On balance, propane or natural gas are probably better choices if you favor no-fuss cooking or you grill often . If you’re an occasional griller or you enjoy getting hands-on with your cooking, charcoal is an economical choice that, with a bit of practice, produces great results. Our tests were designed and run by Wirecutter senior staff writer Lesley Stockton, who has a decade of experience in professional kitchens, much of it spent on the grill station. Senior staff writer Tim Heffernan, who wrote the original version of this guide, helped with testing, along with senior staff writer Michael Sullivan. Sam Sifton, then food editor of The New York Times, also joined in the testing and added his extensive knowledge.
If you’re buying a grill, your first decision is which type of fuel works best. When we first started working on this guide, back in 2017, we spoke with more than a dozen experts before opening the valve on a single propane tank. This is still the best fuel for firing up the grill quickly and easily, without needing special hookups or having to tend coals.
Thanks to the GS4 grilling system, which provides high-performance burners and upgraded ignitors, it’s a plenty powerful model with impressive heating elements, too. For those looking to watch it work, it’s even compatible with a Bluetooth-enabled iGrill 3 thermometer that can send grilling updates from the Spirit II to your phone. weber spirit 2 This three-burner propane grill is usually listed at $479, but shoppers can pick up this wheeled cooker for $30 off at $449. This price cut is more rare than a $2 steak, with true discounts on grillsbeing extra hard to find so far this year. The storage space has enough space for the tank and your grilling accessories too.
And though stainless steel grates are more rust-resistant than cast-iron ones, it’s still a good idea to follow this cleaning advice to keep them in tip-top shape. Weber added two new models to its Spirit line of gas grills in 2020, but we ultimately chose not to test them. One of them, the Spirit S-315, is similar to the Spirit II E-310 with regard to the char broil performance specs, and with a few cosmetic differences—and higher price tag. But other than those minor variations, it looks like the S-315 would perform about the same as our pick—and wouldn’t be worth the higher price. No matter the brand of grill, we don’t like to fully rely on built-in thermometers. They’re fine for getting a rough idea of how hot your grill is.
And just like the Genesis models, both Spirit models have the same bones—burners, side tables, and overall dimensions. The Spirit Smart Grill connects to Wi-Fi, and it lets you monitor the meat probe through the app. But unlike the Genesis Smart Grill, the Spirit Smart Grill doesn’t monitor the fuel level. The grates also take a beating, and eventually most start to rust.
Weber also switched the direction of the rods on the upper rack so that they now run back to front, instead of side to side. This makes slipping a spatula under the food so much easier. The enclosed cabinet cart protects your propane tank and offers additional storage for your grilling tools. It also has two tool hooks to hang your spatula or tongs when you aren’t using them but need them close at hand. The two side tables offer you plenty of space to keep seasonings and plates at the ready. This grill features a one-touch infinity ignition system, porcelain-coated flavorizer bars, and an effective grease management system.
They are also fairly easy to clean up after, without causing any damage to the grates. In spring 2017, we kicked off this grill guide by putting six gas grills through a battery of tests. We cooked a full grate of burgers on high heat and chicken pieces at a low temperature. We also roasted whole chickens indirectly on both low and high heat to see whether the grills could create browned skin and perfectly cooked meat without charring.
Once you begin to use this grill, you will realize just how handy it actually is. With many other makes and models, it isn’t always so easy to set up such zones. Thus, if you don’t have prior experience in it, you can end up with some pretty sad food. With the Weber Spirit II E 310, though, you should be able to figure this out after a relatively short period of time.