Finding the right used grill ?


 
A

AlexK

New member
New member and home owner from Milwaukee Area.
My goal is to find the right used grill. I've been doing a bit of reading, and it's great to see all the old grills being saved.

Can anyone recommend which grills/model version I should consider? Genesis 3 burner is the base I'm looking for.

1000-5000 series? Silver or Gold?

I'm looking to use the grill and not a restoration. So general maintenance would be fine.

Thank you for your guidance
 
Alex,

Welcome! Hi, I am a newbie, too. I suppose this is a highly personal taste oriented question, but here’s my two cents worth. I by far love the 1000-5000 series when they have the stained wood shelves (including on the bottom) and the wood handle. Most of our group seems to prefer “redheads” :redgenesis1: but I think black or hunter green also looks classy with wood that has been well stained. The downside, of course, is extra care and maintenance. In addition these use thirteen flavorizer bars so it costs more to renovate. I have also never liked the removable side thermometer and the wood handle doesn’t give a lot of clearance from the hot lid.:mad:Compare this to the Silver/Gold and you lose a lot of charm and beauty but pickup practicality and a more modern look. I especially like the later version of these with dual fold down shelves that had more of a blue gray tint. These are a lot easier to clean and work way better IMO than the wood trays on the 1000. You also get a center mount thermometer and the five flavorizer bars are lower cost. Opinions vary about the effect on performance of 5 vs 13. I would like to see an actual comparison test. Finally the curved handle on the later version is a very practical and safer idea even though it lacks the elegance of stained wood. So, if you mainly want a grill to use I would go with a Silver or Gold with the above features. I believe this would be the early 2000s up to around 2004.
 
Welcome to the forum Alex. Basically the 1000-3000 will be easiest to find the 4000 & 5000 are pretty rare. The grills are the same it's the chassis and extras that make the difference. Some of the base 1000-3000 came with wood slats, the LX series came with Durawood slates. The LX also came with a flip up left side table. The 2000 had an extended cart which allowed for a right side stationary table. The 3000 instead of the right side table had a side burner.
If space is a problem the 1000 would be your best bet.
As stated the silver or gold would be a good way to go if you're just looking for a good grill to use.
Good luck with your hunt.
 
Since you are just looking for a good capable grill, I suggest a basic Silver/Gold B or C if you want the extra burner. They are simple and very capable grills and are very plentiful used. The parts are common and easy to find. I see quite a few of them on Craigslist in the Milwaukee area. Not much right now, but they pop up pretty regular. Just be patient and keep looking. If you want one that just needs cleaning and replacement cooking grates and flavorizer bars, you should be able to find one for about $50. The new parts will be another $100 but then you will basically have a brand new Weber Genesis 3 burner for about $150.
 
Set up alerts/notifications on Craigslist. I use "weber|webber" as my search phrase.

As to which grill to get, it really comes down to personal taste. Many here like the more "retro" look of the 1-5's and the 1000 - 5000 series Gennys. Many also say they cook better due to the deeper firebox and additional layer of flavorizers.

Rehabbing any of these Gennys is usually pretty straight forward. The wood on earlier models adds more complexity for some people (like me).



I have 2 Genny Gold C's and a Summit 650.
 
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Alex, as others have said, welcome!
Be patient. Now is a pretty good time (as well as in the spring) to pick up a deal on Craigslist or Letgo, or any of the others. Deals are there to be had, it just may take a while. I searched for almost a year before I found my Performer for $50, and for almost 4 months before I found my 22" WSM for $110!! Be patient but persistent. Good luck and please keep us posted!
Tim
 
As others have stated i think the genesis silver B and 1000 models are best to rehab. He sure to look at the frame and firebox carefully. On the frame some rust is fixable. But rust through makes it a lot harder repair. Those old cast aluminum fireboxes are almost indestructible but they can warp or burn through from a grease fire.
 
And parts are readily available for most components on those older Genesis grills from either Weber.com or other aftermarket sites which them good candidates for rehabbing.

One of the hardest parts to replace on these older grills are the wood and durawood tables. The wood is normally trashed after 15-25 years and the brackets are typically rusted pretty bad. You can replace the wood pretty easy, but the brackets are near impossible to find new on line. Many times, the grills are missing all or some of the tables, especially the drop down table. People just chuck them after a while when they get trashed.
Even the durawood can get messed up with lack of maintenance and it can "melt" next to the cook box if the grill gets too hot.
 
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