Are any Summit's worth it?


 
B

BSteele

New member
I have a Genesis Silver A from 2000 that I've owned 10-15 years and went thru a pretty thorough rebuild a couple of seasons ago. For years, I've wished I had something "hotter & larger" and figure a 3 or 4 burner would be great. The Genesis definitely gets the job done and is in good shape aside from the rusted out cabinet bottom which I've partially repaired.

The question is whether a 2009 Summit S-420 is worth "investing" in. There are actually 2 fairly close to me right now in the $2-300 range. Both look very lightly used and have minimal signs of rust in the cabinet. The boxes appear in good shape but I haven't seen in person, but based on what it looks like general usage was and the rest of the condition, I doubt they're rusted.

Both units are NG and I'd have to convert to LP. Is it worth the time & effort to be $4-500 into a near perfect Summit of this age, or in 5 years will it leave me wishing I never got rid of my old Genesis?

I also have a Q (in the box that I never use) and an Akorn for Charcoal, so yes, I'm considering keeping the Genesis even if I buy the Summit!

Thanks for any advice!

IMG_7916.jpgIMG_7907.jpg
IMG_7914.jpgFullSizeR(1).jpgFullSizeR.jpg
 

Attachments

  • IMG_7916.jpg
    IMG_7916.jpg
    155.2 KB · Views: 2
Last edited:
I am not a fan of gas conversion. You need new manifolds and valves to do it properly in my opinion.

For Weber grills I like the models with a cast aluminum firebox. They hold heat well and they last a long time.

There are big Genesis models 2010 and onward that give you lots of grill surface area. The cabinets tend to wear our first. Parts are available and can be fixed with moderate skills.

The older 3 burners pre-2009 can heat up very hot and have moderate amount of grill surface area. They are easy to work on and have parts available.

The Summits have plenty of grill surface area. Good height inside the box. They have sear burners and some have an infrared heat element. They don't have cast aluminum fireboxes. The cabinets are iron and wear out. Parts are expensive and not readily available. They are hard to work on compared with other Webers.
 
Simple answer is no with a capital no. First off a Summit x20 is a waste of time and energy without the IR rotisserie burner unless all you want to do is burn burgers and such. a 4XX is no larger than a full size Genesis either. Now add to this your need to "convert" and it's a total waste of time and $$$
 
It's amazing how something that was ~$1,500 new only 10 years ago, is still in great shape, isn't considered worthwhile for a light resto. I'm thoroughly on the side of "they don't make them like they used to" as well, but figured if I could pick it up for around $100, spend another $150 for a manifold and regulator, disconnect the side burner and remove that regulator, I'd have a killer and safe unit.

Maybe I need to just continue to stick with the 20 yr old 2 burner Genesis A that will never leave me hanging and wait until the right Genesis comes along for free...
 
Just get a good old fashioned 3 burner Genesis. Far more plentiful, cheaper, easier to restore and convert if needed. Also FAR more common in actual LP than NG if LP is what you need. Way more versatile than a plain Summit as well. Can actually pull off outstanding rotisserie cooking, burn burgers, steaks and chops as well as anything ever made.
 
Thanks for the thoughts.
The more I look for info here on the Summit, the more discouraging the info looks! I wanted to talk myself into a nice, modern unit, but it seems there is a reason they end up being basically given away.

Are any of the north/south units worth paying attention to, or does it really come down east/west for most people on this forum? With the exception of the Summit Platinum?
 
East/west the older Silver/Gold B and C from about 2000 to about 2005. Tons of threads how to restore here. Recommended.
The newer Genesis II 2017 and after has rectangular flat burners that cook evenly and has a deeper box. Recommended.
I see no benefit from about 2006 to 2016 Genesis but that just me, however if u find one in excellent condition is worth it.
 
Last edited:
BSteele said:
It's amazing how something that was ~$1,500 new only 10 years ago, is still in great shape, isn't considered worthwhile for a light resto. I'm thoroughly on the side of "they don't make them like they used to" as well, but figured if I could pick it up for around $100, spend another $150 for a manifold and regulator, disconnect the side burner and remove that regulator, I'd have a killer and safe unit.

Maybe I need to just continue to stick with the 20 yr old 2 burner Genesis A that will never leave me hanging and wait until the right Genesis comes along for free...
Click to expand...
The grill itself is OK if you could use it with the existing Natural Gas.

If you end up disconnecting the side burner you are back to a Genesis essentially.
 
"Are any of the north/south units worth paying attention to, or does it really come down east/west for most people on this forum? With the exception of the Summit Platinum?"

From time to time, I've thought about moving on from my 2001 vintage Genesis in order to switch from E/W to N/S and maybe also go from 3 to 4 burners. N/S seems like an easier way to do the direct/indirect set up. So I've been tempted by the used Summits.

