The cook box of this grill comes with a Weber warranty of 10 years. An electronic crossover ignition helps light the burners with the push of a button. Common to both Spirit and Spirit II, Weber grills come with some excellent wheels that make the movement of the grills smoother. One of the most distinct differences between the Spirit and Spirit II is in its cart design. While the Spirit comes in a cabinet design, the Spirit II is of an open-cart style. For many, aesthetics is as important an element as functionality in a grill.
With painted grills like this, chipping and scratches is always a concern so you should watch out for this. However, as long as you store it in a dry area and keep it covered at all times, you should be able to avoid this. You can rest easy knowing that your cookbox, lid, and burner tubes are protected by a 10-year warranty.
The Wi-Fi module alone uses six D batteries, but there is an option to power that part with a power bank. We assume the four other batteries power the igniter, LED lights, and fuel gauge. Though the smart features might be useful in some cases, we think that for most people, the functionality isn’t quite useful enough to warrant the several-hundred-dollar price hike . When comparing the two materials—without taking anything else into consideration—cast iron holds more heat, so it will leave darker sear marks on your food than stainless steel.
Some models have a conversion kit that requires some modification to a propane grill in order to use it with natural gas. If you’re unfamiliar or uncomfortable with these modifications, you may need to hire a professional to do the job your retailer should be able Blackstone Adventure to help with arrangements. From Bluetooth speakers to patio furniture to gas and charcoal grills, here’s what we think you need for backyard entertaining and cooking. The Weber Spirit SX-315 Smart Grill is the smart version of our pick, the Weber Spirit II E-310.
Such a feature allows you to stick to your preferred timing. For instance, you can create a high sear zone on one end and a low temperature, finishing zone on the other. Or, you can create areas of direct and indirect heat with each side burner, which is gives you more cooking options such as when dealing with ribs and roasts. I have to say that the open cart design is a plus in this case. I don’t enjoy opening and closing doors while trying to keep an eye on the grill. The multiple tool hooks are certainly a great option and isn’t something that you always find with grills, even on high end ones.
The gas tank mounts externally , instead of in a cabinet underneath the grill, as is typical (such as on the previous-generation Spirit). That makes it much easier to install a new tank and unhook an old one, because you’re not scrabbling around a small, dark enclosure to find the hoses and brackets. This design also allowed Weber to put a sturdy shelf under the grill—a handy place to store pans, bags of wood chips, a small cooler, and other stuff you may need while grilling. Plus, one of the side tables folds down, making the grill more compact for storage when it’s not in use (it’s 43 inches wide with the table down). All of our picks are propane-gas grills, since propane tanks are portable and can be purchased almost anywhere, and they don’t require any special hookups in your backyard.
Cooking with charcoal is not as convenient as turning a dial and walking away, but we love a Weber kettle for its simplicity and durability. It’s a classic backyard staple, and it can fit up to 12 burger patties to feed a crowd—the same as the Spirit II E-310, but for less than half the price. At the same time, as you grow as a barbecue enthusiast, this grill accommodates this.
This may have a lower price, but the E 310 outclasses it in cooking surface area, power, and the number of burners, so there is no competition, really. As I already mentioned, the three burners aren’t up to most gas grills standards, but it will still do for a small to mid-sized family. That being said, there is ample cooking space here – it is on par even with more expensive brands. This is a tough one because, well, there’s no one clear answer.
As for maintenance, the Spirit E-310’s flat grates were easy to keep clean with a grill brush, and its grease trap was easy to access for dumping and washing. The other grills also have easy-access grease traps—not much to ask for, really. But we found the Napoleon model’s wavy grates hard to clean because we couldn’t run the grill brush char broil performance in long strokes. In our tests, the Spirit E-310’s firebox cleaned up fine, with some Simple Green and hot water, and because it’s aluminum, there’s no concern about rust. The Spirit II E-310 also exhibited the most consistent heat across the entire cooking surface in the 2018 test, just as the original Spirit had done in 2017.
I can also do so quickly to ensure that all the food starts cooking at the same time. An enclosed cabinet keeps the tank safe from external elements and provides storage space for grilling accessories. Flavorizer bars, an effective grease management system and the entire unit resting on 4 casters are some other features of this grill. The Spirit series just seems to be an entry point into the realm of technology-driven grills. The latest offering of internet-connected grills, complete with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity helps in tracking the temperature of your food. To answer the question quite clearly, I believe the Spirit II would be the better grill to buy.