Weber also guarantees major parts on its 2022 Genesis grills—including the grates, hoods, burner tubes, lid assembly, and cookbox—for at least 10 years. Charcoal grills are much cheaper, however, and they can burn hotter than gas grills, for a better sear. Charcoal also imparts a pleasantly smoky flavor to your food, which is something you can’t get from a gas flame. But charcoal takes time to light, and you have to be comfortable with moving around coals and fiddling with vents to control the grill’s heat. 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.
Whether you’re in the market for a spacious stationary grill to cook for a crowd or a lightweight, portable, option for camping or tailgating, here are the best Weber grills. We found that a propane tank 30lb or larger won’t fit, so will have to sit out on the patio. We followed the instructions, weber portable grill cleaning the grill plates and triangular elements, scraping everything down before removing the disposable drip tray. This meal took under 15 minutes from igniting the grill to plating up. If you’re hosting at short notice or want to get back to the party ASAP, this grill is your new best friend.
And we had no problems with flare-ups, the grease fires that produce charring and acrid smoke. 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. But the difference is minimal, especially if you’re not doing a side-by-side comparison of the two. Some folks think cast-iron grates distribute heat better across the grilling surface than stainless steel.
To help find the right Weber grill for you, we sent popular models to the homes of our expert testers and rated each one on setup, heat retention, heat control, size, versatility, and overall value. Many steaks, burgers, veggies, and more were grilled to make sure these Weber grills are truly the best. When comparing different grills, one of the key factors to consider is its capacity, which is measured in square inches.
Like our top pick, the Genesis E-325s has a cast-aluminum firebox and an enameled steel lid and frame. But unlike the Spirit II E-310, the Genesis sits on a closed cart (equipped with double doors) that glides on four casters for easier mobility. You can’t go wrong with Weber gas grills, which are known to be easy to use and reliable, and after testing several different models, the Spirit II E-310 was our favorite. This popular gas grill is available in both propane and natural gas models, and it features 529 square inches of cooking space over three burners.
The Weber Genesis E-325s puts out more heat per square inch than our pick, and the main grate has a 20% larger cooking area. Weber also redesigned its expandable upper warming rack, with bars that run front to back (rather than side to side), so it’s easier to slide a spatula under the food. Instead of porcelainized cast-iron cooking grates, the Genesis E-325s has a grilling surface made of thick stainless steel rods (these won’t make a huge difference in your grilling results).
Our tester called it “pricey, but worth it” for anyone who regularly grills on the go. Similar to the base model, the Genesis EX-325S also delivered an impressive cooking performance—our testers could barely find any faults with it! “The grill overall had great performance, you almost didn’t really need the app,” our tester noted. We think a three-burner grill is large enough for most needs, with plenty of space to cook for a family dinner or a backyard BBQ.
If you’re looking for a big grill that has a larger cooking area and more fire power, consider the Weber Genesis E-325s. Compared with our pick, the Spirit II E-310, the entire Genesis E-325s is almost a foot longer, and its cooking area is about 20% larger, easily accommodating 15 burger patties at a time. Instead of having porcelainized cast-iron grates (like those on the Spirit grills and previous generations of the Genesis), the grates on the Genesis E-325s are made from thick, stainless steel rods. The stainless steel grates could create slightly lighter sear marks on your food than cast iron would deliver, but the difference should hardly be noticeable. The Genesis E-325s also has a foldable upper rack that extends the length of the main cooking grate and expands to be 11 inches deep. The E-325s looks sturdy and well built, and it has some new practical features that further justify the higher price tag.