The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: jeff2017 on April 11, 2018, 09:27:15 AM
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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.
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Can't comment on propane grills, but I do know the Weber charcoal grills are significantly better than most of the cheaper alternatives. My roommates got a cheap alternative, and that thing is the worst to clean, has terrible airflow, and half of the coals don't even end up burning. By comparison my aunt's Weber kettle is a dream to use.
If their propane grills are designed by the same philosophy that their charcoal ones are, I suspect it's well made.
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Curious to hear feedback. I just ordered one on Monday and it should be here by the weekend. I will post my thoughts once I have it / use it.
It seems you have to pay a premium for a grill that will not die after 3-4 years. My cheap grill (Walmart special) died after 4 years, so I got my money's worth it seems.
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After years of convincing myself that my old cheap propane grill was fine, I finally broke down and bought a Weber Genesis S 330 a couple of years ago. It is far far better. More even heat from the burners, gets far hotter for searing, holds heat more evenly (heavy grill box is mostly responsible for this). Too early to tell about longevity, but I sure hope it lasts forever. Weber replacement parts are widely available.
I picked a more expensive end of the Genesis ones because I wanted the stainless cooking rods (the less expensive ones use coated iron which will rust eventually) and the sear burner. I didn't care about the side burner - had one on the old grill and never used it - but had to get that in order to get everything else I wanted.
I bought mine when Weber was closing out the older models and had $100 off old stock.
Buying tip: buy from Lowe's if they're near you. You can get a 10%-off code easily online. You can also buy Lowe's gift cards online (eBay frequently) at 10-15% discount too. Stack up the discounted GCs and a 10%-off code, and it helps.
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I've had 2 weber charcoal grills, both gotten used for very cheap, and both were in great condition when I got them and are much nicer to use than the other cheap grills I've had. One was a small portable one that my ex took when we broke up, the other is a full size one I found at a flea market. I don't think I'd ever pay hundreds of dollars for one, but so far I've been very happy with their performance and durability.
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Got the Spirit E-210 last August and it's going strong. I figured it was big enough for my family and didn't want to kick in the extra $100 for a little more sq ft and an extra burner. I'm thinking I would only need something larger maybe once ever 2-3 years so why pay the extra $100 (or more) for a larger one. It was expensive enough for the 210.
Love it so far. Had trouble getting it up above 350 deg the first time I used it but apparently it's a common issue with their regulator. There's supposedly a trick to it (google it), with the way you open the gas and when you start the burner. I tried everything they recommended that first time and still couldn't get it to work though. All subsequent times it hasn't been an issue. It cooks very evenly and I've made some fantastic burgers and steaks so far.
I recommend this grill cover. Very high quality and haven't noticed any fading so far. The brush that comes with it is shit though. Make sure you get the right size though. Fits the 210 perfectly.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JLJOIDU/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/weber-grill-worth-it/
We have one and love it. Whether there is a tangible reason that they are worth more is a little debatable, but so far we have had no problems.
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When I worked retail, we sold Weber Grills. Definitely
worth the added cost, and highly recommended by all
our staff who owned them.
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I have owned the same Weber grill for 15+ years or so. Even after 15 years I can continue to purchase factory original spare parts at reasonable prices. I have been able to replace every part that needs replacing (gutting and replacing the the internal components at least once). The continued availability of spare parts is frustrating, since I cannot justify throwing this darn blasted thing away and purchasing a new bigger one. Sigh. So, no, do not purchase a Weber grill if you, like me, have trouble replacing a grill that continues to work and/or can be fixed.
If it is not obvious... I highly recommend Weber grills.
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Can anyone comment on the 10-year warranty?
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I will almost always advocate for quality over price. Buying a quality item that lasts as long as X times cheaper items even if more expensive than X times cheaper is almost always a win. Less hassle and frustration in replacing it, and less trash/environmental waste. So, I would vote yes.
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Got the Spirit E-210 last August and it's going strong. I figured it was big enough for my family and didn't want to kick in the extra $100 for a little more sq ft and an extra burner. I'm thinking I would only need something larger maybe once ever 2-3 years so why pay the extra $100 (or more) for a larger one. It was expensive enough for the 210.
