Genesis Platinum


 
Jon Tofte

Jon Tofte

TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Here is the third grill I picked up a week or two ago. I watched this grill for a long time on OfferUp where the seller used the 2b “Webber” in his listing. It turned out to be quite nice, at least all the stainless parts:

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The only real problem is the cabinet parts not made of stainless which are all rusted out.

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I am seriously considering removing the cabinet and doors and adding stainless tubes to replace the bottom. Weber stopped using bottom horizontal frame pieces, substituting the cabinet bottom as a way of providing strength. This change would make this Platinum an open cart grill much like a 2000. Instead of a wire basket, I am thinking about making bottom trays using stainless z brackets and gray durawood slats that I hope would blend with the other light gray pieces while giving this grill a warmer and more classic look.

I plan to keep this as my own grill, scavenging some parts for it from my current Silver C and then selling off the Silver. They only made these stainless frame Genesis grills for two years, and I think they are very special:

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By the way, there has been some controversy about whether these Platinums really have full stainless frames. I can answer that they do. I tested the frame, tray tops, front panel, doors and hood on this grill, and none were magnetic. I know that is also controversial, and
I am no metallurgist. Still, it seems to show that back in ‘05 Weber was much more liberally using 304 stainless, at least on these “Platinum” grills.

Here is one of the extension bars from this grill:

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On a Genesis Silver or a Gold with this same piece it would almost certainly be badly rusted and sometimes impossible to separate from the plastic end piece.

For a hundred bucks, I think this was a very worthwhile find and with the high quality stainless a very long-term keeper. What do you think?
 
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Is that metal insert with the bolt in it also stainless? Yah, it looks like the top of that grill is in very good shape. I hate the Weber grills with the cabinets. They ALL wind up looking like that one in one form or another. I have three E3xx grills that I keep putting off because of that. I just don't want to deal with all that rust.
 
Honestly you guys are blaming the wrong thing for that rust. It's not the cabinet it's how it's made. If they had simply used full perimeter tie bars on the 4 sides, and a wire rack (instead of that el cheapo piece of powder coated steel) put weep holes in the bottom of the legs the rust issue would not exist. If you look at the old Summit 450 grills they don't have that issue. Yet it's made pretty much the same EXCEPT for the things I mentioned. Plus I LOVE having a cabinet because it keeps your grilling accessories outta sight and everything looking so much neater.
 
Larry, I agree. I see no reason the cabinet should rust like that. As long as the grills are designed to prevent water from pooling in any one spot and there is propper ventilation and draining along with a good system of rust prevention built into the cabinet pieces, it would be great. But, Weber seems to have cut a lot of those corners, which don't even seem like big corners. The end result is that every cabinet weber that I have opened up has been a night mare inside.

You will notice on virtually every CL and FB add for these types of grills, the seller almost never shows a shot of the inside of the cabinet, or if he does, it is a distant shot that doesn't really show the inside very well. They do that for a reason.

And that is why I don't care for the Weber's with the cabinet. Not so much because I don't like a cabinet, but because I don't like the rust that is virtually inevitable in them.
 
Jon, I am no fan of the cabinet either I have a cover so you don't see my grilling stuff it lies on the rack on the 1000. After all the crap grills I bought over the years not one of them that had the cabinet ever lasted they always rusted out where the propane tank sat.

I was in Walmart today they had a Weber Spirit it was the new design open cart by the way and IMO the thing was really ugly and I mean ugly compared to the old ones.
 
The Genesis Platinum I bought had several holes in the bottom shelf. I am going the open cart design like Leandro did. I already have the shelf so things should be good to go.
 
Here is one in ATL for 50 bucks missing the left shelf mention rust so that bottom shelf is probably gone igniter also who knows about the flavorizer bars guessing the are shot also. I thought these had solid stainless grates but they do not look in good shape or maybe its my eyes. I am sure Jon in FL would have jumped on this for the frame.

Had I been retired might have gone to look at it and offered 25 bucks, I need to look at Leandro's thread worried about the structure with the wire shelf and just got rid of the other crap. Lot to be said for the stainless steel frame.
 
Brian,

I would like to see it, too. Always like to learn more.

I can’t see how the frame on the one I have could rust with its 304 stainless. The back, sides and especially the bottom are the problems since they are just painted steel. This is the big and really only compromise with the Genesis Platinum.

The side tables are thermoset (but solid gray) and then have stainless insets. Hood appears to be 304 stainless, too. And, of course, the firebox is cast aluminum. I think once I deal with the cart I will have a “lifer” grill:D! I would love to get some rcplanebuyer stainless rod grates, but that will have to wait. I actually think I already have a set of his flavorizer bars for this grill buried in my “Weber shed”.
 
Jon, thats what I did, I bought the Flavo bars from RCP first and then when i could afford it, I dropped the coin for the cooking grates.
 
I build a cedar wooden floor for my Gold C to make sure it has lots of ventilation. One can’t see it from the outside and I will see how it holds up.
It really surprises me how Weber built these Platinum grills. Solid SS frame and kind of useless SS inserts in the tables but then really cutting short by using painted back, side and bottom panels which should have been cheaper to produce than any of the frame pieces. If they could make SS doors then why not panels? But I still think they are a great base. Maybe I will find one too.
 
