Looking for a new gas grill.


 

Arun L.

TVWBB All-Star
The Char-Broil gas grill died.

I don't use a gas grill very much. Only for things that need to be cooked hot and for a less amount of time, like corn.

Otherwise, I prefer using the lower rack on the WSM for things that will take 20+ mins. I've tried that a few times and I liked how things turned out.

Here are the requirements for what I'm looking for. I prefer a Weber one, but will consider others. I prefer something other than a Char-Broil, even though their customer support was great.

If a Char-Broil model is highly recommended, then I'll consider it.

1) 4 wheels.

2) 375 square inches cooking area.

3) An attached table / area on the side where I can place things before putting them on the grill, or after unloading them from the grill.

Nice to have:

1) A stainless steel or wood finish.

2) 170 square inches warming area. I don't use the warming area very much, as I prefer just offloading onto a serving tray.

3) A grill brush included.

4) Fuel gauge.

Thanks in advance for the suggestions.
 
I would recommend an early Weber Genesis 1000. They had the wood shelves and about 390 sq inches of cooking space, not including the warming rack. They have two fixed wheels and two caster wheels.

You can find these grills on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace for as low as FREE. With a little work and less than $150 in new parts, you can have an awesome grill that will last you another 20 years.

https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?71...-1000-Restore-Before-amp-After&highlight=1000
 
I agree with Bruce. But would add that a pre owned genesis silver B is another good option.

If you want a new grill and you only grill occasionally as you stated then a Weber spirit would be a good option IMO.
 
Yep, there are several options out of the older style Genesis and Spirit lineups. I suggested the early Genesis 1000 for the wood shelves due to Arun's request for wood.
 
Thanks. I prefer a new one, not something I have to restore.

Great restoration pics in the other thread, @Bruce.

It looks like the Genesis 1000 is no longer made.

What are your thoughts on having an enclosed cabinet for the tanks? How important is that? A nice to have feature, or does it provide important protection?

It seems like the Spirit one's don't have 4 wheels?

While I said I preferred to try another brand, I see this Char-Broil one that has 4 wheels, is stainless steel, and has a cabinet:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Char-Broil...opane-Gas-Grill-with-1-Side-Burner/1000523559

I've never heard of the brand Monument, but there's also this:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Monument-B...opane-Gas-Grill-with-1-Side-Burner/1000605019

This one seems like it has some kind of vents at the top. I'm not sure what they do.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Dyna-Glo-S...-2-Burner-Liquid-Propane-Gas-Grill/1000372189

And here's the Genesis E-310:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Weber-Genesis-II-E-310-Mocha-3-Burner-Natural-Gas-Grill/1000366159

Good thing it's $200 cheaper than MSRP on Weber's website. The Genesis E-310 also has a fuel gauge.

So what are some differences between these grills? It's my first time buying a gas grill. So I don't know all of the important aspects yet.

The Char-Broil one had been inherited to me.

Also, let's say I were to get the Genesis E-310. If you were me, would you get the black to match the black of my WSM too? Or would you get mocha, to have something different? Trivial question, but thought I'd ask.

What are your thoughts on porcelain vs. stainless steel?
 
Arun, I think most, if not every single person that posts here will advise you to buy
a Weber, whether new or used and not to waste your $$ on the box store rust buckets
from any other manufacturer. Seeing that you live in Freemont, Ca, a quick CL search
show this grill to be available:

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/hsh/d/weber-genesis-e310-gas-grill/6762592484.html

Not a bad price for that at all. I would replace the grates and flavorizers with stainless, and it will
out last all the non-Webers that you listed.
 
Arun you will get differing opinions on the enclosed vs open cart. A lot of us prefer open. To me the propane tank doesn't need protection and when it's enclosed it tends to catch dirt and debris and eventually rust.

As Dave stated most of us think webers are just better. Particularly the older discontinued models. Most but not all of us also think the new models are superior to the char broil, nexgrill, etc that you find. Those grills just don't last.

Here are a few videos that may help you.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_CgmjqzCmzQ

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kGFMPVZXzSk

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eTzF-hP79Vc
 
I agree with the Genesis 1000. Why not try to get one that has already been restored?

As to wheels, it is possible to not use casters on the one side of a Genesis and replace with an axle and another set of wheels. I did that with a Performer. Maybe you can find a grill restorer close enough to you and have a custom version made. Or do a road trip to one of our members!
 
Arun, I think most, if not every single person that posts here will advise you to buy
a Weber, whether new or used and not to waste your $$ on the box store rust buckets
from any other manufacturer. Seeing that you live in Freemont, Ca, a quick CL search
show this grill to be available:

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/hsh/d/weber-genesis-e310-gas-grill/6762592484.html

Not a bad price for that at all. I would replace the grates and flavorizers with stainless, and it will
out last all the non-Webers that you listed.

