New Summit gas grills for 2023/2024?


 
Chris Allingham

Chris Allingham

Administrator
Staff member
When we saw the recent 30% off sale of Summit gas grills, some members wondered if this was just a seasonal inventory clearance or a sign that a new Summit grill was on the horizon.

Well, someone pointed me to a thread at Weber Kettle Club where one of the moderators says that a Weber rep spilled the beans about new Summit gas grills for 2023/2024. He writes, "Price point is going to be a big shock for many so I really hope they back it up with a heavier build quality than the current generation. Currently the value is not there for the price point and they are hard to sell when compared to a Napoleon PRO unit or similar."

As I posted last year, to the best of my knowledge, this is the Summit change history in the last 15 years:
  • 2008: Added a 10,600 BTU sear burner; added lighted control knobs; reduced cooking grate area from 693 to 624 sq in.
  • 2009: Added the Tuck-Away rotisserie motor.
  • 2010: Reduced the smoke burner from 8,000 to 6,800 BTU.
  • 2011: Added the LCD tank scale on control panel; reduced the diameter of cooking grate rods from 9.5mm to 9mm.
summit-comparison-table-2007-2020.jpg

It's about time this flagship grill gets a complete life cycle update. We know it will have cool new features. We know Weber will charge dearly for it. The only question is whether the quality will match the price.

Comments?
 
I hope they upgrade and update, and don’t go crazy on pricing. It’s already way up there.

Weber needs to stick to the basics. It’s a gas grill. Maybe a move to the old days and not so much trying to set new standards, because Weber has always been THE standard.

Keep the grill center and I’m interested. If it’s a bigger current Genesis with stuff tacked on, I’ll just get the current gen Summit.
 
Yah, put the quality into it but keep the pricing below Vieluxe level and they might have something. Please, no sheet steel in the cabinet. And either change the cook box to fix the rotting out problem or go back to aluminum.
 
Ditto what @Bruce has said. I can see them going upmarket, but ONLY if the grill is upmarket. You can't push a grill with a flawed cookbox design and cheap painted steel cabinetry at a premium price point.

On the other side, I agree with going for more simplicity in the presentation of quality and less cheap gizmos that won't last or make much difference. Give me a reason to not keep my 1st generation Summit as my daily driver. That will take some real creative effort and a change in the current philosophy that seems to have driven many newer products.
 
Chris Allingham said:
When we saw the recent 30% off sale of Summit gas grills, some members wondered if this was just a seasonal inventory clearance or a sign that a new Summit grill was on the horizon.

Well, someone pointed me to a thread at Weber Kettle Club where one of the moderators says that a Weber rep spilled the beans about new Summit gas grills for 2023. He writes, "Price point is going to be a big shock for many so I really hope they back it up with a heavier build quality than the current generation. Currently the value is not there for the price point and they are hard to sell when compared to a Napoleon PRO unit or similar."

As I posted last year, to the best of my knowledge, this is the Summit change history in the last 15 years:
  • 2008: Added a 10,600 BTU sear burner; added lighted control knobs; reduced cooking grate area from 693 to 624 sq in.
  • 2009: Added the Tuck-Away rotisserie motor.
  • 2010: Reduced the smoke burner from 8,000 to 6,800 BTU.
  • 2011: Added the LCD tank scale on control panel; reduced the diameter of cooking grate rods from 9.5mm to 9mm.
It's about time this flagship grill gets a complete life cycle update. We know it will have cool new features. We know Weber will charge dearly for it. The only question is whether the quality will match the price.

Comments?
Click to expand...
Thanks for these insights, Chris! I am certainly glad to hear that Weber is working on new stuff at time I am sure they are pressed to just keep costs down and go with the status quo.
 
Innovate and adapt what exactly? Aside from a grill that turns itself on, cooks, and cleans afterwards, not much to innovate. There are a ton of tacky gimmicks folks slap on.

Serious question. I can’t think of much to innovate.
 
Sitting on their 15 year old design with several big flaws is no way to run a business. Those are the innovations and adaptations I am talking about. And getting rid of some the problem prone bling and gimmicks would be a good way to adapt as well.
 
The market for high end grills is there. It is amazing how many grills there are between $5K and $15K. I am sure they can compete if they use half a brain.
 
Nobody said sit on their current design. I certainly didn’t.

Your final sentence says EXACTLY what I said.
 
I think a lot of us would settle for a solid, capable grill with the latest features like the Smart Grill features of Genesis, an infrared sear burner like Napoleon, great styling, most importantly built like a tank and lots of high quality stainless. And a lifetime warranty. :) And with their move into griddles, a full-sized griddle insert, of course.

And maybe a built-in air fryer and pebble ice maker. (Kidding) I can't believe how pebble ice has become such a thing these days.
 
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Jon Tofte said:
they are pressed to just keep costs down and go with the status quo.
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Any CEO that runs a company in this fashion would be doomed. This is how companies die.

A company must always innovate and perfect its products, especially when working to change course to growth and profitability.

Evolution versus revolution and perfecting one’s craft is smart growth. Standing still is a sure fire way to get killed in a market.
 
Chris Allingham said:
I think a lot of us would settle for a solid, capable grill with the latest features like the Smart Grill features of Genesis, an infrared sear burner like Napoleon, great styling, most importantly built like a tank and lots of high quality stainless. And a lifetime warranty. :) And with their move into griddles, a full-sized griddle insert, of course.

And maybe a built-in air fryer and pebble ice maker. (Kidding) I can't believe how pebble ice has become such a thing these days.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a new version of our 1st generation Summit - with the firebox issue corrected!

Finished and Ready.jpeg
 
This article is from Feb so a bit dated but they clearly are banking on 2024 with new products.

www.cookoutnews.com

The Opportunities and Risks of Weber's Business Rebuild - CookOut News | Grill Business News, Grill Reviews, Grill Releases

Weber has some work to do if they want to dig themselves out of the hole they're in. They took on a bunch of debt, and are going private as they rebuild. As part of that process they worked through a strategy with Centerview Partners. As we noted last week when we showed Weber's financial...
www.cookoutnews.com www.cookoutnews.com

Also a forecast they put out in Feb also.

www.cookoutnews.com

Weber Expects to Sell 3.59 Million Units in 2023 - Forecast Revealed - CookOut News | Grill Business News, Grill Reviews, Grill Releases

When it comes to information about companies, you get the most when there's a change in ownership. It's unusual for that to happen multiple times in a short period of time, but that's the case for Weber. They IPO'd a year and a half ago, and they are currently being taken private. That's...
www.cookoutnews.com www.cookoutnews.com
 
Honestly Jon, if it had a cast aluminum or high quality SS fire box along with a rotisserie burner it would be the perfect grill. Yeah a SS frame would be nice as well, but
 
LMichaels said:
Honestly Jon, if it had a cast aluminum or high quality SS fire box along with a rotisserie burner it would be the perfect grill. Yeah a SS frame would be nice as well, but
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I don't get the rotis burner how many people are actually doing that. I know of nobody tried to give a new one for a 1000 away for free here pay the shipping no takers. I also don't get why they would ever and I am sure they would not go back to east west burners that is a thing of the past way past. Cast aluminum that I get for a big number, SS frame doubt that would ever happen. SS fire box a big number will be interesting to see what they come up with and price them at.

I don't think it matters what they come up with most likely will be out of the price range that most of this forum is prepared to pay anyway. :)
 
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