Love it so far. Had trouble getting it up above 350 deg the first time I used it but apparently it's a common issue with their regulator. There's supposedly a trick to it (google it), with the way you open the gas and when you start the burner. I tried everything they recommended that first time and still couldn't get it to work though. All subsequent times it hasn't been an issue. It cooks very evenly and I've made some fantastic burgers and steaks so far.
I recommend this grill cover. Very high quality and haven't noticed any fading so far. The brush that comes with it is shit though. Make sure you get the right size though. Fits the 210 perfectly.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JLJOIDU/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I spent $150 at Target for a 4-burner Char-broil 2 years ago, and it's still going strong. I can easily modulate the temperature and I can get it to 650 degrees in about 10 minutes if I really want to. I'd have to spend $1000 for a Weber of the same size. shrug I'd love to see more "15 year cost analysis" posts, because anything under 3-4 years and I think you'll have very similar experiences between the grills. Can you justify spending 4-6x the amount? I really think this is a "tiny details exaggeration syndrome" ;)
I'm not justifying it at all. As I said, I've had it for less than a year. I did the research and listened to others that had them for 15 years and decide I was going to give it a try. If it doesn't live up to it's reputation, then fuck it. I'll go back to buying the cheap ones every few years. One thing I can tell you, is that it cooks a hell of a lot more evenly than any other propane grill I've had.
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I use my Weber Original Kettle Charcoal Grill 22" almost every weekend to make our meat and vegetables for the week. I didn't pay for mine, but they run around $100. Was used when it came into my life 6 years ago, still serving me well today.
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No
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Got the Spirit E-210 last August and it's going strong. I figured it was big enough for my family and didn't want to kick in the extra $100 for a little more sq ft and an extra burner. I'm thinking I would only need something larger maybe once ever 2-3 years so why pay the extra $100 (or more) for a larger one. It was expensive enough for the 210.
Love it so far. Had trouble getting it up above 350 deg the first time I used it but apparently it's a common issue with their regulator. There's supposedly a trick to it (google it), with the way you open the gas and when you start the burner. I tried everything they recommended that first time and still couldn't get it to work though. All subsequent times it hasn't been an issue. It cooks very evenly and I've made some fantastic burgers and steaks so far.
I recommend this grill cover. Very high quality and haven't noticed any fading so far. The brush that comes with it is shit though. Make sure you get the right size though. Fits the 210 perfectly.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JLJOIDU/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
We got the Weber 210 5 years ago, and it's just fine (have never had a problem with getting it up to temp). The original cover is getting some cracks in it, so I'll check out that link.
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My parents have a 25 year old Weber gas grill that looks practically brand new except for the weathered wood parts. They’ve also only had to replace a handful of things on it.
I’m personally a charcoal guy (mine is a Weber), though, so can’t directly comment on propane grills.
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We will never get anything other than a Weber. We bought a cheap one years ago, it had a leak in the gas line before we even used it! Don't need that headache!
Our last one- got it at Lowe's. Spirit E-210 It's a couple of years old, no problems
Perfect for us
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Another thumbs up for the Weber Kettle. We use ours almost weekly, leave it in the rain, and cook with real wood (burns very hot). It looks pretty rough after ten years of this treatment but it still works as well as day one.
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Curious to hear feedback. I just ordered one on Monday and it should be here by the weekend. I will post my thoughts once I have it / use it.
It seems you have to pay a premium for a grill that will not die after 3-4 years. My cheap grill (Walmart special) died after 4 years, so I got my money's worth it seems.
My Weber charcoal grill is going strong in its 17th year, although it's not quite as pretty as it once was.
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After purchasing a few cheap grills (GrillMaster) from Lowes and having each one wear out within 2-3 years, we finally splurged and bought a Weber propane grill two years ago. The quality is so so much better and we expect it to last us many years. We find the Weber cooks more evenly than the cheap grills did, even when they were new. It took us a long time to get over the price tag, but no regrets. We BBQ 4-5 times a week in summer.
