Can someone school me on the SS performer? What makes it desirable?


 
New to these myself opened a thread on my first one going to add pictures later today. I now have the metal table which the new ones have.

The SS had a stainless table, the new ones had plastic and most all of them cracked as if you picked it up on the end to move it that pretty much sealed your fate. Mine was cracked kind of funny because if they had just put a grab bar there that would have been a non-issue. I really wanted a SS but not many of them around at least in ATL.

If its gas assist it was the old style I believe had a bigger tank which you still can get but they are like 40 bucks so to use the small ones I think you need to covert it but others can answer that here.

How much is it they are really desirable.
 
For me, it was the stainless table top being easy to clean, keep clean & has the larger propane tank.
As previously mentioned, the plastic table cracks & they always seemed badly stained - at least that's what I noticed when I was looking for a used performer.
 
It was $40 and about 45 minutes away from me (the ad has since been pulled, so the opportunity has passed me by).

Only one picture in the ad, no big loss. I didn't really need it.
 
I think that people like the SS because it feels like a “real” Weber. It is built and looks a lot like the first Genesis gas grills with a strong steel frame. The stainless top is a timeless touch that further gives these grills the feel of a classic car. I have one waiting on a restoration and I also have one second generation Performer with the thermoset table which I have restored and modified after 13 years of use. (Even after 13 years my table is still in great shape.)

Comparing these two, I would say the newer one doesn’t feel strongly built, but it is fine if cared for and a lot easier to maneuver around. One of my casters rusted off, so I switched it to having regular wheels and axles on both sides. The grill is so light that casters don’t do anything for you, anyway. Now I can roll it down the street with ease in our campground community when we have events. So I like them both, just in different ways.
 
$40 bucks seemed to be a great deal depending on what the rest of it looked like. There was a blue one in ATL about a month ago don't think it lasted more than 4 hours by the time I saw it and went to call it was gone. They sold it for $150.
 
Another stainless SS with a blue kettle that had rust on the lid and kettle was listed for $100 yesterday and poof! It was gone within hours.
 
Square tubing instead of round bent tubing. Tank options. Stainless table. That's it. Storage option is nicer on new style since you don't need to clear out the top. That's the only design improvement in the new ones.

The new summit charcoal cart seem to bring the best of both these models together.
 
I have both kind of. I pulled the kettle out of the SS cart and dropped in an 18” WSM. Anyway, besides the SS table top I preferred the other performer. Large table top, didn’t need to lift the table top to access the charcoal bin and the charcoal bin was a larger much better design. The biggest reason I prefer my non-SS performer was the height difference. The 4 extra inches of height was real nice when working off the table. Plastic table can be a pain however. Mine is cracking from lifting it by the table so I lift lower on the legs when moving across the lawn and as long as I get it covered and oil the table top is in pretty good shape.

Don’t get me wrong I wouldn’t pass one up for 40 bucks. But if I was in the market for a performer I’d go for a non-SS of the SS.
 
I forgot the height increase in newer performers. I actually prefer lower. Keeps my eyebrows from toasting. Don't use it as prep that much.
 
I was able to find a black SSP 2 miles from my house this week and brought it home this morning. Here's the "as it sits now" pic:

41509599620_af41a980b8_o.jpg


I will be replacing the ash sweep setup with the newer part number 7444. I will post some "in progress" pics later.
 
Informative thread!

I saw one of those a while back, but I passed on it due to the dated design. I'll reconsider next time.
 
The gasser folks on this forum might get a kick out of this... It turns out that the SSP's propane tank panel looks just like the Genesis 1000-5000 series panel minus the rollers for the 20 lb tank, so it is possible to mount a 20 lb tank to the SSP using all Weber parts:

43410336701_e9d972e1a0_b.jpg

42692324344_ec346060a4_b.jpg

42692324124_5e74e9fe53_b.jpg


This mod also allows the use of a common propane grill regulator (I added an extra 90-degree fitting to angle the hose around the charcoal bin, but this is an optional step provided your propane regulator hose is long enough to reach the tank).

28539320717_4d4857e27c_b.jpg
 
Last edited:
J, that is ingenuity at its best won't be running out of gas for a few years. Does a cover still fit on it with the tank in place? I like the fact you can still roll the grill around without moving the tank.
 
J, that is ingenuity at its best won't be running out of gas for a few years. Does a cover still fit on it with the tank in place? I like the fact you can still roll the grill around without moving the tank.

I bought a 8701W cover from grillstuff.com and it's a nice cover specifically for older Performers, but it doesn't fit worth a damn you have a KettlePizza on the SSP.

I'm using a Kenmore Elite cover with dimensions of 56" x 25" x 44" - it can fit the KettlePizza and the 20 lb tank.
 

 

Back
Top