Replace My Sunbeam Gas Grill With A Weber?


 
Dustin: I got an old 1993 Redhead 1000 and it was missing the swing table. That is probably the glide I am on. The handle and side tables are wood and rotted out but I plan on replacing the wood. However, it came missing the swing table. Like you, I had to have one and recently found a donor grill with durawood. I will use the swing table and replace that with wood as well. But, I have notice a lot of these grills are missing that swing table. I think people just never used them and when it got in the way or fell off or stopped working, they just removed them and tossed them.
I figure, if I don't need it, I will just leave it down, but it is nice to have it if I really want it and I wanted my grill to be complete.

Rusty: I would guess you grill to be a little newer than my 1993. It looks exactly like mine, except, mine has the older style propane tank level indicator.
 
Dustin Dorsey said:
Rusty, that one looks ok, but if you are like me you'll get bummed out by the swing table and side table being missing. I bought one missing the swing table that I thought I wouldn't miss and then just had to have one. I've got one now and never use it.
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That's interesting Dustin, when ever I use the 2000 or now my 1000 red head I automatically flip up the table. Putting my adult beverage on it keeps it away from the hot firebox.:cool:
 
Well, then someone needs to come up with a mod for a small ice chest on the grill. Maybe under it or putting it where the left shelf is. Close the lid and it is a table again. A cooler on a grill????? That would be awesome.
 
LMichaels said:
A matter of opinion. I have had many chances to look them over next to others and honestly don't see them any better than the other products many less than half the price. Yet Weber has the gall to charge even more like they're some kind of exalted product. Sorry As much as I LOVE my Weber stuff they don't walk on water especially now
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Like you said it's a matter of opinion. My opinion based on what I've seen and experienced is that even the modern webers are worth every penny compared to the char broils, kenmores, and members mark grills that I have owned and used in past years.
 
Greg M said:
Like you said it's a matter of opinion. My opinion based on what I've seen and experienced is that even the modern webers are worth every penny compared to the char broils, kenmores, and members mark grills that I have owned and used in past years.
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I have grown very jaded with experience and age. I used to be an only this brand or nothing type of guy. But now with companies becoming greedy and screwing their customer base I don't have the same blind belief in anything like I used to whether that goes for grills, cars or whatever. Now I look at what is the "value" to me. If I don't see it in terms of workmanship or what have you I move on to the next. Yes I had a Member's Mark grill quite a number of years ago. Yes it was a HUGE disappointment (especially once I had figured out why my Genesis II was not working correctly) but in the end (even after 18 months owning it) Sam's took it back under their life time guarantee offering either a brand new one or my $$$ back. In reality that grill was just a few pieces shy of being as good as or superior to the Genesis. The new product they sell looks to have addressed those issues and IMO either the MM product has come "up to" Weber type quality or the Weber product(s) have come "down to" off brand quality which is what I truly feel has happened. Now if that Genesis II line was in the price range of say $400 to $600 I'd be all over them. But to pawn off what they've made with a HUGE price increase to the point you're paying in the range of $750 to $1200 or more? I didn't fall off the turnip truck. I'm not that obsessed with a "name"
And, actually given who is now controlling Weber it would not surprise me in the least to see a Black & Decker branded product about identical to the new Weber lines at half the price.
 
Bruce said:
Greg, have you used an older model Genesis?
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Yes as I stated I have 2 vintage genesis. I agree that they are built like tanks and are probably better than the newer models.

But some people don't want something used or don't want to restore a vintage weber. For those people I maintain that a newer spirit or genesis is a superior choice over other similar gas grills from char broil, kenmore, members mark, etc.
 
One of the reasons I'm so pro Weber is that after all these years 21 and18 I can still get the parts that are prone to wear out with use for my two older genesis. When I worked at Sears in the tool dept. we sold grills. Kenmore, Char broil and a few others including Weber gas grills. All but the Weber's were made in China and you could lift the lid at one end and watch the whole top twist and heaven help you if something broke, parts were almost impossible to get.

