2013 Weber Genesis EP 310 or 2013 Weber Spirit 3 Burner


 

Skip

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I cook on the grill year round, at least 3-4 times a week--more when I am home as I travel quite a bit for work. Typical burgers, chicken, steak, pork chops, shrimp on skewers, shish-k-bob, etc. No need for rotis or side burner. On natural gas.

In 1985 we moved in to our first home (from apartment living for years) and had a Weber Smokey Joe. It was time to now get the full size kettle grill by Weber! We went to the local grill and home store, and they told us Weber had just come out with a gas grill line, with revolutionary designs and improvements. never having had a gas grill, it appealed to us - no mess, no wait for coals to fire, etc., so we took a chance. Probably the best grill I have owned to date. The Genesis 1 was the model - 424 sq in cooking surface - porcelain coated cooking grids and porcelain coated flavorizor bars. Over the years, the grids chipped as did the flavorizor bars. Weber gladly replaced them not once, not twice, but up to 3 times in the 10 years I used that grill.

In 1995, I went to replace it with a new Weber Genesis, but was talked in to an MHP WNK. Made in America, built like a tank, but the burner system was an H burner under briquets. Terrible heat control, and I had to replace the burner 3 times in 5 years at my expense. On the MHP, their porcelain coated cooking grids also chipped, but instead of replacing them, MHP upgraded the replacement at no charge to stainless. Finally, the porcelain nightmares were over. However the constant need for burner replacement and the unequal heat, drove me to go back to the Weber.

In 1999 I went to replace the MHP with a new Weber Genesis, but this time - yep - was talked again in to another brand - Ducane 1605 2 burner. The Ducane has never really gotten hot enough, and is now on it's last legs. So I am in the market for a new gas grill.

Went to look at the Weber Genesis and was surprised to see that they have gotten larger. Cooking surface is larger than the original. They have taken out the east/west flavorizor bars (bad move), and moved the burners north and south (good move). I can get the basic black hood and body with either all stainless inside (EP-310) or cast iron grids and porcelain flavorizor bars (E-310).

Then I saw the remolded Spirit for 2013. The 3 burner would be the one I would consider for control. Just so happens cooking surface is now the same size as I had on my original 1985 Genesis.

On the Spirit E-310 -
1. It comes with porcelain enameled cast iron cooking grids - what do you know or can you comment about the "porcelain enamel"? I am concerned with my past experience of the porcelain chipping off and getting in the food un-noticed. Comments?
2. Porcelain coated flavorizor bars - had problems in the past - solutions?? I contacted Weber but they do not even make flavorizor bars in stainless for the Spirit. the angle is wider on the bar for Spirit than for Genesis, so it is not like I could purchase the Genesis bars and cut them shorter. Comments?
3. Made in China? A lot of flack is made in the better grill stores about this...I understand, but look at the other products we consider reliable in our daily life. Big deal or not - comments?
4. Weber Quality - many grill stores say Weber has downgraded their stainless and their quality. A lot refer to 403 stainless vs 304 stainless throughout. They cite burners used to be dual side, but are not top-ported. They cite the BTU's are way to low, and especially on the Spirit, the thermometer only goes up to 600 degrees. Weber still has the best warranty though.

I have been told Broilmaster Signet 20 or Soverign 20 are a lot better value for the money. Comments??

I have been told the new Saber line is the best to buy with their InfraRed cooking system - Comments??

Any plans in the works for Weber to do InfraRed??

I have been told Napolean beats them all and simply pluck down $1500 to put something outside that may last only 5-6 years?!?!? Comments.
 
I can't comment on other grills, however, I have a Spirit e-310 (2009 serial number, bought new in 2012) with the east/west burners. It is by far the best grill I have ever owned, but for others maybe not so much so. You probably would be better served with the Genesis and everyone I have come across (in numerous web-forums) that own them say they are more than satisfied with them.

I look at Weber the same way that I look at Harley-Davidson, sure there are other more fancier products out there, but try and get parts for a 1986 Honda?. No problem finding parts for a 1986 FLH. Same is true for Weber, no problem finding parts for a 10 year old grill or getting updated parts that will fit.

