E-470 vs 2022 Genesis

[Kevin_K]

I want to buy my first grill and was originally planning to buy the E-470 because I want to use the rotisserie and smoke box, but read some reviews saying that compared to prior iterations of the Summit grill, the E-470 uses thinner steel, has smaller/flimsier wheels, and is overall less durable. I recently learned that the Genesis has a new redesign for 2022, which now has me wondering if I should buy a 3 or 4 burner Genesis instead. I would lose the rotisserie and smoke box, but would the grill be any more durable than an E-470? The official spec pages for the E-470 and 2022 Genesis grills don't include information like the grade/thickness of steel used. If I compare the grills' warranties, it's kind of mixed:

Weber Grill Warranty | Weber Grills

Weber Grill Warranty | Weber Grills

www.weber.com

The 2022 Genesis has a longer warranty the Summit for some components but a shorter warranty for others.

My post essentially consists of these two questions:

1. Would a new 2022 model Genesis be more durable than a new Summit E-470, which was released in 2011? Or would Weber ensure that their Genesis line of grills is always lesser than or equal to in quality to the Summit line, just because the Summit line is supposed to be their highest end grill?

2. Is there any chance of a Summit redesign in the near future? Are there any rumors or leaks? The most recent iteration was released in 2011. It seems like it's due for an update but I don't want to keep putting off my purchase indefinitely. Also there's always the risk that a redesign ends up being lower quality than the prior iteration.

 

[LMichaels]

The Summit line uses a sheet metal fire box. And tends to become a rust bucket pretty quickly but many times AFTER warranty forcing a very expensive repair. Though it has one HUGE advantage over the Genesis. It has a rotisserie burner something the newer Genesis line can no longer do well thanks to Weber cheapening the design to use "vertical" or NS burners as opposed to the original Genesis which had horizontal (EW) burners so were much more versatile. So the choice is yours. If you go with a Summit be aware of the design flaw in them and act accordingly as it nears warranty end. As for the smoke box? MEH pretty useless IMO. It releases all the smoke at grate level rather than "under" the food. Fun to look at but not much use otherwise.

 

[Kevin_K]

The Summit line uses a sheet metal fire box. And tends to become a rust bucket pretty quickly but many times AFTER warranty forcing a very expensive repair.

If you go with a Summit be aware of the design flaw in them and act accordingly as it nears warranty end.

What material does the Genesis use for its firebox?

If it doesn't typically fail until after the warranty period is up then are you saying I should just file a claim right before the warranty period ends and hope Weber honors it?

Though it has one HUGE advantage over the Genesis. It has a rotisserie burner something the newer Genesis line can no longer do well thanks to Weber cheapening the design to use "vertical" or NS burners as opposed to the original Genesis which had horizontal (EW) burners so were much more versatile.

In the case of the older Genesis grills, would you have had to buy a rotisserie add-on but the EW direction of the burners would have mimicked the rotisserie burner on the Summits?

So the choice is yours. As for the smoke box? MEH pretty useless IMO. It releases all the smoke at grate level rather than "under" the food. Fun to look at but not much use otherwise.

Based on the reviews I've read the smoke box isn't good enough to use the Summit as an actual smoker but is it at least good enough to add a noticeable amount of smoke flavor to food?

 

[LMichaels]

Genesis uses cast aluminum. Much better than the porcelain steel in Summit. now if Summit had stainless steel? the heck yeah good bet.

To do great rotisserie cooking on the "real" Genesis just ad a rotisserie kit and go to town.

Smoke box? I had one that came on my Genesis years ago. Same design different grill is all. Was worthless IMO. I took it out, threw it away and simply use foil packs under the grates. Cheap and works great. The older original Summits came with a huge stainless steel smoke box that nestled down under the grates between burners. Now that thing WORKED. I used the dickens out of it. Wore out one of the rivets LOL. Another bad thing about the new smoke box is they leave all kinds of corrosive wood ash inside the grill leaving a greasy mess behind.

 

[Kevin_K]

You said:

The Summit line uses a sheet metal fire box. And tends to become a rust bucket pretty quickly but many times AFTER warranty forcing a very expensive repair.

If you go with a Summit be aware of the design flaw in them and act accordingly as it nears warranty end.

If it doesn't typically fail until after the warranty period is up then are you saying I should just file a claim right before the warranty period ends and hope Weber honors it?

 

[LMichaels]

You said:



If it doesn't typically fail until after the warranty period is up then are you saying I should just file a claim right before the warranty period ends and hope Weber honors it?

It's what I would do. My guess if hadn't failed by then it soon would. Though IDK if they're requiring photos now or not. Another option is forego Weber altogether and look into another mid to premium brand that has the features you want like say Napoleon.