But based on what I see here, if I was going to do that I'd get a recent vintage open cart Genesis instead.
 
I've never owned a summit. But based on what I've read here I wouldn't take one if it was given to me.

Your silver A is A wonderful grill. I have one. If you want a bigger grill i would look for a genesis 1000 or a silver B. I own a 1000 too and its not really better than the silver A but it is bigger and more versatile.

The genesis line is just hard to beat in terms of grilling prowess and durability.
 
Jim C in Denver said:
From time to time, I've thought about moving on from my 2001 vintage Genesis in order to switch from E/W to N/S and maybe also go from 3 to 4 burners. N/S seems like an easier way to do the direct/indirect set up. So I've been tempted by the used Summits.

But based on what I see here, if I was going to do that I'd get a recent vintage open cart Genesis instead.
Click to expand...

Yes, I've been ready (I thought) for a few years to increase both the # of burners and the N/S orientation but haven't made the effort/done the research until now. The floor and doors fell out of my 20 yr old Genesis a few weeks ago and after spending the time to repair it, that motivated me to make more of an effort to find something "bigger and hotter"!

I'm patient, frugal, deliberate with purchases, and I enjoy projects, so I'll continue to look for and take advice here to find something that's a better fit for me. I buy everything older and used for many reasons and this is no different!
 
I am probably one of the ring leaders here for trashing the current, third generation Summits. My dislike stems from bad personal experiences with failed attempts to salvage two of these worn out beasts. Rust is the biggest problem, both in the front of the firebox and then in all the cabinetry, Second problem in my view is the excessive weight and complexity of these grills relative to gaining not all that much more grill space. It aggravates me that Weber would market this as a high-end grill and with high end prices but then be too cheap to use stainless steel where it was desperately needed.

Having said all of that, if you have your heart set on a BIG grill, you should do what you want as long as you have your eyes open. The Summit 4-burner in the pictures does look almost entirely rust-free and must have been cared for and stored well. The version with the rear infrared is a critical upgrade if you have any plans to do rotisserie. The Summit's high hood seems made for that, but without that rear burner we have heard that it won't do well. Maybe rotisserie isn't even on your list.

In any event, best wishes! Keep us posted.
 
It's always disappointing when a company makes it's reputation based on high quality and as the years pass, the corporate bean counters figure out how to cut corners to save expenses and in turn lower quality (but of course raise retail prices). Seems like Weber went down this path at some point in the mid to late 2000's and then when they sold, I'm sure that didn't help. To me, the steel vs. cast box makes a big difference, and of course I'd prefer a base that isn't prone to rot, but that may be a tough one to avoid.

I'll be waiting for the right resto of a 3 or 4 burner. Unless I "steal" something, I'm guessing the newest I'll go with is the sidewinder.

Stumbled on this today, it's free and there are 2 propane tanks with it that look to be new enough to still use! Not sure if it will last long enough for me to be the first one there though, and I'm not sure if the next revision of this Genesis is a better call.

1.jpg 2.jpg 3.jpg
 
That is a nice Silver B and it's the special edition ones with 2 swing tables. Those are pretty easy to rehab, built like tanks, last a long time and will give you great cooks and great for rotisserie cooking as well. I'd try to get that one asap if I were you. Just be sure that the cross bar (left one when standing in front of it) is not rusting out. If it's a little rusted (surface rust) then that's workable.
 
THose are perfect rehab grills. Maybe not the best three burners that Weber every made, but they are simple and parts are easy to come by.
 
Yes, looks like a decent one for free. The 2 propane tanks look better than my 4 tanks that are all over 12 years old and nobody will fill for me! I'm not "in need", 3 working grills here already, just ready for an upgrade. I'll probably patiently wait for a platinum or gold to appear!
 
Bsteele: Take the old out of date tanks to a Walmart or other propane "exchange" site and they will take in exchange and don't care about the date. They will even take ones with the old style connectors on top. They do their own inhouse inspection and recertification on each tank before they refill it and put it out for sale. Most places are about $15 to $16 bucks for an exchange around here with some up to $10. Just keep in mind that they don't completely fill the tanks. Instead of 19 lbs a refill place will put in, they will only put in about 15 pounds. But, for not having to recertify the tank, it is a good way to go.
 
The only exchange I'm aware Walmart will do is for Blue Rhino, which I do have 1 of for just that reason. I'll look into if any locations in my area, MA, offer that. Thanks for the tip!
 
That's fantastic! I had no idea I could literally turn in my tank and they'd hand me a Blue Rhino in exchange! Makes sense as to how that company has acquired all of the tanks. While mine are all "out of date", I often feel they're clearly (visibly) in better condition than many of the Rhino's. They take the chance on your older tank and gain an occasional customer and lifetime advertising. Not a bad exchange customer acquisition cost, a tank that's worth $5-10 to them...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top