The return rate on the Sears brand grills was over 50%, they had the returns stacked in a semi trailer along side the loading dock. The off brands just went in the dumpster.

Personally I think the new Weber's look great and the feedback from those who own them on the forum seems like, so far so good. No I wouldn't pay what their asking, but if they hold up and you're not buying a new grill every other year they are probably worth the price.
 
Yah, you don't see anyone out there cooking on a 10, 20 or even 25 year old Charbroil, kenmore, charmglow, etc.... They use them until they don't work, for whatever reason, and then trash them. And that is usually less than 5 years. I call them disposable grills. However, there are many hundreds of thousands of 10-25 year old webers out there still going strong.
 
Sadly don't expect that those parts will be available too much longer. Just look at those of us with expensive Summits who were left high and dry during warranty no less. With new management in there things will go bad and quickly. Also have you looked at some of the newer stuff we used to thumb our noses at? Go ahead and do it. I think you may be pretty shocked. Just like when we used to thumb our noses at Japanese cars than the Korean brands now look. They're the best stuff out there. Even myself. I don't even own an American branded vehicle any more. Haven't in a while now. 20 years ago if you told me there would be 2 Toyota's and a Lexus in my drive way I would have laughed in your face. I'm not laughing now at the notion. Things change. Companies change. Some get better and strive for things while others simply sell off their souls
 
Bruce said:
Greg, have you used an older model Genesis?
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Rich Dahl said:
One of the reasons I'm so pro Weber is that after all these years 21 and18 I can still get the parts that are prone to wear out with use for my two older genesis. When I worked at Sears in the tool dept. we sold grills. Kenmore, Char broil and a few others including Weber gas grills. All but the Weber's were made in China and you could lift the lid at one end and watch the whole top twist and heaven help you if something broke, parts were almost impossible to get.

The return rate on the Sears brand grills was over 50%, they had the returns stacked in a semi trailer along side the loading dock. The off brands just went in the dumpster.

Personally I think the new Weber's look great and the feedback from those who own them on the forum seems like, so far so good. No I wouldn't pay what their asking, but if they hold up and you're not buying a new grill every other year they are probably worth the price.
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+ 1. Agree with everything you say. And to Bruce's point I've been able to get parts for both my vintage 15 and 20+ year old weber genesis without the slightest difficulty. I don't think anyone can predict when parts will no longer be available.
 
LOL, I don't know what's funnier. The grill itself or the fact that someone thinks they are going to get $125 for it.
 
Yah Larry, I just saw a couple pop up on CL in the Madison area that were similar in ridiculousness. :D
 
LMichaels said:
Sadly don't expect that those parts will be available too much longer. Just look at those of us with expensive Summits who were left high and dry during warranty no less. With new management in there things will go bad and quickly. Also have you looked at some of the newer stuff we used to thumb our noses at? Go ahead and do it. I think you may be pretty shocked. Just like when we used to thumb our noses at Japanese cars than the Korean brands now look. They're the best stuff out there. Even myself. I don't even own an American branded vehicle any more. Haven't in a while now. 20 years ago if you told me there would be 2 Toyota's and a Lexus in my drive way I would have laughed in your face. I'm not laughing now at the notion. Things change. Companies change. Some get better and strive for things while others simply sell off their souls
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I think that you may be right about Weber not having the parts but there are a lot of other company's out there that are reproducing the commonly replaced parts such as FBs, grates, ignitors, regulators, etc. So I don't see a lack of service parts in the near future.
 
I think what you'll see (actually I have been seeing) is they will quite selling the burners. Weber will no longer source the burners for my Summit 450 for example. Thankfully I have a spare set. The crossover tube will be the odd man out for me but I think I can make one them from Genesis parts. I am sure Weber will find a way to obsolete our hobby
 
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