Author Topic: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?  (Read 41779 times)

jeff2017

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Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« on: April 11, 2018, 09:27:15 AM »
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.




ooeei

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #1 on: April 11, 2018, 09:37:41 AM »
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.

katsiki

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #2 on: April 11, 2018, 10:01:56 AM »
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.

Clean Shaven

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #3 on: April 11, 2018, 10:10:58 AM »
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.

PoutineLover

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #4 on: April 11, 2018, 10:27:31 AM »
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.

NextTime

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #5 on: April 11, 2018, 10:45:58 AM »
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

HPstache

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #6 on: April 11, 2018, 11:08:14 AM »
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.

Rubic

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #7 on: April 11, 2018, 11:08:53 AM »
When I worked retail, we sold Weber Grills.  Definitely
worth the added cost, and highly recommended by all
our staff who owned them.

CoffeeR

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #8 on: April 11, 2018, 11:39:36 AM »
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.
« Last Edit: April 11, 2018, 05:31:36 PM by CoffeeR »

katsiki

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #9 on: April 11, 2018, 11:50:55 AM »
Can anyone comment on the 10-year warranty?

BDWW

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #10 on: April 11, 2018, 11:57:41 AM »
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.

NextTime

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #11 on: April 11, 2018, 12:16:17 PM »
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.

Philociraptor

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #12 on: April 11, 2018, 01:02:42 PM »
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.

2Birds1Stone

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #13 on: April 11, 2018, 01:47:03 PM »
No

geekette

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #14 on: April 11, 2018, 01:59:52 PM »
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. 

Thegoblinchief

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #15 on: April 11, 2018, 04:59:45 PM »
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.

TheWifeHalf

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #16 on: April 11, 2018, 05:12:01 PM »
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

Gone Fishing

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #17 on: April 11, 2018, 05:20:06 PM »
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.

Undecided

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #18 on: April 11, 2018, 06:04:41 PM »
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.

Sarah Saverdink

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #19 on: April 11, 2018, 06:38:49 PM »
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.

OtherJen

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #20 on: April 11, 2018, 07:59:09 PM »
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.

Easye418

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #21 on: April 11, 2018, 09:24:55 PM »
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.

Erinbynight

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #22 on: April 11, 2018, 09:31:56 PM »
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.

dragoncar

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #23 on: April 12, 2018, 05:22:31 AM »
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
« Last Edit: April 12, 2018, 05:33:01 AM by dragoncar »

FindingFI

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #24 on: April 13, 2018, 12:06:09 PM »
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.

solon

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #25 on: April 13, 2018, 12:30:08 PM »
There is a lot of love for Weber on this thread. I suppose Weber has a bot, and half of you are it.

Fishindude

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #26 on: April 13, 2018, 12:41:38 PM »
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.

joestash

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #27 on: April 13, 2018, 12:48:10 PM »
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.

Jouer

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #28 on: April 13, 2018, 01:21:59 PM »
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.

Calvawt

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #29 on: April 13, 2018, 02:02:27 PM »
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).

shelbyautumn

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #30 on: April 14, 2018, 12:39:14 PM »
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!

Thegoblinchief

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #31 on: April 14, 2018, 12:48:38 PM »
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 ;)

AnnaGrowsAMustache

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #32 on: April 14, 2018, 03:09:52 PM »
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.

dragoncar

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #33 on: April 14, 2018, 05:02:01 PM »
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:

sol

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #34 on: April 14, 2018, 05:29:20 PM »
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.
« Last Edit: April 14, 2018, 05:34:16 PM by sol »

JLee

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #35 on: April 14, 2018, 05:34:48 PM »
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!

socalteacher

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #36 on: April 15, 2018, 07:15:31 PM »
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.

jeff2017

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #37 on: April 15, 2018, 08:24:31 PM »
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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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #38 on: April 15, 2018, 09:50:40 PM »


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.

jeff2017

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #39 on: April 15, 2018, 09:59:26 PM »


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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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #40 on: April 16, 2018, 07:00:01 AM »
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.

Clean Shaven

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #41 on: April 16, 2018, 07:46:31 AM »


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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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #42 on: April 16, 2018, 07:56:48 AM »
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

dragoncar

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #43 on: April 16, 2018, 08:22:13 PM »
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

Rubic

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #44 on: April 17, 2018, 04:01:17 AM »
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.

dragoncar

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #45 on: April 17, 2018, 04:03:58 AM »
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.

SnackDog

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #46 on: April 17, 2018, 04:35:41 AM »
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.

dragoncar

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #47 on: April 17, 2018, 07:12:21 AM »
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

Zola.

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #48 on: April 17, 2018, 08:42:47 AM »
Gas all the way! Its an investment!

We have a Broil King and its awesome.

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Re: Weber Grills - Worth the Money?
« Reply #49 on: April 17, 2018, 08:48:56 AM »
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.