Are Weber Grills Worth the Money?


 

Drew Palermo

New member
Besides the obvious "they last long" or they're built well, what is it about Weber grills that make (or don't make) them worth the money? Sure, a quite general question, but I'd like to hear from others here and see if there's maybe some unique responses to this question!
 
Are Weber Grills Worth the Money?

Tell me, exactly where do bears take a crap ? If you answer , somewhere in the woods, then that would be correct.
 
You hit the nail on the head. IMO they are worth the extra $$ because they are so durable and well built. Especially the older models. You will get differing opinions on the newer models but my personal observations are that they are still miles ahead of the rest of the grills that are widely available.

I do also think that webers grease management system is superior to the other brands out there. When I went to Weber grills a few years ago my grilling prowess improved just because I was no longer dealing with flare ups and the resulting uneven temps and oftentimes charred food.

Switching from the cheaper big box brand grills to Weber a few years ago was one of my better decisions.
 
IMO, the older Weber grills are worth the money because of their simplicity, aftermarket support and they're built like tanks! They are easy to work on, easy to take care of and most of the standard replacement parts are readily available. Also, you can easily swap parts from the same family of grill or even modify it to add an extra side table or burner. Once you rehab an older grill and make it all shiny and stuff they look like a classic old school car that just stands out. Don't get me wrong, I also like the newer models as well (even though they're not US made) as I have a Genesis II E-310 but if I didn't get it for the price I got it for I would have never bought it because nowadays they're too much coin. Time will tell on the longevity on the newer grills but so far I like it. The older Genesis grills have stood up to the test of time and that's why they're worth the money...I mean most of the time you can even bargain for a lower price on it!
 
Yah, they are great grills and a good value in the $600 - $1000 and up range. They pretty much dominate that price range. But, if you want the same grilling performance at less than half the cost, find a used Genesis Silver B or Genesis 1000 to clean up and fix up and you can do that for less than half of a new Genesis. Many hardcore grillers prefer the older Genesis grills because they have the E-W oriented burners instead of the N-S burners in the new grills. If you plan to use a rotisserie, don't even consider the N-S burner grills.

The other great thing about Weber grills, both new and old, is that there is a lot of parts available for them. While the older Webers are probably more durable than the newer ones, it is still easy to find parts for them. They are not "throw away" grills, like many of the other brands in the $100 - $400 range where you use them two or three years and then dump them and buy a new one. The webers last a long time as is, but when they do need new parts, you can find them easily.

If you have the $650 to spend, then yah, grab a new Genesis II, but if you want to have a great grill and $300 worth of extra gear, Ribeyes, Ribs, Roasts and chickens, then find a used Genesis Silver B or Genesis 1000 for sale for about $50, put some time in cleaning it up, fix the few things than need fixing or replacing and you will have a great grilling machine that will last you for a couple decades if you take care of it. Then hit the butcher shop and stock up the freezer and buy a rotisserie and a remote thermometer and take the wife out to the movies on what you saved.

I bought my 25 year old Genesis 1000 last summer for $20, put about $100 into it it is a great grilling machine.
 
Thanks for the replies so far, guys! My brother was actually talking about getting a Weber original kettle for this grilling season.
 
The older models are definitely worth rehabbing.

I bought this for $75.


I put another $275 into it, that includes a Weber cover, and now I have this beast that will last forever.
 
Bought the grill for $20 and put maybe $75 into it to get it to where it is in the photos.

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Some people are not impressed by the likes of America Test Kitchen and Consumer Reports, but both rate Weber grills very well. Of course those of us on this board are a bit bias, but we do think they're worth it. In the original post, longevity is "obvious". In terms of priorities, that ranks very high with me. Even if Webers were only as good as a (insert cheap grill here), but it lasted 2-3 times as long, I'd go for the Weber/longevity just to have less hassle and less waste. They are very good grills. I agree with the grease handling comment. They handle grease and flare-up's very well. They also come with good grates. I've seen some (insert cheap grill here) grates that were little more than coat hanger wire thick with one inch spacing. You're not cooking a hamburger on that.
 
Truth is the old stuff was worth every penny. New stuff? Hmmmmm not so much. IMO WAY over priced on the $$$ per quality scale. They have taken the path many other (once great) companies have. Like CharBroil, Charmglow, and a number of others in the US. I used to put a LOT of faith in ATK now after trying and buying some of their "best" products I have lost faith in them. As for CR I lost faith in them a VERY long time ago due to their VERY skewed results to make one of their board members happy.
Twice when I needed new dishwasher I subscribed to them. In both times I bought their top picks (which oddly enough happened to be Kenmore). In both cases I had VERY poor performance and longevity from their so called "best" I then began looking deeper into this. I discovered that if I looked at their bottom rated products they were typically made by Frigidaire. Oddly enough I quickly discovered those same "bottom" rated products were the EXACT same "top" models with a Kenmore badge.
I started doing some digging into this and found out about this relationship between their board member(s) and Sears......................Nope lost all respect for that rag years ago.
I don't know if ATK is getting paid off by anyone BUT I have bought a few things on their top list. While they're OK nothing to get me all that excited over now that I own them. Better than what I saw from CR but................I still think perhaps they turn a blond eye if asked
I also think the outside brands are becoming FAR better than one far more vocal member here gives them credit for. So Weber IMO going down, other stuff is coming up, as for pricing they're just too darn high for what little perceived advantage they offer
 
Thanks for the replies so far, guys! My brother was actually talking about getting a Weber original kettle for this grilling season.