However, the main problem with Weber is that they may last too long. After 10 years and the grill is still going strong, it will be a liitle difficult to justify getting a new grill.
 
The spirit was just rated best by Consumer Reports. That being said it is made in China where the Genesis is made here. The warranty is better on the Genesis. It is still a great little grill but the Genesis has upgrades. I have the porcelain cast iron grates and love them. I have been running hem for almost 4 years with no issues. For a true bulletproof arrangements would go with the EP version. That said I love the grill marks and heat retention of cast iron.
 
The spirit was just rated best by Consumer Reports. That being said it is made in China where the Genesis is made here. The warranty is better on the Genesis. It is still a great little grill but the Genesis has upgrades. I have the porcelain cast iron grates and love them. I have been running hem for almost 4 years with no issues. For a true bulletproof arrangements would go with the EP version. That said I love the grill marks and heat retention of cast iron.

Was the CR report within the last 2 weeks?

I spoke with a large dealer Saturday who told me Weber had just run out of room in Palentine, and actually built a facility in China from ground up, to handle the Spirit volume. He says he can't keep them instock. Would love to see the PCCI grates with stainless flavorizor bars, but the SS bars are not available from Weber for the new Spirit. Any one know of after market?
 
The CR report was about a month ago. As far as I am aware the Spirits have been made in a Chinese Weber run factory for years. The Genesis is assembled in the US with parts from around the world. I have the PCI grates and bars and the bars lasted 3 years with the grates going on4 years. I believe there is an eBay seller named rcplanebuyer that sells the stainless bars. Let me know if you are able to find them.
 
The newer Genesis is modeled after the older Summit series from the '90s. The Spirit is modeled after the older Genesis also '90s. I believe they started making the Spirit ovreseas after buying out Ducane in the mid 2000's. I have the EP-330 and love it. If you can swing the Genesis I'd go that route. It is a much sturdier built grill than the Spirit. I prefer the stainless grates and flavorizer bars of the EP models but that's personal preference.
 
I am not a fan at all of PCI. They don't hold up well. (I do scrub my grates with a brass brush after every cook). My last few grills I had the PCI and even taken them in for the winter and spraying them down with PAM and storing them in a trash bag, after a few years they would always chip. Flakes would get in the food. PCI would be my very last choice for grates.

I now have the Genesis EP330 and cannot say enough good things about it. For me SS grates are the way to go. Jeff is right, If you can swing it, the 330 is fantastic grill. (double walled hood, searing station, SS grates and flavorizor bars) .

Or can you get aftermarket SS grates for the Spirit.??
 
Skip mentioned Saber, and I actually took a pretty close look at a couple of them before buying a Summit. Saber is made by Charbroil as a higher end line to compete with Weber's Summit line. The grills look and feel very well made, and from people I've talked to they cook great. But the one unknown with almost any other brand is what type of support/warranty are you going to receive after you take your grill home. With Weber not only do you know the grills can last 10+ years, Weber's history of support for both their warranty's and parts availability is well documented.

FWIW the grill we just replaced is a '97 Genesis, still cooks fine and would cook even better if I plunked down a few $$$ for new flavorizer bars and grates.
 
Hello and thanks for all the input - more welcome...

EP330 - do the extra burners (sear & side) take away power from the main burners? Example - I would think running 3 burners (EP310) on high would be fine - but running an additional sear and side might take away from the "power" of the mains - comments? A dealer said "I HAD to get teh 330 - otherwise I would not have sear marks"???

EP-310 - does just 3 burners get hot enough to creat/leave sear marks on steaks/chicken/burgers? The ratio of BTU to cooking surface favors the Spirit by a little.

No one cares for the PCCI bars - no? I inquired about the PC flavorizor bars with Weber and they admitted that due to the extreme heat, the coating would chip off and the bars would rust. No solutions for SS FB's for the new Spririt to date.

Saber - one dealer said they were the "Weber of the 21st century, like Weber was when they came out with Genesis in 1985." However, another dealer told me because the grates cover the vent holes, and the vent hole plates cover the fire source, you are simply cooking on a stainless skillit with raised bars. Comments or observations? He said it was a fad and would pass???


