I’m going to go high end.  My dad has a lynx of the same age same storage conditions and usage that looks immaculate.  The price is eye watering but it would be BIFL

Or maybe just wait out the clock and try to take his

[snic]

I have a Weber Q gas grill that is at least 15 years old. I don't know if they still make Q's but it would have been on the low end ($200 or so). Everything has held up extremely well except for the grates. These rusted out almost immediately and replacing them was expensive ($70 or so). By "rusted out" I mean huge pieces of rust flaking off, so it was unsafe to use. I had to replace the grates twice. After the third set started to go, I bought a stainless steel "Grill Grate" from a company of that name, which sits on top of the rusty old grates. This has worked like a charm. It's thick metal, but light weight, and there's been no rust on it in the last 5 years.

The rest of the grill has been problem free all these years. I store it outside year round with a waterproof cover.

[sonofsven]

I had a thread recently about finding a free Weber; I see them for free or cheap pretty often. It's amazing to me but some people really don't like fixing things.
So look on craigslist or marketplace, eventually you will find one.