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I use my Weber Original Kettle Charcoal Grill 22" almost every weekend to make our meat and vegetables for the week. I didn't pay for mine, but they run around $100. Was used when it came into my life 6 years ago, still serving me well today.
We have the same grill, and ours is still in good shape after about a decade. My parents' Weber kettle is even older. I would imagine that the propane grills are also high quality.
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Got a Weber Genesis Propane off of Craigslist.
Burner tubes were all screwed up.
Weber sent full replacement, no questions asked.
Replacement was simple.
Stainless steel bars will probably never go bad.
So yes.
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Ive had a Weber Spirit for six years. Love it. We use it at least once a week. Bought new burners and ignition box and watched youtube videos on how to replace the parts. Works very well again. Buy a grill cover its worth it.
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I got the E-210 recommended at https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-gas-grill/ about 4 years ago. Still going strong, but I'm starting to get a bad rust on my grates and flavorizer, so I'm wishing I got a stainless or enameled grates model.
I definitely wish I got a side burner model. Certain cooking activities are just too smoky/messy/smelly for indoors
I got a stainless steel hood, which looks slightly nicer except it's gotten discolored after a raging grease fire incident. I probably should havve gone with a black paint model which hides my mistakes better
My parents have a Lynx, which costs more than my car but is pretty amazing in quality. I've also used cheaper no-name grills. I think it in the end it all comes down to how much maintenance you want to do. If you can keep it in the garage during wet weather, a cheap-o might be fine since you could buy 20 Charbroils for the price of a Lynx. That's a new one every year for 20 years and unfortunately my parents won't be living that long. Will a Weber last 2x the Charbroil? I tend to think so.
Got the Spirit E-210 last August and it's going strong. I figured it was big enough for my family and didn't want to kick in the extra $100 for a little more sq ft and an extra burner. I'm thinking I would only need something larger maybe once ever 2-3 years so why pay the extra $100 (or more) for a larger one. It was expensive enough for the 210.
Love it so far. Had trouble getting it up above 350 deg the first time I used it but apparently it's a common issue with their regulator. There's supposedly a trick to it (google it), with the way you open the gas and when you start the burner. I tried everything they recommended that first time and still couldn't get it to work though. All subsequent times it hasn't been an issue. It cooks very evenly and I've made some fantastic burgers and steaks so far.
I recommend this grill cover. Very high quality and haven't noticed any fading so far. The brush that comes with it is shit though. Make sure you get the right size though. Fits the 210 perfectly.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JLJOIDU/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The "trick" is just: make sure the grill is off before opening the propane valve. Happened to me too, because I changed the tank when I ran out in the middle of a grill and I didn't think to turn off the burners
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My dad has been grilling on the same Weber for 15+ years, replacing only the flavor savers. By comparison, I've had two Cheapo Depot grills in the last 6 years. When the last one died, I finally bucked up and spent on a quality grill that will last, rather than essentially buying 2-3 year disposables.
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There is a lot of love for Weber on this thread. I suppose Weber has a bot, and half of you are it.
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I do everything on a Weber charcoal kettle. Love my Weber grill(s).
I can't stand cooking on a gas grill because it's not as easy to monitor the heat, and charcoal cooked food tastes better too.
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For charcoal there's no comparison - Weber wins.
For gas it's worth it if you're planning to keep it for 5+ years. For a cheaper grill that cooks as good (or better) than a Weber I recommend Char-Broil. The Char-Broil gets up to 550 in a few minutes. They use a different technology than Weber but I don't think it will last as long as a Weber.
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The $200 propane BBQ I bought 7 years ago is still going strong. I even use it in the Canadian winter so it stays outside year round. Heats up fine, cooks great.
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I bought a Weber after years of cheap grills. It heats more evenly and is substantially better construction, so its much more sturdy. It was worth the $700 to me (wish I would have been patient and found a used one like my brother-in-law).
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My husband and I bought a Char-Broil grill on Black Friday for less than $80. A friend of ours just got a $700 natural gas Weber for his birthday (our grills are the same size). He had a “bring your own meat” birthday party last night and I got to see the fancy grill in action. I commented to my husband how much nicer it was than our grill and he asked “but is it 7 times nicer”. The answer to that is no, but it was at least 4 times nicer! Once this grill craps out I’d probably be willing to spend a little more on a nicer one. Especially if I continue using it a couple times a week.