 

[Tim Campbell]

Larry knows his build stuff better than basically anyone. Fwiw, Weber's been through a tough year or so regarding litigation. They're likely going to be more than earnest in working with you. I have only had positive experiences with them regarding warranties and builds. They've worked with me over the years; my father is an original Weber owner and they've stayed loyal to him since the 50s.

I'm not a wealthy man, but imho I really wouldn't worry, long term, about this decision so much. I get that Weber has increased prices and at times, has removed/changed features (I agree with Larry about east-west burners...). But bottom line is that you could do about 5 of the suggestions in this thread for the price of something more lavish. I would do a ng fire-pit first.

 

[Joe Anshien]

Having just replaced an S-470 firebox I have to say for what you want, look at the Napoleon Prestige 500 RSIB. It has everything the Summit does but a cast aluminum firebox like the Genesis. I have one and it is a much better built grill than the Summit. If the Genesis came with a rotisserie burner and IR burner, or the Summit had a cast aluminum firebox I would have gone that route. Having to do a warranty claim and replace a firebox on the Summit down the road is not a fun task for everyone.

 

[JSaus]

It's what I would do. My guess if hadn't failed by then it soon would. Though IDK if they're requiring photos now or not. Another option is forego Weber altogether and look into another mid to premium brand that has the features you want like say Napoleon.

I just filed a warranty claim this week, and they required me to send photos of the parts. Might have to photoshop it.

 

[Joe Anshien]

I just filed a warranty claim this week, and they required me to send photos of the parts. Might have to photoshop it.

Why would you have to photoshop it?

 

[Kevin_K]

It's what I would do. My guess if hadn't failed by then it soon would. Though IDK if they're requiring photos now or not. Another option is forego Weber altogether and look into another mid to premium brand that has the features you want like say Napoleon.

From skimming through the Amazon reviews for the Napoleon Prestige Pro it seems it also has its share of complaints regarding build/materials quality. Maybe I would need to increase my budget to the next tier of grill brands to be ensured of getting a grill that used top-quality materials (304 stainless, etc.) throughout. Or I could just buy the Summit and treat it as a learning experience.

 

[DanHoo]

I want to buy my first grill

when friends ask me about buying grills I ask them what they enjoy eating. I'm in the no-single-grill-does-everything camp and will always have a gas grill and a charcoal grill, but some want the convenience of just one.

Do you have space for more than one grill? Are you OK with fixing up an older grill?

I've had a three burner Silver B for 20+ years, and essentially have the same setup but with a Genesis 1000 cookbox. I use it for rotisserie.

I have a three burner plus sear front control Genesis E330 and its my hot-and-fast, I'm in a hurry, or cooking veggies while something is on the smoker grill. Burgers, Dogs and summer oven is what I use it for.

Are you up for cooking with charcoal? IMO, you'll get better smoke flavor, grilled flavor over coal.

If budget is a concern, I think you could get and fix up a used gas grill and a used kettle and have more cooking flexibility than any one new grill. It won't be as shiny on day 1, but in two years ?

I'm still tossing out ideas without really knowing what you want to cook, and what you may have cooked on before.

Cheers

 

[Kevin_K]

The Summit line uses a sheet metal fire box. And tends to become a rust bucket pretty quickly but many times AFTER warranty forcing a very expensive repair. Though it has one HUGE advantage over the Genesis. It has a rotisserie burner something the newer Genesis line can no longer do well thanks to Weber cheapening the design to use "vertical" or NS burners as opposed to the original Genesis which had horizontal (EW) burners so were much more versatile. So the choice is yours. If you go with a Summit be aware of the design flaw in them and act accordingly as it nears warranty end. As for the smoke box? MEH pretty useless IMO. It releases all the smoke at grate level rather than "under" the food. Fun to look at but not much use otherwise.

Can the Summit smoke boxes be removed and replaced with a mini-grate to increase the usable grill area? I assume there is already a NS burner running underneath the smoke box?

 

[Kevin_K]

when friends ask me about buying grills I ask them what they enjoy eating. I'm in the no-single-grill-does-everything camp and will always have a gas grill and a charcoal grill, but some want the convenience of just one.

Do you have space for more than one grill?

How maneuverable is a Weber 470? Can it be easily wheeled over small (1"-2") edges? What about up and over a standard height step? I have room to store more than 1 grill but due to the small size of my yard I really only have room to operate 1 grill at a time; any others would need to be stored either on my porch or in my garage when not in use.

Are you OK with fixing up an older grill?

I'd rather just buy something new. Something like the Weber Summit is in my price range.

I have a three burner plus sear front control Genesis E330 and its my hot-and-fast, I'm in a hurry, or cooking veggies while something is on the smoker grill. Burgers, Dogs and summer oven is what I use it for.

Are you up for cooking with charcoal? IMO, you'll get better smoke flavor, grilled flavor over coal.

I'm still tossing out ideas without really knowing what you want to cook, and what you may have cooked on before.