Jon, any thoughts as to what color you are going to paint the firebox and end caps? I am struggling with mine. I will have the black rack on the bottom and a black control panel (the grey one on the grill has some chips so I am using a black one I have in the parts bin) so I am leaning towards a charcoal or a black. But I’ll lose some of the Platinum “mystique” if I go that route.

It seems silly to worry about what color to paint a grill, but as I remind my wife, I could engage in much worse hobbies.
 
Stefan H said:
I build a cedar wooden floor for my Gold C to make sure it has lots of ventilation. One can’t see it from the outside and I will see how it holds up.
It really surprises me how Weber built these Platinum grills. Solid SS frame and kind of useless SS inserts in the tables but then really cutting short by using painted back, side and bottom panels which should have been cheaper to produce than any of the frame pieces. If they could make SS doors then why not panels? But I still think they are a great base. Maybe I will find one too.
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Stefan,

It just seems like at that time Weber would get so close but come up short in one way or another. They also made a Summit Platinum for those two years. This one DID have stainless cabinet bottom and sides. BUT, the firebox is NOT all cast aluminum. Rather, as has been recounted here many times, it has significant portions made of porcelain plated steel. The front part is particularly subject to rust. An interesting thing to note is that someone else recently posted a picture of a similar Summit that appeared to have a STAINLESS front part on the firebox. If this is really true, I don't know if this was a later replacement part of if somewhere along the line they changed. If you could get that, then this Summit Platinum would be really close to ideal.

I think the Genesis Platinum can also be ideal. Either eliminate the cabinetry (as I am thinking about and as fellow member Leandro did so well) or if you want to go all out get stainless replacement parts fabricated. Either way, with its cast aluminum firebox it would be a really great grill. At least I am hoping!;)
 
Erik H. said:
Jon, any thoughts as to what color you are going to paint the firebox and end caps? I am struggling with mine. I will have the black rack on the bottom and a black control panel (the grey one on the grill has some chips so I am using a black one I have in the parts bin) so I am leaning towards a charcoal or a black. But I’ll lose some of the Platinum “mystique” if I go that route.

It seems silly to worry about what color to paint a grill, but as I remind my wife, I could engage in much worse hobbies.
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Erik,

I am totally with you about there being way worse hobbies! Not so sure my wife agrees, but it is a lot better than the trouble some guys get into:rolleyes:.

I do like the uniqueness of the gray parts on the Platinum, so I am going to try hard to stay close. The only color I know is Ford Gray available from VHT and maybe another high heat paint maker. There may also be a darker gray that could work, but I haven't seen it myself.

Since you are going with a black control panel, I wouldn't feel bad at all about making it a black and stainless grill. That makes a very nice contrast and would look great.

Look up Leandro's posts about the Genesis Platinum and I think you will get some ideas of how that might look.

GOOD LUCK and ENJOY!
 
Brian,

That grill IS for sure a Platinum and I doubt the frame itself has any rust. The insides need to be cleaned up, obviously, and quality stainless flavorizers and grates would really upgrade it. That - and some elbow grease and paint - and you would have a really special Genesis. I think it is a great deal myself!
 
Yes I know the frame would have no rust but betting the bottom panel has issues. I have to finish my performer which should be done hopefully this weekend if I brought another grill home before that's finished I would be sleeping under the deck with it knowing my wife.

I think that would be a great grill even for parts if I had all the excess stuff you and Bruce have a nice Blue lid maybe since a 1000 should fit I assume. Just not a big fan of the stainless lids a bit old school.

Came across this in Craigslist today its nat gas so not for me but for $75 bucks someone will grab it.

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/grd/d/weber-summit-silver/6590348862.html
 
Brian B Atlanta said:
Yes I know the frame would have no rust but betting the bottom panel has issues. I have to finish my performer which should be done hopefully this weekend if I brought another grill home before that's finished I would be sleeping under the deck with it knowing my wife.

I think that would be a great grill even for parts if I had all the excess stuff you and Bruce have a nice Blue lid maybe since a 1000 should fit I assume. Just not a big fan of the stainless lids a bit old school.

Came across this in Craigslist today its nat gas so not for me but for $75 bucks someone will grab it.

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/grd/d/weber-summit-silver/6590348862.html
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Brian,

Well, somebody liked that Platinum because it is gone.

I myself mostly prefer the older Genesis with the stained wood slats:redgenesis1:, but the Platinum with its unique stainless frame and light gray accents is kind of unique, especially since they only made it for two years. My plan is to keep it, but since I am only allowed one full size grill on our small deck that will be my custom Skyline if I ever get it finished.

The Platinum will be a secondary grill in the back of my place. At least I won’t worry about it rusting out once I get rid of the cabinet painted steel parts. The thermoset tables if kept out of the sun last almost indefinitely. Unfortunately, you can’t say the same for the beautiful stained wood on the older Genesis.

The old Genesis with wood :redgenesis1: is like a split window 63 Corvette while the Platinum is more like a modern Lexus. The Corvette will always steal your heart but the Lexus will get you there nicely while the Vette is laid-up in the shop again;).
 
Jon, I had no doubt it would sell $50 bucks with a full tank of propane even for parts its a good deal. Nothing for sale meaning the interesting stuff lasts for long down here. The Summit for $75.00 is gone also that was nat gas.
 
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