Enjoy!
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There is a lot of love for Weber on this thread. I suppose Weber has a bot, and half of you are it.
A common theme in the forums is the distinction between cheap and frugal, and also the environmental impact of a good.
Weber is actually quite competitive price wise in charcoal grills, which is what I have.
In gas grills, they carry a price premium to some degree, but if you look at models of comparable quality from other brands, they’re not particularly expensive. They just don’t have a range of cheap disposable crap that will fall apart in a few years. And that’s what many cheapo gas grill are, sadly, disposable. Something major WILL fail within 2-3 years and finding replacement parts is a PITA so way too many folks treat them as disposables.
Weber grills are more reliable overall, when failures occur parts are easy to find, so I’m guessing the total cost of ownership over 10 years is less, and the grills can easily last 20+. Not to mention the lower environmental impact of only owing one grill over that time period versus 3-4 or more.
Sometimes a brand is just good. Don’t insult people by calling them bots, maybe if the answers are unexpectedly all to one side of a question, you could actually LEARN something ;)
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My grill is an old oven rack over a fire in the backyard. Cheap to run on bits of wood found out walking, and it's very unlikely to ever die. It doubles as a social evening firepit AND rubbish remover AND shredder/incinerator for personal documents. And it produces ash that I can mix into the garden. Not sure your Weber can match it, frankly.
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My grill is an old oven rack over a fire in the backyard. Cheap to run on bits of wood found out walking, and it's very unlikely to ever die. It doubles as a social evening firepit AND rubbish remover AND shredder/incinerator for personal documents. And it produces ash that I can mix into the garden. Not sure your Weber can match it, frankly.
Check out this fat cat with a fancy oven rack! I grill my lentils on this: (https://porkbarrelbbq.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/shopping-cart-grill.jpg?w=500&h=383)
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Like with so many other consumer goods, you pay for the brand name.
Weber grills are good. I like them. I would never buy one.
Why? Because what you're really paying for isn't the quality of the item, it's the nameplate and the customer service that goes with it. There are other grills out there, for 50% of the price of a Weber, that are just as good. They can be hard to find, and they require that you know something about grills, but they're out there.
If you put an $800 Weber next to a $250 Charbroil Home Depot special of the same size, you can see the differences pretty easily . The Weber has four metal wheels instead of two plastic ones and two fixed feet, and all four wheels can be locked. The lid is heavier and the hinges aren't wonky. The firebox is a single welded piece and doesn't flex when you twist the lid side to side. The shelves under the grill are solid, and the doors line up correctly and have magnetic latches. The exterior is made with a higher grade stainless steel, which won't rust in year two like most of the cheap grills will, or better yet is enameled (less pretty, more durable). There will be a large legible temperature gauge, and it will read correctly. Every burner will have it's own igniter, and the burner covers will be thick and heavy (this is the part that most often fails on old grills). It will come with a custom grill cover that fits correctly. The box will weigh a fucking ton and be a bitch to carry home.
Grills surfaces are something of an ongoing debate, but I have always preferred porcelain coated cast iron (what most Webers have) instead of the shiny stainless ones, which never stay looking nice and are harder to clean, and dont' hold heat as well. Similarly, I am firmly in the gas grill camp instead of the charcoal camp. If I want charcoal, I can cook on the ground. I don't smoke.
So if you're an aspiring grill nerd, you can learn about all of this stuff and then comparison shop until you find a well built grill at a reasonable price. Or, if you're pressed for time and flush with cash, you can just overpay for the Weber and be reasonably assured that you're getting a good product.
Every business is trying to make a competitive product at a competitive price. There are a lot of very fancy looking shitty grills out there these days, which look great and will need to be replaced in 3-5 years. I've owned several of those, and rusted them out. In the long term, it's usually more cost effective to pay twice as much for an item that will last three or four times as long. That does NOT mean you have to buy the brand name, though. Learn to recognize a quality product, not a brand name that claims to represent quality products.