Cheers

My only experience prior to this was my last apartment complex's grill. It was a built-in 4-burner KitchenAid grill. The heat was very uneven and the grill was poorly maintained. I generally used it to cook basic things - chicken breast, fish, and/or vegetables. This was partly due to the limitations of the grill (the uneven heating made it difficult to cook anything like a steak) and partly due to time constraints. I used the grill 5-6 nights/week and liked to have something I could cook relatively quickly.

Now that I can buy my own grills I'd still like to have a nice gas grill as my main grill for fast/basic cooking, but want something that is also capable of more elaborate things such as the rotisserie.

I'd also like to eventually own a few different grills (gas, charcoal, and maybe a Traeger), however as I said above the maneuverability is an issue. I would need to be able to move one grill off of the grill pad in my yard and store it either next to my house or in my garage before I could use a different one.

 

[Jim C in Denver]

If you are really into roti, I'd buy an old Genesis side winder (meaning east west burner orientation) off of CL or FBM. The circa 2008-2012 Genesis 1s are well made and plentiful and inexpensive used. You could find one that won't require re-habbing. $400 or less.

If you want better grilling, get a Genesis 1 circa 2012-2017. That will have three north/south burners plus a sear burner (which is awesome for grilling). That is one of the grills I have. I'd also question the need to go up to the four burner size. Those 3 burner G1s have a BIG cooktop.

I'd choose either of those over the new Genesis line in a heart beat. And you should stay away from any/all Summits.

The built in smoke box is not worth it. Chews up grill top space and, frankly, doesn't do much. Smoking on any gasser is really not all that great. But it is far easier/cheaper/effective to just use a pellet tube for your gasser.

 

[JSaus]

Why would you have to photoshop it?

I was referring to the Summit that had not yet rusted. Only way to get early replacement. Sorry for confusion.

 

[Kevin_K]

If you are really into roti, I'd buy an old Genesis side winder (meaning east west burner orientation) off of CL or FBM. The circa 2008-2012 Genesis 1s are well made and plentiful and inexpensive used. You could find one that won't require re-habbing. $400 or less.

If you want better grilling, get a Genesis 1 circa 2012-2017. That will have three north/south burners plus a sear burner (which is awesome for grilling). That is one of the grills I have. I'd also question the need to go up to the four burner size. Those 3 burner G1s have a BIG cooktop.

I'd choose either of those over the new Genesis line in a heart beat. And you should stay away from any/all Summits.

The built in smoke box is not worth it. Chews up grill top space and, frankly, doesn't do much. Smoking on any gasser is really not all that great. But it is far easier/cheaper/effective to just use a pellet tube for your gasser.

If I'm reading your post correctly it seems like I would need to buy at least 2 grills: one for rotisserie (Genesis sidewinder), and one for everything else (Genesis 1). My thinking on the Summit was it has enough features I'm looking for to be a good all around option, even if the smoke box isn't terribly useful (although I would probably still use it even if it only added a slight smoky taste to food).

 

[Jim C in Denver]

Makes no sense to buy two gassers. Just buy one; they will both do a good job.

But if you are more into grilling/searing, then get one with a sear burner. It makes a big difference.

I don't roti at all. But roti guys like Larry say the e/w burners are better for that. But you can roti on n/s too.

Almost everyone on here will tell you not to touch a Summit (old or new) with a 10 foot pole. Do a search on here and you will see why. You are paying a high price for a bad grill. Just say no.

And the built in smoke box is stupid. It just makes your grill smaller. Use a pellet tube for smoke. Or get another cooker for smoke and low/slow. That's just not something a gasser will ever do particularly well.

YMMV.

 

[LMichaels]

the e/w burners are better for that. But you can roti on n/s too

Yes you can spin something on ANY grill you can fit a rotisserie on. But I found out the hard way after spending a lot on a Summit that NS burners are pretty useless compared to EW style. Heck even DCS had that figured out a VERY long time ago. They had a tilting burner bed on one of their models that actually moved the rock bed from under the food to behind it. Very complicated. I was so disappointed in how the Summit did rotisserie I actually stopped the sale of my original Genesis to a buyer because it meant that much to me. But, again OP, and anyone else. Why get so hung up on the thing being a Weber? There are better and yes even cheaper options

 

[Kevin_K]

Yes you can spin something on ANY grill you can fit a rotisserie on. But I found out the hard way after spending a lot on a Summit that NS burners are pretty useless compared to EW style. Heck even DCS had that figured out a VERY long time ago. They had a tilting burner bed on one of their models that actually moved the rock bed from under the food to behind it. Very complicated. I was so disappointed in how the Summit did rotisserie I actually stopped the sale of my original Genesis to a buyer because it meant that much to me.

I'm not sure I follow what you're saying here. The Summits have a dedicated EW rotisserie burner. Or do you mean an older version of the Summit that didn't have one?