I am not one of those people. Again you have to look at your needs and your price point. Yes OLD Webers were terrific and worth the $$$ difference between them and some of the off brands. Now? I have honestly rethought that direction. Given Weber's sell out to a private equity firm and abandoning everything that set them apart from the lower end products not so much. Given the use you describe spending big $$$ may not be worth it. And one reviewer on Lowes web site said it all. "Sure a CharBroil will rust.................but than so will everything you buy unless you are getting into super premium products but minimum price point there is around $3k." So he indicated you can buy a less expensive product and basically toss it at the end of 5 or 6 years and start fresh.
I know my friends here will slap my face silly for what I am saying but I see no really compelling reason to spend high $$$ on a Weber (other than the "brand"). IF you were a high use person perhaps it would make some sense. But, for your use there may be some better ways to spend your $$$ than the high priced spread. If I were you I would explore a little. Check out Sam's Club's offerings or Costco. The cool thing with much of their stuff is a lifetime guarantee. You just keep your receipt and if you're ever unhappy you can bring it back and get a replacement or your $$$ back.
Also another consideration is Weber's spotty support lately. Some report excellent and other's like myself sorely disappointed with the poor support and laze's fare attitude. With not going into great detail. They let me down BADLY because they indicated they could not stand behind my own Summit under warranty due to no further production. Their attitude? Too bad so sad............not good. Never again for me. $1800 down the drain. So whatever you decide to buy go in with eyes wide open
 
Even the old webers are susceptible to rust on their frame. The thing is that rust on the frame is usually repairable. Where the char broils and cheaper big box grills really fall down is exactly the same problem as the poor weber summit. Using painted sheet metal on the firebox. That firebox inevitably rusts through and is not repairable. And the firebox is The heart of a grill. The New and old Weber genesis and even the spirits utilize utilize cast aluminium and it is extremely rare for that to fail.

I think there are performance and parts differences too. Webers old and new just do a better job of controlling flare ups. That's my opinion and the opinion of my friends and family. Parts like igniters and flavorizer bars there is no comparison. On my old kenmore i went through a set of Kenmore flavorizors almost every year at 40 bucks a pop. The newer weber replacement flavorizors on my silver A are still going strong 3 years later. My brother had the same experience with his members mark. He replaced the flavorizors annually and his firebox eventually rotted through as did my kenmore. We both had almost annual igniter issues too. No problems with the weber igniters.

Now I do agree that a casual griller someone that grills a few times a month may not notice the difference. And a Weber probably isn't worth the price difference for those people.

I agree with the consensus that the old webers are best. I have no desire to replace my 2 old grills. I think their product has gotten more complicated and cheapened at least somewhat. But it's still the best grill for the price IF you are a frequent griller unless you go way up in price. That belief/opinion comes from real people i know with real experience with newer weber and non weber grills. ALL of them say they wouldn't go back.
 
Arun: A lot of this depends on your budget. You said it wasn't going to be used a whole lot. Does that mean you don't want to spend $700 for a new genesis?
Since you had a charbroil, I am guessing you are looking for something much less expensive.

I am thinking that maybe your best choice might be a Q2000 or more likely a Q3000. Extremely durable and capable grill that would probably do everything you want it to. Since the stand is made of thermoset (plastic) and the grill itself is basically aluminum and stainless steel, they are basically rust proof aside from the cooking grate, which is easily replaced if necessary. They require little maintenance other than an occasional quick cleaning.

The Q3000 has 393 sq inches off cooking surface and the A2000 has 280 sq Inches. They are both lower cost than the regular grills but still very capable and will last you much longer than a $300 "throw away" grill.
 
Good thought Bruce. I forget about the Q grills. And how much space the larger sizes have.

Arun it just comes down to what you want And how much you want to spend. If you don't grill often then a char broil type throwaway grill will probably give you good service especially if you keep it covered. And might even be your most cost effective option. If you want something higher quality look at a Q, spirit, or genesis.
 
I am not one of those people. Again you have to look at your needs and your price point. Yes OLD Webers were terrific and worth the $$$ difference between them and some of the off brands. Now? I have honestly rethought that direction. Given Weber's sell out to a private equity firm and abandoning everything that set them apart from the lower end products not so much. Given the use you describe spending big $$$ may not be worth it. And one reviewer on Lowes web site said it all. "Sure a CharBroil will rust.................but than so will everything you buy unless you are getting into super premium products but minimum price point there is around $3k." So he indicated you can buy a less expensive product and basically toss it at the end of 5 or 6 years and start fresh.
I know my friends here will slap my face silly for what I am saying but I see no really compelling reason to spend high $$$ on a Weber (other than the "brand"). IF you were a high use person perhaps it would make some sense. But, for your use there may be some better ways to spend your $$$ than the high priced spread. If I were you I would explore a little. Check out Sam's Club's offerings or Costco. The cool thing with much of their stuff is a lifetime guarantee. You just keep your receipt and if you're ever unhappy you can bring it back and get a replacement or your $$$ back.
Also another consideration is Weber's spotty support lately. Some report excellent and other's like myself sorely disappointed with the poor support and laze's fare attitude. With not going into great detail. They let me down BADLY because they indicated they could not stand behind my own Summit under warranty due to no further production. Their attitude? Too bad so sad............not good. Never again for me. $1800 down the drain. So whatever you decide to buy go in with eyes wide open

Thanks for your story.