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Like with so many other consumer goods, you pay for the brand name.
Weber grills are good. I like them. I would never buy one.
Why? Because what you're really paying for isn't the quality of the item, it's the nameplate and the customer service that goes with it. There are other grills out there, for 50-60% of the price of a Weber, that are just as good. They can be hard to find, and they require that you know something about grills, but they're out there.
If you put an $800 Weber next to a $250 Charbroil Home Depot special of the same size, you can see the differences pretty easily . The Weber has four metal wheels instead of two plastic ones and two fixed feet, and all four wheels can be locked. The lid is heavier and the hinges aren't wonky. The firebox is a single welded piece and doesn't flex when you twist the lid side to side. The shelves under the grill are solid, and the doors line up correctly and have magnetic latches. The exterior is made with a higher grade stainless steel, which won't rust in year two like most of the cheap grills will, or better yet is enameled (less pretty, more durable). There will be a large legible temperature gauge, and it will read correctly. Every burner will have it's own igniter, and the burner covers will be thick and heavy (this is the part that most often fails on old grills). It will come with a custom grill cover that fits correctly. The box will weigh a fucking ton and be a bitch to carry home.
Grills surfaces are something of an ongoing debate, but I have always preferred porcelain coated cast iron (what most Webers have) instead of the shiny stainless ones, which never stay looking nice and are harder to clean, and dont' hold heat as well. Similarly, I am firmly in the gas grill camp instead of the charcoal camp. If I want charcoal, I can cook on the ground. I don't smoke.
So if you're a grill nerd, you can learn about all of this stuff and then comparison shop until you find a well built grill at a reasonable price. Or, if you're pressed for time and flush with cash, you can just overpay for the Weber and be reasonably assured that you're getting a good product.
Every business is trying to make a competitive product at a competitive price. There are a lot of very fancy looking shitty grills out there these days, which look great and will need to be replaced in 3-5 years. I've owned several of those, and rusted them out. In the long term, it's usually more cost effective to pay twice as much for an item that will last three or four times as long. That does NOT mean you have to buy the brand name, though.
I picked up a Weber Genesis from Craigslist for $200 years ago. It's still kicking!
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Weber Grills are worth the money but I would never buy a new one. Get the cheapest one you can find on Craigslist and then purchase the replacement parts for it from Weber to make it "like new" inside. This was actually my dads side gig for a little while. He would scan CL for down and out Weber grills. He would scrub them clean and then replace the parts he needed to in order to make it more desirable. He made 80-100$ profit on each one.
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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 Weber's website 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).
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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 Weber's website 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).
There are different versions of the same grill. Some retailers sell only one type. They're all real Weber. Example: you can buy a Genesis with coated steel cooking grates, which will eventually rust. Or you can buy that same grill model (same number etc) but with stainless rod grates. Check out the options before deciding. You may prefer one or the other for whatever reason.
Also on Lowe's vs other places - did you see my post above about how to maximize a discount off Lowe's? You'll never get that from Ace or other retailers.
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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 Weber's website 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).
There are different versions of the same grill. Some retailers sell only one type. They're all real Weber. Example: you can buy a Genesis with coated steel cooking grates, which will eventually rust. Or you can buy that same grill model (same number etc) but with stainless rod grates. Check out the options before deciding. You may prefer one or the other for whatever reason.
Also on Lowe's vs other places - did you see my post above about how to maximize a discount off Lowe's? You'll never get that from Ace or other retailers.
Thanks and yes I did. I actually used the 10% off coupon yesterday for some Lowes purchases. Only downer for the 10% off is those coupons exclude Weber products.
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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.
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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 Weber's website 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).
There are different versions of the same grill. Some retailers sell only one type. They're all real Weber. Example: you can buy a Genesis with coated steel cooking grates, which will eventually rust. Or you can buy that same grill model (same number etc) but with stainless rod grates. Check out the options before deciding. You may prefer one or the other for whatever reason.
Also on Lowe's vs other places - did you see my post above about how to maximize a discount off Lowe's? You'll never get that from Ace or other retailers.