My kettle is going on it’s 23rd season, reason enough for me to recommend one.
I rebuilt the carriage and use it Year round!
 
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Drew here's a really informative and well done article on new gas grills.

https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-gas-grill/

When the char broils, kenmores, etc start using a cast aluminum firebox instead of sheet metal that's when we'll know they are serious about improving their quality to the level of weber. Until then they are disposable products that with frequent use rust through in a few years (sometimes less).
 
Drew here's a really informative and well done article on new gas grills.

https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-gas-grill/

When the char broils, kenmores, etc start using a cast aluminum firebox instead of sheet metal that's when we'll know they are serious about improving their quality to the level of weber. Until then they are disposable products that with frequent use rust through in a few years (sometimes less).

So I guess Kettles and Summits are all disposable products also by your theory. See? Kinda shot full of holes. The funny thing is the cast aluminum fire box is actually cheaper and easier to mass produce than formed metal product(s). While I like a cast aluminum fire box IMO it does not give one thing more creds than another because your own theory shoots down the very product name you're defending
 
My kettle is going on it’s 23rd season, reason enough for me to recommend one.
I rebuilt the carriage and use it Year round!

Funny thing for me with the kettles. Over the years I have owned 4 of them. Every last one (including the one I still have) have/had the following failures. The handle(s) on the kettle itself have rusted off, the interior porcelain has cracked and the kettle bowl rusted out, the braces (sockets or whatever where the legs go) have rusted off. So while I do think the kettle cooks well the one I now own will be my last one. They're far too expensive for using like throw away. I know others who've had your kinda luck with them but they have not been good for me. I honestly don't know why either. I also don't like the chrome plated grates. They either flake off chrome into your food or rust away. Thankfully new ones are cheap BUT why not make them outta better material to start?
 
I don't know as I've never owned a weber kettle?

I do know I've owned multiple multiple grills with sheet metal fireboxes that have rusted/ worn through right at that firebox and gone to landfill heaven. And I'm not the only one this has happened to. I've read it on here several times and seen it happen with friends and family's grills as well.

This while my 25 year old weber is still going strong. The new webers have that same cast aluminium firebox. Quality in materials matters. Cast aluminium is simply superior to sheet metal. Just as 300 series stainless is superior to the cheaper magnetic grades.
 
Customer service and parts availability make Weber a smart choice. I have not had to use customer service in a few years but when I did they were excellent, always sending me new parts for free. Make sure you register your Weber grills.

Mark
 
Customer service and parts availability make Weber a smart choice. I have not had to use customer service in a few years but when I did they were excellent, always sending me new parts for free. Make sure you register your Weber grills.

Mark

Until you have to use them and they decide they're not supporting your "in warranty" product. I would much rather dispose of a $250 grill than a $2000 one which is where I find myself now. Right now I have a decent (not good) decent front panel in my firebox thanks to being able to buy one from another member, but it too is going. So here is where I decide ehh it's not worth the battle any more. So I will salvage the heavy stainless grates off it (switching them with my Genesis Silver B) for the cast iron ones currently in the "B". Than sell it for a song but hopefully enough to help pay for new stainless steel grates to replace the original cast iron ones in my Wolf. The Silver B will than take the place of the Summit to be the "backup" for the Wolf. Though I will miss that nice side burner on the Summit. Hopefully I can find a different side frame for the B to get the extension so I can install the spare Genesis side burner I've been saving.
Since I don't think I'll ever be lucky enough to find another repair piece for the Summit. Figure I'll cut my losses
 
Regarding the Weber summit i personally wouldn't have one precisely because of the sheet metal construction. That has been discussed on this forum. Multiple members here have reported failures at the firebox. Quality grill but lesser material quality. Have there been failures at the firebox of old or new weber genesis? Probably but I'll bet they are really rare and most likely related to something like an out of control grease fire.
 
I've had my genesis 1000 (now a 2000) for 19 years and it's like an old pair of comfortable shoes I know what it can and can't do. I also know that barring some disaster it will continue to perform perfectly until such time I can no longer use it.
Plus I don't know this as a fact but I don't think there are any new grills being made that have the E-W burners, which I really like.
So in my mind they are definitely worth every penny you have to put into them to restore or maintain them.
 
Another thought came to mind I find puzzling. Aluminum casting is cheaper and easier to make than formed metal parts that have to be porcelain coated which is why I am sure it's used on the lower end Genesis and Spirit models, but it does seem to hold up better. So why would Weber choose to use sheet metal on their "premium" lineup rather than what has shown to be tried and proven? Gotta wonder.........................
 

 

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