I checked Costco.com yesterday. But they either had the kind that's built-in to an island, or an Urban Islands brand.
 
Even the old webers are susceptible to rust on their frame. The thing is that rust on the frame is usually repairable. Where the char broils and cheaper big box grills really fall down is exactly the same problem as the poor weber summit. Using painted sheet metal on the firebox. That firebox inevitably rusts through and is not repairable. And the firebox is The heart of a grill. The New and old Weber genesis and even the spirits utilize utilize cast aluminium and it is extremely rare for that to fail.

I think there are performance and parts differences too. Webers old and new just do a better job of controlling flare ups. That's my opinion and the opinion of my friends and family. Parts like igniters and flavorizer bars there is no comparison. On my old kenmore i went through a set of Kenmore flavorizors almost every year at 40 bucks a pop. The newer weber replacement flavorizors on my silver A are still going strong 3 years later. My brother had the same experience with his members mark. He replaced the flavorizors annually and his firebox eventually rotted through as did my kenmore. We both had almost annual igniter issues too. No problems with the weber igniters.

Now I do agree that a casual griller someone that grills a few times a month may not notice the difference. And a Weber probably isn't worth the price difference for those people.

I agree with the consensus that the old webers are best. I have no desire to replace my 2 old grills. I think their product has gotten more complicated and cheapened at least somewhat. But it's still the best grill for the price IF you are a frequent griller unless you go way up in price. That belief/opinion comes from real people i know with real experience with newer weber and non weber grills. ALL of them say they wouldn't go back.

What is a flavorizor? I saw a picture of what it was. But why do they call it that? And why is this part critical, and why do you say Weber makes them better?
 
Arun, I think most, if not every single person that posts here will advise you to buy
a Weber, whether new or used and not to waste your $$ on the box store rust buckets
from any other manufacturer. Seeing that you live in Freemont, Ca, a quick CL search
show this grill to be available:

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/hsh/d/weber-genesis-e310-gas-grill/6762592484.html

Not a bad price for that at all. I would replace the grates and flavorizers with stainless, and it will
out last all the non-Webers that you listed.


Thanks for the search.

I have a sedan, so I don't have a way of having it transported. Nor do I know anyone with a truck.

I did rent a truck last year once to transport a lawn mower to a repair facility. Even though that was nearby, it still took about 75 mins of rental time.

It would take 2+ hours of rental time to go to Danville and back.

Hence another reason why I'm looking for new, because they can deliver it.
 
Arun: A lot of this depends on your budget. You said it wasn't going to be used a whole lot. Does that mean you don't want to spend $700 for a new genesis?
Since you had a charbroil, I am guessing you are looking for something much less expensive.

I am thinking that maybe your best choice might be a Q2000 or more likely a Q3000. Extremely durable and capable grill that would probably do everything you want it to. Since the stand is made of thermoset (plastic) and the grill itself is basically aluminum and stainless steel, they are basically rust proof aside from the cooking grate, which is easily replaced if necessary. They require little maintenance other than an occasional quick cleaning.

The Q3000 has 393 sq inches off cooking surface and the A2000 has 280 sq Inches. They are both lower cost than the regular grills but still very capable and will last you much longer than a $300 "throw away" grill.

I had a Char-Broil, but it was inherited to me when my brother-in-law moved out of a house,and I moved in.

It wasn't something I picked on my own.

I had seen the Q2000 yesterday. I didn't know there was a larger model, in the Q3000. That size seems more in line of what I'm looking for.
 
Good thought Bruce. I forget about the Q grills. And how much space the larger sizes have.

Arun it just comes down to what you want And how much you want to spend. If you don't grill often then a char broil type throwaway grill will probably give you good service especially if you keep it covered. And might even be your most cost effective option. If you want something higher quality look at a Q, spirit, or genesis.

Even if I don't grill that much, I just don't want a throwaway item.
 
I found an online site which had an older Genesis model, the Genesis II E-210.

https://www.bbqguys.com/weber/genesis-ii-e-210-freestanding-propane-gas-grill-black#specifications

$500 tax free, but $50 shipping plus I'll have to assemble it.

This seems like it even has a fuel gauge too.

Then there's the Genesis E-310. $700 pre-tax, but with free shipping and assembly. Is the only difference, the size?

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Weber-Genesis-II-E-310-Mocha-3-Burner-Liquid-Propane-Gas-Grill/1000366157
 
Even though I'll have this under a gazebo, do any grills come with free grill covers? It would provide additional protection from wind, or any rain that could come from the side, during a windy rain.
 
Even the old webers are susceptible to rust on their frame. The thing is that rust on the frame is usually repairable. Where the char broils and cheaper big box grills really fall down is exactly the same problem as the poor weber summit. Using painted sheet metal on the firebox. That firebox inevitably rusts through and is not repairable. And the firebox is The heart of a grill. The New and old Weber genesis and even the spirits utilize utilize cast aluminium and it is extremely rare for that to fail.

So the Genesis ones I just linked to, the Genesis II E-210 and E-310, have cast aluminum, right? That's what it says in the description, but thought someone else could confirm.
 

 

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