Thanks and yes I did. I actually used the 10% off coupon yesterday for some Lowes purchases. Only downer for the 10% off is those coupons exclude Weber products.
Those 10%-off codes that supposedly exclude Weber... Don't exclude Weber. They work on Weber products so long as you buy online for in-store pickup (the computer system applies the code). A human in the store may actually pay attention to the fine print, so don't do that.
So you can use a code PLUS a bunch of Lowe's gift cards that you bought yourself at 10-20%-off (assuming you can wait a bit until the next eBay gift card sale).
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Yes, within reason.
Gas grills are outside our experience, but last year we bought this $149 Charcoal one with enamel finish. We live in a rainy, humid climate, so the enamel should act as a second layer of protection for the metal. It is very sturdy and the thermometer works great.
We considered buying a larger, fancier one, but concluded this small one would take care of our needs. We are 100% satisfied. It is large enough to smoke a leg of lamb or barbecue for 2 families when we have people over for dinner.
Here is the one we bought:
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=50759296&KPID=19845460&cid=CAPLA:G:Shopping_-_Weber_Grills&pla=pla_19845460&k_clickid=978c3f9b-ad35-497d-9731-176025d07bef&gclid=CjwKCAjwk9HWBRApEiwA6mKWaQPMPdQNTPmGd7d0vgl49N7OQ4QA5H2RVS7c6MbBsBe0pxZKj5Xj4xoC8nIQAvD_BwE
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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
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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.
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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.
Oh, sorry, a boomer. I guess I'd find entitlement and wastefulness in the hinges.
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Depends on how much you grill and how much time you want to spend maintaining the grill. Webers will last longer without much effort to keep them clean and dry while mainstream units will rust out.
We've gotten away from grilling due to the association of meats cooked at high temperature with cancer. It causes cancer pretty quickly in lab rats.
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Depends on how much you grill and how much time you want to spend maintaining the grill. Webers will last longer without much effort to keep them clean and dry while mainstream units will rust out.
We've gotten away from grilling due to the association of meats cooked at high temperature with cancer. It causes cancer pretty quickly in lab rats.
How has that been? I find it terribly inconvenient that all those flavor molecules cause cancer
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Gas all the way! Its an investment!
We have a Broil King and its awesome.
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We've gotten away from grilling due to the association of meats cooked at high temperature with cancer. It causes cancer pretty quickly in lab rats.
Well then it's death by steak for me.
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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.
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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...
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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My $500 barbecue looks awesome next to my $300 blender and $250 coffee grinder.
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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*
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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?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Leaning heavily towards replacing my cheap crappy grill and after a lot of reading online, landed on the Weber Spirit E-310, $449 at Lowes.
I've yet to meet anyone not totally satisfied with their Weber. There are cheaper brands/options, but from what I read some of the cheaper ones have parts that go bad quicker and are more a throw away item every few years it seems. I cook meat several times a week, so definitely would get the use out of it. The parts replacement from Weber seems to be a great perk as well from what I've read.
Let's hear from the MMM grillers out there.
Make no mistake about it, an expensive grill is an unmustachian extravagancy in almost all scenarios.
But, if you can afford a splurge and get a lot of pleasure from it, then go for it. But dont try to kid yourself that it is in any way frugal, even if it lasts a long time.
So if it lasts twice as long at under twice the price it’s still not frugal? Or are you just saying that any grill is an unnecessary expense when most people already have working stoves?
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Weber Grills are worth the money but I would never buy a new one. Get the cheapest one you can find on Craigslist and then purchase the replacement parts for it from Weber to make it "like new" inside. This was actually my dads side gig for a little while. He would scan CL for down and out Weber grills. He would scrub them clean and then replace the parts he needed to in order to make it more desirable. He made 80-100$ 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?
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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
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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.
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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).
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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.
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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
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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.
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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 :)
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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
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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 (https://gadgetspicker.com) 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?
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would look on craigslist for used ones. really cheap. my Weber propane grill is 22 years old and only replaced the flavor bars.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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).
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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?
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You all are making me really sad that I did not buy the last couple of Webers I saw at yard sales...
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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
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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?
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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.
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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.
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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/
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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
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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.
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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.