Thanks
 
The extra burner would not take energy away but would use more gas. I get great sear marks with my 310 but the 330 is more concentrated heat and does get hotter. I can get over 550 with mine. I like the pci grates for heat retention and they hold up ok. I only got 3 years from the bars where a friend got 5 years from his ss bars. My pci bars started rusting pretty quick but did not burn through until the three year mark. I am partial to Weber for their customer service and parts availability.
 
I have a genesis 310 from 2012. I have grillgrates on them, and can get around 650 on the temp. Plenty hot to sear. Really recommend grillgrates. No more flare ups. Even with marinades.
 
The extra burners will not "take anything away". It will use slightly more gas but keep in mind you're not going to leave that 4th burner on during normal cooking only to get the extra heat for searing. As for Sabre it's nothing but a gussied up Charbroil chinese POC. PCI grates I have never seen a CI grate "burn though". I have seen the older style chip but the new PCI grate process Weber came out with gets rid of that issue. Frankly though SS innards are the way to go. For a slightly higher price ($50 I think) you basically will never have to replace anything. You will get just as good of marks from heavy SS as CI so I see no reason to go for CI grates
 
What would grill grates cost for the Weber Genesis? For the extra money of the grill grates, upgrade to the EP330, and get the side burner, the ss grates and bars and the sear station, no?
 
What would grill grates cost for the Weber Genesis? For the extra money of the grill grates, upgrade to the EP330, and get the side burner, the ss grates and bars and the sear station, no?

Sounds like the majority say you don't need the sear burner - the 310 will do fine. I have neighbors with various brand gas grills with side burners, and no one ever uses them. They basically could boil a little water if needed - but no use. They are all looking at Weber as a replacement when their time comes. You can get the SS inside on the EP-310, sold at Ace and most Weber Alliance dealers. Color on outside (vs SS) but SS grids and FB's.

Not much discussion on the Spirit - better to go EP-310?
 
I used to be in the "I don't need/want a side burner" camp. But I will tell you all that I made the effort to add one not only to my Summit but to my Genesis and they DO get used many times both at the same time along with the grills themselves. Especially on hot days when I don't want the kitchen heating up. I would not be without one now. Once you actually HAVE one and make a decision to use it you will never know. It's especially useful because my kitchen stove is fairly far from the deck and it makes meal prep SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much nicer and easier
 
I like the Genesis for the space alone. It is built stouter as well. As for the side burner I would actually like one for lighting my chimney starter. Other than that I can't say I have missed not having one. I like the EP vs the S. I like the color shroud instead of the stainless.
 
I like the Genesis for the space alone. It is built stouter as well. As for the side burner I would actually like one for lighting my chimney starter. Other than that I can't say I have missed not having one. I like the EP vs the S. I like the color shroud instead of the stainless.

That is what I have had recommended - that the SS Weber uses in the hoods will not hold shine and you'll worry about it more than you know. One store told me to save the $ and go with black (or a color) and order some Omaha steaks - LOL.

Anyone have anything good or bad to say on the Broilking line - this is the alternate line this store offers and he said if I was considering the Spirit, I'd be better off with the Signet 20 from BK.

Thanks
 
I personally would stay with Weber. The warranty is better with Weber. I have had 13 good years with them and wouldn't buy anything else? I am not familiar with Broil King. Be ray of salesman they rarely know their products and are oft driven by commission.
 
I use my side burner a lot to sear veges in a cast iron skillet while cooking meats. Keeps the heat and mess out of the kitchen in the summer. And if you use charcole also, the side burner is GREAT for lighting chimneys! I favor the EP series over the S. Like the colored porcelain over the stainless exterior. And stick with Weber over Broil King.
 
Thanks - good comments - but what about the Spirit - redesigned it is a mini (or original) Genesis - is it not? Same cooking space as original Genesis and about $200 less. Another thing I noticed - the flavorizor bars on the new Spirit are more "flared" than the Genesis. When you look in to the cook box, the space between the FB's on the Gensis is quite wide and the space between the FB on the Spirit is tigher. So where is the functionality of the FB's in the Genesis? You have about 2" between bars for drippings to drop - to where? The heat deflectors? And wha is it necessary to hae heat defelectors - comments?
 

 

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